
The Game Boy Micro is arguably the sleekest handheld Nintendo has ever released. With a removable face plate, neon blue start and select buttons, a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery lasting for up to eight hours and plenty of options in terms of backlighting, the system ended the original Game Boy line on a high.
Now meet the Game Boy Macro. Crafted by electronics modding enthusiast, Anthony Thomas, and originally revealed via Reddit. The project took notice of all the Nintendo DS Lite missing top screens and re-purposed the bottom screen into what is essentially a standalone Game Boy Advance unit.

The main barrier for the creator was figuring out how to boot the lower half of the DS without the upper half, and from there the shell of the unit was transformed into a more self-contained device along with relocation of the speakers. While it might not be as sleek as Nintendo’s Game Boy Micro, it’s certainly a fantastic way to recycle the dead remains of a Nintendo DS Lite.

The creator has full documents on how to build the device on his personal website, and is also allowing anyone interested to purchase the custom-made system.The Game Boy Macro will set you back $130 if the creator provides the materials, and $110 if you provide them yourself. Orders are currently closed, but the next round of orders is on the way. Those interested also have the option to have an original Nintendo DS converted. For more information visit the Facebook page.
Let us know in the comments if you would like to add the Game Boy Macro to your collection.
Thanks to Benson for the tip!
[source kotaku.com, via gameboymacro.com]
Comments 27
That's pretty sweet!
A modder going by the name of jbitretro has been doing these for a longtime, and coined the phrase Game Boy Macro. Little bit o'research might have turned this up…
http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=48430
Should've taken the opportunity to modify the traces, and move the buttons around so that B is where Y is presently located and A is where B is, for a more comfortable layout.
Why Nintendo ever moved away from that after their prototype Super Famicom controllers remains a mystery, but it has been an annoyance for gamers ever since the original DS launched, whenever two button Nintendo classics have to be adapted to the SuperNes style ABXY configuration.
Thankfully at least the Wii U Virtual Console has button remapping capabilities that allows this to be fixed, although the NES Remix line still offends by sticking with A & B (Despite the lack of a single line of NES code being present) and not offering a button customization feature (At least a sideways Wiimote works nicely for those two).
I've done similar to my dead ds lite, just soldered a LED light to the 2 necessary points on the board and put it back to together. Works a treat. No sound unless i use headphones, but i bought those hand grips for the DS lite with built in speakers.
I may be only one that liked the GBA micro. Too bad it was not backward compatible though.
@GoneFishin: that is an awesome bit of knowledge right there. Having been weened on the NES and its BA layout, I never liked the SNES controller. Now I know why....they should have stuck with that prototype layout!
I had the micro only because my brother took my clam shell on a field trip to Washington and left it at a hotel near the capital. GameStop was selling them dirt cheap for like $50. I think the DS came out like a year later. The Clam shell was so much better. I should of kept it . Because that sucker has a retro factor now that can't be touched. I did have an Artic original, but once again my little brother took that sucker to school and some booger faced kidnstole it. This is how I know the 3DS is on its final years. Nintendo did the same stuff to the game boy, and the DS before they retired them.
If you play a GBA game on a DS lite & close the lid will it go into sleep-mode like normal DS games or not because the GBA wasn't designed with a sleep function built in?
@GoneFishin Actually, yeah. I think that button layout would have made more sense and certainly with making it easier to play NES style two button games on the SNES controller. I never noticed before that Nintendo actually had a different button layout on the old prototype SNES controller
Also; check this out:
I mean it even makes more sense in terms of how they have the little grey strips linking the two sets of buttons in that older design also, the B/A and Y/X, because that's exactly how your thumb rests.
For me, I maybe would have kept that old layout and had the colours as; A = Green, B = Red, X = Yellow, Y = Blue. Then I would have A always confirming options (A = Accept/Advance and Green = Go/Positive) and B always rejecting/cancelling options (B = Back and Red = Stop/Negative)
These have been around for a few years. It's nothing new and I'm extremely surprised no one has tipped you guys about J-Bit Retro or the many other people who do this. In fact, I think it was J-Bit who coined the Macro term
Actually, J-Bit has also been looking to produce brand new shells for people to use instead of having to always mod the existing DS shell. It'll make doing the mod easier for most people, as they'll only have to worry about soldering, rather than sanding, using putty to fill holes, creating speaker holes, priming, painting, and finally clear coating.
