The Game Boy was a revolutionary device over thirty years ago and continues to be a major influence on the design of similar devices. But while the Lame Boy looks like a very deliberate knock-off of the handheld, it’s actually a cleverly designed dart blaster that anyone with a 3D printer, and some basic making skills, can build themselves.
It was created by the people behind an Etsy shop called BoBoInnovation, who currently sell a handful of custom, but more traditionally designed, dart blasters, as well as accessories and upgrades for Dart Zone’s enthusiast offerings. The Lame Boy—a name we vehemently disagree on—is a self-contained dart blaster that from afar could be easily mistaken for the original Game Boy, right down to the green screen.
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Lame Boy – the ultimate home defense blaster XD (Functionality & Shooting)
Even when viewed up close, it’s apparent that BoBoInnovation has clearly done a lot of work to recreate all the nooks and crannies of the original Game Boy’s outer shell for the Lame Boy, but this handheld doesn’t play any games. It does have cartridges, however, which serve as both the Lame Boy blaster’s magazines and barrels, with two shortened darts inserted into each one.
How to operate Lame Boy / Mod Potential / Q&As
The spring-loaded Lame Boy can be primed by removing a section of the blaster’s bottom near the faux set of Select and Start buttons. This exposes two internal plungers. You then fire the darts by either pressing left on the Lame Boy’s directional pad, or the right action button. You can even swap screens with recreations of classic Game Boy titles. Certain elements will pop up to make the blaster easier for you to aim.
Unfortunately, BoBoInnovation doesn’t sell finished versions of the Lame Boy blaster, presumably to keep Nintendo’s lawyers at bay. For $20, instead, you can purchase all the files and plans that you need to 3D-print and build your own. In addition to filament, you’ll also need to bring your own springs to complete the Lame Boy, but those are easy to find online. No other proprietary hardware is required—aside from a 3D printer.
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