Tech fanatic restores broken Game Boy Advance to its former glory with a custom 3D-printed shell
Claire Reid
If you’re looking for a healthy dose of nostalgia, then look no further than this video of a tech lover restoring a broken Game Boy Advance to its former glory.
Nintendo released the Game Boy Advance, or GBA, back in 2001, and it went on to sell more than 80 million units worldwide.
In news that is sure to make you feel old, the 32-bit handheld console is now considered vintage, but they’re still pretty easy to pick up for cheap online.
And one tech enthusiast recently snapped up an old console and gave it a new lease on life with the help of a 3D printer.
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He bought the wrecked old Game Boy Advance and revived it
Buying damaged tech and repairing it can be a good way to make some easy cash.
Some folks even buy entire pallets of tech returns to fix up and sell on.
But YouTuber Odd Tinkering simply does it out of love for old tech.
In a recent clip, he bought an old Game Boy Advance that was in need of some serious TLC and wasted no time in sprucing it up.
He started by giving the whole thing a very thorough clean, which it was crying out for.
The YouTuber removed the case and got right in there, wiping away dust, dirt, and rust spots from inside the GBA, and soaked the outer case in hydrogen peroxide to get it looking brand new again.
Unfortunately, the original screen was beyond repair, and he had to buy a replacement online.
Incredibly, despite its age and the fact that it had clearly been submerged in water at some point, the Game Boy Advance still worked.
He used a 3D printer to create a new case for the console
But even though the Game Boy Advance was looking clean and up and running, the YouTuber’s work wasn’t over yet.
Several of the buttons refused to work, and the volume control also had some issues.
Undeterred, the YouTuber whipped out his handy toothbrush and cleaning solution and gave everything another clean and – ta dah! – this time around, it worked.
He used a 3D printer to create a brand new case for the GBA, which required a bit of trial and error, but was worth the effort.
He then carefully fitted the new screen and the new case, and by the time he was done, the console looked brand-new.
Don’t you love to see it?
A timeline of Nintendo handheld consoles
1980 Nintendo Game & Watch: The first of its handheld devices, featuring simple LCD games and a built-in clock
1989 Game Boy: Interchangeable cartridges and long battery life made it a massive success
1998 Game Boy Color: This time around, gamers got color screens and improved performance
2001 Game Boy Advance: It came with a major hardware upgrade with 32-bit graphics and landscape design
2003 Game Boy Advance SP: It launched with a new clamshell design and built-in rechargeable battery
2004 Nintendo DS: The first time we saw dual screens and touchscreen controls, redefining handheld gaming
2006 Nintendo DS Lite: A slimmer, brighter redesign that boosts popularity
2009 Nintendo DSi: Nintendo added cameras and downloadable digital games
2011 Nintendo 3DS: A leap into the future with 3D gaming and improved graphics
2017 Nintendo Switch: Nintendo combined handheld and home console gaming into one device
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