TMNT Gaming Handheld

TMNT NES gaming handheld pizza time cowabunga

Super Impulse recently released a mini TMNT Arcade Cabinet that looks very cool, but is not all that fun to play. If it were up to me, a Turtles handheld would be a pizza box that looked and functioned like a Game Boy Advance SP.

You could fit all 3 NES games on there, plus the Game Boy game (Fall of the Foot Clan), and even Turtles in Time from the SNES can be included, thanks to its 2-button control scheme.

It would be awesome if this handheld could feature multiplayer somehow, even if an old-fashioned game link cable is required. Multiplayer is something I wish these modern handhelds (from Anbernic and Powkiddy to name a few) could do, as I can’t tell you how often I’ve wanted to play Turtles or NHL ’94 with a friend.

One-Handed Retro Game Controller

This controller design is to help make older game systems like the NES and SNES become more accessible. While it looks like a regular joystick, this was inspired by automatic shift knobs seen in modern cars. The hand rests on top and moves the stick for D-Pad inputs. The thumb controls the action buttons (A B X Y plus START/SELECT), while the index and middle fingers hit the L and R shoulder buttons (much like clicking on a mouse).

The action buttons can be placed on both sides of the stick to make this for both lefties and righties, OR another set of L and R buttons could be included to achieve the same dual functionality (the shape of the stick would need to be symmetrical). However it would be more comfortable, and better for button-mapping, if a dedicated version was made for right hands, and another for left hands.

While it could be wielded like a regular joystick, this controller may need to be placed in a spot that is similar to the aforementioned car shifter knob. The user would need to be sitting in a reclined position, with the controller parked next to their knee. This layout would yield the most comfort, especially for prolonged gaming sessions.

SNES was used as the example here, but the idea could be applied to most 8-bit and 16-bit systems, or other systems that had a single directional input (Saturn, Dreamcast). I already designed a one-handed controller for the Atari.

Virtual Boy R.O.B.

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What if Nintendo made a Wario-like villain for the NES R.O.B.? The Virtual Boy looks like Darth Vader, so I went with that approach.Ā In all honesty I was making a Virtual Boy 3D model for something else, and to me the device looked like an evil robot; low and beholdĀ another weird idea was born.

Fullscreen Retro Gaming Handheld

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If it’s possible to punch a hole in an LCD screen (like smartphones do to accommodate cameras), then several holes can be made to allow physical game controls to peek through a display.

This approach could be done for smartphones or next-gen gaming handhelds (PS Vita 2?), but personally I would be happy if this was a dedicated retro gaming handheld, of which there has been an explosion of new models this past year.

Unified Super Mario NES Covers

Unified Super Mario NES cover art box 2019 dave delisle davesgeekyideas dave's geeky ideas

This was just a personal pet project to make all three Super Mario games for the NES look uniform in appearance, mainly in the style of Super Mario 3. The lower wordmark logos were for the sides of the box (and the top of the cartridge label too). Nothing against the first two games’ box art, which are iconic, this was just for fun.

The goal was to print these for some plastic clamshell boxes (like these ones I have) for display on my shelf, but I gave these games away to my nephews last year. Might still do this if I ever get the games again.

Nintendo Switch Protective Case Design

nintendo switch case design donkey kong nintendo 2019 dave delisle dave's geeky ideas davesgeekyideas

This can also be done with Pikachu and his tail, however I went with Donkey Kong because I dig his tie. This is a protective case with a picture frame stand and game storage. Do read on!

Link’s Awakening Alarm Clock

Link's Awakening alarm clock design by Dave's Geeky Ideas davesgeekyideas Dave Delisle

This alarm clock would use the same technology found in Nintendo’s oldĀ Game & Watch handhelds, which had an LCD display with a color background layer. This would allow for a display comparable to the original Game Boy Color, and enable a simple alarm animation (which was another staple of the Game & Watch devices).