It is good, isn’t it!? Playing with headphones is the best.

I have to admit… The prices here in the west are just so expensive. I recently opened an Ali express account for a side business and when I saw this price I just thought I’d roll the dice and see what happens. It was all circumstantial and impulsive.

I absolutely plan to report on how it turns out. So far, it sounds like I’ve made a mistake, but everyone here will know soon enough!

I did the cardstock mod and it improved it a little, but the force needed is still uncomfortable. Does your thumb hurt after long play sessions?

I got updates! I got my hands on a copy of Link’s Awakening. I forgot how awesome this machine is.

Hey! So I had to clean the contacts on the motherboard fairly vigorously with rubbing alcohol and a microfiber cloth in order to get the buttons to register again. In my case it appears that something sugary had been spilled on the Gameboy and seeped down to the motherboard. I didn’t have to replace the buttons, just clean the button membranes of residue.

And the Oxyclean solution I used on the housing was about 1/4 cup liquid concentrated Oxyclean to 32 oz of warm water. I soaked all plastics for 2 hours and then I brushed with a soft bristle toothbrush. It won’t damage the color of your plastics at all, but may lighten them to the degree that you can see in my pics. Lots of people use the Oxyclean solution for colored Gameboys. There are suggestions out there for stronger solution recipes but I didn’t want to take any risks. More than anything, it seems like Oxyclean helps with the yellowing that occurs over time, but beyond that, the soak helps make the grime loosen up so it can be brushed out of the crevasses.

Edit: you will need a precision screwdriver set that includes triwing bits to disassemble the Gameboy. I got a budget set on Amazon by a company called “Jorest” for $9 USD. It included all the right bits and spudgers and picks to get it cleaned up no problem. I’m not sure if links to products are allowed here so I’m not comfortable providing a direct link. Part number was AJJOJM0101ORDCAR1 if that helps.

You know what’s bittersweet about this is that my aunt died of dementia. My uncle said she held onto it and played it for years. It makes me wonder what she thought about as she held her son’s favorite toy.

I got it right here!!

Haha I know what you mean. Replacing with a backlit screen or at least replacing the lens did cross my mind at first, too. As I thought about how many years of memories I had with it, and how treasured it was by my kin at one time, I just didn’t have the heart. There’s an old saying about car restoration that I think applies to this situation.

“It’s only Original once.”

It really did! Now I have to get to work collecting all the games!

Heck yes. I miss the Dreamcast. Forgot about how long those cables were. And Power Stone 2 was my fighter of choice.