Zelda Gameboy Color [Ideas/Worklog]

[BlueLink77]

Hello everyone!

I have an old GBC that I was wanting to mod. So far here are my ideas...

• Painted Gold
• Triforce logo somewhere
• Yellow LED
• Rechargeable Battery
• Front lighted screen

I have already ordered another shell for the mod (it was only 6.60 shipped with lens and battery cover!) and can spray paint it fine. I have some questions regarding the rest of the build. Is there anything complex to changing the LED than just re-soldering a new one on? Which rechargeable battery would I be better off with, GBA SP/DS or a PSP battery? And I have been unable to locate a broken SP to work with, is there any way I could just order like a DS screen and steal the light screen from that? What are my options with lighting?

My thoughts on the battery are that I would love to use the GBA SP battery considering that it is fairly small, but I don't have a recharging circuit for it. With the PSP battery there are wall chargers that I could stuff in there that would work fine, but is there enough room?

Thanks!

 

[zeturi]

Re: Gameboy Color Ideas...

I would suggest a green led. Otherwise, the triforce logo could be done well with a gold magic marker and some tape to make the edges sharp.

 

[J.D]

Re: Gameboy Color Ideas...

Welcome to the forums!

My suggestion would be a PSP battery, as I'm guessing that it would have a longer battery life with it.

 

[BlueLink77]

Re: Gameboy Color Ideas...

@zeturi I like your green idea, didn't even think about that. I was thinking more about how to incorporate it more and was thinking about painting the battery cover and buttons green, but how hard is it to paint buttons?

@J.D Thanks! Yeah I would have to agree with you there. I will go with the PSP battery.

Anybody know how to solve the lighting problem? Like will a replacement DS screen have the lighting fixture that I could use?

 

[zeturi]

Re: Gameboy Color Ideas...

Bibin's gameboy color guide says you can use the front light out of an older model gba sp. Krylon fusion paint will fuse with the actual plastic, so it will not rub off. I'm not too sure what colors it comes in, though.

Sorry, forgot to say, Welcome to the Forums!

 

[BlueLink77]

Re: Gameboy Color Ideas...

Bibin's gameboy color guide says you can use the front light out of an older model gba sp. Krylon fusion paint will fuse with the actual plastic, so it will not rub off. I'm not too sure what colors it comes in, though.

Sorry, forgot to say, Welcome to the Forums!

Thanks for the tip on the paint, according to their website it comes in "Hunter Green" so that will work. I'll have to go to Lowe's and pick up a can. And yeah, so far the only snag is finding a donor SP for the lighting. I will have to ask around/watch eBay/Craigslist...

And thanks everyone for the welcome! This is my first project of this nature, so I hope it works out...

 

[Jewjo]

Re: Gameboy Color Ideas...

Bibin's gameboy color guide says you can use the front light out of an older model gba sp. Krylon fusion paint will fuse with the actual plastic, so it will not rub off. I'm not too sure what colors it comes in, though.

Sorry, forgot to say, Welcome to the Forums!

Thanks for the tip on the paint, according to their website it comes in "Hunter Green" so that will work. I'll have to go to Lowe's and pick up a can. And yeah, so far the only snag is finding a donor SP for the lighting. I will have to ask around/watch eBay/Craigslist...

And thanks everyone for the welcome! This is my first project of this nature, so I hope it works out...

Get a can of clear coat too! Don't make the same mistake I did by neglecting it.

 

[BlueLink77]

Re: Gameboy Color Ideas...

Bibin's gameboy color guide says you can use the front light out of an older model gba sp. Krylon fusion paint will fuse with the actual plastic, so it will not rub off. I'm not too sure what colors it comes in, though.

Sorry, forgot to say, Welcome to the Forums!

Thanks for the tip on the paint, according to their website it comes in "Hunter Green" so that will work. I'll have to go to Lowe's and pick up a can. And yeah, so far the only snag is finding a donor SP for the lighting. I will have to ask around/watch eBay/Craigslist...

