NES controller in a Gameboy Color?

Super Cameraman · Post by **Super Cameraman** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 11:27 am

How hard would it be to map the buttons on an NES controller onto a Gameboy color? I've modded controllers before. I know the whole "scratch off the copper traces and solder there" technique. I've seen pictures of the inside of a Gameboy color though, and it looks like the traces aren't visible, only the copper contacts. That would mean that if I solder to those, I can't use the original buttons. That wouldn't be a huge problem, but I was wondering if anyone has any experience with Gameboy color mods.

EDIT: Okay, I actually looked inside my Gameboy, and as I thought, the traces are not visible. They're under a layer of white... stuff. Like paint, or plastic or something. What I could probably solder on to the contacts, but I'd rather not.

Quetzalcoatlus · Post by **Quetzalcoatlus** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:32 pm

Heh, I was in the middle of taking apart a GBC when I noticed this post

. It looks to me like you could solder to the little points near the buttons labeled p01, p02, etc. and then just use ground for the other side of the contacts.

Super Cameraman · Post by **Super Cameraman** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:34 pm

Would the solder points get in the way of the rubber button... things?

And what points go with what button? Could you test it?

Quetzalcoatlus · Post by **Quetzalcoatlus** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:43 pm

p00- right
p01-left
p02-up
p03-down
p10-A
p11-B
p12-select
p13-start
I think if you use fairly thin wire and direct it away from the main contacts the buttons should still work properly.

Super Cameraman · Post by **Super Cameraman** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 2:08 pm

Wow thanks a lot! Has this every been done before? I can't believe I'm the first to think of it. The NES controller, in my opinion, has one of the best D-pads ever made.

EDIT: Actually, it isn't working. If I touch the contacts that go under the buttons together with a paper clip, it resisters as a button press, but not with the points you said. Also, what ground do I use? Just the battery ground? Or is there a ground for the buttons?

EDIT: No, I lied, it does work. And with the negative battery contact. Sweet.

EDIT: Okay, now, it's broken. The Gameboy turns on, and the game starts, but none of the buttons work. I also desoldered everything, and put the old buttons back in, but still nothing.

Quetzalcoatlus · Post by **Quetzalcoatlus** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 6:27 pm

Super Cameraman wrote:EDIT: Okay, now, it's broken. The Gameboy turns on, and the game starts, but none of the buttons work. I also desoldered everything, and put the old buttons back in, but still nothing.

That's odd, I tested it myself and the buttons still work normally. Maybe you accidentally shorted something while testing it?

hailrazer · Post by **hailrazer** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 6:31 pm

Poking around with a paperclip, I wonder why it broke.

Really that wasn't real bright,

Super Cameraman · Post by **Super Cameraman** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 7:24 pm

No, but after I poked around, it was working fine!

It turns on, that's what's so weird... If I truly shorted it, wouldn't it not turn on?

Quetzalcoatlus · Post by **Quetzalcoatlus** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 7:49 pm

There's also some holes/pins up near the screen that connect to some of the button contacts, so you could try and see if those work. If not, then I don't know what to tell you.

ShockSlayer · Post by **ShockSlayer** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:03 pm

I'm gonna do it just to take it from you!

NAh, I dont have a nes controller.

Website · Post by **Life of Brian** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:26 pm

hailrazer wrote:Poking around with a paperclip, I wonder why it broke.

Really that wasn't real bright,

Aw come on - I do that sort of thing all the time with my metal tweezers. You just have to know what you're poking

hailrazer · Post by **hailrazer** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:33 pm

Life of Brian wrote:
hailrazer wrote:Poking around with a paperclip, I wonder why it broke.

Really that wasn't real bright,
Aw come on - I do that sort of thing all the time with my metal tweezers. You just have to know what you're poking

Is that why your hair sticks straight up.

Super Cameraman · Post by **Super Cameraman** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:52 pm

Well, I did connect the positive and negative terminals of the battery holders... It reset it. But then it was working after.

Just when I thought I knew what I was doing...

Seaniccus · Post by **Seaniccus** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 1:25 am

I love little mods like this. I wish there was an A/V mod for the GBC, I think it would be neat to build a stand alone "Game Boy Color" console that uses an NES controller.

Super Cameraman · Post by **Super Cameraman** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 11:00 am

I'm really tempted to try to put this NES controller on something else now... Maybe a Palm? I would put it on my Pocket PC, since it can actually emulate NES games, but I don't want to risk breaking that too.