AGS-101 mod- The defacto backlight most people think of in Game Boy consoles. I have two issues with this method, the first is that people are still cutting up AGS-101 consoles for it (despite the modern alternatives), and the second issue, a direct result of the first, is that it has made aftermarket AGS-101 consoles so absurdly expensive. I picked up an old DMG Game Boy, but forgot how underwhelming the screen is. I show you how to install a Backlight and bivert mod to improve the contrast.
Last Content Revision: 2020-12-16
Gameboy Dmg Backlight Battery Life
Confused/intimidated by the sheer number of backlight kits now? I don’t blame you. I had to create an image based guide just to keep everything straight myself. There’s a new section of the wiki that has a more subjective look at all the different kits: Backlight Mods (please give feedback here)
The Game Boy community has one of the largest modding communities out of other retro gaming communities. Mods are simply any modifications to the Game Boy system to change it from stock. They can be simple or complex. The most popular modifications add light to the screens of the older Game Boy systems that relied on external light to be seen or even retrofit a newer screen into the console. Other popular mods include painting systems for a custom look, adding rechargeable batteries to systems that didn’t have it, clearing up the fuzzy sound, or even speeding up and slowing down games. Some modders want lots of mods in their systems, some only want one or two. Whatever your preference, there are a lot of experienced modders here on discord happy to help when you run into trouble. For some of the more popular system specific mods, see below. Not all consoles are listed because not all consoles have mod kits available. Not all mod kits are listed either but submit a pull request (here) to correct this. Some kits may have generic versions or may be acquired through less than legitimate channels. Where applicable, the legitimate source for these kits is what is listed.
Items in this section apply to all consoles or otherwise don’t fit into one of the sections this page is split in to.
- How to reverse shell discoloration (works also for clear consoles!) – [Instructables] (http://www.instructables.com/id/Retr0bright-how-to-turn-a-yellow-Gameboy-white-aga/)
- Works on carts too! – Youtube
Spray painting the console (there are many different ways of doing this, worth a quick google!) – Written guide/Step by step image guide/Video Guide
Spray painting clear consoles from the inside – same as normal but from the inside! Here is the inspiration! (credit to /u/kemakill)
LED in game cartridge – Video Guide
Tetris logo lit up on cartridge – Step by step guide
Rechargeable game battery – Step by step guide
Batteryless saving for original Game Boy games (SRAM -> FRAM) - Thread with more info
- Batteryless saving for Game Boy Advance games (SRAM -> FRAM, does NOT apply to Pokemon) - Youtube video
Original Game Boy Mods
Looking for a backlight mod? Why not check out this guide from /u/Admiral_Butter_Crust on all the different backlight kits for DMG.
- Backlight install (parts: Regular kit from HandHeldLegend or Retromodding or EL Kit from Kitsh-Bent) – Instructables guide/Video guide
- A note on potential issues – Check the Repairs wiki for more info on “Newtonian Rings.”
Replacement 3” screen (stock is 2.4”, parts from BennVenn) - Image Guide
One Chip / HiVision Replacement transflective LCD kit (AIO kit, much smaller than stock, found on aliexpress) - Found a guide you like? Let me (u/Admiral_Butter_Crust) know and I’ll add it, otherwise, see the images on the seller’s page
BennVenn Replacement transflective LCD kit (Freckleshack v2.5 - Aioli parts from BennVenn) – Kits not yet shipped but install should be similar to AIO kit above due to the reduced PCB size and addition of touch sensor for brightness control
Replacement stock sized kit (from BennVenn) - coming soon
“Moon IPS” Replacement LCD kit (from taobao) - Youtube
Funnyplaying Replacement IPS LCD kit (from Funnyplaying) - Image Guide or video
- One Chip Replacement IPS LCD kit (sold by RGRS and other vendors on ebay/aliexpress) - Image Guide and Video Guide
- v1 kits have a color palette bug and will need a secondary mod as well. See this imagur album or video for more info. Issue is corrected in v2.
- v2 kits are reported to have faulty dpad inputs when installed in some shells with some buttons. Issue is corrected in v3
- v3 is the currently shipping version and is identified by the BLACK PCB and “RIPS V3” markings on the PCB. The LCD is slightly different and such is not compatible with brackets designed for V1 or V2.
One Chip OSD Q5 IPS Kit (“RIPS v4”, from RGRS) - Youtube
Bivert module install (parts: HandHeldLegend) – Video Guide
Bivert mini module install (parts: Retromodding – Install is largely the same as above module
Bivert bare chip install (Cheaper generic chips - check ebay or aliexpress) – Instructables guide
Soft latching bivert install (Switch biversion off and on) – Step by step guide
RGB backlight DIP switch install – Credit to the_8bit_kingdom
How to change housing/shell – Video Guide
RGB colour changing backlight – Documented project
Prosound mod (parts: Retromodding or Kitsch-Bent) – Simple to follow tutorial/Video Guide
USB rechargeable batteries – Step by step guide
Speed up or slow down DMG (under/overclocking) – Written blog post, careful though as the mod is prone to freezing!
