A modder with the online pseudonym “stacksmashing” has built a computing unit for mining cryptocurrencies from Nintendo Game Boy, published in 1989.
As he demonstrates in a video on YouTube, in the course of an initial test run, he succeeded in producing a simple sample block for producing bitcoins with Game Boy.
In order to provide Nintendo Game Boy with the internet connection that is essential for mining cryptocurrencies, the Modder connected it to a PC via a Raspberry Pi Pico. He established the connection to the mini-computer via a modified Game Link cable. This was originally used to connect two Game Boys for multiplayer games.
Since the cable and the Raspberry Pi Pico work with different voltages, the hobbyist used a voltage converter to enable smooth communication between the devices. The Modder programmed the software required for mining himself and copied it to the Game Boy’s memory via a USB flashcard.
As expected, the modified game console is not suitable for profit-oriented practical use. The 8-bit LR35902 processor from Sharp built into the Game Boy is clocked at 4.18Mhz and processes around 0.8 hash values per second.
According to the modder, the Game Boy works around 125 trillion times slower than a professional ASIC mining rig. The latter creates around 100 trillion hashes per second. That means that if we wanted to mine 1 BTC just with a Game Boy, it would take approximately two thousand billion years.
