A new FPGA-based gaming console called the SGBC is being developed to bring original Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance cartridges to modern televisions and monitors. Created by French electronics engineer Thomas Sanfourche, the compact system aims to deliver 1080p HDMI output with integer scaling, alongside SNES controller compatibility, adjustable game speeds and cartridge backup functionality.
The SGBC is an independent hardware project currently in development. Its official website identifies the latest design as Revision C and outlines plans to support physical cartridges from all three generations of Nintendo’s Game Boy family. Unlike conventional software emulators, the console uses a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), which can be configured to reproduce the behavior of original gaming hardware through programmable circuitry.
The project is part of a growing market for modern hardware designed around original game cartridges. Other FPGA-based systems include Analogue's Super Nt+ and Mega Sg+ consoles, which similarly target players interested in using physical retro game collections with modern hardware.
The SGBC’s primary feature is its proposed 1080p HDMI output. Rather than stretching the original Game Boy image arbitrarily to fill a modern display, the console uses integer scaling, enlarging pixels by whole-number multiples. This approach is intended to maintain sharp pixel edges and preserve the original image proportions without introducing the blurring commonly associated with uneven scaling.
Players will also be able to adjust display settings through an on-screen menu, allowing the system to accommodate different viewing preferences.
Beyond video output, the SGBC is designed to support several features that extend the functionality of the original handheld consoles.
One is adjustable playback speed, with normal and fast-forward modes planned. Fast-forward would allow players to move through repetitive or familiar gameplay sections more quickly without permanently changing how games operate at their standard speed.
Another planned feature is Link Cable connectivity. Sanfourche intends to allow the SGBC to communicate with compatible Game Boy handhelds using an appropriate cable, potentially supporting multiplayer sessions and Pokémon trading in games that originally offered those functions.
The console also includes a native SNES controller connection, allowing players to use a traditional Super Nintendo gamepad rather than handheld controls. Its design takes inspiration from classic Nintendo hardware, combining a warm-gray upper shell, black underside and burgundy-colored accents.
Storage functionality is another significant part of the project. The SGBC is intended to support a microSD-based ROM library, allowing users to select stored games through its on-screen interface. More notably, its developer plans to include a feature that copies ROM data directly from inserted cartridges to a microSD card, providing a way to create digital backups of physical collections.
The same storage system is expected to support firmware updates, allowing the developer to distribute improvements and fixes as development continues.
These capabilities place the SGBC alongside a broader selection of modern retro-gaming solutions, including software-focused platforms such as MustardOS for retro gaming handhelds. The SGBC, however, focuses specifically on FPGA hardware and original Game Boy-family cartridges rather than supporting a wide range of systems through software emulation.
Despite its announced feature set, the SGBC is not yet a finished commercial product. The official project website explicitly states that game compatibility, Link Cable functionality and final feature availability are still undergoing validation.
That distinction is important because the advertised capabilities describe the developer’s intended design rather than independently verified performance across the Game Boy library. No comprehensive compatibility results or final technical specifications have been published.
Pricing and release timing also remain unannounced. The project currently offers a wishlist registration option, but there is no confirmed retail launch date or active preorder program.
For owners of original Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance cartridges, the SGBC represents another potential way to use existing game collections on modern displays. Whether it can deliver its complete advertised feature set will depend on the remaining development and compatibility testing.
