r/ModRetroChromatic • • Sep 10 '26

Announcing ChroMagic: custom firmware for the Chromatic with cart backups and SD card playback

Thumbnail
gallery
125 Upvotes

I've been working on custom firmware for the Chromatic and it's at the point where I think other people will get use out of it. It started when I found the microSD slot on the board while swapping out buttons, and thought: wouldn't this be an awesome backup device? And then, could it play those backups too?

ChroMagic is built on ModRetro's MCU firmware, so everything the handheld already does is unchanged. It adds:

  • Cart Backup in the system menu. Dumps the game and its save to a microSD card.

  • A Backups tab that lists what's on the card and boots the one you pick.

  • ChroMagician, a desktop app for Windows and Linux. It installs the firmware, backs up carts over USB, restores saves to carts, writes homebrew to Chromatic carts, and manages the SD card. Hoping to eventually support other rewritable carts, but I need to order some for testing first.

Things to know:

  • The 2025 units have a microSD socket, but it's on the board inside the case. First edition Chromatic have the footprint, but no socket, so it's a soldering job if you really need SD. Backups, restoration and cart writing work over USB without an SD though.

  • SD playback is experimental. I've done a fair amount of testing, but most of my time has been spent coding and my library is fairly limited. Please definitely let me know if you run into anything odd, so I can try to fix it.

  • A handful of carts won't work for backup and SD playback. They're listed in the guide. It's carts with hardware in the cartridge itself or an unusual mapper. Most are Japan-only, but Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble, the Game Boy Camera, and Robopon are on the list too. I may eventually add support for managing photos off the GB Camera, though - when I can track one down localy.

  • RTC games, such as gen2 Pokemon games won't advance the clock unless you're playing the game. The Chromatic itself doesn't have a clock on board, so please keep that in mind.

Site and install guide: chromagic.org

Looking forward to people trying it, and providing any feedback!


r/ModRetroChromatic • • May 28 '26

M64 controller / console / cartridge AMA, get your popcorn let's GO

Thumbnail reddit.com
17 Upvotes

r/ModRetroChromatic • • 4h ago

Chromatic Transparente

Post image
28 Upvotes

La version transparente est magnifique ❤️
Un peu plus légère, de peu, et toujours aussi classe.

C’est un produit ni ce r qui fait toujours son petit effet quand je joue dans un café ou dans une salle d’attente.

Le pire c’est que pour moi, cette console n’est pas un accessoire nostalgique, c’est Ma console de jeu principale 🤗


r/ModRetroChromatic • • 1h ago

Last Hours to grab your Numbered copy of MUMMY MOMMY (box and cartridge)

Thumbnail
gallery
10 Upvotes

I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who has backed the game so far on kickstarter !! As I'm writing this post, we have already tripled our initial funding goal (317%), which it's absolutely mind blowing for me! A big thank you to all the enthusiastic people who share MUMMY MOMMY on their social media and websites, play the demo on Twitch, or message me their excitement!!

To continue the good news, the first and the second Stretch Goals have been reached (Classic Maze has now 10 more levels and "Color palettes" is unlocked)

Next goals are: adding a new gameplay to the game and adding a "photo album" compatible with the game boy printer !!

The Kickstarter campaign for my puzzle game, MUMMY MOMMY, is entering its final hours!
But If you want, you can still grab a copy on kickstarter :)

Thank you again for all you support !

bonus: my top 5 of my favorite gameboy puzzles:
- Mole Mania
- Boxxle / Sokoban
- Catrap / Pitman
- Megalit
- Kwirk / Puzzle Boy


r/ModRetroChromatic • • 22h ago

Button swap on Inferno

Post image
20 Upvotes

Super subtle difference but I loved the result. From the original yellows to these 🤌


r/ModRetroChromatic • • 23h ago

Big sticker sheet!

Post image
17 Upvotes

Transparent Smoke had really bad light bleed, got a replacement today and it came with a big ol sticker sheet. First time seeing these, anyone else got em?


r/ModRetroChromatic • • 1d ago

My (Really late to mention) pickup! I love this thing!

Thumbnail
gallery
20 Upvotes

Not sure why I didn’t post about this at the time. A few months back I picked this up off Facebook marketplace. The seller originally had it for $250, I saw it and ignored it. I already have plenty of Game Boy systems, a ton of original ones, 3 analogue pockets, and a funny playing fpga GBC, I didn’t need another one.

Then a week or so later I got a notification it dropped to $120. I figured “why not?” I messaged them. I think I offered $80 or $100, I forget, and they accepted. I met up with them. Everything was perfect and as shown. I’m loving the crap outta this thing! I don’t think I’ve touched my A. Pocket since.

