The Game Bub is officially shipping, and it’s the world’s first 100% fully open-source FPGA retro emulation handheld! Developed by Second Bedroom and Eli Lipsitz, this unique horizontal device takes on the Analogue Pocket by playing original Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges natively at the circuit level—plus ROMs straight from a microSD card.
In this review, we break down the hardware, test cartridge compatibility, look at the 4-inch 720×480 pixel-perfect GBA integer scaled screen, and see if the Artix 7 FPGA chip makes this the ultimate device for retro enthusiasts.
What do you think of the Game Bub? Let me know in the comments!
📌 Check out the project on Crowd Supply: https://www.crowdsupply.com/second-bedroom/game-bub
📌 View the open-source hardware files on GitHub: https://github.com/elipsitz/gamebub
Thanks to my friend Kirk Qbertaddict1 for helping me set this up: https://www.youtube.com/qbertaddict1
Game Bub Technical Specifications:
• FPGA Processing: AMD Xilinx XC7A100T (Artix 7) with 101,400 logic cells and 607.5 KiB of integrated block RAM.
• System Microcontroller: ESP32-S3 (manages auxiliary tasks, menu UI, and loads bitstreams).
• Display: 4.0-inch Laminated IPS LCD, 24-bit color depth.
• Resolution: 720 x 480 (Provides a flawless 3x integer scale for Game Boy Advance games).
• System Memory: 64 MB SDRAM and 512 KiB SRAM.
• Storage: MicroSD card slot (for ROMs, firmware updates, and save backups).
• Hardware Compatibility: Physical cartridge slot for original Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games.
• Multiplayer Support: Built-in hardware Link Cable port (compatible with other Game Bubs and original Nintendo hardware).
• Battery & Power: 3,000 mAh capacity providing an estimated 14+ hours of in-game battery life via USB-C charging.
• Audio: Stereo 1 W speakers and a 3.5mm TRS headphone jack.
• Physical Controls: 12 FPGA-mapped gaming buttons, plus 4 system buttons.
• Shell Quality: 2.5 mm thick injection-molded polycarbonate enclosure (weighs approx. 250 grams).
• Internal Sensors: Built-in rumble motor, accelerometer, gyroscope, and a Real-Time Clock (RTC).
• Wireless Capability: Integrated 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE hardware (built into the board for future core utilization).
• Expansion: PMOD header for hardware tinkering.
• Open-Source Licenses: GPLv3 (Software) and CC BY-SA 4.0 (Hardware).
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