In the world of gaming especially, we see a lot of retro designs that try to recreate the greatness of product design from days gone by. Many of them try to stay as faithful as possible to the original, but some are content to add a few interesting twists that stick to the spirit of the design and experience. For example, the Game Boy is one of the earliest handheld gaming consoles to become world famous, but that doesn't mean it has to stick to its small size even today. In fact, this DIY retro project goes in the opposite direction, showcasing the green monochrome display of the OG Game Boy on an oversized arcade cabinet screen, complete with joystick and buttons that are even more satisfying to press to move the conversation forward quickly.
Designer: Sean Campbell (didsomebodysayretro)
Compared to its colorful successors, the original Game Boy felt a little underwhelming. Nevertheless, the Game Boy opened up a world of portable gaming to past generations of gamers. Along with the special ability to link with other Game Boy devices, the gaming handheld embodied a kind of freedom that was revolutionary in the era of home consoles. It seems ironic that the WoodBoy project would do away with that portable design and trade it for another of the Game Boy's most popular attributes: pure gaming fun.
Put simply, the WoodBoy isn't a Game Boy Color, but an original Game Boy shoved into a handcrafted wooden arcade cabinet. This gives it a much larger screen than the handheld original's teeny-tiny 2.5-inch screen, making it a little better for today's more discerning eyes. In fact, everything in the arcade is an upscaled version of the Game Boy, redefined for arcade play; instead of a giant D-pad, for example, it comes with a more satisfying joystick for directional control.
Interestingly, rather than the traditional 2×2 button arrangement seen on most arcade machines, the WoodBoy has two red buttons on the top and two black buttons on the front of the console. This mimics the Game Boy's A, B, Start, and Select button arrangement, minimizing confusion and the chance of accidental presses. At the same time, however, having the buttons moved to the front can make it harder to quickly press pause with either hand.
What makes WoodBoy different from many other DIY retro projects is that it runs actual original Game Boy cartridges, rather than emulations. It uses a kit to convert an original Game Boy device into a console that's compatible with real cartridges and games. Of course, you'll need to own the cartridges for this to work, but either way, WoodBoy is definitely a collectible product.