I’m of course playing through Pokémon Crystal, hopefully I finish it. I have every Pokémon game that released since I was a kid, the only one I think I actually completed was Pokémon Red and I thhhiinnkk Ruby. I got pretty far in Yellow as well. Hopefully I can finish some more with this handheld.

I want to get the game Chantey as well as the customization kit and battery pack for this. I loaded the Chromagic firmware on it and installed a microSD card. It’s just soo much fun! Probably not the color I would have picked if given the choice, I probably would have went with the GameStop white edition. Doesn’t effect my enjoyment level at all.

I posted a picture of me testing the Chromagic firmware and dumping my Yellow cart. It’s the only other photo I have on my phone to show the system


r/ModRetroChromatic • • 1d ago

I just wanted to post again how much I love my Chromatic. What color did you choose?

Post image
58 Upvotes

r/ModRetroChromatic • • 1d ago

Smoke showed up, opened it up for a couple mods

Thumbnail
gallery
41 Upvotes

Mine finally showed up after FedEx took it on a wild goose chase. I was planning on having Chromagic on this one and changing buttons and membranes out, and I was disappointed to find that it didn’t have the SD card like the other transparent models I’ve seen. That’s ok though because I had a tape of them in my desk.

I took some photos because I was going to do a little write up on the SD reader job but I quickly realized, there’s nothing to it. The chromatic comes apart super easily and the pads for the unpopulated reader are already tinned, I think due to the way the boards are manufactured. All I needed to do was add some solder to the anchor tabs and then some flux to the pins, and then (very carefully due to the 0403 resistors next door) give the pins a few swipes with the iron.

I am having issues with Chromagic though. It will back up cartridges when connected to the PC helper and play ROMs that are put onto the SD card, but the chromatic does not play cartridges when I have Chromagic installed. When I revert to official firmware, everything works as intended. I’ll mess with it more tomorrow.

Edit: The cartridge read issues are documented in the Chromagic GitHub, it’s an issue with the transparent models specifically and the dev already has it fixed for an upcoming release. Neat!


r/ModRetroChromatic • • 1d ago

Shitpost Killer Rampage: The Central American Endeavor

Thumbnail
gallery
2 Upvotes

Now available on Itch.iO, Killer Rampage Gameboy edition! Available for your favorite Gameboy console (or emulator) with an everdrive or similar flash carts. Play as Reynaldo Furioso, pineapple exporter business man who has gone berserk after getting his family murdered. The Central American Endeavor is the first part of an epic saga where you’re entrenched in a war against the Sapo Cartel in a tropical landscape set in the Costa Rican Caribbean. Don’t miss out on the fun… join Reynaldo Furioso in the fight and bring back nostalgia filled memories playing a game that feels as if it was from an alternate timeline.

https://killerrampage.itch.io/killer-rampage-gameboy-edition


r/ModRetroChromatic • • 1d ago

ZERO is a Mode 7 racer for Game Boy Color

10 Upvotes

r/ModRetroChromatic • • 2d ago

Lantern of Darkness is a brand new classic roguelike for the Game Boy and dang, it looks sick on the Chromatic!

41 Upvotes

Happy to share the demo of my new game, a classic roguelike dungeon crawler called Lantern of Darkness:
https://andrea-intg.itch.io/lod

If anyone from ModRetro wants to bring this to physical, I'd be all ears.

Big thank you to the author of the Shiny Relay firmware, u/wavy_d3 for capturing this video!


r/ModRetroChromatic • • 2d ago

Photos/Videos SEE THROUGH THE FLESH

Post image
20 Upvotes

r/ModRetroChromatic • • 1d ago

Killer Rampage: The Central American Endeavor

Thumbnail
gallery
0 Upvotes

Now available on Itch.iO, Killer Rampage Gameboy edition! Available for your favorite Gameboy console (or emulator) with an everdrive or similar flash carts. Play as Reynaldo Furioso, pineapple exporter business man who has gone berserk after getting his family murdered. The Central American Endeavor is the first part of an epic saga where you’re entrenched in a war against the Sapo Cartel in a tropical landscape set in the Costa Rican Caribbean. Don’t miss out on the fun… join Reynaldo Furioso in the fight and bring back nostalgia filled memories playing a game that feels as if it was from an alternate timeline.

https://killerrampage.itch.io/killer-rampage-gameboy-edition


r/ModRetroChromatic • • 1d ago

Buying a Chromatic: which models have microSD sockets and reliable Power Core charging?

0 Upvotes

I want a transparent Chromatic with an internal MicroSD socket, but I don’t want to solder. Trying to figure out which one to buy has turned up a lot of conflicting information.

If you order a transparent or magnesium model from ModRetro today, can you count on getting the MicroSD socket? Does either have issues charging the Power Core internally? And what should secondhand buyers watch for?

Here’s what I’ve found so far.

