GBAtemp Weekly Group Highlight: Gameboy Modding

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Hey there, and welcome back to our latest front-page series: the weekly group highlight! Today's featured group is focused on a popular topic: modding! There's just something satisfying about taking an old GameBoy and giving it new life, thanks to plenty of available screen, button, and housing mods. And that's what @Jayro's group is all about! Share homebrew projects, custom builds, or even ask others for help with troubleshooting in the Gameboy Modding group! Congrats to @Jayro for this great group idea, trophy, and 200xp!

:arrow: Gameboy Modding Group



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Jayro

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I still have an OG GBC and GBA lying around my house and would love to somehow get my hands on an IPS screen mod or something. Awesome group :P
An IPS display is spoiling yourself. They look so clear and vivid, it almost feels like you're playing an emulator. Definitely my favorite screen mod over using a DIY backlight or backlight+bivert kit.
 

HarveyHouston

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I'm a proud owner of several Game Boys, which includes:
  • A standard original gray Game Boy.
  • A green Play It Loud! edition Game Boy.
  • Several Game Boy Pockets that are red, yellow, green, and clear.
  • Two Game Boy Colors; one red and one Atomic Purple.
  • A Game Boy Advance, colored light blue (Arctic Blue, I think?).
  • A Game Boy Advance SP, light blue, one that was packaged with the tagline "Now with Brighter Screen".
Some of them I've had since I was a kid, while the rest came from thrift stores. TBH, I didn't get to experience Nintendo consoles of the 2000s decade until the mid 2010s, so I never got an Advance when they first came out. I wanted one, though; now I have two. :)
 
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the_randomizer

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An IPS display is spoiling yourself. They look so clear and vivid, it almost feels like you're playing an emulator. Definitely my favorite screen mod over using a DIY backlight or backlight+bivert kit.

Unfortunately, I have literally zero modding and soldering skills, nor the tools to do it. I'd have to buy one already modded TBF.
 
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osaka35

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An IPS display is spoiling yourself. They look so clear and vivid, it almost feels like you're playing an emulator. Definitely my favorite screen mod over using a DIY backlight or backlight+bivert kit.
I'm always wary of getting ips screens off aliexpress or ebay. i modded a gbc and gba and the ghosting was atrocious. Any way to source good ips screens?
 

Jayro

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I'm always wary of getting ips screens off aliexpress or ebay. i modded a gbc and gba and the ghosting was atrocious. Any way to source good ips screens?
I buy them dore fly from funnyplaying's website. It's the best price you will get, and you'll get a flawless screen and it comes in a free hardcase.
 
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Jayro

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Unfortunately, I have literally zero modding and soldering skills, nor the tools to do it. I'd have to buy one already modded TBF.
Most IPS kits have optional soldering that's just to adjust the brightness level using the buttons. If the default brightness is fine for you, then it's literally a drop-in solution. :)
 
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the_randomizer

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Most IPS kits have optional soldering that's just to adjust the brightness level using the buttons. If the default brightness is fine for you, then it's literally a drop-in solution. :)
Is it really that simple for someone who has never taken apart a Game Boy Color before? Because I haven't :unsure: Pathetic, I know. Never modded a console in my life. Not sure I'd trust myself to be honest.
 

Jayro

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Is it really that simple for someone who has never taken apart a Game Boy Color before? Because I haven't :unsure: Pathetic, I know. Never modded a console in my life. Not sure I'd trust myself to be honest.
Well besides a little bit of cutting away some plastic in the shell, it's prettymuch just undoing the 6 outer screws, the 3 inner screws (Pocket/Color), and releasing a ribbon cable. It's all very simple really. I followed along with YouTube videos my first time, just so I wouldn't screw it up and it was shockingly easy. Especially with the new Laminated screens for the Gameboy Color.
 
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