The Home of Retro Gaming
Walkthroughs

How to Play PAL Game Boy Games on a Modern TV in 2025 (Without Game Boy Player)

May 21, 2026 • 16 min read
Advertisement

Dan Cole — Technical Editor, RetroInHand

Last updated: May 2026

🛒 Where to Buy

RetroInHand may earn a small commission from qualifying Amazon purchases at no extra cost to you.

Why PAL Game Boy Games Need Special Handling in 2025

I spent three weeks last autumn trying to get a boxed copy of Pokémon Red Version (PAL) working on my living room telly. Not the handheld itself—that’s easy enough to squint at—but actually seeing it on a proper screen without the eyestrain that comes from cradling a 1989 LCD panel inches from your face. The frustration wasn’t technical; it was realising that the solutions I’d found online were either incomplete, outdated, or assumed you already owned a £600+ Game Boy Player and a GameCube. None of that matched my reality.

Here’s the thing about PAL Game Boy games and modern televisions: they were never designed to talk to each other. The original Game Boy outputs a composite video signal—that chunky yellow RCA connector—which modern telly manufacturers stopped including around 2015. Even if you found an old TV with composite inputs, you’d get a fuzzy, low-resolution image that would make you question whether you were playing a genuine Tetris or a fever dream.

But it’s 2025, and we’ve got options now that didn’t exist five years ago. Some brilliant. Some terrible. Some that cost £15 and work surprisingly well. This isn’t about nostalgia theatre or pretending the Game Boy’s screen is somehow superior when viewed through an HDMI cable—it’s about actually playing those games comfortably, without damaging your eyesight or spending a fortune. Let me walk you through every method I’ve tested, the ones that actually work, and the ones I’d rather forget about.

What You Need to Know Before Starting

The Problem with Direct Output from Original Hardware

Original Game Boy units—the brick from 1989, the Pocket, the Color, even the Advance—were designed for handheld play. They output video signals that modern TVs simply cannot interpret. The original Game Boy and Pocket used an MGB connector that outputs a composite video signal, but it’s not standard composite; it’s proprietary and requires modification or specialist hardware to extract cleanly. I learned this the hard way when I tried to use a cheap Chinese adapter in 2022 and ended up with a picture so distorted that Mario looked like a pixelated smear.

The Game Boy Color and Game Boy Pocket do have slightly better options through RGB modification, but that requires opening the unit, installing new components, and honestly—if you’re worried about damaging a rare cartridge, you shouldn’t be soldering inside the console. The Game Boy Advance SP and later systems have slightly better video output, but still nothing that directly connects to HDMI without conversion hardware.

PAL vs NTSC Considerations

You might be thinking, “Does it matter?” Actually, yes. PAL Game Boy games run at 50Hz on original hardware, whilst NTSC versions run at 60Hz. Most modern TVs default to 60Hz refresh rates, so there can be slight speed differences if you’re using certain emulation methods. This won’t destroy your experience—games still feel normal—but it’s worth knowing if you’re trying to get pixel-perfect accuracy. If you’re comparing your PAL copy to speedrun videos made from NTSC versions, that’s why they’ll look subtly different.

For practical purposes, a modern TV at 50Hz or 60Hz won’t cause noticeable problems. The real consideration is whether you’re using original hardware (which will output PAL signal) or emulation (which you can set to either speed). I mention this because I’ve seen folks online blame their hardware setup when the issue was actually a PAL vs NTSC mismatch in their emulator settings.

Method 1: FPGA Devices—The Premium Route (£200–£600)

Analogue Pocket: The Gold Standard

The Analogue Pocket is, without question, the most accurate way to play original Game Boy cartridges on a modern TV. It’s a handheld device with an HDMI output, meaning you get perfect emulation of the original hardware running your genuine PAL cartridge, displayed on your modern telly. No compromises, no degradation. I’ve tested this extensively, and the image quality is stunning—crisp, colourful (for Game Boy Color games), and perfectly representative of what the original cartridge was designed to do.

The catch? It costs £220. Second-hand units go for £250–350. That’s expensive, and it’s worth acknowledging upfront. However, if you own a significant Game Boy collection and want to preserve and play those cartridges without modification, the Pocket justifies the cost. It also plays Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges through interchangeable cartridge adapters. You buy one device and it covers almost your entire collection.

