The influence of Nintendo consoles on Pokédex
The design of the Pokédex, that PDA that trainers carry in the Pokémon universe to record data on pocket monsters, has always been influenced by the design of Nintendo’s own consoles.
Apart from some exceptions, it is impossible to deny that the first generation Pokédex resembles the GameBoy Pocket or that the second generation is identical to the GameBoy Color. The Pokémon games evolved and the electronic encyclopedia was taking the format of the consoles of the great N. With Ruby and Sapphire a Pokédex very similar to the original GameBoy Advance and with Diamond and Pearl, another that was blatantly a Nintendo DS would arrive. For this reason, many fans have never understood why Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have never dared to launch a Pokédex shaped console. Even if it is a small limited edition.
Creating the PiKEDEX, a GameBoy Pokédex using a Raspberry Pi
With that thorn stuck, the youtuber Yeu1 set out to create his own GameBoy Pokédex from scratch. To do this, he used AutoDesk Fusion 360 to model each part and a 3D printer with red filament to bring the case of his console to production.
Yeu1’s design is totally original, as it doesn’t exactly represent any known Pokédex. It is very similar to the Pokédex that we saw in Pokémon Gold and Silver, that is, it has the design of a GameBoy Color, but it takes elements from the portable encyclopedia of other generations, such as the crosshead, which is outside the central part, just like in the Fire Red and Leaf Green Pokédex. In addition, the user has added an extra space to the right of his invention to place a powerbank and be able to use the console no need to be connected to the mains.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJLbH4yoPOE
The result is very curious and friendly, although it does not seem like a particularly ergonomic console precisely because of the powerbank integrated into the chassis. In any case, it is a very interesting project and easy to carry out, since it does not have a complex assembly at all.
What hardware do I need?
Regarding the hardware to create this «PiKEDEX», a Raspberry Pi 3B + connected to a PCB that controls the buttons and the LCD display. The console has more than enough power to move GameBoy, GameBoy Color and GameBoy Advance games using the system Retropie and the bios necessary to emulate the Pokémon cartridges.
How to download the plans
If you are interested in carrying out this project, Yeu1 has in its etsy shop the plans for sale. They are worth little more than 7 euros, and if you don’t have a 3D printer at home, you can look for an online service that will 3D print you once you have the CAD files on your computer.
