If you’re a fan of the Game Boy Camera, then you will absolutely love this DIY project that entirely reshapes its design into the all new Game Boy Mini Camera.
This exciting new mod comes from a friend of Retro Dodo, Chris Graves. Who you may remember also brought us the The Camera M Project.
Just when it seems like there’s no room left for innovation, someone like Chris comes along and blows us away with fun DIY projects like this.
And like their previous work, this is as clever as it gets when it comes to transforming an original Game Boy Camera into something entirely new.
Update October 27, 2023: Thanks to a recent article at The Verge, we now know that Chris Graves has launched the Game Boy Mini Camera files to make one for yourself. And you can also commission them to make one for you if you don't feel confident with your soldering skills.
Game Boy Mini Camera
Surely you would agree that this is the Game Boy Camera we all wish Nintendo had created.
The Game Boy Mini Camera project gives the GB Camera its most sleek and minimal appearance.
But you would never notice any difference in functionality when using the new Game Boy Mini Camera, since it uses the same sensor, chipset, and ROM to make everything work.
Everything has just been rearranged and condensed for the smallest possible footprint.
By combining a custom circuit board with a new smaller camera lens, it is possible to make a functional Game Boy Camera the size of an original game cartridge.
Of course, this means we loose the rotating camera head and selfie mode. But who needs selfie mode, really?
Because this shell design is 3d printed, there are still some possibility to innovation on the actual cartridge shape.
And the Game Boy Mini Camera could also be printed in a variety of materials, like clear plastic or even metal. A gold metal version of the Mini Camera would be insane!
Projects like this not only takes the creativity to think of it, but also the skill to physically build it.
And as much as I’d love to have one myself, I’d certainly be nowhere close to able to do the fine soldering work to put it all together. I’ll leave that to the experts, like Chris.
Impressions
I am always very proud of the Game Boy modding community and love sharing this stuff with Retro Dodo readers.
It is wild to think that everything necessary to have a fully functional GB Camera fits in what is essentially an original game cartridge thanks to some creative design.
Of course, Chris Graves has surely spent countless hours and dollars to create this unique mod of the Game Boy Camera. And we all benefit from their hard work.
The Game Boy Mini Camera is not currently available to purchase from Chris, nor would I expect it to be.
It is a pretty time intensive process to build one, and this is intended as a DIY project. Strong emphasis on the “Y” (yourself) part.
But if you’ve got the time, money, and technical skill, why not give it a go yourself?
Like many of Chris’ projects, the necessary files to create your own Game Boy Mini Camera are free to download here.
If this kind of work interests you, I encourage you to check out Chris Graves’ website Gameboycamera.com.
