Palmer Luckey is now selling pixel-perfect ultrabright magnesium Game Boys for $199

Jun 04, 2024 12:36 AM - 4 months ago 48167

It’s true. There’s photograph evidence — and today, he’s revealing his ain return connected nan eventual cartridge-playing Nintendo Game Boy, 1 that you tin really bargain for $199.

Shipping this holiday, the ModRetro Chromatic sounds incredible: magnesium alloy case, sapphire crystal screen glass, PBT buttons, a pixel-perfect IPS surface astatine nan aforesaid size, resolution, and pixel building arsenic nan original Game Boy and Game Boy Color, color-matched to nan Game Boy Color surface — and pinch “well complete a thousand” nits of brightness truthful you tin play retired successful nan sunlight.

Not only does it person an FPGA wrong (like nan lauded Analogue Pocket) to play genuine Game Boy and Game Boy Color carts arsenic if you’re playing them connected nan Nintendo original, but Luckey besides says it will travel pinch a genuine transcript of Tetris like nan original Game Boy often famously did. It’s a new, afloat licensed Tetris game internally developed by Luckey’s team, which features “reimagined versions of nan iconic Tetris taxable song” and genuine Link Cable multiplayer.

1/6

Actual macro photos of a Chromatic screen.

Images: ModRetro

Because yes, nan Chromatic has a Link Cable larboard arsenic good arsenic a 3.5mm headphone jack and USB-C for “lagless” video out. It lasts 24 hours connected 3 modular AA batteries, Luckey tells me. While it’ll astir apt vessel pinch alkalines, there’ll beryllium an optional lithium-ion pack, excessively — and he tells maine you tin moreover recharge your NiMH AA batteries utilizing nan USB-C charger!

Audio is mono, for illustration nan original Game Boys, pinch a “custom ultra-loud speaker module.”

Luckey, playing a Chromatic, from his video.

Image: ModRetro

Speaking of custom, Luckey tells maine nan full creation is in-house, including nan civilization surface — which is truthful agleam because it’s based connected displays utilized successful aviation. He says ModRetro isn’t doing thing rather truthful exotic arsenic manufacturing its ain chips but that, successful general, nan squad went each retired alternatively of making business decisions.

Compared to nan Analogue Pocket, says Luckey, “we are really authentic”:

The colour temps are really right, nan timepiece complaint isn’t somewhat off, nan pixel building isn’t wholly incorrect successful a measurement that ruins subpixel alert sprites, etc.

He sent maine this image to illustrate:

”Here is an illustration - announcement really Lapras is garish yellowish connected Analogue alternatively of really matching nan GBC colour temps, which we did pinch an each civilization display,” writes Luckey.

Image: Palmer Luckey

The handheld isn’t nan only point nan ModRetro squad will beryllium selling, by nan way: you tin bargain original “Chromatic” cartridges pinch caller games, too. Luckey’s promising a batch there: “all-physical re-releases and remasters of classical Game Boy titles, wholly caller IP from unthinkable indie developers, first-time launches of Game Boy games that were canceled earlier release, and moreover immoderate titles that were canceled earlier nan nationalist ever recovered retired astir them.”

The Chromatic handheld doesn’t usage ROMs, by nan way, not moreover successful a roundabout manner for illustration nan Analogue Pocket. It’s cartridge only, says Luckey, unless you proviso your ain flashcart.

Some of nan games connected offer.

Image: ModRetro

Luckey says he’s not judge really agelong he’ll money hardware manufacturing, hinting that quantities will beryllium constricted — though GameStop will transportation an chartless number of them arsenic well. “I americium going to make arsenic galore arsenic I request to fulfill preorders,” he tells me. “But this point is excessively crazy to make forever.”

A screencap showing nan magnesium alloy shell.

Image: ModRetro

“I don’t spot this arsenic a measurement to make money, I spot it arsenic nan measurement to make nan world’s champion tribute to nan Game Boy, thing that I’ll beryllium proud of for a very agelong time.”

You cognize me: I’m getting one.

More