The GameBaby is not just a protective shell. Compatible with the Delta emulator, it allows you to use an iPhone like a Game Boy, by adding buttons to play like on the famous handheld console. Clever!
To take advantage of the licenses that have marked the history of video games, independent developers have worked on a practical and accessible solution: emulators. As a reminder, an emulator is software that simulates the operation of a physical machine, often old, in order to execute a computer code that today’s computers are no longer able to interpret directly, not for reasons of computing power, but rather logical architecture. It is a completely legal technology, provided that a few fundamental principles are respected – do not use the original source code, the name of the console or manufacturer, etc. Today, it is therefore very easy to find emulation applications on the Play Store, for example John GBAC for the Game Boy, the Game Boy Color and the Game Boy Advance, and DraStic DS Emulator for the Nintendo DS.
An iPhone restyled as a Game Boy
While smartphone emulators are a great way for nostalgic gamers to rediscover their favorite games, the way they work is unfortunately not very practical. Indeed, smartphones do not have the many buttons that were present on portable consoles and controllers of the time. This is the reason why BitmoLab company has created the GameBaby, a new case for iPhone. This accessory, which was spotted by Mac Rumorsallows you to transform your iPhone into a Game Boy. The shell allows you to integrate physical buttons on the device, and thus keep the sensations of yesteryear without swiping or tapping on the phone’s touchpad. Indeed, the accessory does not need to be plugged in or connected. It only serves to replace touch buttons with physical buttons. We can therefore find the old buttons, which can act as start, select, A and B, triggers, but also the old D-Pad.
This format is therefore particularly interesting for Game Boy, Game Boy Advance and NES game emulators. To make the case easy to carry, it was designed in two parts, one of which (with the buttons) can be removed and attached to the back of the phone. When it is marketed, the accessory will only be compatible with the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the future iPhone 16 Pro Max, which are the most recent devices, but above all the largest. The case is already available for pre-order at a price of $25 (advance $20). The accessory will not officially be released until October at a price of $40 and will be delivered internationally for free, including in France.