Usually, I write about people turning game controllers or odd peripherals into handhelds, retro pieces of tech like this PS1 roulette controller or a Tamagotchi that's been turned into a video camera. I don't often talk about someone taking an expensive handheld and turning it into a Game Boy, but there's a first time for everything, right?
A user on Reddit called PhyFawkes (thanks SteamDeckHQ) has taken their Steam Deck and done some extraordinary (or sacrilegious things depending on your thoughts) to their Steam Deck, taking it apart and turning it into a handheld that takes inspiration from the original Game Boy DMG. And it actually works, although mainly as a controller for playing games on your TV for now.
SteamBoy Demo
by u/PhyFawkes in SteamDeckModded
As you can see on the back of the handheld, the fan is absolutely tiny, so when the screen does work, I can't imagine it will be able to run some of the more demanding titles on the system. It would be great for emulation though when using EmuDeck to emulate old consoles.
PhyFawkes has written extensively about the project on Reddit, stating that there needs to be some BIOS modifications and the use of a custom adapter to get the screen working, but the fact that it's working at all is a start! It uses original parts from the actual Steam Deck, including the motherboard, buttons, pad, speakers, and battery, so when it's all fully working, it will be a seriously impressive vertical-form handheld. I'm excited to see where this project goes over the next couple of months, and if there's some sort of extra fan that can be implemented to stop it from blowing up in our hands while playing!
Would you be comfortable taking your £400+ console and modding it into a Game Boy? Let me know in the comments!