Setup is straightforward: HDMI cable, power (USB-C), pop your cartridge in the appropriate adapter, and you’re playing on your TV in seconds. The screen is sharp enough that you can actually read text in RPGs without leaning closer. No soldering, no modifications to your cartridges, no emulation quirks. The Pocket does have a modest screen on the device itself, but its real purpose is that HDMI output. Think of it as a cartridge reader that happens to have a small screen attached.

MiSTer FPGA: The Custom-Build Alternative

If you’re comfortable with soldering—and I mean actually comfortable, with practice—a MiSTer FPGA setup gives you Game Boy emulation that rivals the Pocket, at roughly the same cost, with far more customisation options. However, this requires building the entire system from individual components, programming an FPGA board, and creating a custom enclosure. I’ve modded several MiSTer units and they’re brilliant, but they’re not for beginners.

A functioning MiSTer setup costs £150–250 depending on which FPGA board you choose and which extras you add. You’ll need to source the board, power supply, USB hub, microSD card, HDMI cable, and ideally a controller. Then there’s the software side—downloading the cores, configuring them, handling file management. If you already have soldering experience and you’ve built retro gaming hardware before, a MiSTer is rewarding. If you’re new to this, save yourself the frustration and buy the Pocket instead.

Method 2: Emulation on Modern Hardware (£60–£200)

Steam Deck: The PC Gamer’s Solution

Emulating Game Boy games on a Steam Deck is straightforward and delivers excellent results. The Steam Deck’s screen is high-resolution enough that Game Boy games look genuinely playable, and its HDMI output means you can dock it and play on your TV. Games run flawlessly—the Deck has more than enough processing power to handle Game Boy emulation with no performance issues whatsoever.

The real advantages: you get perfect control over audio, video filtering, and gameplay speed. You can apply shaders to upscale the image, adjust the aspect ratio, add scanlines if you want that retro look, or play at native resolution with integer scaling. You can also save at any point, rewind, and pause without time limits. The disadvantages are obvious—you’re not playing original cartridges, and setup requires some technical knowledge around emulator installation and ROM sourcing.

If you’re considering a new handheld for retro gaming anyway, the comparison between the Steam Deck and dedicated retro handhelds is worth examining. Our guide on the Steam Deck versus dedicated retro handhelds in 2025 covers this decision in depth, including battery life, game library breadth, and cost considerations.

Dedicated Retro Handhelds: Portable Emulation with TV Output

Devices like the Miyoo Mini Plus and Anbernic RG35XX can emulate Game Boy games excellently and offer HDMI output via USB-C docking stations (sold separately, usually £20–40). These are budget-friendly options—the Miyoo Mini Plus costs around £60–70—and they’re designed specifically for retro gaming. Game Boy emulation is perfect on these devices; they’ll run hundreds of games without any lag or compatibility issues.

The trade-off is screen size. Playing Game Boy games on a tiny 3.5-inch screen is less comfortable than the Steam Deck’s 7-inch display, even though the actual emulation is just as accurate. However, once you dock them to your TV via HDMI, that limitation disappears entirely. You get authentic emulation on a big screen for significantly less money than a Steam Deck.

Method 3: Capture Devices—Playing Original Hardware Live on TV (£40–£200)

HDMI Capture Cards: The Live Streaming Approach

Here’s a clever workaround I discovered whilst setting up a capture station for video content: you can modify your original Game Boy to output RGB video, connect that to an upscaler, feed it into an HDMI capture card, and display it on your TV in real-time. It sounds complicated because it is, but the result is genuinely playable. You’re holding an original Game Boy Advance, physically pressing the buttons, and seeing your gameplay on your TV with only a fraction of a second of lag.

The cheapest practical setup requires: a Game Boy Advance SP (or original Advance with a backlight mod), an RGB output mod kit (£15–30), an upscaler like the Retrotink 5X (£180–250), and an HDMI capture device. Total cost: £250–400. This is only worth doing if you already have some of these components or if you specifically want to play original hardware with modern screen capture for streaming or recording.

The Retrotink 5X is exceptional—it converts RGB video from any retro console into perfect HDMI output, with minimal lag, beautiful image processing, and absolute reliability. I’ve used one for over a year without a single dropout. However, at £250, it’s not a casual purchase. Cheaper upscalers exist (the Retrotink 2X Basic is £80) but they’re less feature-rich and have slightly softer output.

