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Australian Modder Turns Lego Game Boy Set Into a Working Cartridge-Playing Handheld

She built a custom, cartridge-sized board with original Game Boy chips to run real cartridges inside the new set.

Overview

  • The playable build arrived less than a day after the Lego 1:1 Game Boy went on sale.
  • This is not emulation, as real Game Boy cartridges run on original chips soldered to a bespoke PCB.
  • To fit the hardware, the board is smaller than a Game Boy cartridge and uses an ultra-small display after removing a few bricks.
  • USB-C provides power, while final button mounting awaits a planned 3D-printed Lego piece with a dedicated PCB.
  • Natalie the Nerd says she will release the circuit-board design files once the build is finished and she already sells related modding parts.