Mega Duck Handheld Console Receives IPS Upgrade

As a retrocomputing enthusiast, I have at least passing familiarity with just about every console and home computer released throughout history. So it is always a surprise and a treat when I come across a console I've never heard of before, like the Mega Duck (called the Cougar Boy in some markets). The Mega Duck was a handheld console similar to the Nintendo Game Boy and it was sold in Europe and South America starting in 1993. It was particularly popular in the Netherlands, where Ruud van Falier received one as a child. After letting it sit for 25 years, he resurrected his Mega Duck with an IPS upgrade.

IPS screen upgrades are popular for Game Boy handhelds, because the original dot matrix LCD screens were pretty awful. IPS screens provide a much crisper view and are far more pleasant to use. And while those original dot matrix LCD screens were grayscale, it is possible to remap the different shades to distinct colors on an IPS screen in order to enhance the visuals. As van Falier found out, the Mega Duck's dot matrix LCD screen specifications are exactly the same as the Game Boy's. That meant that he could follow a similar process to upgrade the display.

The first step was to determine the function of each pin in the Game Duck's display connector, which van Falier accomplished with an oscilloscope. He then connected an original Game Boy LCD to the Game Duck motherboard to ensure that the pinout was correct and that the two worked together. They did, which meant that any of the popular Game Boy IPS display upgrades would, in theory, work with the Game Duck, too — though the order of the pins in the connector would be different.

The new IPS display set needed some mods to work with the Game Duck. The display upgrades for Game Boys often include a replacement PCB for the controls in order to make it easier for the display to fit in the case, but van Falier couldn't use the control PCB in the Game Duck. So he had to remove that, in addition to rewiring the connector to get the pinout right.

Fortunately, van Falier was able to perform those mods and keep them tidy enough that he could button up the Game Duck case without any hassle. The upgraded handheld looks as good as new, but now has a screen much better than the original.