A Game Boy Advance (GBA) that had been broken for 22 years has been miraculously brought back to life thanks to the skillful modding by a player known as "おがくず." The restoration process has since gone absolutely viral on X (formerly Twitter), racking up over 25 million views and more than 200,000 likes, with many netizens exclaiming, "Talk about peak romance!"
This particular GBA was a cherished gift "おがくず" received from his parents in 2001 when he was in elementary school. However, it broke down just two years later and had been gathering dust back home ever since. Now, he decided it was time to use his "grown-up power" to resurrect his childhood memories. He started by disassembling the console, discovering a damaged inductor inside. After ordering a replacement part online and swapping it out, the GBA successfully booted up again.
But the journey didn't stop there. The original screen was severely dimmed due to aging and lacked a backlight, making it nearly impossible to play. So, "おがくず" took it a step further, upgrading to a high-resolution, backlit IPS LCD screen. He also modded in a USB Type-C rechargeable battery, transparent buttons, and LED lights, all housed in a sleek transparent purple shell. The entire console was completely transformed, looking like a brand-new, trendy gaming machine.
Moved by the incredible transformation, many netizens left comments like: "The visuals are gorgeous, it's like a neon parade!" "This is the real-life 'Ship of Theseus'," and "This modded GBA is absolutely decked out!" This GBA not only rekindled childhood memories but also, through creativity and technical prowess, breathed new life into an old console, showcasing the perfect blend of retro charm and modern flair.