i did this with an original ds with a broken top screen and it was very easy. i want to clarify for anyone reading this that you don't need to buy a nintendo switch speaker if you're not using the boxy pixel top case - you can re-use the one from your top screen. you also don't have to work with that tiny resistor - they make resistors in many different sizes and shapes that are much easier to hold and solder. for the top case i just used what i already had and cut the hinges off and used some bondo to fill in the holes.

I put an IPS screen and rechargeable USB-C battery in a GBA I got for 40$. The entire thing cost me less than $130 and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Highly recommend. No soldering involved, so it was pretty easy to do. Love your videos!

RIP for those two DSs

I just did an IPS mod on my childhood GBA, and I think it is definitely a better option then creating a DS Macro. I can play GB, GBC and GBA games with a backlight and better screen now. The DS macro seems to only make sense if you have a broken DS. I also personally prefer the GBA form factor. Playing Metroid Fusion on the screen is amazing!

Brass products are a little more demanding than Boxypixel's usual anodized aluminum products. Brass will tarnish with time and normal-use, so it's highly recommended to polish, neutralize, and clear-coat the brass piece before installing it for your mod. This will preserve the brass reflective finish and prevent tarnishing for that 24/7 beautiful golden aesthetic. It isn't hard, just costs a few extra bucks and a day's worth of time. (Drying takes quite some time.)

For me, I love the form factor of the GBA and PSP, so the macro idea does appeal to me, but I think I'd probably want to just do a screen mod on a GBA instead. Plus I can play GB, GBC carts too.

Glad to hear your conclusions on the macro mod! I've modded many Nintendo handhelds at this point. The original wide GBA with a 101 screen mod is my favorite way to play GBA, even though I have an Analogue Pocket. Though the Pocket dock is amazing for non-handheld play. I love the DS, it has a decent library and the Lite model can play GBA. When the Macro mod first started popping up I thought it was cute, but kind of wasteful. Now that it's blown up years later, I kind of really hate it. There is so much functionality that is just cut out to make a more awkward GBA with a not very great display... GBA mods with 101 screens and IPS screens are cheaper, easier, and have WAY better looking displays. A DS Lite can play GBA games just fine, WITHOUT chopping it up and throwing away it's main DS game function, PLUS you get the flip screen for easy pocketing / screen protection! If you want a great way to play GBA, just mod a GBA, or buy a DS with a 101 screen... or buy a DS Lite and just play it? Does your DS Lite already has a broken top screen? If you can mod well enough to make a GBA Macro, you can mod well enough to fix a DS Lite top screen. There is an issue with DS Lites where the R button always stops working. It's my biggest complaint about the DS. I have fixed a few in my day, and if you make the system into a Macro, this R button issue will still happen! Uhhh, thanks to anyone who actually read this whole thing To people who love their Macro builds, I am glad you're happy with them. It's a slick and creative mod that I just personally don't care for.

I actually use my DS Lite to play DS games with an R4 and GBA with the EZ Flash Omega, love it, the size and clam shell design is perfect for portable gaming

I did this once with a DS Lite with a burned topscreen. Used stock parts with an added LED on the left connected to the resistor(I didn't use an SMD resistor). Also used a glue gun stick to diffuse the led light. Didn't reach the right side but still looked cool. Here are some of my takes from the experience: 1. You can use the top screen speaker but be careful where you seat it. Magnets and sleepmode. 2. My power button was also rek'ed. I replaced it with a push button located behind the back. Stylus is used to power it on or off. 3. What actually tested my patience was the shoulder button. The plate spring was oxidized(didn't register presses well enough) so I had to clean them. While dismantling the module, the rubber part flew away because I used a forcep to take it out. Took me a few hours with my face on the floor before I was able to find it.

There is a solution to the gba carts sticking out. Since you’re already using an r4 cart, you could also get an ezflash v which come in both ds and ds lite sizes. You can flash your gba rom onto it over r4 and it will act like a physical gba game except it will be flush with the case

That Sonic Rush theme in the background takes me back man

GBA is my favorite game system from my childhood, and my favorite retro gaming library. I sank days into Metroid Fusion and Advance Wars as a kid. I mostly emulate now, but I still have my old GBA. I've been thinking of modding it with upgrades, and your videos like this really inspire me. Might need to try my hand at soldering...

