Game boy Ballers post here

FilthyRear

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Is it easy to do?

I know NOTHING about soldering, save for a bunch of tutorials that I watched online. Everyone that I've asked about it have said that, aside from 1 or 2 steps that you can muddle through, it's pretty noob-friendly.

Handheldlegend.com has a bunch of tutorials on there site with what you would need and how to do it.
 

K1ngArth3r

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That does sound easy! For less than $10 with everything you need it would be daft not to go for it.
 

Tanooki

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Honestly the hardest part of any GB (DMG, GBP, GBC and GBA/SP) mod as far as screens go are two fold, and they're not even the screen itself as that and the soldering of a wire or two is the easiest. The problem is a steady hand and buying the right basic tools as none of that shit fits stock in the old molds. You need a good dremel, auto nail file, or something else to bore out the frame inside to fit the new structure. Second to that, fucking evil LOCA when it comes to GBC, that stuff can be a real whore to work with as it's overly common for people to screw it up and get bright annoying dust motes or worse, spidering and haze effect between the screen/backlight as the LOCA wont' cure right or long enough.

LOCA and tools is why I've never dicked with my GBC, and tools is why I haven't bothered doing another SP into a GBA because my last one worked great but I lacked the right tools. I didn't clean the inside out well enough and it stressed the screen, so the first time it took a 3ft drop onto goddamn carpet the LCD cracked. I salvaged the ribbon cable and had to pitch it. >:\ I'm on the fence just squatting on a non-greedy ass doing a mod on ebay and buying it as fair value is around the $100 mark, dicks like that gaminggod dude or whatever it is wants like $160 and his shit is poorly done. I got a GBC one from him twice and both times the amateur screwed up the LOCA worse than I probably would.


Oh by the way first time in a long many months, I bought $9 worth of GB/GBC games, ended up with Milon's Secret Castle, Boomer Adventure, and Rampage World Tour.
 

GohanX

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Don't even bother with the GBC kits. Even with Loca and proper installation the end result is garbage. Maybe someday someone will make an actual LCD replacement for it.
 

FilthyRear

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Don't even bother with the GBC kits. Even with Loca and proper installation the end result is garbage. Maybe someday someone will make an actual LCD replacement for it.

Really? That's disappointing. After I mod one of my DMG's I was going to try my hand at the GBC mod.

Fuckers are starting to want $60+ for used AGS-101's.
 

Tanooki

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Don't bother, he is right. It's why I entirely backed off it. I could have found someone competent to do the LOCA with a proper UV box and patience, but every result online is the same. Remmeber all the bitching about the original GBA SP with the front light how some felt the colors were a little washed out so they made the brighter back lit model? It makes that one look really clean visually. The GBC with the best LOCA application still is very bright and as it was never intended for being lit up and because of the style of TFT they used that absorbs light to brighten the screen natively it is a very white glow that bleaches out the colors quite a lot. If you get a piss poor job like mine with the added ghosting it's a fucking nightmare, forget seeing little bullets or other moving objects in shooters and what not.

I just went old tech and went for a old new stock Worm Light, just off center that so you don't get the LED reflecting in your face or over the screen and it brightens up fantastic with true unwashed colors (and as it runs off the link cable pass through, no added batteries required or modding either.) The DMG and the Pocket for 8bit get the best results, then obviously the 101 with the ribbon adapter into the original GBA frame with some heavy plastic modding to the insides. I wish someone would make a LCD replacement on GBC I'd buy that and it's odd they don't seeing as even the GameGear has one floating around.
 

GohanX

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I was on a quest a few months back to make the ultimate GBC, as that's my favorite form factor of all Gameboys, and I've never been crazy about playing GBC stuff on a GBA since it's much smaller. I have a GBC that was modded with a SP frontlight that a dude made for me a while back, and although I was never crazy about it, it worked. I was hoping to do better so I bought some used GBCs off ebay, some of the frontlight kits, the really good LOCA that's like $30 for a tiny bottle, and the recommended UV lamp. I did the mod a good three times, and they all looked like shit. A standard frontlit SP looks way better. For fun I tried the LOCA frontlight kit on a GBA too, it was a little better but still wasn't nearly as good as a frontlit SP. Since I was unsatisfied with all of those I ended up doing the SP backlit screen into a GBA that I posted a while back, it's so much better than any of these kits.

I hate killing one handheld to build another though, I hope we get some better kits sometime. I really would like a GBC screen replacement with the proper resolution and aspect ratio.
 

Tanooki

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Agreed with everything you said, right down to the dispatching of a 101 to make the ultimate GBA. I had a busted one so I farmed a screen out for the one I had that met that dire finish soon after making it which really sucked. I haven't had the nerve to chop up a functional one, but if I ever find a beat to shit (ok screen) barely if not at all functional unit I'm going for it again. You can't beat the original for having a controller in your hands like comfort and using real batteries so you're never hostage to OEM power sources. Also with the slot up top, you can be functional with games the SP won't handle (motion/light sensor) with it being up side down and facing downward too.

