GBA-like Thumby Color is fully playable handheld with tiny twist

TinyCircuits has launched a Kickstarter for its new tiny two-inch Game Boy Advance ‘Thumby Color’ that can actually play games.

Taking one of Nintendo’s beloved retro handhelds and shrinking them down to size isn’t new territory for TinyCircuits. The US-based company released its first tiny, programmable keychain based on the DMG Nintendo Game Boy three years ago.

Now, the company has set its sights on a different Nintendo handheld. Inspired by the Game Boy Advance, TinyCircuits has just launched a Kickstarter campaign for their brand-new device – The Thumby Color.

The Thumby Color takes the iconic Game Boy Advance, in all its purple glory, and transforms it into a tiny 2-inch device, still capable of playing games.

TinyCircuits

Though minuscule, the GBA-like handheld still harnesses enough space for a 0.85-inch 16-bit backlit IPS TFT LCD with a 128 x 128 resolution. There’s even room for a d-pad, two face buttons, two shoulder buttons, and a working rumble motor.

TinyCircuits took on feedback to improve on their first Thumby release, according to the Kickstarter campaign video. This time around, the brand-new Thumby Color can play four channels of 16-bit audio, and has an added USB-C port for connectivity and charging purposes.

The new and improved device is also powered by the Raspberry Pi 5 processor, which allows the developers to create a range of impressive graphical effects.

Just like the Thumby before it, TinyCircuits is providing free tools to allow fans to create games that can be played on the tiny system.

As of the time of writing, the Thumby Color Kickstarter campaign has already smashed its goal and then some. TinyCircuits has managed to garner a staggering 670 backers, reaching $57,761 over its initial $25,000 goal.

If you want the Thumby Color for yourself, the campaign won’t come to an end until September 11, 2024. Not only do you still have plenty of time to pledge, but it’ll only set you back $49 for one Thumby Color in a “classic purple” design.

If you want more of a nostalgic look to your device, other rewards include a choice of a translucent plastic cover, which screams the 00s nostalgia. There’s also a ‘Special Edition’ black Thumby Color, only available through the Kickstarter campaign.