I thought about building one of these years ago, but I don't have any DS Lites with a broken top screen. I have an AGS-101 and a GBA with an IPS mod though. Both look better than the bottom screen of the DS Lite.

thanks for doing these bob, some of this stuff looks like a real pain and i appreciate you doing all the crampwork, i never would have started modding if i hadn't seen you take these leaps 💪really wanna do a macro one day, but want to wait for a more comprehensive reshell option 🙏

Back in ,the day I had the DS Flashcart M3DS Real that came with an expansion pack from the Slot-2 that fits perfectly on the DSLite slot and it is essentially a GBA flashcard. The device keeps the GB, GBC, and GBA ROMs stored on the DS flashcard and transfers them to the GBA slot cart when you want to play GBA games. I think is the best option for a GBA Macro.

Shoulda grabbed the flex amp for the macro mod. Gives better sound and has the resistor included. This mod is sooooo much easier with this flex amp

I agree using an original gba with a new screen is the best way. I did this on my childhood gba and the older kit that lets you use a gbasp screen. It took less than an hour and was incredibly easy. It also increased the already amazing battery life, and still gives me older gameboy compatibility and link cable port

If the top cart slot can't use the bottom, how did I import pokemon from firered to platinum? Seems like they just haven't figured out how to use it with the emulator yet. Unless pokemon had some special software

Hey Bob. Thanks for the amazing videos. I know you hear this a ton already, but seriously, it’s great stuff. I don’t plan to ever pick up a soldering iron, but I’ve already watched this video twice. Your editing style, concise language, and high quality shots really make for a relaxing viewing experience. I even watch your ads, lol. All of this to say, thanks.

Helder's game tech makes an amp with the tiny resistor on a flex pcb so it's alot easier to do the mod

I love these DS videos definitely one of my favorite topics

This seems like a cool project if you like to fiddle with things but I think the best GBA console is gonna be an actual GBA modded with an IPS screen and whatever other little additions you want to make.

For cleaning brass, get a pack of “sunshine cloths” my wedding band is brass and those things are absolutely amazing.

Bob your sofa grew during the factor ad 😹 good video tho

The only KZfaq channel that I love the ads lol

Does your r4 flashcart have the time bomb? I’m looking to get one so I can hopefully trade between my real heartgold to a fake soul silver and vice versa.

oh wow I have the EZFlash and actually didn't realize what that little piece was for, thanks!

I have a gold and black one from Boxy. In fact I have all the game boy shells boxy has made in black with brass buttons.

they make resistors that work for this in many different sizes/form factors. if the boxy pixel shell requires that tiny one, i wish you would have specified that in the video.

Hey bob, What is that blue pad you were using while working on the DS? its got little slots for screws and such. i really could use that.

I was conflicted when I learned of this mod last week, although I think the half-broken pink DS which I rescued from the e-waste recycling heap might be a great candidate. As for that tiny resistor, it ain't no joke... A couple of years ago a friend put me up to modding a couple of GPU's. The resistors that I dealt with were so obscenely small, I must've dropped 10 of them just from breathing. Learning to work with those tiny resistors is a great way to level-up one's soldering skills.

I have a ds lite that the hinges broke on so I love that I found this video because it so happens that I really liked playing gba games on it. Have never done anything like this before but I'm might give it a go sometime.

I've done this mod a few times, both with bloxypixels face plate and using stock faceplates. It is a very easy mod. The hardest part was getting the speaker to stay still during assembly. I love the aluminum faceplate it just gives it a quality feel and looks amazing with the intended glass screen lens. I'm currently working on a few with the fat ds. I only do this when shells are beyond repair due to the hinge. I haven't had good luck with replacement shells. If you have the parts sitting around give it a shot.

You can make them with out the resistor. Just requires keeping the stop screen ribbon cable and trimming it down to just the lighting part and tucking it away. Mine has worked like that for the last 2 years

Appreciate how direct and eco friendly the message of this video was! I’ve seen photos of systems like that online and they always looked cool, but I can totally see what you mean about destroying a good working system 👏

I was already familiar with the game boy macro, I just wanted to say that yours is the best I’ve ever seen

Not sure what kernel/emulator you're using for GBA games, but I have an ace3ds+ clone R4 (which is the recommended cart to get) running GBARunner2 and haven't had any issues with GBA games other than just some audio issues at times. Gameplay is fine though.

