The ultimate DIY video game console that you can buy as a kit or as a prebuilt. It uses a custom operating system that is easy to use and incredibly powerful. It has an SDK that makes game development as easy as possible, allowing for anyone of any programming skill to make amazing games.
PicoBoy V2s are back in stock! Get yours while you can on the Tindie store!
Meet the PicoBoy
This is the PicoBoy. The ultimate handheld console for not only playing great games but also making great games. The PicoBoy is fun and accessible for both new and experienced developers and gamers. It sports the PicoBoySDK, a developer environment that is as easy as it is powerful to use, allowing anyone of any skill level to make amazing games. The PicoBoy can be bought as a kit or as a prebuilt, allowing you to make your own videogame console and learn to solder in the process. This is the PicoBoy, an impossibly powerful, inexpensive, and easy-to-use handheld console. If you wish to modifiy/distribute this code, see the section for licensing.
Important Links:
Website
Discord
Buy the console:
https://www.tindie.com/products/hallospaceboy/picoboy-v2-the-ultimate-diy-console/
Casing Files
PicoBoy V1
https://www.printables.com/model/469537-picoboy
PicoBoy V2
https://www.printables.com/model/893871-picoboy-v2-printed-parts
Software
https://github.com/HalloSpaceBoy5/PicoBoy/releases
Guides
https://github.com/HalloSpaceBoy5/PicoBoy/tree/main/Guides
https://youtu.be/rOZQTFoS0ME
PicoBoy OS Updates
https://github.com/HalloSpaceBoy5/PicoBoy-OS/releases
Bulding the Console
Building the console is an enjoyable expierence that helps beginners learn to solder and experts have a fun time with very little challenge. Building the PicoBoy is optional, as there is an option for a pre-built console at checkout.
Using the Console
Using the console is dead simple. You navigate PBOS (PicoBoy Operating System), an easy to use, customizable operating system specifically for the PicoBoy. It supports 5 languages, custom backgrounds, and many more features.
Devoloping for the console
The PicoBoy SDK is avalible and easy to use! It makes developing games as easy as possible for newer developers, while being incredibly powerful allowing the performance of complex tasks for expert developers.
Using the PicoBoy Communication Software
The PicoBoy Communication Software is a handy peice of software that makes it easy to modifiy your PicoBoy. It can add games, delete games, format the console, update the console, customize the console, as well as many more features. Upon opening, Your computer may warn you saying that it is suspicious software. I promise it isin’t, I wrote it myself. The reason your computer warns you is because the software is not signed with a certified software key, which I do not have the budget for. To use the software, follow the instructions for each function in the user guide.
Support
This repository holds the code for PBOS and its games, which are officially supported only for the PicoBoy V1 and PicoBoy V2. If you experience any issues in using this software, please be aware that you will only receive support for official PicoBoy products; any issues opened for unsupported devices or modded operating systems will be closed immediately. If you are experiencing an issue with this software running on an official PicoBoy product, your issue will be addressed and resolved as quickly as possible.
Licensing
You are free to modifiy and distribute this source code for strictly non-commercial or non-competitive reasons
This is meant as a protection to the PicoBoy project, disallowing the usage of its code to prevent counterfiets. If you use or modifiy this code, you are not to utilize it in any commercial environment, including the usage of PBOS, games, and other software. If you wish to make a replication of the PicoBoy, contact me to negociate a commercial license.
Mentions
Ash Hill at Tom’s Hardware did a story on the PicoBoy!
Link: https://www.tomshardware.com/news/raspberry-pi-pico-handheld-picoboy
Jeff Geerling mentioned the PicoBoy V2 in his video about the Pico 2!
Link: https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2024/raspberry-pi-pico-2-rp2350-adds-more-pio-risc-v-cores
Credits
Vincent Mistler
Source for PicoGameBoy.py (Modified)
Source for ST7789.py (Modified)
Source for tetris.py (Modified), tetris_title.bin
Matthieu Mistler
Source for gameoflife.py (Modified)
Source for original concept of flappybird.py (Rewritten)
MikeDEV
Source for rpmidi.py (Modified)