I love reviewing modern retro tech – a class of devices that add new functionality to old hardware. My latest video on this topic looks at GB-Link – a small adapter that bridges old Gameboys to the Internet for multiplayer games and more. By connecting the GB-Link to a computer, it bridges the physical serial connection of the handheld to a remote opponent via a simple web-based interface.
The adapter features a GBA / GBC standard link connector on one side and a USB-C port on the other, allowing original handheld hardware to interface with a computer. You can find them on Crowd Supply for about $50. Original Gameboys, which use a different style connector, can work with an adapter.
Once connected, the GB-Link website allows users to select supported titles. Right now it supports about eight games including some of the popular GBA Pokemon titles. The GB-Link team is working to add support for more games as they continue to decipher how each game makes use of the link system.
Latency is a common concern with Internet-based retro gaming, but the GB link interface handles these issues by accounting for the specific requirements of the serial connection. In a session with the project lead Ashton Herron located about 1,200 miles away, the multiplyer gameplay in Gameboy Tetris and Dr. Mario remained stable. I was using my original Gameboy Color and Gameboy Advance, and Ashton was using the FPGA based ModRetro Chromatic. Ashton says the GB-Link works with other FPGA consoles like the Analogue Pocket and Funny Playing Gameboy systems too.
The team recently added functionality to connect original Gameboy Advance systems running supported Pokemon titles to link up with Nintendo’s re-releases on the Switch. There’s also support in some games for connecting to emulators running on Retroarch.
Beyond multiplayer, the device emulates the functionality of the Nintendo e-Reader. This peripheral originally allowed users to scan physical cards to unlock content, a device that was more prevalent in Japan than in the United States. Through the GB-link interface, I was able to virtually scan level cards for Super Mario Advance 4. By downloading image files of these cards and sending the data through the adapter, the Game Boy Advance recognizes the input as if a physical card had been scanned. This opens up access to rare promotional levels and even community-created content that can be loaded directly onto the hardware.
The adapter also supports multi-boot commands, which allows software to be sent to a Game Boy Advance that does not have a cartridge inserted. I used this feature to explore a project called GBA MMO, a multiplayer game that runs on original hardware, and streams its game data over the GB-Link.
This same multi-boot capability powers a utility called Cart Doctor. This tool allows users to insert their own game cartridges and dump the ROM data or back up save files directly to their computer, providing a method for preserving progress in decades-old games.
The project is currently in a state of active development, with new applications and game support being added as protocols are reverse-engineered. As more units reach the community, the potential for remote play and homebrew interaction continues to grow.
Information regarding the ongoing development and availability of the adapter is maintained on the GB-Link website. Thanks to Ashton for sending along some units to play with !
Disclosure: The GB-Link unit was provided to the channel free of charge. No other compensation was received and no one reviewed or approved my review prior to publication.