Modder makes huge Game Boy that can play PS2 games

One modder thinks Bigger is Better with the creation of an extra-large Game Boy capable of playing PS2 games.

The design of the original Nintendo Game Boy is a tech staple. So much so, even 35 years since its original release, brands like Ayaneo still draw inspiration from its classic form factor to release their own Game Boy-like handhelds.

The inspiration doesn’t stop at big tech brands; even modders are inspired to make their own versions of the iconic handheld, like Arnov Sharma and his Game Boy XL. Powered by the brand-new Raspberry Pi 5, Sharma’s ‘Game Boy XL’ project takes the chunky design of the classic device and transforms it into a giant Game Boy-inspired emulation machine.

Arnov Sharma

Sharma explains: “The objective of making the XL version of Gameboy was to create a larger version that we could place on our table, attach a wireless or USB controller to, and use to play games.”

The impressive Raspberry Pi 5 project began life with Sharma modeling the Game Boy XL in the 3D software Fusion 360. The 3D design was created by Sharma from scratch, using images of the original Game Boy as inspiration.

The completed model, printed on an Ender 2 printer, was fitted with a Raspberry Pi 5 running RecalBox, a Retro Arch-based emulator operating system. Unlike the original handheld, the Game Boy XL also houses a 7-inch LCD, HDMI to micro HDMI port, a 12V battery pack, and a kick-stand to help it stay sitting on a stable surface.

After the painstaking process of putting all the parts of the Game Boy XL together, the result is a giant Game Boy capable of running games from the NES era, all the way up to PS2 titles. According to the projects Hackster.io page, the chunky Game Boy XL is also compatible with Xbox controllers, just like Sharma intended.

As discovered by Tom’s Hardware, the Game Boy XL project doesn’t stop there. Modder Arnov Sharma intends to improve on the Game Boy XL further by replacing the screen with a more vibrant IPS panel and incorporating a battery power level monitoring device, along with an M.2 NVMe to make the device faster and more efficient.