Nintendo's $14000 Game Boy Color

Summary

The video showcases rare and never-before-seen Nintendo Game Boy Color development hardware, including a prototype board with an early firmware version that displays a different boot screen. Through demonstrations using period-correct equipment, the functionality of the devices is explored, providing a glimpse into the game development process. Despite some limitations, the prototype board's uniqueness as an early developmental artifact is conveyed, elucidating a fascinating part of gaming history.

Takeaways

• 😃 The video features rare Nintendo Game Boy Color development hardware sent by a collector.
• 👾 An intelligent systems IS-CGB emulator unit allows loading games onto debugger units for testing.
• 🕹 The emulator has a large FPGA chip and connectors for Game Boy and PC.
• 🎮 Two Game Boy Color debugger units with special probes are shown, one using a prototype board.
• 🧩 The purple debugger has an early prototype board marked 'XL'.
• 🔧 The units can connect to the emulator to load and test games before release.
• 🤯 A prototype 'CGB-STB-X2' board boots to an unfamiliar blue Nintendo logo screen.
• 😕 Early Game Boy games work on the prototype, but later Color games glitch.
• 💡 Buttons on the prototype can connect a controller, and test points are for debugging.
• 📺 A vintage PC with dev software demonstrates the hardware testing process.

Q & A

What makes the is cgb emulator unit that Tito shows unique?

The is cgb emulator unit Tito shows only supports Game Boy Color development. Later revisions that are more common also support Game Boy Advance games.

What does the 'X' designation on the prototype Game Boy Color debugging units indicate?

The 'X' designation indicates these are prototype units. 'X' was used internally by Nintendo to designate prototypes.

Why does the prototype Game Boy Color board show a blue Nintendo logo on boot instead of the normal Game Boy Color splash screen?

The blue Nintendo logo indicates this is an early prototype build with different firmware. The firmware is not the final retail version which is why it is incompatible with most Game Boy Color games.

What is the purpose of the button array on the prototype Game Boy Color board?

The button array allows you to actually play games on the prototype board, though not conveniently. The buttons are fully functional and can be wired to an external controller.

How does the process work to load games onto the debugging units using the IS emulator and computer?

You first connect everything together via cables. Open the IS software on the computer, load a ROM file, set the correct memory bank chip, then power on the debugging unit to play the game.

Why is it important to select the correct memory bank controller chip setting when loading games?

Different Game Boy games use different memory bank chips. Setting the wrong chip will prevent the game from functioning properly, so it's important to select the right one.

What happens when Tito tries to play newer Game Boy Color games on the prototype development board?

Newer games initially load but eventually freeze or display glitches. The prototype's early firmware seems only compatible with older original Game Boy games.

What is the FPGA chip in the IS emulator used for?

The FPGA chip allows the IS emulator to be reprogrammed as needed. It likely handles communication between the emulator, games, and debugging units.

Where else has the prototype Game Boy Color development board been seen before?

The only other example online was from a Heritage auction where one sold for $14,000. Handheld Museum also has photos.

What service does the sponsor PCBway provide?

PCBway provides services to help make custom PCBs, 3D prints, CNC machining, and other fabrication needed to build electronics projects.

Outlines

00:00

😲 Rare Prototype Game Boy Color Development Hardware

The video shows several rare prototype Game Boy Color development hardware items - an IS emulator unit, debug units, and a dev board. It demonstrates booting up games like Tetris and Pokemon on the hardware using period-correct software and hardware.

05:02

👀 Inside the IS Emulator Unit

The IS emulator unit allows loading dev builds of games onto the debug units. It likely uses an FPGA chip and has various I/O like SCSI ports. It also contains a Nintendo chip called the NVC Vue used in Virtual Boy.

10:04

🔬 Debugging Units with Prototype Parts

The debug units are fully-functioning Game Boy Colors for testing games loaded via the IS emulator. One unit has a prototype board marked with "X3" instead of a revision number, indicating an early prototype motherboard.

Keywords

💡Game Boy Color

The Game Boy Color was a handheld gaming console released by Nintendo in 1998. It was an upgraded version of the original Game Boy with a color screen. The video focuses on rare prototype and development hardware for the Game Boy Color. For example, it shows a prototype Game Boy Color circuit board with an unfamiliar boot screen.

