This mod turns your Lego Game Boy into a real handheld console

Natalie the Nerd was one of the first modders to successfully turn the Lego Game Boy into a fully functional device that can play games, creating a small PCB that fits inside the Lego set and plays actual Game Boy cartridges. She is currently working on creating a kit so that anyone can do this, but in the meantime, another modder has entered the scene, offering an alternative.

A group of Swiss modders who call themselves Substance Labs recently announced the BrickBoy, which brings the Lego Game Boy to life and makes it playable. However, the difference compared to Natalie the Nerd's mod is that BrickBoy's design relies on emulation, rather than actually running games from a Game Boy cartridge. The team behind BrickBoy says installing the mod takes "less than 10 minutes" and that all the parts are custom-made, but didn't dive into specifics on how its emulation system actually works.

"BrickBoy is an easy-to-assemble kit that transforms the Lego Game Boy set into a playable console. It is an independent, creator-made upgrade kit, built entirely from our own custom components, including the cartridge, buttons mechanism, screen module, and control board," Substance Labs explained.

Lego Game Boy

Lego's Game Boy set is a faithful recreation of Nintendo's iconic handheld, complete with buttons that actually move and game cartridges. 

$60 at Lego

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BrickBoy is available through Kickstarter

The Essential Kit costs €119 (around $138)

Substance Labs uploaded a YouTube video demonstrating the BrickBoy mod, which you can watch above. The video shows that installing the mod requires attaching a 2.4-inch LCD screen to the Lego set and adding magnetic sensors for the D-pad and action buttons. The most visually impactful change, however, is the BrickBoy's battery pack, which requires two AAA batteries and protrudes from the back of the cartridge module.

The BrickBoy will be available through a Kickstarter campaign launching on October 28, with three kits available: Essential, Gamer, and Collector's Edition. The Essential Kit costs €119 (around $138) and can play Game Boy Classic titles in greyscale, has mono speakers, and relies on the AAA battery pack I mentioned earlier. The Gamer Kit costs €139 (around $160), and can play Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance games, as well as classic titles, supports Bluetooth audio and wireless updates, and is powered by a rechargeable lithium battery. The Collector's Edition costs €169 (around $195) and includes a USB power supply and charger so you can run games continually on the screen for display purposes.

Credit: Substance Labs / Pocket-lint

It's also worth noting that none of the kits include the Lego Game Boy set itself; you have to buy it separately. Substance Labs says once the Kickstarter campaign ends, it will begin assembly and start shipping to backers by December.

So, if you've got a Lego Game Boy set and want to convert it into a playable handheld, either the kit from Natalie the Nerd or BrickBoy should do the job. However, a word of caution: Kickstarter campaigns don't always come to fruition, so keep that in mind if you're thinking about becoming a backer for the BrickBoy.