Turn your Smartphone into a Game Boy with the Hyperkin Smart Boy

dpad_5678 · Jun 25, 2016

NORBIN said:
Neat, too bad I haven't gotten a new phone in years. Still using an iPhone 4 because cbf to upgrade.

#JoinTeamAndroid

No seriously you can get a GSM Unlocked Verizon Galaxy S5 for less then $200 on Groupon.

stanleyopar2000 · Jun 25, 2016

So..let's play a game and guess which open source GBA emulator code it's using!!

gnmmarechal · Jun 26, 2016

I don't particularly care about playing the carts. I really only want to dump mine.

CuriousTommy · Jun 26, 2016

gnmmarechal said:
I don't particularly care about playing the carts. I really only want to dump mine.

Yeah, like I feel that this device is the only modern ROM dumper that uses USB (I also wonder if it work on desktop too...). I believe there was a tutorial that talked about how to repurpose the audrino to dump these games, but those tutorials are too advance for me. This would be much easier to use if someone makes an app.

gnmmarechal · Jun 26, 2016

CuriousTommy said:
Yeah, like I feel that this device is the only modern ROM dumper that uses USB (I also wonder if it work on desktop too...). I believe there was a tutorial that talked about how to repurpose the audrino to dump these games, but those tutorials are too advance for me. This would be much easier to use if someone makes an app.

Ik there are other solutions, but this would do that, AND have buttons on a phone lol

LaronX · Jun 27, 2016

I can't really see the appeal of this over a GBA(SP) or a 2/3DS. What is the point? Sure I as much as anyone else love to do as much as possible on my Smartphone. Hell I had a N96 before the term was coined and ran emulators on it. It was novel and funny to do, but in the end just a makeshift solution as I didn't want to spend money. So unless this is cheaper then a GBA I see no reason why to get it aside from trying to look as nerdy as possible ( I say thst wearing a pacman shirt so I might be a bit hypocritical here)

FranckKnight · Jun 27, 2016

Yeah, I don't see the point of this.

It makes your phone bulkier, still requires you to use the actual carts, and only plays GB and GBC games from the looks of it, roughly for the same price you get get a GBA that plays the same games.

The only advantage I see is that it beats using the touch screen, giving you actual physical buttons. That is, if it's not one of those 'push a button and it actually presses something against the screen' devices, but I doubt it here. I think this is more like a full GB/GBC that uses the phone as a screen, since you still need to insert the carts to play.

Veho · Jun 27, 2016

FranckKnight said:
I think this is more like a full GB/GBC that uses the phone as a screen, since you still need to insert the carts to play.

It's more likely a gamepad and card reader, while the processing is done by an emulator running on the phone.

Transdude1996 · Jun 29, 2016

There are two main reasons that this thing exists.

The first is to, like other users have pointed out, possibly dump the ROMs from the cartridges onto your phone (And, then do what you will with them). The reason this is a big plus is that the only other user-friendly ways to do so (To my knowledge) is to buy either a Retro Freak or a RetroN 5.

The second reason is to play the games with a much cleaner image than any Game Boy could ever hope to produce. For the past few years, phones have been developed with a minimum screen resolution of around 1080p (With some even going as far as 4K already). With this device being used in landscape mode, that means the game is playing at a resolution of 1080x720, meanwhile a standard GBA (Including the SPs) has a resolution of 240x160. And, that's also not accounting for all of the bells and whistles that emulators usually come with.

So, there's a pretty solid reason for this to exist.

PS: Before anyone says that you can download the ROMs from the internet, that is illegal (No if, ands, or buts about it). Emulation, on the other hand, isn't illegal, and the same thing with making a backup of your own copy of the game.

I will have to say, though, I wonder why they didn't go all the way and make the thing compatible with GBA games as well, or is that going to be the next model.

putti · Jun 29, 2016

Not worth.

theinternetnomad · Jun 29, 2016

My only problem with this thing is the lack of additional trigger buttons, I get it's going for the original gameboy's aesthetics, but since it's just really a controller adaptor for smartphones, why would they skimp out on the L and R buttons!

Pluupy · Jun 29, 2016

Isn't this kind of...backwards?

Why use this silly, overpriced peripheral when you could just buy a cheap GBA SP and get guaranteed support for any game with multiplayer? This...what the heck?

Noctosphere said:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Game-Boy-Ga...925401?hash=item3f64f82bd9:g:3t4AAOSwmtJXY5cC
were saying?

Why would you search for a brand new box? Those are for collectors, not for playing. Search again and you can find them for as low as $12 used. On Amazon they can go for $35 used.

tbb043 · Jun 30, 2016

Pluupy said:
Isn't this kind of...backwards?

Why use this silly, overpriced peripheral when you could just buy a cheap GBA SP and get guaranteed support for any game with multiplayer? This...what the heck?.

Even a cheapo phone they give away with the family service plan is going to have a better screen than even a backlit SP. And there's a good chance for stuff like save states and all that stuff you get with emulation.

I'm not saying it's for everyone, but depending on the price, I could definitely see it having a market. And never underestimate the people who had a GB as a kid, sees this and gets nostalgia rush and buys it before even starting to think of the various drawbacks.

This isn't for people who insist on authentic hardware. But the Retron5 has proven that tons of people exist outside of that category.

Pluupy · Jul 1, 2016

tbb043 said:
Even a cheapo phone they give away with the family service plan is going to have a better screen than even a backlit SP. And there's a good chance for stuff like save states and all that stuff you get with emulation.

I'm not saying it's for everyone, but depending on the price, I could definitely see it having a market. And never underestimate the people who had a GB as a kid, sees this and gets nostalgia rush and buys it before even starting to think of the various drawbacks.

This isn't for people who insist on authentic hardware. But the Retron5 has proven that tons of people exist outside of that category.

If they're not looking for authentic hardware, then they already have free access to emulators and roms via the internet, making this device's existance all the more foolish.

It's even better to use an emulator because you don't need to carry cartridges around.

Psionic Roshambo · Jul 3, 2016

I would think just a kickstand and a BT controller would be even better? At least that's how I play all the emulators on my tablet (10 inch screen so it's way too big for something like this)

On pro side of things, this device with the right sized phone, does look like it would give a way more authentic feel to playing those old games.

Ape weak on own. Ape strong in unity.

RIP Yuzu. "It is always morally correct..."

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