💡prototype

A prototype is an early sample or model of a product created during the design or development process. The video highlights several Game Boy Color prototype devices like the early debug units and development boards. These prototypes demonstrate the iterative design process and allow testing of hardware and software.

💡development board

A development board is a printed circuit board used by engineers and developers to test hardware or software components during product design. The video features the 'cgb-stb-x2' Game Boy Color development board, which has an early firmware build that is incompatible with most commercial games.

💡hardware

Hardware refers to the physical components and devices that make up a gaming system. The video focuses entirely on showing rare Nintendo hardware prototypes like the IS-CGB emulator, debug units, and development boards used to design the Game Boy Color.

💡firmware

Firmware is the software programmed onto hardware devices that provides low-level control of their operations. The early firmware on the prototype Game Boy Color development board is unable to properly run most commercial games, indicating it is an early unfinished version.

💡debug

Debugging is the process of identifying and fixing errors and issues in hardware or software. The video demonstrates special Game Boy Color debug units used by developers to test and optimize games during the development process.

💡FPGA

An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is an integrated circuit that can be programmed to perform different hardware functions. The IS-CGB emulator contains an FPGA chip, which gives it flexibility during the prototyping process.

💡backwards compatibility

Backwards compatibility refers to a device's ability to use hardware or software from an older legacy system. The prototype Game Boy Color board shows limited backwards compatibility by running some original Game Boy games but not newer Color games.

💡memory bank controller

The memory bank controller (MBC) chip manages cartridge memory access. To properly test games on the IS-CGB emulator, the video explains needing to configure the correct MBC model in the software.

💡development process

The video provides a unique inside look at Nintendo's iterative design and testing process in developing the Game Boy Color through the use of prototype hardware and debug/development tools.

Highlights

The video features a rare early prototype Game Boy Color development board.

The prototype board has an early firmware version that is incompatible with most Game Boy Color games.

The prototype board uses a hacked Super Nintendo power connector.

The board has an array of buttons to play games and ports to connect an external controller.

The prototype has a blue Nintendo logo boot screen instead of the iconic Game Boy Color splash screen.

The board's 'X' designation indicates it's a prototype made for internal testing.

The video demonstrates using period-correct hardware and software to load games onto the prototype.

The IS-CGB emulator interfaces between the PC and the prototype board.

Different games require different memory bank settings in the emulator software.

Original Game Boy games work on the prototype but most Game Boy Color games glitch out.

The prototype board demonstrates Nintendo's early internal Game Boy Color development process.

The video features rare Nintendo hardware for Game Boy Color development.

One Game Boy Color debugging unit uses a prototype motherboard.

The developer hardware provides insight into Game Boy Color game creation.

