How I created a custom Game Boy cart for Pokémon Blue that plays at 60fps

Spoiler alert: It's easier than you think

I’m a huge retro gaming fanatic, and that likely has a lot to do with growing up with these classic games and systems. I especially have a weakness for the Game Boy, and you better believe I’m on top of the console’s resurgence, from endless mods of the OG hardware, to the Funnyplaying FPGBC, Analogue Pocket, and of course, the newest kid on the block, the Modretro Chromatic. Suffice it to say, I love the Game Boy in all of its forms.

Like a proper retro fanatic, I have plenty of flash carts to play my (personally ripped, and more importantly, legally ripped) ROMs on. But like anyone deep into a collection, once you get too deep, choice overload hits. With a giant library of old and new Game Boy ROMs to play, I’ve found that sticking with one is a challenge. The realization finally hit me that I prefer playing one game on one cart, just like the old days.

So, I set out to make my own cart for Pokémon Blue, using a rip of my retail copy of the game, which I then modded with a ROM hack to gain features like 60fps support. And let me tell you, Pokémon Blue has never looked better when it’s played at twice the framerate of the original.

Here’s how I did it.

First, you’re going to need a few supplies to legally hack your Game Boy games

^{Left to right: 8bitaesthetics cart w/ retail Pokémon Blue PCB, Epilogue GB Operator, custom cart w/ BennVenn v4 PCB, and GBxCart RW}

In order to rip a ROM from an existing Game Boy cart, you’ll need a backup device. My favorite choices on the market are the GBxCart RW and Epilogue’s GB Operator. I find myself using the GBxCart RW more often with its FlashGBX software, but if you’re new to ripping ROMs, I would suggest picking up the GB Operator thanks to its intuitive Playback software.

The beauty is, this is also the hardware you need to write a ROM to a flash cart. This is where things get more purpose-driven. Instead of opting for a flash cart that works with an SD card to store countless ROMs (like the Everdrive X7 that’s at the top of its class), what we are actually looking for are single-ROM carts, and they are out there; you simply need to ensure you get one that can fit any size Game Boy game (hint, get the most flash and ram you can).

At this point, I would recommend checking out what Retro Game Repair Shop has to offer. One of the more affordable options comes from Funnyplaying, known as the MidnightTrace, and personal testing tells me this cart works with both the GBxCart RW and GB Operator without any issues, ripping or writing.

^{Epilogue GB Operator and GBxCart RW}

Then again, if you’re looking to conserve power with a cart that uses a similar amount of battery compared to old school retail carts, InsideGagets offers an incredibly affordable cart that you can even add a rumble motor to. Still, if you live in the US, you may have to import it, which adds to the cost. The same goes for the BennVenn MBC3000 RTC GBC cart V4, which is what I’m using.

Oh, and don’t forget a shell for your new cart; both Game Boy and Game Boy Color shells will work.

Of course, you’ll need a retail copy of Pokémon Blue, as well as the required hack. My go-to is Shin Pokemon Blue (don’t worry, there are also Red and Green versions), as it not only offers a slick 60fps patch, but fixes hundreds of bugs, all the while giving you the option of a Lite and Master version, with the Lite keeping things close to stock. Lite is the way to go, in my opinion, unless you need things like the ability to run from the start of the game (which admittedly does save a lot of time).

Last but not least, you need a way to apply the hack to your freshly ripped ROM, which requires a bit of software. I tend to gravitate to Lunar IPS, which keeps things pretty simple.

Parts list

Let’s start with ripping a ROM

^{Using the GB Operator to rip the retail ROM of Pokémonn Blue from a collectible cart}

Now that you have all of the required hardware and software to rip and write your own ROM hacks, it’s time to rip your ROM. Both the GBxCart RW and the GB Operator are straightforward when it comes to ripping. Simply plug your cart into either device, then plug that device into a Windows PC over USB to connect to their software.

^{Epilogue’s Playback software is a breeze to use}

For the GBxCart RW, simply press the Backup ROM button, and in Epilogue’s Playback software, click on the Data tab, then click the Start button to back up the game.

^{FlashGBX for the GBxCart RW is a little less self-explanatory, but still plenty workable}

You’ll need to hack that ROM with help from Lunar IPS

^{Lunar IPS is a small app, figuratively and literally}

Once you have your legally ripped ROM, you can apply the matching BPS file from the Shin Pokémon ZIP file. For me, I applied shin_pokemon_blue_LITE_v1.24.6h3 using Lunar IPS, which is as easy as choosing the ROM and the hack (in that order) from the UI with the Create IPS Patch button. Lunar IPS will then spit out a hacked ROM, ready to load onto your flash cart.

Writing a Game Boy ROM is just as easy as ripping one

^{GBxCart RW writing ROM to custom cart with BennVenn v4 PCB}

At this point, you should have a freshly hacked ROM to load onto your flash cart, which means it’s time to plug that empty flash cart into your GBxCart RW or the GB Operator. For the GBxCart RW’s software, click on the Write ROM button, and for Epilogue’s Playback software, hit the Data tab again, and this time you’ll want to click on the Upload Homebrew tab and click Start.

If everything went as planned, you should have a brand new rewritable cart written with a hacked version of Pokémon Blue that is now playable on original Game Boy handhelds as well as the newer FPGA units from Funnyplaying, Analogue, and Modretro.

Enjoy Pokémon Blue at 60fps wherever you play your Game Boy games

Let me tell you, there is nothing better than going back and playing the classics with improved performance. Pokémon simply looks fantastic at 60fps, and while this will drain your battery faster since your screen will be updating at twice the speed of the original game, it is worth it. Plus, you get all the bug fixes of Shin Pokémon, which means backlit screens won’t flash white when entering or exiting buildings, one of the more prominent downsides of playing games that weren’t designed for backlit screens.

Don’t forget to add a custom sticker to your cart; it’s a big part of the fun

^{That custom art on the cart looks sharp, doesn’t it}

Oh, and if you really want to ensure your newly flashed cart is something special, don’t forget to check Etsy for custom cart art. From recreations of the original art to hologram art to brand new designs, the choices are almost endless, allowing everyone to customize their carts to their liking.

Ultimately, creating custom Game Boy carts with single-ROM flash carts is a great way to not only avoid decision paralysis when playing games, but it’s also a great way to explore hacks and translations, thus greatly expanding your options while keeping the experience old school as you build out your cart collection.