THe GG screen I noted it may be a nice quality setup that's clean and bright, but it's not 1:1 size so it looks just a tad off, kind of like emulation of the NES on the GBA.
 

FilthyRear

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Finished my bivert/backlight mod. I'm happy with the yellow backlight - it makes the screen look like screenshots you'd see in Nintendo Power, or the TV on those old OG Game Boy kiosks they had in places like Sears back in the day.

You NEED to do the bivert mod if you're doing the backlight - the screen looks hella washed out with just the backlight.

bivert.jpg

The biggest pain in the ass with this was taking the original polarizer off of the back of the LCD. I mistakenly took off all but the bottom layer, and was peeling foil for an hour, thinking I had fucked up. It was interesting to see how the display worked.

Should be noted that I had never soldered anything before, and this was relatively painless.
 
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Tanooki

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Wow dude good job I like that, and you're right it does look like those hideously huge faux retail gameboy displays at retail to show off the games on those oversize Gamboy kiosks. I haven't had the nerve to trust myself to do this work, hands shake a bit so I get a little touchy about screwing with tiny wires and solder points, but you step up to the thicker junk like Tiger etc handhelds and I'm fine. Does the DMG plastic shell need modding internally? That is what doomed my one GBA (add a 101) mod to death shortly after completion due to stress.

Thing is if I did this I'd buy a 2nd gameboy. I got one back very early this year and I can't do it. The former owner bought the thing for their ungrateful daughter in 1989 who used it like an hour or two then hid it in the closet and went lost for 25 years until it ended up badly listed on ebay. It was listed as just the GB, but the pictures alone (not description) showed a sealed up link cable, sealed up earbuds, untouched paperwork, everything perfect...cost me $40 shipped. I love to use it stock as is for some throw back fun. Similar situation and same price on a GBP I found too the same month which was odd, launch pocket silver/reflective panel around LCD and no battery light one with the plastic snap case.
 

GutsDozer

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Finished my bivert/backlight mod. I'm happy with the yellow backlight - it makes the screen look like screenshots you'd see in Nintendo Power, or the TV on those old OG Game Boy kiosks they had in places like Sears back in the day.

You NEED to do the bivert mod if you're doing the backlight - the screen looks hella washed out with just the backlight.

View attachment 38176



The biggest pain in the ass with this was taking the original polarizer off of the back of the LCD. I mistakenly took off all but the bottom layer, and was peeling foil for an hour, thinking I had fucked up. It was interesting to see how the display worked.

Should be noted that I had never soldered anything before, and this was relatively painless.


Wow that looks amazing! Like you said just like old NP screen shots. Great Job.
 

FilthyRear

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Wow dude good job I like that, and you're right it does look like those hideously huge faux retail gameboy displays at retail to show off the games on those oversize Gamboy kiosks. I haven't had the nerve to trust myself to do this work, hands shake a bit so I get a little touchy about screwing with tiny wires and solder points, but you step up to the thicker junk like Tiger etc handhelds and I'm fine. Does the DMG plastic shell need modding internally? That is what doomed my one GBA (add a 101) mod to death shortly after completion due to stress.

The only internal thing you need to do with the case is peel off the adhesive around the opening for the screen - it just peels right off.

I bought the light and bivert chip from Hand Held Legend, and they have a bunch of video tutorials that will walk you through the entire process.

I'm telling you: If I, who have never soldered anything in their life before 2 days ago and is shit with precision-ANYTHING, can do this, ANYONE can do this.

My only problems were 1 of the screw posts holding the 2 halves of the case together was cracked, so the top-right corner (when looking at the screen) doesnt close completely, and the bottom left corner of the glass screen protector (get the glass instead of a replacement plastic one - it makes all the difference in the world) is not flush like it should be. I need to peel it off and re-adhere, but its barely noticable.

My other DMG is junk, otherwise I would get a white light and another bivert chip. I'm debating doing this to my GB Pocket.

Wow that looks amazing! Like you said just like old NP screen shots. Great Job.

Thank you. :buttrock:
 

Tanooki

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Sounds dumb but I'm worried about playing with the screen more than the soldering as I looked at the leads and the chip after your post I went to HHL site figuring it came from there. I don't like mention of peeling off polarizers and using a razor. I know I'd scratch it. My soldering was the stuff I said before, a total board swap of the game ROM chip for Grind Stormer on Genesis, and a couple battery replacements in Nintendo titles.
 

FilthyRear

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I don't like mention of peeling off polarizers and using a razor. I know I'd scratch it.

You wont. You only really need the razor to get enough of a corner up that you can peel the rest off with your hand.

I have a plastic spudger that I used to get underneath the film and pull the film up that way.

Trust me, I thought the same thing going into this after I read GohanX say there was a 50/50 shot that you would break the screen. Just be careful and be patient - you'll get it off.
 