Transcripts

believe it or not this giant circuit

board is actually a functioning Game Boy

Color made by Nintendo and even more

interesting is that when you turn it on

it has a previously neverbe seen boot

screen now this is the Game Boy Color

boot screen that we're all used to

seeing but sometime during the

development of the Game Boy Color

Nintendo made and distributed this

prototype development board which had

what I can only assume to be an early

version of The Game Boy Color with a

different firmware

the only other example of this showing

up online is from a Heritage auction of

one that sold for

$14,000 a couple years ago not sure if

it's worth that kind of money given the

track record of Heritage auctions now in

addition to this oddl looking board I've

been sent some other very unique and

also neverbe seen Nintendo development

hardware for the Game Boy Color so

without any further Ado let's Dive Right

In and take a

look

hey everyone how's it going my name is

Tito and welcome to Macho Nacho

Productions today I got something really

special in the studio and it's this

complete Suite of Game Boy Color

development Hardware all this was sent

over by a longtime friend of the channel

Andrew who's an avid collector of all

things video game development Andrew was

super kind and lent all this Hardware to

me so that I can show you all this

really unique and quite frankly very

rare Nintendo development Hardware

we'll be going over each of these items

in detail in just a moment and also open

them up to take a peek underneath the

hood I'll even demonstrate how each one

works and we'll kind of get a glimpse of

what it may have been like for Game Boy

Color developers back in the late '90s

and early

2000s all right let's first take a look

at this this is the is cgb emulator a

device that allows developers to load

development builds of games onto one of

these debugger units so that they can

test them out on actual Hardware

these are made by intelligent systems

which not only manufactured development

hardware for Nintendo but also produced

games as well such as the Paper Mario

series now what makes this particular

unit so unique is the fact that it's an

early version a model which seems to

only support Game Boy Color development

later revisions of this emulator unit

which are more common also support Game

Boy advanced games so the fact that this

only supports Game Boy Color is rather

unique around back we see various I/O

such as the power port which uses a

Super Nintendo power supply and a couple

scuzzy ports to connect the device to a

PC as well as a few dip switches to

change various settings and around front

we have a cartridge Port which I'm told

is for loading ROMs onto test cards like

this one here and not for playing games

so you just can't pop in Pokémon and

play this IDE looking connector is for

hooking up an actual Game Boy Color

debugging unit so that you can play the

game directly on representative Hardware

don't worry I will demonstrate how this

all works later on the video and it's

actually pretty neat so stay tuned now

let's take a peek under the hood the top

of the case is held on with only a few

screws on the bottom and the rear of the

unit once they're all out the top case

just slides right off and here you can

actually see a large thermal pad which

is meant to keep this large looking chip

here nice and cool this xylin chip is an

fpga the same technology that powers the

analog pocket and the Mr Project

although I'm sure this one is not as

advanced given it's from 1998 according

to its datus sheet it has about 1,800

logic Elements which when compare it to

the analog Pockets 49,000 or the Mr

projects d10s 110,000 logic elements the

is cgb emulator just seems poultry in

comparison but again it's from

1998 anyway another notable thing is the

fact that this has a removable stick of

sim memory which to me means this is

something that may have been an

upgradeable option now I'm not going to

go through every every chip here but I

will talk about this one here it's a

Nintendo branded chip called the NVC Vue

and the reason it's noteworthy is

because it's the same chip used in a

virtual boy I think it's kind of

interesting that Nintendo is utilizing

this chip for Game Boy Color development

and I'm curious what its intended

purpose is if you have any idea what

it's used for let me know Down Below in

the comments All right so that's the is

cgb emulator but now let's move on and

take a quick look at the debugging units

now I was sent two of these and by and

large they're identical however this

purple one is the more interesting one

these essentially are fully functioning

Game Boy Color units that interface with

the is emulator using this special

cartridge called the probe that not only

provides data connection but also Powers

the Game Boy itself through this

connector here taking a close look at

the battery compartment we can see that

this is an early revision of the Game

Boy Color shell since it's missing the

battery indicator markings like you'd

find on a a retail unit and if we open

this one up we can see that the model

number for this board shows a X3

designation instead of just a revision

number like on a retail board the XL was

used by Nintendo internally to designate

prototypes So This Game Boy Color

debugging unit is using a prototype

motherboard very cool and inside the

other unit we see that it's using just a

standard retail board anyway that's the

debugging units now before we take a

look at the most interesting piece of

Hardware in the lot the Prototype

development board let's talk about the

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all right with that out of the way let's

