Bringing my GameBoy Color back to life
Pokémon Yellow was one of my first loves. Playdates with the SNES and N64 left an impression, but the Game Boy secured in my backpack was fully mine.
Sometimes immigrant parents come in clutch: My original GBC was in perfect condition. With the help of a very cool friend I secured the parts needed to expand my universe of aftermarket mods.
Choose your own modding adventure
My parts change out many original components to achieve this look. Most aesthetic parts are interchangeable, but if you end up with a different backlit screen, take note of which shells are actually going to fit.
parts list.
- Game Boy Color. via eBay, should you not have one on-hand already
- Backlit Screen. FunnyPlaying GBC 2.0 Q5 IPS Laminated Backlight Kit
- Shell. FunnyPlaying Game Boy Color 2.0 Laminated Q5 IPS Ready Shell
- Pretty Buttons. Pocket Rock Buttons for Game Boy Color
- Start & Select Buttons. Game Boy Color High Quality Conductive Pads
- New Speaker. Clear Game Boy Color / Pocket Speaker
- Flash Cart. EZ-FLASH Junior
- Micro SD Card. SanDisk 128GB
- Label Sticker. GBC Game Boy Color Holographic Model Label
- Extra Cartridge Shells. Because you can
Time to dismantle and solder
Should you have experience: It'll be an easy project! There are only a few spots to connect. I followed The Retro Future's video and this imgur album for reference. Note if you change out the speaker, a desoldering pump will be clutch since the wire goes through one side to the other.
And if you don't: It's not too hard of a first project. Understandably, a full soldering set-up is an investment. Check to see if there's a local makerspace near you. They may have community tools and in-person help.
Modding tools.
- iFixit Mako Driver Kit. Has the 'Y' screw you'll need. Also helpful to have for everything including PC & mechanical keyboard builds.
- Hakko Soldering Iron. The standard. Pricey, but most usable.
- Solder. It's solder!
- Solder Smoke Fan. Best to get one if you're going to do several projects.
Even more aftermarket mod ideas
If you're up for a project that doesn't require any soldering, you can swap out the buttons and shells of your Nintendo Switch Joycons. Note that this will void any warranties.
All my parts are from eXtremeRate. And with a bit of mixing and matching, you can design yourself the colorway of your dreams. There are many videos on YouTube, so all you need to do is set aside an afternoon with patience on your side.
Happy Modding!
