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Game Boy brand - Quentin shows you how it's done!

23.11.2016

Translation: machine translated

As I'm a big fan of the old Game Boy and I'm also fascinated by 3D printing, I came up with the idea of combining the two. After a brief discussion with my work colleagues, it was clear that we were going to make a Game Boy of our own brand.

How do you make your own Game Boy? A quick google and I had already found a good basis for my favourite project! I'm happy to share my experiences with you here, which I've documented step by step.

After analysing the tutorial, I first had to get the following equipment and parts:

3D printer

Three devices came into question for the realisation of the project. In the end, I decided in favour of the Ultimaker 2 (predecessor of the 2+), without the Olson block. [[product:5674506,5668673,5668670]]

Filaments

Although there are many different colours available, I opted for the classic and timeless digitec combination of white and blue. [[productlist:3484058,5845353]]

Then it was time to get started!

First, I downloaded the 3D slicing programme Cura 2.1 from the manufacturer's website. Using this programme, I was able to convert the STL files from the Adafruit learning page into a printer-compatible format. So far so good. After loading white PLA filament into the Ultimaker, printing could begin. Thanks to the printer's default settings, I didn't have to configure anything else and after several hours the front of the Game Boy was ready. All in all, printing the plastic housing went smoothly. Provided you have the right fine-tuning in the CURA programme, you get quite acceptable results. I then used a file and a knife to remove any impurities from the parts and put them to one side. [[image:6794660]]

Now it was time for the buttons. First things first: If you have never worked with Ninjaflex before, be prepared for a little test of patience. In contrast to PLA or ABS, Ninjaflex is a flexible material that requires its very own settings. After a lot of trial and error, I finally found the right solution.
It's important to note that all 3D printers with a spring-loaded feeder (where the material is fed in from the roll) must ensure that the Ninjaflex is clamped correctly, otherwise something like this will happen: [[image:6794661]]

Once all the parts were printed, I checked the fit, filed away a few imperfections and removed the excess material. [[image:6794679]]

Then it was time to solder the inner workings. I didn't have a lot of experience with soldering, but after reading a few tutorials, I was able to solder all the parts together according to the instructions in no time at all. It was very helpful for me that all the parts had already been prepared and the cables cut to size. [[image:6794663]]

I needed the following tools for this step: [[productlist:3484058,5845353]]
Although you can of course also use a cheaper version: [[productlist:5778964]]

When soldering, I always had to make sure that all areas were covered with enough tin, but not too much, so as not to damage the connections or join them together, which could cause a short circuit. When everything was connected, the obligatory first switch-on came and * drum roll * it didn't start. Cause: I had connected the wide cable from the screen to the control unit the wrong way round. After a fortunately short correction, everything worked as desired. The Pi booted up and thanks to the MicroSD card supplied I was able to access the menu directly. [[image:6794660]]

The final step was to screw everything together and install it in the housing. What sounds like a piece of cake was actually a huge pain in the arse. Screws with a small head, which were no larger than 3 x 10mm, fitted me best. Smaller ones (approx. 2.5 x 9mm) would probably have been even better. Care should be taken not to overtighten: If you go too deep, it pushes the housing in and that looks unsightly.
Once the last of the screws and bolts were firmly in place, I first had to install a few games (ROMS). To do this, I first had to insert an empty USB stick into the Game Boy and then wait half a minute for it to load the library onto the stick. I then loaded the ROMS from the PC onto the stick in the corresponding folders and was able to insert it back into the Game Boy. This then automatically loaded the games and after restarting the emulation station I was finally able to start a game.

Here you can find the PiGrrl 2 set or the individual components of it: [[productlist:5972854]] [[product:5704269,5916212,5704311]]

At this point I would like to mention that only games that you actually own should be loaded onto the emulation station. [[image:6794661]]

If you are also interested in building a Game Boy, you can find the complete instructions here.

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Quentin Aellen

Category Marketing Specialist

quentin.aellen@digitecgalaxus.ch

In a nutshell, I enjoy technology and being where the action is. So what better place for me than digitec?

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