take a close look at this prototype

development board called the cgb stb X2

now for some of you this board may

actually look kind of familiar and

that's because it's younger more

powerful sibling the Game Boy advanced

version of this board has been covered

several times before the only coverage I

could find on this particular board was

a listing on the Heritage auction site

which featured some footage of it being

used as well as a few photos of the

device on the handheld Museum website so

really I'm just honored to be able to

give you guys a more in-depth look at

this fascinating prototype from Nintendo

now the reason we know that this

actually is a prototype is again because

of the X designation silk screened onto

the board and what's even more

fascinating is that when we boot the

system up we get this blue splash screen

with the Nintendo logo not the iconic

Game Boy Color Splash screen that we're

all accustomed to this tells me a few

things first being this is an early

build of not only the hardware but also

the firmware just to demonstrate when I

attempt to play an early game from the

original Game Boy Library Tetris in this

case we can see that it works fine but

if I attempt to play later games for the

Game Boy Color such as this copy of

Pokémon Crystal well I get a bunch of

glitches and the game is essentially

playable these glitches are most likely

present because the firmware loaded onto

this prototype development board doesn't

represent the final retail version which

causes compatibility issues with a ton

of newer titles to me this makes this

Hardware really unique in that it is an

extremely early prototype development

board so early in fact that it's not

even usable with pretty much all the

Game Boy Color games that I tried

playing anyway let's take a look around

this fascinating piece of tech starting

at the top left we have the IR

transceiver a notable feature of the

Game Boy Color and over to the right of

it is the game cart connector and Link

Port moving down we have the volume knob

speaker headphone jack and power

connector which appears to Simply Be a

hacked up one from a Super Nintendo you

can see where they literally trim the

plastic off the Shroud really funny how

Nintendo recycled parts from other

consoles to make these boards the power

switch and power LED are here and then

to the left we have this interesting

array of buttons that actually allow you

to play games not super practical but

they are absolutely 100% functional if

you follow the traces of these buttons

they lead to these through holes here

which I'm told allow you to wire up an

external controller such as a Super

Nintendo pad and right above the buttons

is the TFT

display and right here we have what I

believe to be the sharp LR 3592 CPU but

I can't tell since this one doesn't have

any markings like like you would find on

a retail chip and Scattered throughout

the board are a ton of test Point arrays

for what I can only assume to be for

debugging all right so that's cool and

all but now let's try to actually use

the equipment all connected together to

demonstrate the hardware Andrew also

sent over this period correct Toshiba

laptop from the mid90s with Windows 98

and all the necessary development

software installed so to start off we'll

first connect the emulator unit using

the scuzzy cable which hooks up to the

PC via this PCM CIA card once that's all

hooked up I'll connect the debugging

handheld unit to the

emulator and then power it

on it's important to first power on the

is emulator before turning on the PC

otherwise the development software won't

be able to detect the emulator device

okay with the emulator on we can now

power on the PC after it boots up we can

open the is cgb emulator software which

is what will allow us to communicate

with the emulator unit itself and if I

select file then open a file read window

displays and what we're interested in is

the bin tab if we hit browse we can see

that Andrew already has a few games

loaded so let's check out Mario

DX press

open then

okay we are then presented with a memory

setting warning and here we can execute

different cartridge parameters remember

not every game boy game is the same and

there are several different card types

with each having their own set of

features for example Final Fantasy

Adventure uses a NBC 2

chip while games like Pokemon Crystal

that feature an internal clock and safe

function use a mbc3

chip anyway for Super Mario Deluxe we

need to select mbc5 because that's what

it uses then hit okay once once the

prompt says read okay we can then power

on the Game Boy debugging

unit and what you look at that Super

Mario Deluxe loads right up and we can

start

playing let's try another game Pokémon

Crystal this time we need to select mbc3

to load the game and it comes right

up now let's say for example that I load

the incorrect memory bank controller or

MBC chip type for example instead of

mbc3 I load

mbc1 well once it's loaded and I power

on the debugger you can see that nothing

happens it's important obviously to set

the correct environment in order to get

the games to function correctly so this

is pretty much the extent to which I'm

able to use the development Hardware

this is of course an oversimplification

of what these devices are capable of but

at least you get a sense of how these

things work and perhaps an idea of how

developers use these kits

now we can actually also hook up the X2

Target board to the is emulator unit it

uses a similar probe to the debugging

handheld units but it also needs to be

powered externally with the Super

Nintendo power

supply and it essentially works the same

way we load a game Power on the board

and play the game you can see that

loading an older game like Tetris works

great however again when I try to load

something newer for the Game Boy Color

like Pokémon pinball

while it initially looks like it's

working it eventually freezes and the

screen goes

blank trying another original Game Boy

game such as warand again seems to work

so for this prototype board it appears

as though they were able to get some

backwards compatibility with original

Game Boy games but they still haven't

worked out all the Kinks when it comes

to the newer Game Boy Color games again

the fact that it doesn't fully work

really makes this a cool piece of gaming

history now another thing about this

board that's pretty neat which I've

already demonstrated early on in the

video is that it's also a standalone

testing unit meaning it doesn't need to

be hooked up to the is emulator in order

to work like the debugging units

although the major caveat is that it

pretty much doesn't work with most games

I plugged in a bunch of different games

and most of them didn't work properly I

was able to get my ever drive to work

although it was pretty inconsistent

needless to say I wouldn't try using

this as a way to play games as it's

definitely more of a unique and very

cool piece of History well folks there

you have it a peek behind the curtain so

to speak at the tools game developers

used back in the day to make the games

we love for the Game Boy

Color if you enjoyed this video I really

think you'll like this one here so check

it out and as always thank you all so

much for tuning in today and I'll catch

you again next

[Music]

Thursday

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