WARNING: The J&T Studios Super DMG kit has an issue with the traces on the Link Port connector. I do not recommend purchasing this kit at the moment since it has the older Super DMG design. After my video was uploaded, kamicane has fixed this issue and the updated desgin is in his github, however to my knowledge, the J&T Studios kit do not have the fix. If you do not plan on installing the the Link Port connector the kit works perfectly fine.
A really neat project recently came across my desk the other day which I really thought needed some attention. It’s called the Super DMG, and while the kit is manufactured and sold by J&T Studios, the open-source project itself was developed by kamicane. Now kamicane didn’t go at it alone, he utilized work previously done by bit9 and gekkio on mapping and reverse engineering the DMG motherboard, while also leveraging 3D DMG shell scans done by Wesk to ensure that the boards fit inside the DMG perfectly.
This is truly a work of the modding community!
At it’s core, the Super DMG is essentially a reverse engineered Game Boy motherboard (and audio board) that allows you to swap over a minimal amount of parts from an OEM console (ie the CPU and Link Port connector) to get a fully working system that’s essentially brand new.
This is the perfect kit for those that have a DMG Game Boy which has succumbed to irreparable damage such as leaking batteries that destroyed the traces on the motherboard.
Additionally, this kit features a pretty powerful audio amp, that really let’s you crank the volume. Now as far as other features, there really aren’t any. This kit basically provides an avenue to resurrect dead Game Boys which is really awesome in and of iteslf.
Now to really make this project shine, swapping in a CPU from a Super Game Boy cartridge (Super Nintendo) allows you to by-pass the Nintendo splash-screen when you first turn the console on. This only saves you a few seconds but I think it’s pretty neat that it even works! Also, add in an aftermarket IPS screen and you have yourself a killer, all new Game Boy DMG ready many more years of service!
Another thing that makes this project great is that it’s open source, ensuring that the DMG can be preserved for the foreseeable future. I am beginning to see more projects like this which makes me happy. For example with the PC Engine/TurboGrafx Duo we have work done by cosam and previous projects like the OpenTendo by redherring32.
#PCEngine Duo repro PCB project is now public. Gerbers, schematics, KiCad files, the lot. Check the releases at https://t.co/rj7Rch8p8b
— cosam (@cosam_the_great) November 11, 2023
This is a trend in the retro modding community that I hope continues.
