Raspberry Pi Zero Game Boy

from hackster.io

While the Game Boy made its debut in the late 1980s, its simple and robust form factor seems yet to have left our collective hearts. Now 30-plus years later, hackers like Facelesstech have taken up the mantle of updating this system, producing “Game Boys” that would have been nearly unimaginable at the time.

Facelesstech’s latest device — or devices, as he made two copies — is actually his third try at a RetroPie emulator Game Boy, which plays games via an onboard Raspberry Pi Zero. Not only can it play Game Boy/Color/Advance titles like it’s predecessors, but one of the two can also handle games designed for the original PlayStation and N64 thanks to its use of a Pi Zero 2 module. A 2.8" screen in portrait mode is used for a display, and an audio amplifier enhances the onboard sound.

Using this emulator setup with a variety of games is also made possible by the device’s additional buttons. Two of these are added above the traditional “B” and “A” switches, and two more that act as shoulder buttons below the game’s (modified) shell. An analog stick is missing from the PlayStation experience, but the original PS didn’t have this capability either, so it’s not a huge problem.

The project also features rechargeable battery cells, and a USB-C port to keep gameplay going. Board and print files are found on GitHub if you’d like to make your own.