Arduboy is a well-liked eight-bit moveable open supply gaming platform. Kevin Bates created it and a profitable follow-on. A brand new model slimmed-down model of the system, known as Arduboy Mini, is now operating as a Kickstarter marketing campaign.
Gaming usually conjures photographs of cutting-edge graphics at blurring body charges on the most popular GPUs. However on the subject of handheld gaming, simplicity has all the time reigned. Even within the eight-bit gaming days, the easy four-shades (some generously name these colours) and low-power Z80 of the Nintendo Gameboy dominated the market over considerably extra superior color-based handhelds.
Seven years in the past, Bates launched Arduboy as a prototype with a single-color OLED display screen based mostly on an ATmega32U4 microcontroller and a few push buttons. The various Arduino-based initiatives utilizing an 8-bit AVR processor and 128×64 pixel display screen impressed the “Ardu” a part of Arduboy’s title. The “boy” half calls again to the technologically restricted, but market-successful, Gameboy.
Instance group developed video games for Arduboy gadgets
Then a few years later, Bates provided a completed product model as a Kickstarter marketing campaign. Since then, follow-on initiatives and over 300 open supply video games have been developed for the platform!
Many of those video games have a stunning depth and polish to them. One of many Arduboy follow-on initiatives was the Arduboy FX, which added an exterior (to the microcontroller) flash chip with 200 video games developed by the Arduboy group pre-loaded. There was additionally a flex-circuit mod with the Flash chip accessible for present Arduboy homeowners.
Astute readers will observe the change in software program depend. This alteration is as a result of the group has developed extra video games, and the ROM curators have discovered extra initiatives so as to add!
ArduboyFX (Left) and Arduboy Mini (Proper)
The brand new Arduboy Mini incorporates the identical core OLED, eight-bit microcontroller, and flash chip because the FX. Nonetheless, the Mini achieved a smaller dimension by eradicating the case, battery, and speaker. It slims right down to a two-layer PCB with two buttons, a display screen, a few ICs, and a USB-C port. There are pads for a user-supplied battery and speaker. You possibly can entry the ATmega32U4’s in-circuit serial programming (ICSP) port for extra hackability by broken-out pads!
Whereas there isn’t a battery included with the Arduboy Mini, it does comprise a battery charging circuit. And whereas there isn’t a case, the Kickstarter marketing campaign does point out that 3D-printable choices are within the plan.
Again facet, Stanard (Left) and Graffiti (Proper)
There are two editions of Arduboy Mini: Customary and Graffiti. The one bodily distinction is the Graffiti encompasses a distinctive look with Arduboy Neighborhood builders’ username “tags.”
At present, Arduboy Mini is operating as a Kickstarter marketing campaign with an finish date in early January 2023. Rewards are at present estimated to ship in mid-2023. Costs are $29 USD (Customary) $34 and (Graffiti) plus transport.
Disclosure: The writer of this text has backed this and former Arduboy Kickstarter campaigns.
