Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years.TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust
In a nutshell: FPGA projects aimed at emulating the original Game Boy experience aren't exactly uncommon. However, a new handheld project promises better compatibility with Game Boy games and accessories while using a fully open hardware platform.
Eli Lipsitz, a software engineer with a passion for retrocomputing and video game emulation, is seeking funding to complete his latest project. Game Bub is an open-source handheld that emulates Game Boy hardware using a powerful field-programmable gate array chip. The developer is aiming to raise $100,000 and has already collected over $70,000 from 207 backers, with 20 days remaining in the crowdfunding campaign.
FPGAs feature programmable logic that can be reconfigured to mimic entirely different chip designs. They are highly efficient for specific computing tasks, such as AI, and are especially popular for hardware-based emulation projects.
Game Bub is different from previously released FPGA-based Game Boy emulators, Lipsitz explains. The handheld is fully open source, utilizes a modern and powerful FPGA core, and maintains full compatibility with original Game Boy games and accessories. Thanks to its FOSS nature, Game Bub can also serve as a development machine with fully hackable, programmable hardware resources.
For $250 to $300, retro gaming and Game Boy enthusiasts can get a device capable of playing Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games. The custom FPGA emulation cores have been developed over three years to deliver highly accurate Game Boy emulation. Additionally, Game Bub supports multiplayer via its link port, rumble feedback, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a real-time clock. The rechargeable battery is expected to provide up to 14 hours of gameplay per charge.
The FPGA chip in Game Bub is an AMD Xilinx XC7A100T, featuring 101,400 logic cells and 607.5 KB of block RAM. Wireless connectivity options include 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE, and the handheld includes a microSD card slot for additional storage.
Game Bub can play both original GB and GBA cartridges as well as ROM files. An optional docking station allows users to recharge the battery while playing games on a larger screen using a wireless controller.
Lipsitz provides a comparison table between Game Bub and other FPGA Game Boy clones, with his project clearly positioned as offering the most complete and open GB emulation experience – unsurprising given its price.
Following the crowdfunding campaign, the developer plans to assemble the final product in Europe (Croatia) to help minimize tariffs and other supply chain issues for the components.