Xii-Boy Ultra Packs Real Wii Hardware into a Wire Free Game Boy Shell

Modders have spent years trimming Nintendo Wii motherboards down to the absolute minimum so they fit inside handheld shells that resemble the original Game Boy. Xenii refined that approach across earlier Xii-Boy versions until the latest Ultra revision arrived as a fully modular kit. Tito from Macho Nacho Productions assembled one, and the result sits at roughly 145 by 86 by 27 millimeters while still containing a genuine Wii board that has undergone the standard OMGWTF trim.

Assembly is based on Super Friction Fit connectors and custom boards that simply click together, with no messy internal wiring. Seven specialty PCBs handle power management, audio quality, visual output, and controller inputs. The RVL-DD board is essential for driving a high-quality 3.5-inch, 480p screen that looks far better than Composite Video ever did. With two 18650 cells producing 7000 milliamp-hours, you can play for two to three hours, depending on the game. The USB-C port not only charges but also transfers files, and a microSD card keeps the games once the optical drive is removed, which is a significant plus for space and power savings.

Face buttons and membranes are obtained from a donor DSi or DS Lite, or from aftermarket sets that the modder acquires separately, as the kit excludes these. With analog triggers employing the same Joy-Con mechanisms as the Switch, original GameCube titles retain full pressure sensitivity. Want to bring back online multiplayer? Simply plug in the extra WiFi and Bluetooth modules, and you can connect original Wii remotes for motion controllers as well as the infrared pointer. It also has an adjustable fan to keep the temperature down, volume and brightness can be controlled directly from the keys, and an RGB led indicates how the battery is doing. If you ever need to repair a part, the entire device can be disassembled with a screwdriver, and the design allows the key components to be pulled out with no issues.

Want to run Wii, GameCube, Virtual Console, or homebrew games at full speed? No problem, as long as you softmod the board and load it with the right software. The same board can also be inserted into a second Wii for larger screen viewing and shared saves. The alternative portable Wii builds required hours of soldering and permanent cabling, making repairs a headache.

This mod takes a step back and ensures that there is a clear separation between the main motherboard, power system, screen, as well as controls, so that the entire system remains functional and parts can be readily swapped out if necessary. Tito’s build demonstrates how all of the components fit together after they’re all plugged in, combining years of community changes into a single great-looking handheld that plays the whole library of original hardware titles without the need for software emulation.