Jarofmayo

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Finished my bivert/backlight mod. I'm happy with the yellow backlight - it makes the screen look like screenshots you'd see in Nintendo Power, or the TV on those old OG Game Boy kiosks they had in places like Sears back in the day.

You NEED to do the bivert mod if you're doing the backlight - the screen looks hella washed out with just the backlight.

View attachment 38176

The biggest pain in the ass with this was taking the original polarizer off of the back of the LCD. I mistakenly took off all but the bottom layer, and was peeling foil for an hour, thinking I had fucked up. It was interesting to see how the display worked.

Should be noted that I had never soldered anything before, and this was relatively painless.

Holy cow that looks sexy.
 

fenikso

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That looks fantastic.

I've got three GBs that I need to do this to and a Pocket. I've just been scared of fucking them up, but next tax season I'll try to sack up and get 'er done.
 

ki_atsushi

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I put an indiglo backlight (EL panel) into an OG Game Boy before, it turned out great. My only regret was not biverting it. I ended up selling it because I didn't want to crack it open again, lol. Those EL panels are fucking bright!
 

gusmoney

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This is baller. /Thread close. Super jealous Jon?

RqZArism.jpg

Wasn't expecting much with MPE on the GB but am more than pleasantly surprised. The controls are very fluid. I would say this gives the PS1 port a run for its money especially when playing on a Super Boy 2 with the advanced features/colors.

Has genuine AES-style sun-fade on the label too, pretty authentic.
 
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Tanooki

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Had to look up that product code, had no idea Money Idol Exchanger made it to Nintendo. I've been aware of for awhile the fighter and bust a move conversions by Takara/Taito, but what other MVS titles made it to the portable Nintendo world?

I can't seem to locate a good list, Neo-Geo Kult has one that's comedically terrible.

GAME BOY
Fatal Fury 2
King of Fighters 95
King of Fighters: Heat of Battle
Money Idol Exchanger
World Heroes 2 Jet

GAME BOY ADVANCE
King of Fighters EX NeoBlood
Metal Slug Advance

Very obviously missing Samurai Spirits 1 and 3 for GB and KOF 96. GBC lacks Bust-A-Move 1 and 2. And GBA there were 2 KOF titles. Beyond that I'm uncertain other than learning about Money Idol Exchanger today. EDIT: Also found that Real Bout Fatal Fury (Garou) made it to GB too in Japan. If I find more I'll add it.
 
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-SD-

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http://affinix.com

Infinity Released [August 13, 2016]

Today we are pleased to announce the release of Infinity for Game Boy Color in unfinished form! We've made a ROM file available, as well as the source code. The game is in mostly the same state as it was when we stopped developing it in 2001, but with some recent polishing (bugfixes, missing assets added, typos corrected, etc). The ROM is configured to end about a quarter of the way through, before you encounter any incomplete areas, and thus we've labeled it as a preview.

The Infinity ROM file can be played in a Game Boy Color emulator. We recommend RetroArch or OpenEmu with the Gambatte core. The game can also be burned onto a cartridge if you have the equipment.

We advise against modifying the source code to play beyond the stopping point unless you are interested in participating in the development process. The stopping point is there to protect you from getting stuck or corrupting your saved game.

We estimate that Infinity is around 90% complete. The game was developed out of order so it's not the last 10% that is missing, but rather a bunch of parts throughout (this is why the preview ends fairly early on). Our plan is to finish the game eventually, but given how many years it has been, we can't make any guarantees. We've made the source code available to ensure that Infinity can live on regardless of what we do. Maybe if we don't finish the game anytime soon, someone else can. Or maybe what's playable can be ported to other platforms. We hope retrogamers will enjoy this little bit of history.

The Infinity ROM and source code may only be used for non-commercial purposes. If you are interested in commercial licensing, or wish to buy the rights to develop an enhanced version or sequel, please contact support@affinix.com.
 

GohanX

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Trust me, I thought the same thing going into this after I read GohanX say there was a 50/50 shot that you would break the screen. Just be careful and be patient - you'll get it off.

The risk isn't really pulling the polarizer off itself. As Filthy said you only need to get the corner, and even if you scratched that corner it would be outside of the viewable area and doesn't matter. The issue is messing up the fragile ribbon cable while you're fiddling with pulling off the polarizer. Take your time and you'll be fine. The only time I messed one up is when I was rushing.
 

Tanooki

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A friend of mine going by Piko online runs that Piko Interactive company that licenses old finished and unfinished (to finish) games for sale. I remember him going after this a good year back or so, they refused to release it then, and they wanted like 5 figures worth of cash just to let anyone have it. Guess their greedy plans didn't play out if they basically are not danging the ROM trolling for business.
 

Lets Gekiga In

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Does anybody have the David Beckham platform game for GBA? How much do they go for and/or how much would you sell it for?
 

Jon

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This is baller. /Thread close. Super jealous Jon?

Gus, pls. It's loose.

Come back when you have something I care about like a CIB Euro Trip World or, Kid Dracula US CIB....

...then you'll be baller.

Jon
 
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