- Joined
- Nov 14, 2020
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Shooting for the stars, falling to the moon
Hi all, this is my entry for the 2026 Summer Contest: The Yokoi SP! To start with, I know this is an *insane* level of ambition, especially considering this is my first ever contest entry! Alas, I have been waiting to enter one of these until I felt I could make something truly *awesome*. Today is that day.
The Yokoi SP
Frequenters of the BitBuilt Discord will know of the "Yokoi DMGii", a portable that I've been working on as the sequel to my "G-Boy Omega" portable (unfinished, but being bodged together as we speak). I have kept the namesake of this as I want to honour Gunpei Yokoi, and because I feel the featureset is similar enough that it warrants it. This will however, unlike the Yokoi DMGii, be built from the ground up. No iterating on the G-Boy or other portables here, I'm afraid!
Scope - Essentials
Integration: First and foremost, I want to ensure that this build requires zero trimming. I want to reverse engineer the Wii Motherboard, using Vegas as a base. I will be using a Hollywood 2 Wii Mini for my transplant attempt, in order to get better thermals, undervolting potential and power efficiency/battery life. I will integrate a functioning Wiimote into this too.
Form Factor: A clamshell portable with the Horizontal and Vertical footprint of a GBA SP, with a thickness similar to that of a DS Lite. Truly pocketable!
Features: I will utilise MelonHD for USB C video output and charging, passing through the GameCube Controller signals from the dock, with built-in WavePhoenix receivers in the dock for each player. I will integrate Thundervolt into the redesigned Wii motherboard, so as to allow a configurable undervolt on the system. An internal Wiimote redesign will also be included, utilising JacksonS' Classic Plus so that I can swap between Wiimote/Nunchuck and Classic Controller. Bluetooth, WiFi, MX Chip, and more will be relocated (more on that in a sec....). I will be using 4LayerTech's RVL-DD to drive the screen, and use some multiplexing magic to swap the signals between my HDMI output solution and this.
Feel: This needs to *feel* like a stock Wii in terms of the user experience, as much as possible anywho. No PortabiliseMii, BBLoader or RVLoader here. Booting the system should launch the Health and Safety screen, with pressing A launching into the Wii Menu. I will achieve this by relocating sections of the disc drive into the main PCB, so as to trick the Wii into thinking it's still there, thus enabling USBLoaderGX to launch my games and letting me use channels such as the Mii Maker and Photo Channel. Forwarders will be used to launch my games from the main menu, with any overflow relegated to Nintendont and USBLoaderGX channels.
Scope - Stretch Goals
Analogue Triggers - I only want to include these if I have the time, as I don't want to repurpose GameCube sliders like I plan to in Yokoi DMGii. I would like to use some form of Hall Effect solution.
GameCube and Sideways Wiimote controller profiles - Adding these will be a bit complex for the button remapping. I will if I have time, but in theory the Classic Controller mode will work fine in Nintendont anywho. A sideways Wiimote would be nice for games such as NSMB Wii, although I will also be utilising many Classic Controller patches when possible!
BlueRetro support - WavePhoenix and wired GCCs is already pretty great, so I'll only integrate this into the dock if I have the time and energy.
Summary
Yes, this is insane. Yes, I probably won't finish it in the timeline. But I want to try. Portabilising is my most strong interest and passion, and I want to contribute something truly great. As always, we stand on the shoulders of giants. They may have lit the torch, but it is my goal to carry that flame forward.
Good luck, everyone. You'll smash it!
Hi all, this is my entry for the 2026 Summer Contest: The Yokoi SP! To start with, I know this is an *insane* level of ambition, especially considering this is my first ever contest entry! Alas, I have been waiting to enter one of these until I felt I could make something truly *awesome*. Today is that day.
The Yokoi SP
Frequenters of the BitBuilt Discord will know of the "Yokoi DMGii", a portable that I've been working on as the sequel to my "G-Boy Omega" portable (unfinished, but being bodged together as we speak). I have kept the namesake of this as I want to honour Gunpei Yokoi, and because I feel the featureset is similar enough that it warrants it. This will however, unlike the Yokoi DMGii, be built from the ground up. No iterating on the G-Boy or other portables here, I'm afraid!
Scope - Essentials
Integration: First and foremost, I want to ensure that this build requires zero trimming. I want to reverse engineer the Wii Motherboard, using Vegas as a base. I will be using a Hollywood 2 Wii Mini for my transplant attempt, in order to get better thermals, undervolting potential and power efficiency/battery life. I will integrate a functioning Wiimote into this too.
Form Factor: A clamshell portable with the Horizontal and Vertical footprint of a GBA SP, with a thickness similar to that of a DS Lite. Truly pocketable!
Features: I will utilise MelonHD for USB C video output and charging, passing through the GameCube Controller signals from the dock, with built-in WavePhoenix receivers in the dock for each player. I will integrate Thundervolt into the redesigned Wii motherboard, so as to allow a configurable undervolt on the system. An internal Wiimote redesign will also be included, utilising JacksonS' Classic Plus so that I can swap between Wiimote/Nunchuck and Classic Controller. Bluetooth, WiFi, MX Chip, and more will be relocated (more on that in a sec....). I will be using 4LayerTech's RVL-DD to drive the screen, and use some multiplexing magic to swap the signals between my HDMI output solution and this.
Feel: This needs to *feel* like a stock Wii in terms of the user experience, as much as possible anywho. No PortabiliseMii, BBLoader or RVLoader here. Booting the system should launch the Health and Safety screen, with pressing A launching into the Wii Menu. I will achieve this by relocating sections of the disc drive into the main PCB, so as to trick the Wii into thinking it's still there, thus enabling USBLoaderGX to launch my games and letting me use channels such as the Mii Maker and Photo Channel. Forwarders will be used to launch my games from the main menu, with any overflow relegated to Nintendont and USBLoaderGX channels.
Scope - Stretch Goals
Analogue Triggers - I only want to include these if I have the time, as I don't want to repurpose GameCube sliders like I plan to in Yokoi DMGii. I would like to use some form of Hall Effect solution.
GameCube and Sideways Wiimote controller profiles - Adding these will be a bit complex for the button remapping. I will if I have time, but in theory the Classic Controller mode will work fine in Nintendont anywho. A sideways Wiimote would be nice for games such as NSMB Wii, although I will also be utilising many Classic Controller patches when possible!
BlueRetro support - WavePhoenix and wired GCCs is already pretty great, so I'll only integrate this into the dock if I have the time and energy.
Summary
Yes, this is insane. Yes, I probably won't finish it in the timeline. But I want to try. Portabilising is my most strong interest and passion, and I want to contribute something truly great. As always, we stand on the shoulders of giants. They may have lit the torch, but it is my goal to carry that flame forward.
Good luck, everyone. You'll smash it!
