This FPGA handheld can read Game Boy carts, is fully open-source, and hackable

With 22 days to go, you can still help it get funded

Relish it, people, we are living in the age of the handheld. They are everywhere, from Android handhelds to PC handhelds to FPGA handhelds. It seems like everyone has their own twist on what a gaming handheld should be, and while I have my own personal favorites, few are as bold as the Game Bub.

What is the Game Bub, you ask? It’s a slick-looking FPGA handheld that’s open-source, and it features a built-in slot to read Game Boy (GB), Game Boy Color (GBC), and Game Boy Advance (GBA) physical cartridges (via Retro Dodo). So it’s in the same vein as the Analogue Pocket or Modretro Chromatic, but aims to be even more open than both, which is something considering a lot of the Chromatic has been open-sourced.

The Game Bub looks perfect for GBA emulation

Let’s face it, Analogue, Modretro, and even Funny Playing have the vertical design of classic Game Boys and their 10:9 screens down pat; we don’t really need more FPGAs built with the vertical Game Boy form factor. What we need is a horizontal design that targets the GBA screen ratio of 3:2, and the Game Bub is offering exactly that with its 4.0-inch 720 x 480 IPS LCD.

System compatibility

• Game Boy-compatible cartridge slot for Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games
• Custom FPGA cores designed for high accuracy and physical hardware compatibility
• Built-in ROM loading and backup
• GBA-type multiplayer link port (also compatible with Game Boy Color)
• Rumble motor for games with force feedback
• Accelerometer and gyroscope for compatible games
• Real-time clock

This is a big reason I prefer purpose-built handhelds. I demand my games fit the screen, and I’ve been itching to find an FPGA handheld that is designed for playing GBA games.

Additionally, Game Bub is open-source, and not only is it open-source, but the PCB is also designed to provide full access to all software. And since there is a micro-SD slot built in, you won’t even need access to game carts; you’ll be able to load your ROMs on external storage. And that’s the beauty of FPGAs, there are tons of cores out there, which means you won’t be limited to Game Boy games. Emulation is possible too, and there’s even homebrew support. The sky is the limit, it would appear.

Game Bub specifications

Rip and write ROMs

Best of all, the Game Bub can be your one-stop shop for ripping and writing ROMs and their saves, since it will support FlashGBX software, the exact same software I used to write a Pokémon Blue hack with 60fps support. To have the ability to manage your entire Game Boy library from a single device is pretty dang enticing, and I know for a fact FlashGBX and its forks work across Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring compatibility no matter your OS of choice.

There’s a catch, there’s always a catch

There’s just one problem with the Game Bub: it doesn’t actually exist yet. It’s currently being crowdfunded on Crowd Supply, and is (at the time of writing) 64% funded, with $64,337 raised out of its $100,000 goal. Funding ends on Oct 02, 2025, so there’s less than a month to go.

^{Source: Crowd Supply}

The good news is that crowdfunding tends to pull in the majority of its funds at the start and end of a campaign, so there is a chance the Game Bub will make it. That’s also why I wanted to cover the project, as it looks promising and even has a manufacturer secured with Soldered Electronics. I’d love to see it get made.

Of course, if you’d like to toss your hat in the ring, you can jump on over to the Crowd Supply listing through the handy widget below. Fingers crossed the project crosses its goal so we can all enjoy an open-source FPGA handheld to play through our favorite GBA games.

Purchase on Crowd Supply

Game Bub