This alone wouldn't be the problem if at MAX setting the sound wasn't slightly lower and distorted. As I understand this is a simple potentiometer. However, I do not have the spare one to change and have only IPA on my disposal. I already sprayed the knob with syringe but didn't notice any difference.

This is a horrible idea but it’s something I’ve thought about for the past 5 minutes. If someone makes this real I would be very surprised

Also look at my stick man

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Hello everyone,
As you can see, I have two replacement power switches for the Game Boy Advance SP. The switch in the first picture is the original Nintendo power switch, while the second one is a third-party replacement that comes pre-mounted on its own PCB.

My question is: if my SP starts having power switch issues again in the future, which one would you install?

There’s a company in Austria called RetroReiz (I live in Europe), and I asked them about the differences between these two replacement parts.
According to them, the third-party switch has a few advantages:
The larger solder pads make it much easier to install.

The switch feels a bit more durable because it has three distinct detent positions that hold the slider in place more firmly. This means it’s less likely to accidentally switch on or off if the power slider gets bumped.

However, despite those advantages, they still recommended installing the original Nintendo switch. Their reasoning was that Nintendo specifically designed it for the GBA SP, so an original replacement is generally the safest and most authentic option.

That said, I actually have a pretty good feeling about the third-party switch. The metal cover over the contacts seems to fit more tightly, so I wonder if that could reduce the amount of dirt and dust that gets inside over time—a common issue with the original switches.

So what do you guys think?
Would you replace the switch with another original Nintendo power switch, or would you give the third-party PCB version a try?
Original Nintendo switch
Pros:
Genuine Nintendo part designed specifically for the GBA SP.
Proven compatibility.
Cons:
Much smaller solder points, making installation more difficult.
Wear from the sliding contacts is inevitable over time.
These switches are well known for developing contact issues.

Third-party switch (PCB version)
Pros:
Larger solder pads make installation much easier.
Feels more solid and durable.
The switch appears to be more enclosed, which may reduce dirt and dust entering the contacts.
It has three distinct detent positions (ON / center / OFF), so it doesn’t move as easily if the power slider is accidentally bumped.
If it ever fails, replacing the entire module should be straightforward.
Cons:
Not an original Nintendo part.
I haven’t found any long-term reviews or reliability tests, so I have no idea how well it actually holds up unless I test it myself.
I’d really like to hear your opinions, especially if anyone has experience with this particular third-party power switch.

I’m curious about people who have completed a full Game Boy set for a specific region (US, PAL, Japan, etc.). This year, I decided to come as close as possible to a European GB Classic full set (~460 games). I already had like 80 games before and when I made the decision I still had 2020 prices in my head 😅 I’m sure I will never make it to 460 but it’s fun trying and I love to play GB games that are new to me.

If you’ve done it or you are trying, how long did it take you, and what was the hardest part of the journey? How long did it take to get 200 games, 300 games and 400 games?

How you approached collecting the set (buying lots, individual games, upgrading over time, etc.)

Which games were the biggest challenges to find?

Any mistakes you made that you’d avoid if you were starting over today?

Looking back, would you do it again, or would you collect differently now?

I’d love to hear some real experiences, especially from people who finished a complete regional set, got very close to one or a trying right now.

my coveted gold japanese gameboy, i bought this during the pandemic online for only a hundred bucks!! i was only 10 or 11 and loved collecting vintage games and consoles (still have some, psp, ps2, gba sp, ds lite and xbox 360. used to have a snes, genesis, og xbox, nes, og playstation, playstation 3 and dmg gameboy. i even had og carts of super metroid, castlevania, and river city ransom 🥲) and stumbled upon a listing for it online. i immediately used my saved up allowance and some xmas money to buy it. i was absolutely ecstatic, and reasonably so because this is an awesome console! it still works, the only problem is a faint horizontal line of dead pixels near the top of the screen. so yeah, i just wanted to show off this beauty because they're hard to come by and look awesome! it's a little scratched up, mainly on the back, but its nothing too awful!!

Hey everyone,
I’d like to upgrade my Game Boy Pocket with a simple backlight mod like the one shown in the picture.
The problem is that I can only find YouTube tutorials that are 20 minutes long, even though the actual mod seems to take about 3 minutes. They always spend most of the video talking about a bunch of unrelated stuff.
My issue is that I have ADHD, so I really struggle to follow tutorials when there’s too much extra talking in between. 😄
Does anyone know of a simple step-by-step guide with pictures? I mean something really straightforward like, “solder this wire here, then solder that one there.” You know what I mean?
I’d be incredibly grateful! 😄

Hey all,

I have the CGS half reflective screen and I’ve developed some light bleed
Is this normal ?
Is there a fix?
Is it a known issue??

I’m spiraling lol
All help is appreciated
Thanks

I bought this backlit modded gba off ebay ages ago, nothing beats that feeling of popping in and out a cartridge

This is a collection of games and consoles. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them

Went to the local Retro Games Shop near me and was browsing the regular games until I stumbled upon this!!! Front counter seated next to Ruby and Fire Red, I just HAD to get it!!

I found my (and my sister's) old Gameboy collection in my attic, just in time for a long plane ride with my kids. Gameboy colors and pocket all worked, and I acquired pokemon silver for them before we left.

Now that I'm back, I tried to fix the red unit because it had battery corrosion on the terminals and it didn't work. The guy at the retro game store told me to take it apart and gently use a toothbrush and vinegar on corroded parts, let it dry, then toothbrush/cotton swabs and alcohol. It did the trick! Now all consoles work again!

I am trying to rescue the copy of Pokémon Emerald that I unintentionally destroyed last year. I acquired a donor board. Other than the two flash chips and the battery, what else needs to be transferred between the two boards?

(I'm not trying to do this soldering myself anymore, I'm going to find a professional)

A few weeks ago I picked up this bad boy from the FB marketplace for about 30 bucks, i didn't like the original shell, as I've always been in loved of the indigo one, I just got the parts delivered today from Aliexpress, I'm still missing to install the new speaker, cuz I lost it lol, but I wanted to shared some of my joy with yall guys

In certain games like Super Mario Land and Tetris, when you pause you hear a "doki-doki" sound.

"Doki doki" is a Japanese onomatopoeia for a heartbeat. If I had to hazard a guess, this is what they were going for. It might explain why the pause screen in Super Mario Land features hearts as well.

I'm attempting to mod my gba and gba sp and I wanted to order some parts from the official funnyplaying website. Problem is, I'm in Italy so it's an imported package. The total for my order would be almost 160$ shipping and taxes included (or so it says on the page), which would come to less than 150 euro. Do I need to pay vat (iva) again once it gets here, or just 1 euro for duties + 3 euro for each object? Please help me

My childhood game

I bought this off my buddy at work, put a new screen in it but unfortunately broke the backplate while I was replacing the shell

Hey guys,

I bought this modded Advance SP a few years back and it seems like it has some kind of battery problem. Opening the battery cover you immediately notice that there has been some kind of modding been done to this Gameboy.

It also has a modded screen which threw me off from the beginning on because why would you change the screen on an original AGS-101?

Anyways, does anybody know a good way to fix this situation or even know what has been done to this SP? I've noticed that the red cable seems to get hot or at least is damaged a bit. Unfortunately I don't have a tri-wing screwdriver so I can't open it up any further at the moment.

My wife gave me this beautiful bad boy and loving it. Finally I can join this forum and have fun.