Hardware GBA Ultimate GBA build

[GilFrog]

How would you build the ultimate GameBoy Advance? Tell me in detail all the parts you would add like specific kits, screen, circuitry, buttons... You name it

 

[UsernamesAreWeird]

I would just get a DS Lite with a damaged hinge and remove the top screen

 

[Hanafuda]

Funnyplaying laminated ITA kit

Funnyplaying shell of your choice to fit the above kit

Buttons to suit your design

I'm not a fan of the USB-C li-ion charging mod. Rechargeable AA's can be swapped in seconds.

I prefer the ITA screen because the pixel grid effect is IMHO what a GBA screen should look like. (open the photo below in another window and expand to full size, and you'll see) Others prefer an IPS screen, and that's fine. Just personal preference.

I'm not a fan of led's under the buttons and etc. either. Besides the power led, any other added lights just distract from what's on the screen.

There's an HDMI-out mod that might be useful to some, but if I really want to play GBA on a TV I have a Gameboy Player on a modded Cube, so I don't do that either.

I've built three according to the above. I guess not very "ultimate," but I just want to optimize the game display, not try to make the GBA more than it is. One is black shell and original grey buttons. Another is pink with white buttons, which I gave to my daughter. And this one's my favorite. if you are interested in the laminated ITA kit, I have posted instructions here before for how to eliminate the touch controls for the on-screen display. Once you've set the thing up, there's really no need to ever activate the on-screen display again, and the only reason you would is to change the brightness. I just leave mine set on 8 (out of 10), but accessing the on-screen display to do that only requires holding Select for a few seconds. The touch control, which requires tapping on the top of the GBA shell above the screen to activate and adjust the on-screen display settings, gives a lot of people trouble with phantom activations and etc. Better to deactivate it. So if you're interested, I'll find the posts where I described how to do that.

 

[GilFrog]

Funnyplaying laminated ITA kit

Funnyplaying shell of your choice to fit the above kit

Buttons to suit your design

I'm not a fan of the USB-C li-ion charging mod. Rechargeable AA's can be swapped in seconds.

I prefer the ITA screen because the pixel grid effect is IMHO what a GBA screen should look like. (open the photo below in another window and expand to full size, and you'll see) Others prefer an IPS screen, and that's fine. Just personal preference.

I'm not a fan of led's under the buttons and etc. either. Besides the power led, any other added lights just distract from what's on the screen.

There's an HDMI-out mod that might be useful to some, but if I really want to play GBA on a TV I have a Gameboy Player on a modded Cube, so I don't do that either.

I've built three according to the above. I guess not very "ultimate," but I just want to optimize the game display, not try to make the GBA more than it is. One is black shell and original grey buttons. Another is pink with white buttons, which I gave to my daughter. And this one's my favorite. if you are interested in the laminated ITA kit, I have posted instructions here before for how to eliminate the touch controls for the on-screen display. Once you've set the thing up, there's really no need to ever activate the on-screen display again, and the only reason you would is to change the brightness. I just leave mine set on 8 (out of 10), but accessing the on-screen display to do that only requires holding Select for a few seconds. The touch control, which requires tapping on the top of the GBA shell above the screen to activate and adjust the on-screen display settings, gives a lot of people trouble with phantom activations and etc. Better to deactivate it. So if you're interested, I'll find the posts where I described how to do that.

View attachment 522642

Very informative and precise! Thank you again brother

 

[a_username_that_is_cool]

I think there should be a built-in flash cart that's what I'd add so if you boot up your GBA with no cartridge inside it'll take you to the flash cart Would be hard but it would be nice