If you’ve got an old Game Boy lying around, shame on you for not putting it to good use.
Ryan Luke Johns decided he loved his Game Boy so much that he decided to re-purpose it as a case for his iPod. Dubbed the “iBoy”, this case certainly is quite remarkable, and stands out from the huge pile of iPod cases and covers that are in the market. It definitely brings back the good memories of Pokemon Red and Tetris.
Johns basically stuck the iPod inside the shell of the Gameboy, removing most of the original parts and mechanisms that made it operate. The screen size of the iPod, luckily, matches the screen size of the Gameboy so the user will have no trouble viewing the song name or album art.
The most fascinating part of this design is the fact that Johns corresponded the original Gameboy controls to the iPod controls. As the image shows, the up and down arrows control volume, and the left and right arrows control seeking through the song. The B and A keys control tracks, and the Start and Select keys control Play and Pause. What’s up with the lack of Menu navigation though? 
Here’s something interesting: if you have Rockbox on your iPod, you can actually play Gameboy and Gameboy Color ROMs on your iPod, although the control of the keys might not correspond to the original Gameboy controls. Technically, you can consider this a very delayed and elaborate upgrade to a Gameboy Color. The screen is much brighter though, which enables your eyes to play for longer periods of time without increased strain. Battery life is still a huge question mark though, I haven’t played enough Gameboy on my iPod to kill its battery so it is difficult to compare.
The major downside I see to having such a case is the size. The iPod is known for its slender design and slim fit, and currently fits well into denim pockets. However, with such a large case surrounding it, I think it’d be a bit more difficult, if not impossible, to stick it inconspicuously in your pocket.
Have a look at the iBoy via the links below, or check out the Game Boy Printer and the Game Boy Sculpture.
Via: Geeko System and Ryan Luke Johns
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