InkBoy — Effortlessly run Game Boy games on e paper…

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About this project

InkBoy allows Game Boy games to be played on the Waveshare ESP32-S3 e-paper board at approximately 30 fps, offering options for fast dithered black and white or four-shade grayscale. It features an SD ROM browser, speaker audio, and customizable display presets, making retro gaming accessible and engaging.

InkBoy: Game Boy Emulator on ESP32-S3
InkBoy is an innovative project that enables users to run Game Boy games on the Waveshare ESP32-S3 e-paper board, delivering gameplay at approximately 30 frames per second. The emulator supports two display modes: a fast dithered black and white option and a four-shade grayscale mode, making it versatile for different gaming preferences.

Key Features

SD ROM Browser: Easily navigate through your collection of games.
Speaker Audio: Experience classic Game Boy sounds directly through the built-in speaker.
Automatic Resume: The emulator intelligently resumes games where the player left off.
Tunable Display Presets: Adjust the display settings to optimize for your specific preferences and conditions.
Optional FPS Counter: Monitor frame performance while playing.

System Requirements

To get started, the following hardware components are required:

Part	Requirement
Waveshare ESP32-S3-ePaper-1.54 V2	Must have a 200×200 e-paper screen, speaker, and microSD slot.
microSD card	Should be formatted as FAT32 for ROMs, saved games, and presets.
InkBoy Controller	A custom ESP32-C3 gamepad that connects via BLE or USB-C data cable.

Note: Currently, only the custom InkBoy controller is supported, with plans for generic Bluetooth and USB HID gamepad compatibility in future updates.

Display and Hardware Warnings

InkBoy features an experimental display driver that utilizes custom waveforms for high refresh rates. Caution is advised, as improper usage could lead to permanent image retention or damage to the e-paper panel.

Controls and User Experience

Players can navigate menus and gameplay intuitively with the following controls:

Input	Function
Controller Up / Down	Move selection
Controller A / Start; B	Select; back
PWR tap; hold 0.7 s	Next item; back
BOOT tap; hold 0.7 s	Select; previous item

During gameplay, standard Game Boy controls are available. Players can pause the game, save progress, and return to the home screen seamlessly. Note, however, that each pause replaces the game’s single resume checkpoint.

Compatibility

InkBoy is compatible with Game Boy (DMG) games and dual-mode cartridges in DMG mode, supporting up to 2 MiB. However, it does not support color-only games or RTC cartridges.

For developers and contributors, there are opportunities to enhance display settings and improve overall functionality. Contributions that provide better settings based on different hardware configurations are welcome.

More Information

Further details regarding display settings, development checks, and more can be found in the documentation. This includes a guide on display presets and explanations of the inner workings of the display system.

Explore the project by visiting the GitHub repository for more comprehensive guides and community support.