Tag: Game Bub

Key Takeaways

1. The Game Bub is a new gaming handheld that plays Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges.
2. It has transitioned to a horizontal format design, distinguishing it from other FPGA devices.
3. Key features include stereo speakers, a headphone jack, a microSD card slot, Bluetooth LE, and 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.
4. The Game Bub is available for backing on Crowd Supply for $249, with shipping expected in February 2026.
5. It competes with the Analogue Pocket and ModRetro Chromatic, offering a robust FPGA chip for potential future expandability.

The Game Bub is a new gaming handheld that made its debut earlier this year. This device is designed with a vertical layout and is powered by a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) chip. It can play cartridges from Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance. This handheld has a similar look and function to other devices such as the ModRetro Chromatic and the Analogue Pocket, which currently retails for $321.95 on Amazon.

A New Form Factor

Recently, the Game Bub has become available for backing on Crowd Supply, and it now comes in a whole new design compared to what was previously shown. As illustrated in the videos below, the Game Bub has transitioned to a horizontal format, setting it apart from many other FPGA devices. The latest version of the Game Bub includes several notable specifications:

Impressive Features

In addition to its design, the Game Bub is equipped with stereo 1 W speakers, a headphone jack, and a microSD card slot that supports display output, Bluetooth LE, and 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. It seems the XC7A100T chip is robust enough to run additional systems, with the creator of Game Bub stating that they have plans for future expandability.

The Game Bub can be backed on Crowd Supply for $249, with expected shipping in February 2026. This price point makes the Game Bub more costly than typical Android or Linux gaming devices. However, at $249, it competes well against the Analogue Pocket and ModRetro Chromatic, while also steering clear of any connections to a notorious arms dealer.

Source:
Link

Key Takeaways

1. The Game Bub is a new retro handheld console designed to support GBA games and resembles classic Nintendo devices.
2. It features a 3.5-inch screen with a resolution of 480 x 320 pixels, but may show black bars when playing Game Boy (Color) games.
3. The device includes a cartridge slot, microSD card slot, speakers, rumble motors, and supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and HDMI connections.
4. Currently, the Game Bub is still in prototype development, with the complete source code available on GitHub for public access.
5. Eli is gauging interest in a horizontal GBA version and is exploring the possibility of a fully assembled handheld console through a survey.

Let’s face it, there are many retro handheld consoles that resemble the classic Nintendo Game Boy, available in a variety of shapes and sizes. Among these, the Analogue Pocket, Trimui Brick, and several models from Anbernic come to mind. Recently, a new device called the Game Bub has joined this expanding market. It’s uncertain if the term “Bub” was chosen purposefully as a direct translation of “Boy” in certain German dialects, including Swiss German and Austrian German.

Project Overview

On his personal blog, Eli elaborates on his project with great detail. He kicked off development in September 2023 and made impressive strides until he decided to transform his concept into a handheld console that supports GBA games. The prototype boasts a 3.5-inch screen with a resolution of 480 x 320 pixels, which works well for widescreen games on the Game Boy Advance. However, this results in black bars appearing on the left and right sides when playing Game Boy (Color) games. The built-in battery is expected to last for up to 15 hours.

Features and Functionality

Besides the cartridge slot located at the back for original games, the device also has a microSD card slot for emulating ROMs. The Game Bub comes packed with features such as speakers, rumble motors, an accelerometer, gyroscope, real-time clock, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and an HDMI port accessible via a docking station. It can even connect to original Nintendo Link Cables, allowing it to link with an original Game Boy Color or Advanced, as demonstrated in the video below. Additionally, a light sensor for playing Boktai is on the developers’ future plans.

Availability

Currently, the Game Bub isn’t available as a final product, since the prototype is still in the works. Nonetheless, the complete source code has been published on GitHub. This FPGA handheld is built using commonly available standard parts. Eli has also created a Google Forms survey to gauge interest in a horizontal GBA version and to see how comfortable people are with soldering. This inquiry hints that he is curious whether a fully assembled handheld console would attract attention.

If you’re interested in the Game Bub, be sure to check out Eli Lipsitz’s blog post, which provides more in-depth information about the technical specifications of this retro console designed for three different Nintendo handhelds.

Source:
Link