The Wii has been a bit of a favorite for miniaturization enthusiasts – its circuit board has been cut down to just about every size and shape imaginable, from an Altoids tin to a cute tiny version of itself. Although other consoles have received this treatment – take, for instance, the PlayStation 4 Portable – the Wii seems to get it more than most for its appealing casual library (perfect for gaming on the go) and its already quite small form factor.
While full-on Wii portables in Game Boy-esque shells have been constructed before, the newly prototyped Xii-Boy Ultra leaves those earlier attempts in the dust. Less janky form factor aside, a forum post by its creator also explained that it comes with pressure-sensitive triggers for better GameCube emulation, a dock for playing on a full-sized Wii, and – the real step up over its predecessors – the entire suite of networking features the original console had, like a WiFi module and Bluetooth compatibility.
The best part of all? It's open-source, meaning that you, too, can make one of your own if you happen to have a Nintendo Switch, a DSi, a Wii, a 3D printer, an IPS screen, a soldering iron, steady hands, and boundless confidence in yourself sitting around. You know, like we all do.
