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This wooden Game Boy Advance created by Ryan Bates of RetroBuiltGames is the solution to hipster gaming on the go. Its 9″ screen is 300% bigger than the original Game Boy Advance. Bates has named his creation the “GBA XXL.”
Bates says that the CAD file was an expansion of a key chain design he created a while back. His development of this project is a funky addition to the world of portable gaming. This prototype utilizes 30mm small profile knock-off Sanwa-type buttons. He chose these for their soft click and ease of use.
The D-pad is also wooden. It functions with the use of 4 micro switches beneath the pad — clipped into a perf board that is held on with a simple bolt. They are wired out to an angled male header which then, in turn, goes into a straight through header with bent leads. All of the systems buttons are plugged into this header.
The brain of the Game Boy Advance is a Raspberry Pi B+. Described by Raspberry Pi as “The Model B+ is perfectly suitable for use in schools: it offers more flexibility for learners than the leaner Model A or A+, which are more useful for embedded projects and projects which require very low power, and has more USB ports than the Model B.” The unit runs on game emulators.
Each Friday is PiDay here at Adafruit! Be sure to check out our posts, tutorials and new Raspberry Pi related products. Adafruit has the largest and best selection of Raspberry Pi accessories and all the code & tutorials to get you up and running in no time!
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Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7:30pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat and our Discord!
Python for Microcontrollers – Adafruit Daily — Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter: CircuitPython 2025 Wraps, Focus on Using Python, Open Source and More! #CircuitPython #Python #micropython @ThePSF @Raspberry_Pi
EYE on NPI – Adafruit Daily — EYE on NPI Maxim’s Himalaya uSLIC Step-Down Power Module #EyeOnNPI @maximintegrated @digikey
Each Friday is PiDay here at Adafruit! Be sure to check out our posts, tutorials and new Raspberry Pi related products. Adafruit has the largest and best selection of Raspberry Pi accessories and all the code & tutorials to get you up and running in no time!