Question GBA SP keyboard

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Sep 27, 2025
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Any ideas on how to make this a reality?
gbaspkeyboard2.webp
 
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Well with 3D printing you can make anything, but no GBA game uses a keyboard. What's the purpose of the idea?
 
Wasd keys for dpad, enter for start, j and k for a and b, etc... also better form factor, 3 cartridge slots, and one day an OLED screen. Also I put a GBA SP in a keyboard, so it seemed right to put a keyboard in a GBA SP.
 
Wasd keys for dpad, enter for start, j and k for a and b, etc... also better form factor, 3 cartridge slots, and one day an OLED screen. Also I put a GBA SP in a keyboard, so it seemed right to put a keyboard in a GBA SP.

I get the joke, but you have a really good idea on your hands if you skip the keyboard and go with a standard control arrangement - a foldable GBA SP that's wider and a lot more comfortable would be pretty nice, and you won't sacrifice native GB and GBC backwards compatibility like with the DS. I would go for this approach!
 
You're 100 percent right about the form factor, but trust me, this is no joke. I fully intend to build this. :)
 
I get the joke, but you have a really good idea on your hands if you skip the keyboard and go with a standard control arrangement - a foldable GBA SP that's wider and a lot more comfortable would be pretty nice, and you won't sacrifice native GB and GBC backwards compatibility like with the DS. I would go for this approach!
Tbh I don't really see the point in this when the DS lite exists. Certainly not for a larger dpad, larger dpads are harder/more annoying to use and make my hands sore after not too long. Maybe that's just me though. I've always thought the GBA SP is the perfect size and form factor. Although a larger screen might be kinda nice.

You're 100 percent right about the form factor, but trust me, this is no joke. I fully intend to build this. :)
Knowing you, I don't doubt this at all. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!
 
Tbh I don't really see the point in this when the DS lite exists.
Since when has that mattered in this community? >:D

I think it'd be a cool idea, and arguably could be made more comfortable than a standard GBA, and without much effort would probably be as comfortable as a GBA Macro but you'll still have full native GB and GBC compatibility. The screen mods for the GBA SP are incredible too, and blow the DS Lite screens out of the water.
 
I plan to franken-case the first one, then maybe resin print a second. If anyone knows of a GBA SP OLED screen mod in the works, please let me know. I'm going to try to use an old phone keyboard or Bluetooth keyboard, paired with custom circuit board adapters.
 
I saw a mexican guy putting BlueRetro using an ESP32 and neo geo firmware inside the nintendo DS to pair bluetooth controllers and it works! Maybe this could work for you, just connecting those keys on the keyboard to the circuit
 
That's what I hope to do. WASD for Dpad, JK for A and B, BN for start/select etc. an adapter circuit would be dificult but not impossible, given the extra space.
 
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