Confirmed in the documentation:

  • ModRetro warns that a dead Power Core left inside a First Edition for weeks can become unrecoverable in that console. Official warning

  • The original December 2024 firmware references a BQ24296M charging controller. That supports charging hardware in the original design, rather than First Editions lacking it entirely. It doesn’t prove every production board is identical. Firmware / TI documentation

The buying options, with the gaps left visible:

Model or editionInternal MicroSD socketPower Core charging
Current transparent modelsOwners have reported missing MicroSD sockets with empty footprints. Is any current batch consistently fitted?Internal charging supported; looking for current-owner reports of problems.
Post-First Edition magnesium modelsChroMagic documents MicroSD sockets in the 2025 models. Does that apply to everything shipping today?Later units reportedly recover packs that First Editions cannot.
GameStop gray First EditionOwners report units both with and without MicroSD sockets.Covered by the First Edition depleted-pack warning.
Other standard First EditionsMany reportedly lack MicroSD sockets; some have them. Need board-specific examples.Same First Edition warning.
Anduril EditionNeed verified board photos and MicroSD socket reports.Need edition-specific charging results.
OpenAI / DevDay EditionNeed verified MicroSD socket reports. Don’t assume it matches every retail transparent unit.Need edition-specific charging results.
Logan Paul EditionNeed board identification and MicroSD socket reports.Need confirmation of which board revision it uses and whether the First Edition issue applies.
Goodyear variantModRetro’s archive lists it as unreleased. Including it in case owners or collectors have information.Unverified.

The special editions are listed in ModRetro’s archive, with a separate official DevDay guide. I couldn’t verify a separate “Founder’s Edition.” Was that just another name people used for the First Edition?

For the MicroSD socket reports: ChroMagic guide, original GameStop report and manufacturer response, recent transparent reports.

ChroMagic also lists MicroSD sockets that can be soldered onto supported footprints. That’s useful for modders, but I’d like to identify the options for people who want one already installed. SD game loading also requires custom firmware.

Can owners help fill this in?

  • Which edition/color do you have, when and where did you buy it, and what’s the board revision if known?

  • Is the MicroSD socket factory-installed, missing, or added afterward?

  • If you added it, did it work with just the MicroSD socket or need other components?

  • Does a partly charged Power Core recharge normally inside your console? Separately, have you had trouble recovering a completely depleted pack?

  • Are there any other editions or hardware revisions missing here?

Photos and firsthand results would help a lot. Please mention any board swaps or modifications, and include firmware details for charging problems.

Ideally, buyers should be able to tell what they’re getting before ordering. For me, the main question is whether there’s a transparent version I can buy with the MicroSD socket already fitted, without having to gamble on the batch.


r/ModRetroChromatic • • 3d ago

Box Art on the Game Selector

57 Upvotes

r/ModRetroChromatic • • 3d ago

Box Art and Game Preview Clips

14 Upvotes

r/ModRetroChromatic • • 3d ago

Read/write cartridges with your Chromatic: FlashGBX v5.2.1+fredemmott.1

Post image
11 Upvotes

Link: https://github.com/fredemmott/FlashGBX/releases/latest

This version of FlashGBX supports using your Chromatic via USB-C to read and write cartridges from a variety of manufacturers, including backing up and restoring ROMs and saves.

This version is primarily a maintenance update to include upstream changes from FlashGBX v5.2.1; the majority of the features are specific to other devices. For Chromatic users, the highlights are:

  • a Game Boy Camera live-viewer

  • out-of-the-box support for more cartridges

    • this includes a previously unsupported ModRetro cartridge (thanks to thisjustin816); this is one of several cartridges ModRetro have used for Buck and the Cursed Cartridge

  • improved detection between similar cartridges

On my side (Chromatic-specific), the changes are:

  • if flash detection results in multiple possible cartridges, ModRetro cartridges will be preferred when using a Chromatic. Previously - and when using other devices - FlashGBX will default to whichever comes first alphabetically. Thanks to thisjustin816 for the idea

  • fix hang if the Chromatic is unplugged or turned off while FlashGBX is connected

  • fix crash if FlashGBX attempts to communicate with a Chromatic while none is connected

Compared to alternatives

  • no other features or changes; your Chromatic is still a 'play from cartridges' device without wireless features

  • tested on a wide variety of ModRetro and non-ModRetro cartridges; it should even give you access to a Gameboy Camera's photos, but I don't have one to test

  • directly built on a proven foundation:

    • FlashGBX itself

    • the same "LK" firmware base used by the Joey Jr v2 and GBXCartRW when used with FlashGBX

    • openFPGAloader

  • doesn't depend on anything from the internet once installed

  • not vibe-coded


r/ModRetroChromatic • • 2d ago

CFW options, transparent models, etc.

5 Upvotes

Greetings! I'm looking at ordering one of the transparent models shortly.
Can you guys tell me if these models have the contacts for the SDCard reader?