And thanks everyone for the welcome! This is my first project of this nature, so I hope it works out...

Get a can of clear coat too! Don't make the same mistake I did by neglecting it.

Dude I am with you there, the reason I am doing this is because the pink is starting to show through from my last paint coat of gold. The pink totally ruins it >.<

But yeah this project is on hold until I get my shipment of stuff from eBay and I need to hop over to RadioShack and get a desoldering tool/a pin solderer. I only have a gun :/

 

[BlueLink77]

Sorry for the double post, but I am going to turn this into a worklog if you guys don't mind.

12-28-09
Alrighty! I am getting closer to starting this mod, just getting all of the parts together. I have purchased both an extra Gameboy Color as well as a Gameboy Advance SP (both working :O) for around $30. It was an epic deal from a local store, the owner is really nice and didn't want to sell these systems in this condiditon. I have already purchased a clean shell, with lens and battery cover, so it will look pristine ($6.60), and I purchased a PSP battery charger to fit in there for $3.29. I already had the paint for the build, and am planning on using a PSP battery I already have. I also need to pick up some LEDs so switch that out, but I think that is it. As soon as the shell gets here I will get to work.

I think that is about it, pics of the GBC & SP below.

 

[TheNineRings]

Hope it ends up working well... also, welcome to the forrums.

 

[BlueLink77]

Hope it ends up working well... also, welcome to the forrums.

Thanks! I really want to get to work on this build, but I am still waiting on my case from eBay. Once it gets here I can paint it, mod the frontlight, then wait later for the rechargeable battery.

I love cheap parts from China, but why does it have to take so long to get here. >.<

 

[BlueLink77]

Sorry to double post (are there rules against this?)

But I finally got my GBC case! Yay! I will try to get started with the front light when I finish my homework later. But this thing looks amazing, every thing has been removed, the lens and sticker are ready to be put on after the paint job. So this train should finally be get a moving. The only part I am missing now is the battery charger, so this should work awesomely!

 

[TheNineRings]

:awesomebibin:
I just had to post every single awesome smiley (detect sarcasm)

 

[βeta]

Double posts are fine.

 

[BlueLink77]

Got my PSP battery charger. Pics below.

The only question is how do I slim this down so it will fit? It seems a bit large for the case I can for sure trim down but I need to keep most of the plastic top for the PSP to rest in.

On a side note I replaced the LED yesterday, I found something with the perfect LED so it worked out great.

So any tips on how to make the PSP board fit?

But I now have all the parts I need, now for the hard part, finding the time...

 

[jleemero]

If I were in your exact situation.
I wouldn't try to fit that thing into the case.
Instead, I'd make it into a sort of dock-style charger that you could just set the CGB on to charge.

 

[BlueLink77]

If I were in your exact situation.
I wouldn't try to fit that thing into the case.
Instead, I'd make it into a sort of dock-style charger that you could just set the CGB on to charge.

O.O

Dude I love that idea. I might have to run with that. I could make some copper contacts on the bottom of the GBC, much on the PSP Phat, and go from there.

I REALLY like that idea. Thanks man! It would save a whole bunch of effort and not to mention room.

 

[jleemero]

Can't wait to see this done!

 

[Jewjo]

Can't wait to see this done!

Seconded. What paint did you use, BlueLink? The project is looking really nice so far.

 

[BlueLink77]

Can't wait to see this done!

Seconded. What paint did you use, BlueLink? The project is looking really nice so far.

I haven't painted it yet

I bought a new yellow GBC case, so I was going to paint it with gold then a layer of clear. Then I was going to paint the buttons/on off/battery cover with Hunter Green.

Only problem is I'm booked until Monday then I'm going out of town the next weekend. The most I could probably get done is to dremel the spot for the battery and maybe get to work on the front light. Grr I hate not having time during the week >.>