Have you ever wondered what it would be like to jam the full power of the Game Boy Advance into a Tiger Electronics handheld gaming system from the '80s? Probably not, but one guy who always wanted to make his dreams come true was hardware modder and creator Chris Downing.
Downing admits it's technically nothing more than a simple case mod - placing the GBA's internals inside the Tiger portable unit, along with a few hardware upgrades. Although it was meant to be a "pretty straightforward project" certain parts of it like the 3D printing actually turned into a bit of a nightmare.
You can see the whole project in the video above, but if you haven't got time to view it - here's a look at the device's final form:
The final version of the system is actually a little bigger, and comes with a custom-printed and CNC cut screen protector, USB-C charging and an IPS screen. And just like the GBA, it can play older Game Boy and Game Boy Color games.
You can see more of Downing's crazy creations over on his website and YouTube channel - he's previously put entire Nintendo 64 units into portable cases. What do you think of this Tiger Electronics x GBA hybrid? Leave your thoughts down below.
Comments 27
The bit wars, 64 bits.
If the B and A buttons looked more comfy, I'd be all in. But that's how Tiger products really were, so props to him there
Interesting, still it's odd that none of them Chinese handheld maker had never done this before. A RetroPi inside a Tiger style handheld shell with modern controls would had work great. They could also make more money by selling different retro faceplate for each shell too similar to the Game Boy Micro and New 3DS. Oh the opportunity not yet taken.
64 bits...
32 bits...
16 bits.
8 bits.
4 BITS.
2 BITS.
1 BIT!
½ BIT!!
QUARTER BIT!!
THEEEEE WRIIIISSST GAAAAAAAAAAME!!!!!!!!!!!
Tiger would crap themselves at the idea of making a game system with more than a quarter bit
What were they thinking?!
Why would one want their Game Boy Advance reconstituted into a turd?
I had a few Tiger games growing up, but I don't miss them. If I could have afforded a Game Boy, I would never have looked twice at these.
I remember we collected these as kids and eventually realized they’re the same game with different skins… like Berenstain Bears Extreme Sports on Game Boy.
As a kid I had a choice between the Tiger Game Com or the Game Boy (I think it was Game Boy Colour)
I chose the Game Com as it had a Sonic game on it. The Game Com sold so badly that I could not find any games for it in any stores including Sonic.
I ended up with only the two packed in games (Batman and Lights Out).
That’s pretty cool, and a fun subversion of my expectations of a Tiger handheld.
Is it weird to want a Tiger handheld in 2022? LOL
@YagaMaki Hey - in fairness Lights Out is a real banger!
Doesn't look very ergonomical, but that's a really nice-looking mod. It really looks like something you'd buy in a store in some alternate universe. I kinda want one, ergonomics be damned.
Can I call it a tiger boy advance so I won't want it, please...
This is some serious glitch in the Matrix of my childhood stuff right here
A GBA had to die for this
I'm looking for a hardware modder.
I would gladly pay someone if they could make the following:
One System but include all this:
GBA SP w/full GB/GBC/GBA game support
XL screen (=New= 3DS XL size or bigger)
Nintendo eReader built in
TV out
Power A GameCube style Switch controller (Bluetooth) support
External Flash Drive support
SD card slot for saves.
This is blasphemy… Those nubby little buttons! That hand-mangling shape! BLASPHEMY!
@Divinebovine Yea, that's the problem with these. Just, since I feel like I'm gonna like these form factors, I would buy this. Just add a different more simple border piece, Add a Link Cable, Charger or Batteries, And L & R buttons.
@YagaMaki I still have my Game.com with Duke Nukem and Mortal Kombat stuffed in storage somewhere. It is pretty rare that I hear about someone else who had one of those.
They were all unplayable with modern standards but when ur like 8 in a summer camp and u see other kids play with these then u get jealous. Well it’s a fun mod, not most ergonomic
Now do a Switch with Tiger innards & screen. Oh, the humanity.
@Spider-Kev The analogue pocket can play all GB, GBC, GBA. The screen is a bit larger and it has TV support along with support for Bluetooth controllers. For the other things, maybe an emulation device might work
A hammer would be a more efficient way to render a perfectly good GBA useless, you don't have to torture the poor thing.
@Spider-Kev the Analogue Pocket does and has all these things aside from build in ereader. Also plays the games in 1440p
@YagaMaki
I remember the Tiger GameCom, we had one as kids, and it was pretty bad. It was my introduction to Duke Nukem though. 😆
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