Never saw this before: Gameboy tabletop converter

[YoshiM]

Went to Goodwill to drop off some stuff but I made the mistake of walking in....

Saw this weird looking table top arcade thing by Konami:

http://webpages.charter.net/pmode4/konamigameboy.jpg

Inside was an original Gameboy (sans battery lid). Ah, so it's a converter of some sort, I thought. Upon closer examination I saw that the joystick and buttons moves these plastic pieces to push the d pad and buttons on the GB. The screen is a magnifier with small light but I couldn't test it as the batteries were shot. So I take the chance, buy it and go home. Popped in some D batteries (for the unit) and AA batteries (for the GB) and gave it a whirl.

The unit also has a plug that goes into the headphone jack and then pumps the sound through a side speaker, kinda like an arcade game. There seem to be lights, but the didn't come on. A little tinkering showed that the screen was partially popped off and the lights are on a simple circuit. Put the screen back on right and let there be light!

I have never ever seen one of these things. Any idea on how rare this is?

Oh and does anyone have a spare battery lid I could buy?

[Querjek]

I've seen ads in older game magazines for that. I always wanted one, but I was reading the magazines 7-10 years after their releases. Oh, and you can get a brand-new GB battery cover from Nintendo's website.

[djbeatmongrel]

i have something similar to that and its made by radioshack. the thing is a beast LOL

[portnoyd]

I know another company made one similar. (One of those pump-out-accessories-for-the-GB companies) This one had all the same functions and wasn't... as blah, I guess you could say as this one. Same idea though, and about shaped the same. I may still have it... got it for Christmas one year.

Rarity? Ummm, average? No clue. I'd imagine finding one in unbroken complete fashion would be uncommon, but I don't think they're even that rare to begin with.

dave

[Kejoriv]

Thats pretty cool. Ive never seen one before

[MarioAllStar2600]

That thing is pretty nuts, I would love to have that bad boy.

[Quintracker]

i have something similar to that and its made by radioshack. the thing is a beast LOL

Agreed, it's like a freakin safe for a gameboy. LOL

[youruglyclone]

I have that!

never got around to putting in a GB though...freaking too lazy. boxed and from a uk seller on ebay. also have a super gameboy controller

[YoshiM]

Thanks for the replies! Common or not it's still a neat conversation piece and the fact that it still works (and I got a functional Gameboy out of it) is extra spiffy. I've always seen the clamp on lights, easy grips, straps and such to aid in playing the GB on the go but never something that allowed you "plug and play" as it were.