The original Game Boy turns 37 this year, and the modding scene around it has never been better. What started with backlights and bivert chips has grown into a full ecosystem of drop-in upgrades that can turn a tired old DMG into a machine that feels brand new. But not every mod is worth your money — or your soldering iron. Here’s what’s actually worth doing in 2026.
The essentials
1. An IPS screen
This is the big one. Modern IPS kits are brighter, sharper, and more color-accurate than anything we dreamed of in the ’90s, and the best ones are truly drop-in: no shell cutting, no fiddly wiring. If you do one mod, do this one. The difference is night and day — literally, since you can finally play in the dark.
2. New shell and buttons
Old shells are scratched, yellowed, or both. A quality replacement shell — and this matters, cheap ones feel cheap — plus fresh buttons and membranes makes a Game Boy feel factory-new in your hands. It’s cosmetic, but the tactile payoff is huge.
3. A rechargeable battery solution
AA batteries in 2026 feel absurd. Clean-juice style battery mods give you USB-C charging and hours of play per charge. Just buy a reputable kit — cheap lithium cells in a 30-year-old plastic shell is not where you want to cut corners.
Worth it for enthusiasts
- Audio upgrades: A new speaker and a prosound-style amp clean up the Game Boy’s famously crunchy audio. Cheap, easy, noticeable.
- Glass lens: Replacing the scratched plastic screen cover with glass is a five-minute job that makes the whole device look premium.
- Power LED color swap: Tiny, silly, delightful. The modding equivalent of a bumper sticker.
Skip these (for now)
Overclock mods promise smoother performance in a handful of games but introduce instability and compatibility quirks that aren’t worth it for most players. And while FPGA-based clone boards are fascinating, they’re a whole different hobby — at that point you’re building a new Game Boy, not restoring one.
The best mod is the one that gets the Game Boy back in your hands. An IPS screen and a fresh shell will do more for your enjoyment than any exotic upgrade.
Start with the screen. Everything else is gravy — delicious, backlit gravy.