GameBoy 'Neon Advance': How This Modder Gives Life To Broken Nintendo DS Systems

Broken Nintendo DS handhelds are not an uncommon sight, which gives a modder an idea to breathe a new colorful life to a broken unit.

Modder Turns Nintendo DS To Neon Advance

Nintendo DS units are notorious for having weak hinges, making it rather easy to break it into two separate pieces. Of course, this makes it essentially dead but apparently, not to hardware modder Joe Bleeps.

"Where others see broken DS Lite consoles I see potential," he said on Twitter. "I took a different approach to Gameboy Macro mods, made it into a project and called it #NeonAdvance."

The project is more than just adding bling to a perfectly working device. It involves adding a resistor to the original motherboard to enable single-screen use and sorting cables among others. Because the original speakers were housed in the top half of the DS, Bleeps put a mono speaker in the stylus holder.

The Neon Advance retains original DS slot, so it is still able to play GameBoy Advance games. As for the hinges, Bleeps added a neon acrylic tubing, which is where Neon Advance got its name. It looks cool in the pictures, but it does not seem to be bright enough to distract players.

Bleeps shares some examples of finished designs, including his latest project with a pink theme and a blue neon light, on his Instagram and Twitter accounts.

Can You Buy the Neon Advance?

The Neon Advance project is mostly a hobby for Bleeps, but he is putting them up for sale at a £70 price tag, which is about $94, excluding shipping fee. Bleeps is sweetening the deal by adding laser engraving, a stand, and a USB charger in a sign and numbered box plus a velvet carrying pouch.

However, production is slow as it takes about 4 hours to finish one unit. Bleeps is also likely stumped with orders, as his tweet has now been shared thousands of times. He further advises interested buyers to watch out for any units on sale that he'll post on his Instagram account.

It is not the first time that someone has made a spin on Nintendo DS units, but the neon lights are a nice touch. Some creative types out there are constantly looking for new ways to give a new life to classic Nintendo consoles, making buyers feel like they are getting a limited edition item rather than a used and broken device.