Repairs and mods for the original Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket and Game Boy Color cost between £29 and £109 with me, depending on the job. Nintendo doesn't repair any of these consoles, so independent repair is the only route. Every price below is fixed and includes the insured, tracked return postage.
Why Nintendo can't help
Nintendo's UK repair booking covers the Switch family only. It doesn't take the original Game Boy (DMG-01), the Game Boy Pocket (MGB-001) or the Game Boy Color (CGB-001), and none of them is under warranty any more. If yours has a fault, or you'd like a screen you can actually see, an independent repairer is the way to go. The model code is on the label on the back; if you're still not sure, this guide to identifying your Game Boy will help.
Screen repairs and mods
None of these three consoles has a light of its own, so you need good room light to play. An IPS mod replaces the old screen with a modern backlit IPS panel. IPS is the type of display used in most phones: bright, colourful and easy to read from an angle. Most kits also have an on-screen menu, often called an OSD, for brightness and colour palettes.
- Game Boy Color IPS screen mod: £95. A drop-in IPS kit, which fits the original shell without cutting. The price covers the kit, fitting and testing.
- Game Boy Color laminated IPS mod with new shell: £109. A laminated kit has the glass bonded to the panel, so it looks closer to a phone screen. It needs a laminated-ready replacement shell, and that shell is included.
- Original Game Boy (DMG-01) backlit IPS screen mod: £95. The old unlit screen comes out and a backlit IPS panel goes in.
- Game Boy Pocket IPS screen mod: £95. The same idea, sized for the smaller Pocket.
- Original Game Boy vertical lines repair: £39. Lines or missing columns come from the ribbon connection between the screen glass and the board. I carefully reheat that connection, which often brings the lines back, though it can't be promised in every case.
Faults and restoration
These prices apply to the original Game Boy, the Pocket and the Color unless noted.
- No sound or crackly sound repair: £35. Poor sound can come from a worn speaker, a dirty volume wheel or headphone socket, or ageing capacitors. I find the cause and put it right.
- Battery corrosion repair: £35. AA or AAA batteries left in for years leak and corrode the contacts and nearby tracks. This is often repairable, depending on how far the corrosion has spread.
- Buttons, power switch or cartridge slot repair: £29. Sticky or dead buttons are usually dirt or worn rubber contact pads. A cartridge slot with dirty or bent pins, or a tired power switch, is covered by the same price.
- Recap and restoration: £45. A recap replaces the ageing electrolytic capacitors (small components that smooth the power and sound signals and wear out over time).
- USB-C rechargeable battery mod: £59, for the original Game Boy and the Game Boy Color. It fits a rechargeable pack and a USB-C port in place of disposable batteries. Depending on the kit, the battery compartment may be used for the pack.
Cartridge save batteries
If a Pokémon cartridge won't save any more, the fault is usually the small battery inside the game, not the console. The cartridge save battery replacement is £20 and sits on the retro consoles page.
What every price includes
- The parts and work named in the service.
- Testing on my bench before it goes back to you.
- Insured, tracked return postage.
- A 12-month warranty on the work.
- No fix, no fee. If I can't fix it, I refund what you paid, less return postage.
You pay the postage to send the console to me.
Before you book
- Mods need a working console. If yours has a fault as well, book the repair first, or get in touch and we'll sort out the order.
- Think about collector value. Mods can't be undone easily. If your console is rare or boxed, a mod may reduce its value to collectors.
- Some jobs need a look first. Very corroded boards and cracked screens under the lens are worth a message before you book.
You can see everything in one place on the Game Boy and Game Boy Color repairs page. If you've got a Game Boy Advance or SP, those prices are in the Game Boy Advance repair cost guide.
How to send it
- Book and pay online.
- Your confirmation email gives the address and packing guidance. Take out the batteries and any cartridge, and pack the console in a sturdy box.
- I do the work, test it, and send it back insured and tracked.
- If I can't fix it, there's no repair fee.
Frequently asked questions
Does Nintendo still repair the Game Boy or Game Boy Color?
No. Nintendo's UK repair service covers the Switch family only, and none of the older handhelds is under warranty. An independent repairer is the only option.
Is the price the same for every Game Boy model?
Most fault repairs are the same price for the original Game Boy, the Pocket and the Color. Screen mods differ by model, and the USB-C rechargeable battery mod is for the original Game Boy and the Color only.
Can I get a screen mod and a repair done together?
Yes. A mod needs a working console, so book the repair as well as the mod, or get in touch first and I'll confirm what's needed.