Backlit buttons and case LEDs – Purchasable Kit/Written Guide
Power LED change (can use colour changing RGBs!) – Brief description of how it’s done, it’s easy to do this one!
VGA Out (nobble’s DMG Consolizer) - kits shipping and guides coming soon
- Super Game Boy CPU Swap - Info on the mod and tutorial
- Do note that PIL series DMGs have glob-top COB packaged CPUs and are not capable of this mod.
Game Boy Pocket Mods
Looking for a backlight mod? Why not check out this guide from /u/Admiral_Butter_Crust on all the different backlight kits for MGB.
- Backlight (parts: HHL or Retromodding) – Video Guide/Instructables guide. This is a similar process as the DMG
- A note on potential issues – Check the Repairs wiki for more info on “Newtonian Rings.”
- Tidy wiring method: https://www.reddit.com/r/Koji_Kendo/comments/62j5ga/mgb_backlit_lcd_screen_single_piece_module/
One Chip / HiVision Replacement transflective LCD kit (AIO kit, smaller than stock, found on aliexpress) - Video Guide
BennVenn Replacement transflective LCD kit (Freckleshack v2.5 - Aioli parts from BennVenn)
- Funnyplaying Replacement IPS LCD kit (from Funnyplaying) - Youtube
- First batch has buggy firmware that will affect the sound on some consoles and funnyplaying has several options to remedy this. Subsequent batches include the fix already (if you’re reading this and you haven’t ordered a kit yet, the kit will already be fixed).
One Chip OSD Q5 IPS Kit (from RGRS) - Youtube
Bivert DMG module install (parts: HandHeldLegend) – Video Guide
Bivert chip install (and comparison) – Step by step guide
Bivert mini module (parts: HHL) - Image Guide or Video Guide
Replacement shell/housing – Written guide
USB Rechargeable battery mod – Step by step guide
- Helder’s replacement custom power switch (parts from Helder’s site)
Game Boy Color Mods
Looking for a backlight mod? Why not check out this more comprehensive guide from /u/Admiral_Butter_Crust on all the different backlight kits for CGB. Not all backlight kits available are listed below.
Backlight OEM LCD (?!) – Step by step guide. (This method is rather out of date and yields sub optimal results and as of 2019-10-31, BennVenn is working on improving this process)
“Galaxy Screen” IPS Replacement LCD kit (nearly full size, parts from taobao) – Video
One Chip Replacement transflective LCD kit (AIO kit, similar to Freckleshack v2, parts from aliexpress – if link is dead, search “gameboy color backlight” on aliexpress or parts from RGRS) – Video Guide
BennVenn Replacement transflective LCD kit (Freckleshack v1/v2 discontinued in favor of v2.5 and v3) – Video guide
BennVenn Replacement transflective LCD kit (Freckleshack v2.5 - Aioli parts from BennVenn) – Video
McWill Replacement transflective LCD kit (McWill v1.1, similar to Freckleshack v1/v2, parts from Retromodding (US) or Dragonbox Shop (EU)) - PDF Instructions
Midwest Embedded Replacement transflective LCD kit (Midwest Embedded, similar to Freckleshack v2, parts from MWE) - Video Guide
Funnyplaying Replacement IPS LCD kit (stock sized, now stocked on funnyplaying.com and on Retromodding): Video install
- One Chip Replacement IPS LCD Kit (parts from RGRS) - Video, see listing for image guide. Trim will be identical to funnyplaying version.
- This kit uses the same LCD as the funnyplaying version but has additional functionality in the form of custom override color palettes.
One Chip OSD Q5 IPS Kit (much larger than stock, from RGRS) - Youtube
Frontlight mod (parts: HHL)– Video Guide (LOCA highly recommended)/Instructables Guide or Video Guide V2 (no LOCA required)
- Prosound – Written guide/Video Guide
- Helder’s improved wiring - Imgur
LED Case/button mod – Instructables guide
USB rechargeable batteries – Instructables guide
DC jack rechargeable batteries – Written Guide
Game Boy Pocket buttons in GBC – Written guide
Overclock (speeding up console) – Instructables Guide
Plastic Start/Select buttons – Written Guide
Boxy Pixel aluminum shell (parts) - Assembly Guide for El Clono modded CGB (no guides available for other supported mods but install process is very similar)
- Helder’s replacement custom power switch (parts from Helder’s site)
Gameboy Dmg Backlight
Game Boy Advance Mods
Looking for a backlight mod? Why not check out this guide from /u/Admiral_Butter_Crust on all the different backlight kits for AGB.