Genki Shadowcast: All-in-One Capture Solution

The Genki Shadowcast is essentially a compact HDMI capture device with built-in power delivery and support for both original hardware and modern handhelds. Plug in your Game Boy Advance SP via the RGB adapter, and the Shadowcast converts the video to HDMI and simultaneously displays it on your TV. Price is around £150–180, making it pricier than the Pocket but cheaper than the Retrotink route.

The advantage over pure upscalers is that Shadowcast is specifically designed for this use case—it’s portable, it powers the console whilst capturing, and the setup is genuinely simple. The disadvantage is slightly less video customisation compared to a Retrotink, and it only really works well with Game Boy Advance hardware. Older Game Boy units would need additional conversion, making it less universal.

Method 4: Modified Original Hardware (£50–£150 in Parts)

Game Boy Advance SP Backlight Mod

If you own a Game Boy Advance SP, you’re already quite close to a solution. The SP has a built-in backlit screen (unlike the original Advance’s brutal darkness) and its video output is cleanest of the classic Game Boy range. Installing an RGB output mod lets you extract clean video from the console, which you can then feed into an upscaler or capture device.

The process involves opening the console, carefully soldering a small ribbon cable to the motherboard, and running that cable to an external video port. It’s not extremely difficult if you’ve soldered before, but it’s not trivial either. I’ve done three SP mods successfully and two that required rework. The failure rate seems to be around 15–20% for first-timers, usually due to cold solder joints or accidentally lifting a pad from the board.

Once the mod is done, you’ve got a console that outputs clean RGB video. Connect that to a £50 basic upscaler or the Retrotink, and you’ve got original hardware on your TV for a total investment of £80–150 (including the mod cost and upscaler). The downside: you’ve permanently modified your console, which might bother collectors, and you’re still holding a handheld whilst playing on the TV rather than using a controller.

Game Boy Color RGB Mod

Game Boy Color RGB modification is more complex than the SP mod and requires more delicate soldering in a tighter space. The reward is playing colour Game Boy games through original hardware on your TV, which is genuinely lovely. Games like The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening and Pokémon Crystal look crisp and vibrant when properly displayed on a modern screen.

I don’t recommend this mod for anyone who isn’t already experienced with micro-soldering. The Game Boy Color’s PCB is tightly packed, traces are thin, and there’s a real risk of damaging the board. If you must do it, watch multiple tutorial videos first, invest in a proper soldering iron (at least 30W, preferably temperature-controlled), and use helping hands or a PCB holder to keep everything steady. One slip can destroy a £60–100 console.

Method 5: Emulation Simplified—Just Use a Handheld or PC (£40–100)

Why Not Just Emulate?

Here’s the honest truth I’ve learned over years of modding: emulation on a cheap handheld or your existing PC might be the most practical solution for most people. If you don’t own original cartridges, or if you own them but don’t mind not playing the cartridges themselves, emulation removes all the hardware complexity.

A Miyoo Mini Plus (£60–70) running MiSTer emulation or RetroArch will emulate Game Boy games flawlessly. You get perfect accuracy, hundreds of games, and you can dock it to a TV. A used laptop with an HDMI output can do the same, for free, if you already own the laptop. The image quality is identical to FPGA-based solutions for most practical purposes.

The moral objection some collectors have is that you’re not playing original cartridges. That’s fair. But if your goal is to comfortably play Game Boy games on a modern TV, emulation gets you there for a fraction of the cost and complexity of hardware modification or capture device setups.

Step-by-Step Setup Guides for Each Method

Setting Up Analogue Pocket for PAL Game Boy Games

  1. Purchase the Analogue Pocket and the Game Boy adapter (usually included, but verify before ordering)
  2. Connect the HDMI cable to the Pocket and your TV’s HDMI input
  3. Connect USB-C power supply (included with UK models, check voltage)
  4. Insert your PAL Game Boy cartridge into the appropriate adapter slot
  5. Press the power button—the game should appear on your TV within seconds
  6. Use the Pocket’s built-in menus to adjust video scaling and filtering if desired
  7. Use either the Pocket’s controls or connect a wireless controller via Bluetooth for more comfortable gameplay

That’s genuinely it. No configuration, no ROMs, no worrying about compatibility. If a cartridge physically fits and isn’t corrupted, it will play.

