Pokémon Pinball for Game Boy: Custom Motherboard

Description

— 2026-09-19: Currently in production —

This is a full-color printed custom motherboard for the game Pokémon Pinball for Game Boy. You can use it to customize your original Pokémon Pinball, whose battery has long since died or whose original PCB has become damaged or corroded.

Additionally, as you can see in the photos, this new circuit will give an incredible look to your Pokémon Pinball. Pair it with a transparent Game Boy or Game Boy Color shell to show off the artwork.

FEATURES

• New full-color printed motherboard for Pokémon Pinball!
• Replace the battery without soldering whenever it needs replacing.
• Includes a brand-new vibration motor, so there’s no need to reuse the original one.
• Compatible with GBFlash, allowing you to back up your save before the transplant and restore it afterwards.

INCLUDED

• 1x Full-color printed custom motherboard.
• 2x 15Ω 0603 resistors (1 required).
• 2x 1K 0603 resistors (1 required).
• 2x 10K 0603 resistors (1 required).
• 5x 10nF 0603 capacitors (4 required).
• 1x SOT-23 NPN transistor.
• 1x SOD-123 Schottky diode.
• 1x Vibration motor.
• 1x Battery holder.
• 1x Custom vinyl sticker for the back with a Pokémon-style design.

REQUIRED (NOT INCLUDED)

• An original Pokémon Pinball donor cartridge.
• Transparent game cartridge shell for Game Boy or Game Boy Color. ⁽¹⁾
• New CR2032 button battery.
• 3.8mm gamebit screwdriver.
• Sandpaper or metal files ⁽²⁾
• Tweezers.
• Soldering iron.
• Solder.
• Flux.
• Isopropyl alcohol.

⁽¹⁾ Remember to purchase the shell for the motherboard. You can use either a Game Boy or Game Boy Color shell, as both are fully compatible. However, the Game Boy Color shell is recommended because it provides more room for the vibration motor.

⁽²⁾ This step may be optional. Depending on how closely the replacement shell matches the original, you may need to file the side tabs slightly. These tabs help prevent the motherboard from moving inside the shell.

NOTES

The board is compatible with two different ROM chip sizes. The photos show the MX23C1603-12A ROM, with 44 pins in total, 22 on each side.

In theory, it is also compatible with the MX23C8006-12 ROM, with 32 pins in total, 16 on each side. However, this has not been tested due to the lack of a compatible donor Pokémon Pinball game.

DOCUMENTATION

• Installation Guide PDF
• GitHub repository