Anyone who had an original Game Boy Camera remembers how bulky it was.
Nintendo has always been known for some incredibly interesting peripherals over the years. But, very few rise above to be remembered as fondly as the Game Boy Camera.
The bulky Game Boy Camera looked right out of an early 1990s sci-fi flick, plugged directly into the Game Boy, and completed with a bulbous camera right on top. It took archaic, black-and-white pictures, allowed you to add frames and customization, and even worked alongside the Game Boy Printer to print them out.
But, as iconic as the Camera was, modern times call for modern measures. Earlier this year, modder and photographer Christopher Graves showed off a beautifully modded Game Boy Mini Camera. The Game Boy Camera photographer wanted something more compact than the stock option, so the Mini Camera became the end result.
The Game Boy Mini Camera does everything like the original but now fits perfectly into a normally shaped, normally sized Game Boy cartridge. That means that it’s half the size and easily half the weight, for easy travel.
The Mini Camera mod does make a few changes. First, it uses an iPhone lens. It still uses the original Camera’s imager, but the new lens gives it a slightly sharper look.
The Verge has been playing with one that was sent to them, which they made work perfectly in the Analogue Pocket, a console that we’re a bit of a fan of here at GameCrate. But, it also offers a hidden notch so it works in even the original Game Boy.
Sadly, since the lens is built directly into the cartridge, not unlike a smartphone, you can’t swivel it like the original bulb Camera could.
However, the best part about all of this is that you can make one yourself now. It’s not easy by any stretch of the imagination, but the files, boards and instructions are all on the modder’s website. It’s not cheap to craft and it involves a ton of intricate things, so be careful.
The good news is that Graves is offering a commission option for those looking to have one, but may not have the capacity to do it themselves. Over on his Ko-Fi, you can get Graves to make you either a flashable ROM chip or stock ROM chip options, both for $179. The commissions are super limited until he gets the hang of doing them.
I’m not saying I need one of these, but I need one of these.
See, it was totally worth keeping your Game Boy all these years after all. Or you can upgrade to an Analogue Pocket when they’re available.