Introduction: Turn Your Cellphone Into a GameBoy!
This instructable explains how to play Gameboy / Gameboy Color games in your cellphone, using the software MeBoy (free) and some Gameboy / GBC roms (free if you know where to look for!)
Step 1: Getting Your Stuff
You will need a few things for this instructable.
1. The MeBoy.jar program. get it here: http://arktos.se/meboy/ver/latest/MeBoyBuilder.jar
2. Some Game Boy / GBC roms. I used pokemon gold that you can found here: http://www.pokeyplay.com/descargas_roms.php
3. A Cellphone compatible with java midp2 and conectable to the PC. I used my nokia 5200
4. The lastest version of java: http://java.com/es/download/
5. Your cellphone conection cable
Thats It!
Step 2: The What, How and Huh? of Roms
You probably know what a rom is. You don't? Let me explain it. Its like if you downloaded all the contents of a console game cartridge and have it as a file that you can play in your PC with an Emulator, something that resembles the way a videogame console works.
Side Note: Don't you think cartridges are better than CD's? i mean, we could put our games in a memory chip, but we use Cd's. Why? they scratch! and dont make me start talking about reading lasers! so, game CD's and DVD's are like tungsten lightbulbs, everybody uses them and they are old and cause problems!
Step 3: Getting Started.
Downloaded programs.....Check
Unzipped Roms.....Check
Installed last version of java....Check
Cellphone connected to PC.....Check
OK, we can start.
-Open the MeBoyBuilder.jar program and click ADD
-Search for the file of the rom you unzipped in the (kinda crappy) browser
-Add more if you want, using the steps 1 and 2
-Rename them if you want, clicking a game then "rename game"
-Remove them with the remove game button.
When you are done, click "create MeBoy.jar". Dont change the name of the file.
Step 4: To the CellphoneMobile! *insert Catchy Music*
Ok, now all you have to do is to download it to your cellphone. You will notice there are 2 files in the destination folder: MeBoy.jar and meboy.jad.
The reason for this is that some cellphones need the jad file and some do not, so see your user manual or just try uploading the jar file, trying it, and upload the jad in the same folder if it doesn't.
Step 5: How Do I Play?
Its easy to play, but in some cellphones, including my nokia, you'll need to change these settings after entering to the emulator in the cellphone:
-In settings, check Advanced graphics and put "advanced scaling mode" on 1
-uncheck "keep proportions"
-Check "enable sound"
OK now, to the playing part....
go to "start game" and select the ROM you wanna play
PLAY! you can use the options in game (D-Pad center) to go full screen and change the controls.
When you wanna stop playing, go to ingame options and click "suspend" This saves your game!
Quit, and when you want to play again, instead of "new game" click "resume game" and the game suspended.
I REPEAT: DO NOT SAVE THE GAME THE WAY YOU USED TO IN THE GAMEBOY!
Step 6: Additional Stuff
There is a list of compatible games and cellphones in the website
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31 Comments
4 weeks ago
pl
s help i cant get any rom to
work on the me boy emulator.
Reply 4 weeks ago
pls*
6 years ago on Introduction
my fone opens the meboy app . after u click on the rom it closes the app plsssss help
9 years ago on Introduction
My phone says that the file is to big, can i do anything against that?
9 years ago on Step 2
im the same way, just the opposite lol
i never understood why nintendo made the n64 with cartridges.
theyre expensive, have limited memory, and bulky
Reply 9 years ago on Introduction
Yet CD wasn't better at the time. Do you know Sega CD? Oh whatever, the point is, CD is way easier to pirate, while cartridges are the opposite.
10 years ago on Introduction
Would anyone like me to post an instructable on how to do this easier on any android phone?
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Yes, puh-leez! XD That would be awesome man!
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
But...I can not take pictures of my cell phone with my cell phone and i do not have a camera....
10 years ago on Introduction
2 questions does it work for at&t and can you still use your phone normally like call, txt,etc.
10 years ago on Introduction
man this looks awesome but my phone is stupid and my computer doesn't recognize or even know its there but if i get the chance i will try this with a memory card.
11 years ago on Introduction
can you do this without the cable, and use a micro sd card?
12 years ago on Introduction
Game carts have their own problems as well. The connectors wear down; the batteries (in older carts) die, destroying all your data; The connectors get dirty; all kinds of things. Yes, carts are nice, but they also waste a lot of space, Ex. The NES Carts. Most of them were just air. CDs are also easier to manufacture. Otherwise, great instructable! (although I'd prefer to play my gameboy games on my Jailbroken iPod touch.)
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
They used Volatile memory?
Also, it destroys nothing, it loses it, not destroy.
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
oh, i actually was waiting for someone to get another look at that!
12 years ago on Step 1
Don't link to commercial roms, please.
Reply 12 years ago on Step 1
Commercial?
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
Meaning ones that were sold by companies. Pokemon is a commercial ROM, as it was sold by Nintendo. The distribution of commercial ROMs are illegal, and linking to download sites are discouraged on Instructables.com.
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
Actually, it is perfectly legal to have a free emulator and free downloaded copy of a ROM if you own the system it is emulating and a legal copy of the actual game, as long as you don't put it on a GamBoy compatible memory card and put it in your GameBoy to play a free game illegally.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Yes.