TFT Frontlight/backlight (with AGS-101 LCD) – Written guide and detailed video (deprecated)
Funnyplaying Replacement IPS LCD kit (Funnyplaying v2, slightly larger than stock, parts from funnyplaying) – Video
One Chip Replacement IPS LCD kit (v1, parts from RGRS or aliexpress) – Video
“Galaxy Screen” IPS(*) replacement LCD kit (there is a TFT and IPS version, both from taobao) – Video
C LCD Backlight kit (from aliexpress and taobao) - Youtube
BennVenn TFT Replacement NDSL LCD kit (From BennVenn, smaller than stock): coming soon^^^TM
- USB rechargeable batteries – DIY guide
- Do this mod at your own caution. Be sure to familiarize yourself with proper Lithium Ion safety tips and proper handling. Also be aware that when using this mod, you should never let your console run flat as it will take the battery down well past normal safe limits.
Rechargeable Battery (listed vendors ship NA only, parts: Retromodding kit or Modmatic kit) – Image Guide
Speaker upgrade – Very detailed guide
Overclock module (GBAccelerator, parts from Retromodding – Install guide
Overclock module (GBA ClockxControl, parts from InsideGadgets) – currently no install guide for this module but should be similar to above
Audio amplifier / loud speaker (parts from Retromodding) – Image Guide or Video Guide / TDNC Review
- Internal NiMh battery charger (parts from BennVenn) – coming soon^^^TM
- alternative method: Youtube
Boxy Pixel aluminum shell (parts) – AGB-101 or FIPS Picture Guide
VGA out (parts from InsideGadgets) – Picture guide is linked in “Installation” tab of product page
HDMI out (Woozle’s Consolizer, parts from GameTech) – Video Guide (LONG)
HDMI out (gbaHD from zwenergy) - Text Guide from Mogi_codemasterv
LED Battery Gauge (for LiPo modded consoles) – Youtube
Helder’s “Power Cleaner” flex PCB for improved audio (parts from Helder’s site) - Youtube
- Helder’s replacement custom power switch (parts from Helder’s site)
Game Boy Advance SP Mods
Looking for a backlight mod? Why not check out this guide from /u/Admiral_Butter_Crust on all the different backlight kits for AGS.
AGS-001 increased brightness mod (“AGS-010”) and extended life battery – Written Guide
Funnyplaying Replacement IPS LCD kit (Funnyplaying v1, based on AGB v2 mod, works on both models of AGS, parts from Funnyplaying – Video Guide
One Chip Replacement IPS LCD kit (v1, similar to funnyplaying mod, parts from RGRS) – Video
Replacement NDSL LCD kit (From BennVenn, smaller than stock, same as AGB kit) – coming soon^^^TM
AGS-101 LCD (for AGS-001 models, required parts: a voltage regulator and, optionally, a brightness controller.) – Video Guide (deprecated)
- DSi Battery Mod – Written Guide
- A note on these mods, DSi batteries are 12+ years old at this point and aftermarket replacements often lie about the capacity. This was a better mod when Nintendo still sold newly manufactured DSi batteries. Beware.
- “Makho Battery Mod,” a cheap, high capacity (~950mAh), and 100% reversable battery mod – Youtube
- Want to bump it up to 1640mAh? If your console is IPS modded, there should be room behind the LCD for two more batteries to install in parallel with the original. You’ll need a 303030 and a 303450 sized battery. Put all three batteries in parallel (red to red to + and black to black to - ). Pics from /u/jeeper5150 and mod from /u/jeff93063
LED Button/Emblem Mod – Pictures and Video
LED Emblem – Written Guide
Overclock switch – Written Guide
Install a new shell – Written Guide
- Replace hinge pins (shell swap) – Written Guide or this thread/video guide
Internal headphone jack mod – Github repo with multiple installs documented
- USB Type C Charge Port Mod - Listing with instructions
- Alternate (centered) version - Github repo
Makho/RetroCNC Machined Aluminum replacement shell - coming soon^tm
- Helder’s replacement custom power switch (parts from Helder’s site)
Game Boy Micro Mods
Gameboy Dmg Backlight Mod
- “Makho Battery Mod,” a cheap, high capacity (750+mAh*), and 100% reversable battery mod – Youtube
- Do note that the video uses a lower quality cell. For better battery life, a more reputable 802535 battery vendor is recommended. 602535 also works but is lower capacity but will be perfectly drop-in and will not require removing the foam from the battery door.
Overclock mod - written guide with images
- USB C / Micro USB Charge Port Replacement - Example 1 USB C images from sammy.sam and example 2 USB C reddit thread from u/nataliethenerd
- Do note that you lose link port functionality with a mod like this