Great vid as always Bob. Today I picked up the Zelda Game and Watch on a clearance sale and the first thing I thought of when I saw that awesome little screen was "someone should turn this in to a GBA" hint hint

Are there any ACTUAL DS mod/upgrades that allows play DS games after still?

I have a dslite with both a busted top screen and a broken hinge. This mod was made for me. I'm hyped.

Kirby Canvas Curse is SICK! I agree Bob I agree

I would say the DS lite is one of the most difficult to disassemble system I have done up to date. Joycon's are a walk in the park compared to it. I used to have a bottom board hanging around but I think I threw it away since some of the buttons might have been broken too. Only system I've done that is worse than the DS is the PSP, that thing is in a league of it's own with how weird the inside is.

The pack of resistors I bought only costed like $1.97 for 12 on eBay, but I also just bought LED’s from Amazon for it too from Jake Simmons tutorial and all it was pretty easy to do lol I really like the shell you used it reminds me more of Samus colors

That stomach shot was something. I felt the HUNGRY sense from here

wouldnt it be better to just keep the top part and use it as a protective cover for the bottom one?, or maybe buy a refurbushed gba sp?

I always though it was stupid to criple the ds for this, the ds is small enough to fit in the pocket, why?

You can get a glass screen cover, theres an audio mod which i dont recomend. Also had problems screwing the brass front w plastic back. Only do this if u have a broken one. Do not destroy it if it works

I have an EZ-flash card that was made to fit in the DS lite cart slot, i had the super DS lite back in the day. Still kicking around, but I can do most of what I want to with my N3DSXL.

As a Club Penguin fan... The part of the video were you break the DS with the Club Penguin: EPF stickers was a pain to watch lol

Hands down one of my favorite mods of all time. I have the black anodized face plate from boxypixel.

wow interesting to know how complicated the process is, I manage to get one of these a while back from a guy on Mercari for $40 free shipping

13:30 there are gba flash carts that sit flush with the bottom and can take a microSD card to store the gba games.

Have you seen the ipega pg 9221 joystick? Interested in what you would think about it. Seems up your alley.

I got my Analogue pocket at the beginning of this week, so I am mainly waiting for mods for the pocket to take off so I can make my analogue pocket look like an og gameboy.

I love my anbernic. It saves me the head ache of ever having to do a mod where my skills are not that good.

I think there is a way to use top slot with GBA hardware if you have a RAM module in the GBA slot? I'm pretty sure that EZ-Flash had a kit back in the day with GBA card (in the size of DS Lite GBA cover so it was not sticking out) that combined ram and rumble and allowed you too start games from DS flashcard in GBA hardware mode.

i just did the rhotronix mod that gives the gameboy macro a tv out so you can still use the top screen, its a pretty good compromise

I've personally never seen the appeal of this mod, but it is cool to see how far some of the mods go for it.

Wulff: where Is the resistor? Ds: gone reduce to atom

Playing GBA on the DSi XL looks amazing, this mod style might work better with an XL

There’s something else you can solder on that enhanced audio and even has that resistor on it, super easy

what was that aladdin game at 12:41 ??? I used to play that game allll the time when i was young but i cannot for the life of me remember the name of the game

What about those GBA flash carts that have the optional top for DS? Those sit flush too!

Have you noticed your secretlab arctic chair... discoloring? Mine is starting to have dark spots. I clean it but nope

This is my favorite type of Bob video. Mad

IPS moded GBA is the best way. I'm amazed at the screen every time I turn it on.

Ayy you finally got it to work! This is cool but definitely it worth it for me. I will keep my top screen lol

Now I want to see a collab with the retro future to make a legit DS macro with 4 screens

get yourself a set of helping hands with a light/magnifying lense. or spend 90 bucks and get a basic solder scope with a screen. these things CHANGED MY LIFE when soldering.

I built one of these instead of these and I love it. Instead of of buying a DS lite I just bought the bottom motherboard, and installed it that way.

