Crissa Graves Built a Handheld Game Boy Pocket Camera That Actually Shoots

Photo credit: Crissa Graves
Crissa Graves has spent years making the old Game Boy Camera feel less like a novelty and more like something you might actually carry. Her latest prototype, the GBD-M2, takes that work further. It starts with a fully working Game Boy Pocket and turns the whole thing into a dedicated handheld camera with a removable camera module and interchangeable CS-mount lenses.

Video of Camera GBD-M2 in action

Once I’ve reached a comfortable place with the project, I plan on sharing the files to build yourself

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— Game Boy Camera (@gameboycamera.com) July 28, 2026 at 4:20 PM

You still get the same 128 by 112 pixel grayscale photographs that the first Game Boy Camera produced in 1998. The small little sensor from that era remains at the heart of every photo, but Graves has simply given it a body that makes you feel like you’re holding a proper camera while still being able to play all of the original Game Boy titles.

There is a dedicated shutter button that sits exactly where your finger would normally go, and the screen is a nice illuminated IPS LCD that you can see outside, which is a great benefit. An 1800mAh battery will keep you snapping away for hours, and you can even charge it via USB-C. The connection connector remains, allowing you to transfer your images to a Game Boy Printer. Surprisingly, Graves claims that you can even play some casual games like Tetris or Pokémon one-handed, despite the fact that the speaker has been removed from this version.

Graves had already completed various iterations of this Camera M project, demonstrating that the whole concept was feasible, although those older versions required hacking into a Game Boy Pocket and had some rather improvised power boards that you’d have to cobble together. The GBD-M2 is a completely new design that takes the Game Boy’s original CPU and RAM and transplants them onto a fresh new circuit board without interfering with a functional handheld. The layout is more camera-like, with bespoke buttons and a shell that has been reduced to a more manageable size after several rounds of design improvement. You also get two battery options: a LiPo battery that can be charged by USB-C, or a set of simple AA cells that you can replace out when they run out.

The camera module detaches, allowing you to replace the custom CS-mount version with alternative lenses, insert the original Game Boy Camera, or simply load a typical old game cartridge. Graves has already created a separate camera module the size of a regular game cartridge, using an iPhone lens and a custom board, which still works in any Game Boy. The GBD-M2 employs the same technique, but in a body designed to be portable and usable.

There are no mass production plans for this device yet, but Graves has mentioned releasing both DIY kits and a limited run of the finished model. You can access all of the files and updates on her GitHub page for the Camera M2 project. For the time being, the GBD-M2 is only a functional prototype, the latest stage in a long journey to find new methods to revitalize an old relic from 1998. You may monitor her progress at gameboycamera.com and on her Bluesky account.
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