Earlier this year Apple changed the rules of the App Store, allowing retro game emulators on iPhone for the very first time. Since then we’ve seen a bunch of different emulators hit the App Store. And for those of you that want to play classic Game Boy games on your phone, there’s a brand new case that should make it significantly easier.
Bitmo Lab just revealed the GameBaby, a two-part case for iPhone 15 Pro Max and the unreleased iPhone 16 Pro Max. How it works is simple, the bottom half of the case has a series of captive buttons designed to mimic Nintendo’s classic handhelds. These buttons then trigger the emulator’s on-screen buttons and let you control the game without having to use awkward touchscreen controls.
Apparently this case is compatible with GameBoy, GameBoy Color, GameBoy Advanced and NES button layouts. There are also a bunch of custom skins for emulators which are supposed to offer “perfect compatibility across various handheld console layouts.” and apparently lets you play over 7,000 games.
On top of that the bottom half of the case is reversible and functions just like a Game Boy-inspired phone case. So when you’re done playing you simply flip it around and use your iPhone like normal. Which is pretty clever, if you ask me.
Plus, because these are buttons interacting with on-screen controls, there are no power or connection requirements. The only thing you need to worry about is whether your phone actually fits or not — so make sure you have the right case for your Pro Max iPhone.
Android users have had a bunch of emulator options for years now, so there are already a great number of Game Boy-style cases out there. Most impressive of which was the Hyperkin SmartBoy, which let you play actual Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges on your phone — in addition to traditional emulation.
The only thing you need to worry about is whether your phone actually fits or not — so make sure you have the right case for your Pro Max iPhone.
That case also had a bit of heft to it, better mimicking the experience of playing the original Game Boy. The GameBaby doesn’t look like it’ll scratch that particular nostalgic itch, but at least it means you could be playing Game Boy (and NES) games with actual buttons. Which is going to be a heck of a lot more pleasant.
If you’re interested, Bitmo Lab’s Super Early Bird deal will get you a GameBaby for $20 — but only if you’re one of the first 1,000 pre-orders. Pre-order pricing will apparently rise to $25 after that, and the official retail price is listed as $40. Shipping is expected to kick off some time in October.
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