Modders are always out there finding new ways to re-purpose old hardware into something new again. Usually this is in the form of replacing plastic pieces with different colored ones. One person’s hardware modification solves a problem of what to do when your DS loses its top screen: turn it into a luxurious new Game Boy Advance.
Joe “Joe Bleeps” Heaton is behind such a project. Challenging himself to a new project at the start of the year, Heaton moved from Game Boy mods to DS Lite mods. One thing he noticed is that many faulty units are considered so because they have missing or broken top halves. The bottom halves still work fine, but that’s not much use to DS gaming. Thus, he decided to use the still good Game Boy Advance ports on the bottom to convert these into Neon Advance units.
After removing the top half of the clam-shell design, Heaton looked for ways to remove the protruding pieces that held the lid’s hinge in place. Eventually he settled on leaving them, and attaching a small plastic tube with a single LED light to give the unit more flair. The effect is immediately eye catching.
The bottom screen of the DS is known for being a little muddier looking due to the overlay that receives touch inputs, but fortunately Heaton was able to remove that as well, giving a crisper look at the larger screen real estate for your games.
Another design challenge came in the form of audio. On the DS, the speakers are part of the now removed top-half. With some clever use of his modification skills, he concluded that the stylus slot would make a useful and elegant solution to create a new speaker setup. It’s not ideal, all told, but it’s better than nothing. Of course, headphones are still an option.
Ultimately, the result is a great re-purposing of busted hardware. Nintendo sold a truckload of DS Lites, and a lot of handhelds went to kids. It’s safe to assume, then, that there is no real shortage of busted systems that could still be used for a project like this. While he’s not directly taking orders, you can reach out to Heaton on his Twitter or Instagram and make a request. We also highly recommend reading the Nintendo Life‘s feature-length interview with him, where you can catch a lot more of great images of Heaton’s project.
