Inside FunnyPlaying's New FPGA Game Boy

Let’s face it – FPGAs are cool, but the FPGA gaming devices that we’ve seen to date are just outright expensive. Until now, that is... retro device modding company, FunnyPlaying, recently released their new FunnyPlaying Game Boy Color – a modern FPGA implementation of the classic Game Boy Color handheld.
But can the device actually compete with the likes of the Analogue Pocket? In this video, I’m going to take a close look at the hardware in the FunnyPlaying Game Boy Color. I’ll show you how it works, and how it compares to the Pocket.

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[logan_cadfgs]

Devices like this are exactly what we need: Affordable, accessible, no-frills solutions to recreate an authentic handheld with some modern amenities.

Obviously there’s some caveats with this particular thing… Compatibility, weird non-integer scaling, lack of IR, etc. Definitely not perfect execution.

But I’m absolutely thrilled it exists, and I hope it establishes a trend.

[enthused]

This is my favorite thing to come out for gaming since the actual release of the Nintendo Switch. As a retro gamer primarily, the fact that for $83 total, you get a complete GB Color WITH lithium USB C rechargeable battery and 3 inch IPS screen without needing 26-year-old donor console parts is absolutely wild to me, especially considering that $83 in 2024 money would be like paying the equivalent of $40 for this in 1998 when the GB Color actually came out. Super reasonable. Can't wait until they figure out a Gameboy Advance FPGA chip.

[benh]

A few months late to the party here, but I am absolutely loving my FPGBC. FPGA really excites me, and for $80, this was a fun project to put together, and it just seems to work.

[FabuBrik]

This was way, way more in depth than I was expecting 😅

[JamieBainbridge]

Even with the "worse" option I'd rather this than waiting until the heat death of the universe for Analogue to add literally anything. FunnyPlaying seem a good company who are not hostile to users and iterate quickly over a wide range of products.

[destoer]

The alleyway bug is due to not emulating the serial control register (its trying to check theres no other gameboy connected and just gets stuck waiting for either the SC reg to clear a control bit or the serial interrupt to fire (i cant remember which one) )its the same behaviour you get on a software emulator when you dont implement it, hopefully it gets updated as its not too tricky to fix

[snesy]

This is the best video I've seen so far on the FPGBC (which isn't saying much), but it's incredibly detailed and excellent! It has answered so many questions for me

[nameresu]

Thank you for the thorough review, it is clarified for me that I can use any gbc shells with this kit, I just need to drill a type c hole. It was also very interesting to see a display under a microscope and all the info about FPGA used in here

[dmug]

I had no idea there was anything outside of the analogue FPGA system. Good break down of the pros and cons.

[saadchaaban]

so far this is the best video about the FPGB!
No bullshit talk.
straight to the point
and short info whats in the kit and how to assaemble it!
Loving it!

only feedback:
About the alleyway game: did you tried to change modes in the fpga settings? heard you need to do that in some games, to run them properly

[overdriver]

great video. thanks for explaining every hardware of this.

[thatgdub]

Really hope to see FunnyPlaying iron some of the early issues out, really would be happy to pick one up. I have a huge Gameboy/Gameboy Color game collection and no system to play them on. Great video, thanks!

[pentacosttb]

Honestly, for anyone without a GB/GBC already, this feels like a great budget alternative to a buying one either with or adding an IPS screen yourself, however I just got the OLED screen for my original and an happy as a pig in plop with it, so I’d recommend that if anyone has an old GBC lying around instead.

[RGSPro]

I was very surprised that alleyway didn't work as well. I loaded it up on both the GB and GBC core as well as the DX hack. What a bummer that wasn't sorted out on the 1.08 update.

[SebastijanStanivuk]

there is also AMOLED screen available for GBC

[leecollins]

im loving my fpgbc.the sound from these is amazing

[punk]

Sometimes games used tricks, undocumented op-codes or even bugs to their advantage. An FPGA implementation of chips or CPU without these results in a non-functional game.

[compuowl]

Absolutely fantastic video about an absolutely fantastic device

[Breakbeats.]

I'm positive that save state functionality will be added in a future firmware revision. Maybe the coders are already working on an alternate os.

[SneakyGreninja]

great video, also you should have uncensored those names of the comments of those clowns at the beginning so we can laugh at them lmao