I'd love to see this done with the ginormous screens of the =NEW= 3DS XL!
I actually have a "DS Phat" with the top screen completely destroyed that I've taken apart and put back together several times. Maybe I should try to do this with it... xD
It says there's documents on the website detailing how this is done... I don't see them...? Anyone else find that part?
@Nashew
Haven't seen instructions on that guy's site either.
However, J-Bit has said that he will put up the instructions on how to make the DS Phat version on his site once said site is up. He'll also include instructions for the DS Lite version. His instructions were actually on the Bacman forums for all to see, but unfortunately that forum has closed down.
@AVahne: Ah, I see. Thanks for the info.
@Nashew I don't have a step-by-step tutorial up yet. I'm working on writing one for people for both fat and lite. Right now my blog has the process of me building it, which you can find here: http://anthonythomas.io/tag/gba-macro/?pow=datea
@jake74 I sort of fell into the name Macro. It's just what I tagged it as on my blog because it felt like a fitting name, and honestly I didn't expect anyone to care about this thing. I just build stuff when I get bored. When I found out JBit had made one under the same name I commented and told him to just let me know if he has a problem with it. If he does I can always change it. Macro just seemed the natural opposite of Micro.
Nintendo should actually just make a smartphone sized GBA and make it download only. That would be amazing. I love the GB Micro for size but the screen was way too small. Nowadays they can make something much slimmer, without the need for a cartridge and a screen the same size as that of an iPhone.
@belmont make that two people, at least. I love the GB Micro. I have an original GBA and a Micro. The SP design never appealed to me. I think more people would like the Micro if it wasn't released after the DS.
@mjc0961 I'd have to go back and try my DS Lite, but I remember liking the button feel. I understand where you're coming from, but from a different perspective. I find the Wii Classic Controller Pro unusable due to a d-pad that's too responsive with too little travel before registering. I find it far too easy to trigger the diagonals accidentally, even if my thumb is to the extreme edge of the d-pad. That's obviously a bad problem for certain kinds of games. Either way, I understand your position, as control issues can ruin otherwise great experiences.
Not bad, though unless your upper hinge is broken, a replacement upper screen can be had for around $10.
@Kirk Well, at least they used a green A button and a red B button on the GameCube controller, which also spurned the standard 4 face button setup for its own unique design which I wish had been carried over to the Wii and Wii U classic controllers.
I've thought about this numerous times, but don't have the skills to make one. I'm highly tempted to make one out of a DS Phat as I wouldn't have to worry about the cart sticking out the bottom a bit. That plus a flash cart for my ripped ROMS = yay! Sadly $130 is far outside my price range
@Kirk I think Nintendo switched the layout in order to match their other systems better, but then used B/Y for confirm/cancel in a lot of games, especially earlier SNES games, because they had been developed on the original layout. I actually prefer the way it is now. It's never really bothered me. I just rock my thumb back and forth between B and A. It's comfortable enough for me.
@bngrybt I've always preferred resting my thumb across the Y/B as the two main primary buttons on this kind of diamond button formation. It's just so natural and intuitive. In a game like Super Mario World, where you can hold the tip of your thumb on the run button permanently and just rock back and forth to press the B Button whenever you need to jump, it's a little bit of genius imo.
@belmont I’m with you! I was just fondling mine . Lovely bit of kit. I do need to get a new charger as mine has gone Walkies.
Playing Zelda and Metroid on something that pops into the coin pocket of your jeans is always nice.
I have seen mods like this and it's SOOOO F*ing stupid, I mean WHY ??? between the various "official" GBA's, there's no point, but these types are worse for four reasons....
1: they take the ability to play the DS games
2: it's more pleasant to play with the game on the top screen
3: you can't play GB/GBC (as well as DS) games
4: the clamshells of the SP & Lite protect the screens and buttons
5: I can buy a excellent condition GBA SP for $10-$15 & a NDS Lite for $25+/-, but others like this charge at least $40
so you get far less but are expected to pay far more, so yah, again Why ???
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