This is seriously insane when you consider the level of talent poured into this device. Natalie said jokingly, back when the LEGO Game Boy was announced, that she would make a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) for it.
Well, guess what? She did!
Here are some key points about this project, but we do recommend reading the maker’s blog post (linked below)
The Goal: To convert the recently released Lego Game Boy kit into a fully functioning portable games console.
The Brains: The builder is using a MGB (Game Boy Pocket) CPU for the custom electronics, rather than the original DMG CPU.
- Reasoning: The Pocket CPU is cheaper and has internal VRAM, which is crucial for a small, space-saving custom circuit board (PCB) inside the Lego model.
Design & Planning: Initial design work, including sizing the screen insert, was done by scaling the official Lego press images before the physical kit was available.
Custom Electronics: The design incorporates a custom PCB featuring a power circuit, a soft latching power button (instead of a slide switch), and necessary pin-outs for the audio and button matrix.
Buttons: The project successfully wires up the Lego’s own pressable buttons, connecting them to custom 3D-printed parts for the electronics.
Status: The maker is currently refining the circuit board design after receiving the physical Lego kit and plans a full release once the project is complete.
Original Article
https://blog.nataliethenerd.com/i-turned-the-lego-game-boy-into-a-working-game-boy-part-1