Full Breakdown
FPGB Mini Handheld Offers Ultra-Compact Game Boy Experience
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Announcement and Design Intent
FunnyPlaying, a Chinese company known for Game Boy and GBA upgrade kits, announced the FPGB Mini, a handheld that runs original Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges as well as ROM files. The device uses field-programmable gate array (FPGA) technology to replicate Nintendo’s original hardware behavior while fitting into a form factor only slightly wider than a Game Boy cartridge. Its compact size is intended to make it the smallest practical handheld for these games.
Technical Specifications
The FPGB Mini features a 2.98-inch IPS LCD with an 800 × 720-pixel resolution, enabling up to 4× up-scaling of Game Boy Color titles and displaying 16.7 million colors. Power is supplied by a removable 1,800 mAh lithium-polymer battery that delivers roughly 4–6 hours of play and recharges fully in about 2–3 hours. The console measures 113 × 64 × 22 mm and weighs 135 g with the battery installed. It includes a 32-pin GB/GBC cartridge slot, a 0.5 W speaker, a microSD slot supporting cards up to 32 GB (FAT32), and a proprietary USB-C link cable sold separately for multiplayer and trading. Flash cartridges and their clones are not guaranteed to work, though some may launch.
Pricing, Availability, and Market Comparison
The first production run consisted of 20 units, discounted from $89.99 to $69.99 and sold out quickly. By contrast, the Analogue Pocket—a competing handheld that also supports GBA and Sega Game Gear cartridges—now retails for $239.99 after recent price hikes. FunnyPlaying has not disclosed the final retail price or the exact date when pre-orders will open.
Official Comments and Future Outlook
Retro Dodo, which received early testing units, reported that FunnyPlaying plans hardware improvements for subsequent batches, though specific enhancements were not detailed. The company also indicated that a proprietary USB-C cable will become available after sales commence, but the launch date for that accessory remains unknown. These statements suggest that the FPGB Mini may see expanded features and broader availability beyond the initial limited release.