E3 2016 had many wonderful surprises on offer with Nintendo’s new IP Ever Oasis, Paper Mario: Color Splash and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. But while we simmer down from the excitement of the biggest gaming show, let’s briefly touch upon the case that turns your smartphone into a working Game Boy.
Cropping up in E3 2015, the Smart Boy device started life as a rather strange April Fool’s joke. While it was only an Alpha build last year, Hyperkin showcased their peripheral device again this year. And it was fully working – at least with Android smartphones, rather than iOS. Available to purchase for $59.99, the Smart Boy is designed as an improved way to play retro games on your smartphone. It has the same button layout and colour scheme, with a cartridge slot in the back for your prized grey-square possessions.
According to Hyperkin, the hardware will be compatible with all Game Boy and Game Boy Colour cartridges too. The developer is even offering a royalty percentage to “anyone that can improve the Smart Boy’s serial app and firmware”. Expecting to ship on December 1 this year, it’s perhaps more than just a stocking filler. You can purchase the Smart Boy at Hyperkin’s official website.
Wow, just awesome!!!
I NEED this! As someone who plays Gameboy and Gameboy Color games on a daily basis, this will definitely help free up some room in my pockets! XD
It will probably take up as much, if not more pocket space than an SP. And that can play GBA games too.
I like this in theory (and it would be even more awesome with GBA support, infra red and link cable ports) but considering you can get a refurbished GBA for around that price which offers more I’d rather get one of those.
What I mean is that I can have this thing attatched to my phone in one pocket, and my other pocket can be filled with GB/GBC games as opposed to having a phone in one pocket, a gbc in the other, and barely any games.
Gameboy micro if you want to free up pocket space
I have one. They only play GBA games, and have terrible battery life, so I rarely take it anywhere as I don’t play a lot of GBA games.
Very neat.
or you could get an emulator and roms for free and buy a cheap phone game controller, therefore, being able to use the entirety of the screen for your game and not just the top half. but thats just me.
Yeah, you could fo that. However, this Smart Boy is much better due to physical buttons and, you know, legality. Contrary to popular belief, Nintendo keeps their old games copyrighted.
Nintendo will shut this thing down if they catch wind of it.
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Only there are emulators that can do GBA flawlessly now.
I hope they don’t shut this thing down. I remember the good old days of Pokemon Blue. Who’s with me?
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wow so cool