This PCB Makes a Raspberry Pi Fit Perfectly in a Sega Game Gear Enclosure

The Nintendo Game Boy was easily the most successful handheld system of the fourth generation of video game consoles, but it wasn’t the only option on the market. The Atari Lynx and NEC TurboExpress were largely unsuccessful competitors, but the Sega Game Gear put a bit of a dent in Game Boy sales. Ultimately, roughly one Game Gear was sold for every 10 Game Boys. It was actually a superior console in many ways, but its poor battery life and lackluster game library limited its appeal. Redditor Zarcadeuk is seeking to level the playing field with a custom PCB that makes it easy to fit a Raspberry Pi into a Sega Game Gear enclosure.

Raspberry Pi makes single-board computers (SBCs) that are perfect for emulating classic video game consoles when paired with software like RetroPie. We feature many custom handhelds here on Hackster that follow the proven “Raspberry Pi + RetroPie” formula, but this project stands out because of the emphasis on drop-in compatibility with the Sega Game Gear. 3D-printed enclosures can sometimes leave something to be desired when it comes to fit and finish—not to mention durability. By using the Game Gear case, you get all of the benefits of a production console as well as the flexibility that the Raspberry Pi offers.

Zarcadeuk’s custom PCB was designed in EasyEDA and is intended to be used with the Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+, which is smaller than the more popular B models. The PCB also has connections for all of the necessary hardware to complete the console. That includes 3.2” ILI9341 LCD screen, a PowerBlock from Petroblock to handle power management, and a pair of 2000mAh lithium batteries. The PCB also contains pads for the buttons, which are in the same location as on the standard Game Gear. Zarcadeuk is still working on finalizing the design, but has said that they may sell kits (or bare PCBs) for others interested in completing similar conversions. Follow them on Reddit to stay up to date on future developments.