Bringing sunshine to the world of retro mods

When it comes to modded consoles — which in this case means one that plays actual cartridges, not ROMS — we've seen plenty of innovative efforts over the years. Enthusiasts with a flair for hardware tech have produced handheld GameCube systems housed in tupperware boxes — we kid you not — a Super NES packaged away in a snazzy yellow toolbox, any many more besides. Sure, there are professionally and mass-distributed handheld consoles that play SNES carts, for example, but where's the fun in that?

Experienced console modder Smackedsam (known to some as SlipStreamGT) has produced a Nintendo 64 portable that resembles a shiny, stylish and slightly chunky Game Boy, but with a red metallic sheen and a screen that's about one billion times better. Somewhat going beyond the humble roots of a YouTuber showing off a home-made portable, this system plays N64 carts (not ROMS, as we said), and includes a neat control setup to replicate the iconic system's controller. Rather impressively it allows for an immediate switch in output from the built-in LCD screen to a TV, has two ports for original controllers and has a slot for your N64 memory cards or Rumble Pak. Most importantly, if you've got a copy of a game like The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask that you simply have to play, it has a built-in Expansion Pak.

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If you're a fan of retro systems and modded curiosities, then we certainly encourage you to check out the video below. Don't let the music at the start put you off, as the creator gives a thorough run-down of this rather nifty portable N64.

Thanks to Yoshi — the Nintendo Life reader, not the green dinosaur — for the tip.