They sell bigger resistors that work just as well for this. I used one in my mod and it works totally fine

I've seen people selling GB Macros on Etsy for around $200+. I was very intrigued but they seemed a bit expensive, which is why I held off. I honestly think I would probably be happier just springing for an Analog Pocket as it would do GBA plus several other consoles as well. Thanks for the video Wulff! You've definitely answered all the questions I had about the GB Macro.

This is wild cause the top screen on the 3ds I've had that break randomly one day too bad I can't turn that into a gba haha

I have an old ds phat that has a broken hinge I have been wanting to do this with, I just want to keep the shell it has but the idea of having to add that little tiny thing is scary lol.

Screen modding a GBA seems to achieve quite pleasing results. You can now get laminated screens for the GBA just like you had for the GB color last year (wait, from 2021 maybe?) and that seems to yield the best image (of all these mods) But I remember watching on youtube someone building one and not liking the rigidity of the accompanying front shell (that has to be the one purpose made for this laminated screen)

You can play gb/gbc with goomba color. It comes with a tool to fit gb/gbc roms into a kind of emulator rom from which you can select the games. Works good on my game boy micro with ez flash 4

Before the various IPS screens came out, I saw the benefit to using a DS or DS Lite. But now I think it's just way better to grab a IPS kit and an OG GBA.

How is it the definitive way to play gba games without link cable functionality

What did you put on screen?

Helder's flex ampod fixes the audio loudness of the switch speaker and replace the ohm resistor for the screen.

The problems with using a ds flash cart can easily be overcome. I had (or have?) a set with a ds flash cart and a compact gba flash cart (meant for the DS Lite) where the ds cart could easily change what's on the gba cart.. So you loaded the ds cart, chose your game, and it took a backup of the save from the current game, then flashed the game you want alongside it's savegame backup to the cart and you could then start the gba game from the menu

the Gameboy Macro mod is kinda neat but its missing the Link Cable port and accourding to most sources its still not possible to add one

I literally experienced these exact tribulations but with the OG DS that had a busted top screen. I lost 4 of those stupid resistors just by breathing. Good thing I purchased a strip of them. Also, you can use a larger trimmed resistor if you're able to trim it enough and tuck it around the board.

It took you from august to now 2 rip off a 2nd screen?

I lost count on how many of them I made haha my philosophy is make one that just works without fancying it up and I sell it for a very low price and people seem to also like that.

I think one of the biggest advantages to this kind of mod vs an original gba or gba advance is the bigger battery. Otherwise its not very cost effective

Great video as always Wulff Den, interesting mod, anyways, keep it up!

pre tin the pads ahead of time and hold the resistor with some pliers or tweezers

I believe in balance philosophy. I have a 2ds xl modded and I have a DS Lite with a GBA slot built in. I use the homebrew scene on my 2ds xl and run GBA games from the home screen. It uses similar architecture to that of the GBA (ARM7 chip). However the form factor on my GBA is amazing! Too much money to get it modernized though.

Wait up. Isn't gbarunner supposed to fish out extra memory from the gba ram module which was sold together with ds browser cartridge, in case you have one on hand? I remember that, in the good old r4 early days, you could run gba roms pretty smoothly in case you had a ram module inserted in slot two.

I made one of these last year and it's amazing.

The only in-video ads I don't skip past. YAHUNGRY?!

7:04 Bob: "I could swallow this and it would do nothing" Me: Do it. 👁👄👁

I’ve wanted to this mod but I want to 3d print the shell.

I really would love to see you do an IPS mod to an OG Game Boy Advance or SP. I'm currently waiting on parts to do the Funny Playing laminated IPS screen mod on the "junk" GBA I bought on eBay (which only needed the power switch cleaned). I think it'll pair well with my GBC which also has a laminated screen from Funny Playing.

Me: he should use an ez flash *starts talking about ez flash* Me: why isn't he using the low profile shell? *I threw it out* Me: Damn it Bob!

To bad you didn't looked into the NDS lite flex amp for GBA macro by helder game tech. Does that stupid resistor plus an amp in 1 flex cable.

what would be cool is if you took the top screen and made it wireless that way you could still play ds games but use it like a gba on the go so ds at home and gba out on the wild

Probably the coolest ds lite mod I've seen is the gameboy macro with tv out to use a tv/monitor as the ds top screen. The only way it would be cooler is if it were wireless like the wii u gamepad. It's awesome

You’re like the Gandalf of this kind of stuff at this point