The Game Boy Advance SP was released by Nintendo in 2003. It can run and play games from all previous Game Boy models. This model got a clamshell form factor and a backlit screen, while earlier models had no screen backlight at all.
There’s a mod that brings the shell back to the classic, non-folding Game Boy form factor. I wanted to do this mod because in the original form factor, cartridges from earlier Game Boy models stick out of the shell. With this mod, the cartridge sits neatly behind the screen instead, just like on the classic Game Boys:
Case
But that requires flipping the Game Boy Advance SP board 180 degrees, and not every shell allows for that. For example, Boxy Pixel sells solid aluminum shells, but the cartridge still loads from the bottom on those.
A modder known as Xipher solved this: he designed a shell and a button PCB that let you flip the Game Boy’s board while keeping the familiar button layout. Being able to load the cartridge from the bottom still means you can play games that use the gyro sensor, like Kirby Tilt ’n’ Tumble, which came out on the Game Boy Color.
Bill of materials
| Part | Source |
|---|---|
| Case | Printables |
| Button PCB Board | ZedLabz |
| IPS screen | FunnyPlaying |
| GBA Advance SP | Aftermarket |
Build Log
Ordered the board. 3D-printed the shell. Pulled the board out of the original Game Boy and wired Xipher’s board to it. Replaced the original screen with an IPS screen from FunnyPlaying and soldered on a speaker. Then assembled everything in the new shell.
