Gameboy Reboot: Bring it back to the future by upcycling and revitalizing a classic Gameboy in this hands-on electronics exploration
Overview
What you’ll be making:
Skill Level : Beginner — no prior experience is required.
Tools and techniques : Class provides an introduction to analog electronic circuits, soldering, and use of a CNC
Length: 4 hours
Class size: 4-6 people
Prices
Guest – $355 per person: You will refurbish one Gameboy. Guests under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Buddy Up – $465: You and a friend will refurbish ONE Gameboy together. At least one person must be 18+.
Buddy Up PLUS – $565: You and a friend will EACH refurbish one Gameboy. At least one person must be 18+.
Date Night – $435: You and your guest will refurbish ONE Gameboy together and get a pizza and a bottle of wine to share during the workshop. At least one person must be 18+.
Date Night PLUS – $635: You and your guest will EACH refurbish one Gameboy and get a pizza and a bottle of wine to share during the workshop. At least one person must be 18+.
Abandoned decades ages ago, with a broken screen and corroded battery contacts, the Gameboy DMGs we restomod in this class have seen better days, but by the conclusion of our time together they will be ready for another 30 years of life.
We will begin this class by stripping your donor Gameboy down to the sole of these handheld classics: the motherboard. A discussion basic analog electronics, Ohm’s Law, and the use of multimeters will ensue as we work to get electrons following through these circuits once again.
Next up you will be introduced to the use of a CNC router, which we’ll use to machine the Gameboy shell such that it can accommodate the modern LCD screen you will be installing.
While the trimmed shells get a much-needed bath, the reassembly process gets underway with basic electronics soldering being the first step in this journey. From there it’s mostly a matter of turning screws as the parts go back in the shells one by one.
The final product in the class is a beautifully restored Gameboy DMG with a backlit LCD display that is lightyears better than the original. They are instant conversation starters, and hours of 8-bit retrogaming fun awaits with classics like Mario, Zelda, Pokémon. Plus, just think of all the cred you’re going to have when you explain to everyone that you built your Gameboy yourself!