In short, I came up with a concept.
In short, I came up with a concept.
I was checking how people customize GameCubes and noticed someone tweaking a Nintendo DS to run Windows 3.0. I wondered if I could adapt the idea of using a Raspberry Pi Pico inside a GameCube, swapping it for a Raspberry Pi Zero, but using a Nintendo DS instead. I also thought about running Linux on it and connecting to the internet via Wi-Fi, which would be interesting for a portable console.
I understand you already have a Nintendo DS that’s not working, possibly affected by water. You’re considering connecting a Raspberry Pi Zero to the main board or adding extra controls.
A Linux port already exists for DS hardware, though it's quite old now. If you have a Pi Zero W nearby, you can run DS as a thin client using DSVNC without needing any special hardware. The setup is simple—just connect to a PC and play games like Elden Ring, though performance will be poor and controls very basic.
I could grab an overclocking module for the DS, but the real challenge is figuring out which part of the work I’m ready to put in because honestly it would be interesting. I also discovered a Mago Pi MQ Pro, which feels pretty good and even better than the Pi Zero. Plus, the internet connection would be way more reliable than the DS’s aerial setup.
I love case mod projects like this. If you're looking to do one yourself, you should take a look at the GPi Case to see how they solved some of the problems you'll run into. Personally, I like to check out printables for inspiration with stuff like this two. Seeing a purpose built case for the Pi Zero can help you to see how you could go about fitting it into your DS case. There's not much free space inside a DS, so the other benefit of looking at these other projects first is it gives you the option to still make handheld even if you can't quite make it work in the hollowed out DS case.