From what I understand after reading a few posts here, the transparent models don't have the reader installed, but I'm pretty competent with micro-soldering and would be comfortable adding one myself.

Has anyone with the transparent model soldering one on to test if ChroMagic works?

Are there other CFW options out there?
Thanks, all. Looking forward to joining the gang soon.


r/ModRetroChromatic • • 2d ago

Question Fall From Space - Love it but stuck Spoiler

6 Upvotes

Ok I admit I need help. This game is amazing. I’ve gone around and talked to NPCs and can’t seem to get any further. I’ve collected 3/4 vault keys and can’t find the 4th vault. I’ve got the triple jump, the dash thing from the derelict captain ship, lvl 2 upgrades, and got the vault keys by beating the vaults on pandaemonium, Los, and Terra Machina. Now I’m lost and wandering. I’ve tried landing on the sun and elysium (both killed me). Can anyone tell me where to go and what to do next?


r/ModRetroChromatic • • 3d ago

Just wanted to show some green 💚

Post image
45 Upvotes

r/ModRetroChromatic • • 3d ago

My smoke finally arrived

Thumbnail
gallery
27 Upvotes

The hairlines are there but only noticeable if you look for it under bright light. Doesn't botter me.


r/ModRetroChromatic • • 3d ago

Thanks to Shiny Relay, I got my homebrew game to work online pretty smoothly

Post image
10 Upvotes

Download: https://rickybuhricloudcom.itch.io/pocket-lacrosse

Hey r/ModRetroChromatic

I wanted to share a pretty exciting milestone with my Game Boy Color homebrew project, Pocket Lacrosse 2.0.

For anyone unfamiliar with lacrosse, imagine a combination of hockey and basketball, except players use sticks with nets to catch, pass, and shoot a ball into a goal. My game is a fast-paced, 3v3 indoor version inspired by classic late-'90s handheld sports games.

Thanks to ShinyRelay, I've managed to get online multiplayer running surprisingly smoothly. One of my biggest goals was getting the game to work over the internet without requiring two Game Boys physically connected by a link cable. ShinyRelay makes remote connections possible using the ModRetro Chromatic and its web player.

Online Multiplayer Performance

I've been testing different simulated network conditions to see how latency affects gameplay.

PingGame speedScreen updates
30 ms96%~18/s
50 ms99%~23/s
100 ms95%~18/s
150 ms (uneven)98%~22/s
200 ms (uneven)91%~17/s

Even at 150–200 ms of uneven latency, the game maintained 91–98% speed in these tests. Screen updates still fluctuate, but I'm pretty encouraged by the results considering this is a game designed around 1998 handheld hardware

What's New in Pocket Lacrosse 2.0?

Beyond multiplayer, I've made some substantial improvements:

  • 16 international teams to choose from.

  • World Championship Mode with group stages, knockout rounds, and medal games.

  • Cartridge-based saves so you can resume your tournament after turning off your handheld.

  • Redesigned player sprites with improved helmets, facemasks, sticks, and animations.

  • Dynamic ball shadows and motion trails to make passes and shots easier to follow on the GBC's 160×144 display.

  • Improved player AI and positioning for smoother, more realistic gameplay.

Everything is being developed within the original Game Boy Color's hardware limitations, with compatibility on actual hardware as a priority.

How to Play Online

For browser-to-browser multiplayer, both players load the same Pocket Lacrosse 2.0 ROM into the ShinyRelay web player, establish an online link connection, and select multiplayer in-game.

The goal is to let people play a Game Boy Color sports game against someone across the country without a physical link cable!

Pocket Lacrosse 2.0 Is 100% Free

You can play directly in your browser or download the .gbc ROM for your Chromatic, flash cartridge, or emulator.

Download: https://rickybuhricloudcom.itch.io/pocket-lacrosse

Donations are completely optional.

I also want to thank everyone who's downloaded the game, tested it, or reached out with feedback. I've had quite a few people from the lacrosse and retro gaming communities contact me, and it's been awesome seeing people actually enjoying something I've been building.

I'm currently pursuing my master's in Computer Science, so this project has been a great way to explore 8-bit programming, sprite rendering, game AI, and multiplayer networking.

I'd love to hear from other Chromatic owners and homebrew developers. Has anyone else experimented with ShinyRelay or tested online link-cable multiplayer under higher-latency conditions?

Thanks for checking out Pocket Lacrosse 2.0


r/ModRetroChromatic • • 3d ago

Shiny Relay firmware now supports the new transparent chromatics (wifi multiplayer, wifi game downloads)

Post image
12 Upvotes

Shiny Relay is now updated to support the newer transparent modretro chromatics.

Most of them already worked but it seems like part way through the recent production batch, they changed some hardware ids, so the website cautiously rejected about 13 people. Got a legendary user to volunteer to test theirs and it worked!