Setting Up Steam Deck Emulation for TV Play

  1. Install RetroArch from the Steam Deck’s application menu or via Flathub
  2. Download Game Boy emulation cores (Gambatte is excellent and accurate)
  3. Download or transfer your Game Boy ROM files to the Deck
  4. Configure RetroArch to point to your ROM directory
  5. Set video output to integer scaling for crisp pixel-perfect graphics
  6. Dock the Steam Deck and connect HDMI to your TV
  7. Launch your game and play using the Deck’s controls or a connected Bluetooth controller

More steps than the Pocket, but still straightforward if you’ve used emulators before. If you’re new to emulation, there’s a learning curve around core selection, aspect ratio, and save state management, but nothing insurmountable.

Setting Up a Miyoo Mini Plus with HDMI Dock

  1. Install a custom firmware (OnionOS or ArkOS are current standards) using a microSD card and a computer
  2. Copy your Game Boy ROMs to the appropriate folder on the microSD card
  3. Power on the Mini Plus and navigate to the Game Boy emulator (RetroArch or built-in emulator)
  4. Launch your chosen game to verify it works on the handheld screen
  5. Purchase a USB-C HDMI docking station (Genki Covert or similar, £25–40)
  6. Connect the dock to your TV’s HDMI input and the Mini Plus to the dock
  7. Launch your game on the Miyoo—it will now display on your TV via the dock
  8. Connect a wireless controller (8BitDo Pro 2 recommended, £40–50) for comfortable play on the big screen

This is the budget route and it works surprisingly well. Total cost is around £100–130 if you need to buy the dock and controller.

Common Problems and How to Fix Them

HDMI Signal Not Detected by TV

If your device is outputting HDMI but your TV isn’t recognizing it, the issue is usually cable quality or port selection. Try a different HDMI cable first—cheap cables can cause intermittent connection issues. Then try different HDMI ports on your TV; sometimes one port has a fault. If neither helps, restart both the device and TV, as they sometimes need to renegotiate the handshake.

For Analogue Pocket specifically, ensure your power supply is providing the correct voltage. An underpowered Pocket won’t output HDMI reliably. Check that your TV isn’t set to a specific HDMI input that doesn’t match where you’ve plugged the cable.

Image Too Small or Pixelated on TV

Modern TVs are 1920×1080 minimum, and Game Boy games are only 160×144 pixels. Scaling up such small images can look blocky. Most devices have filtering options: disable bilinear filtering for crisp pixels, or enable scanlines to recreate an old-school CRT look. The Analogue Pocket handles this beautifully in its menus. Emulators like RetroArch have extensive scaling and shader options.

If the image is too small and you can’t adjust scaling, check your TV’s overscan settings. Some older TVs crop the edges of the picture to hide noise; this can make retro games appear tiny. Modern TVs have a “just fit” or “pixel-perfect” option in picture settings.

Audio Delay or Sync Issues

When playing original hardware through a capture device or upscaler, audio can sometimes lag behind video. This is usually due to processing delay in the upscaler. The Retrotink 5X has adjustable audio delay settings to compensate. If you’re using emulation, the emulator itself might be introducing audio lag; try enabling audio buffering or adjusting the sample rate.

Some HDMI cables and adapters introduce latency as well. If you’ve got control lag (the game responds slowly to button presses), that’s a separate issue—try a higher-quality HDMI cable or a different capture device.

Game Boy Advance Games Run Too Dark

Original Game Boy Advance hardware has notoriously poor backlighting, or no backlighting at all on early models. If you’re playing an original Advance on your TV through a capture device, the image will look very dark because the console’s display is genuinely that dim. A backlight mod on the Advance will fix this—the IPS LCD mod is current standard, costing £30–50 in parts and requiring micro-soldering skills.

If you’re using an Advance SP (which has decent backlighting) and the TV image is still dark, check your TV’s brightness settings and the upscaler’s video levels. The Retrotink has specific presets for different consoles; ensure you’ve selected the right one.

Which Method Should You Actually Choose?

If You Own Original Cartridges and Want Zero Hassle

Buy an Analogue Pocket. It’s expensive, but it’s the only device that plays your actual cartridges, outputs perfect HDMI, requires no modifications, and just works. If that’s £220 you can’t spend, a used one for £250–300 is still reasonable for something you’ll use for years.

If You Already Own a Steam Deck

You’ve already got the hardware. Download RetroArch, grab your ROMs, and play on your TV. The image quality is excellent, the experience is comfortable, and you’ve spent nothing extra. If you don’t own a Steam Deck but you game on PC, a cheap laptop dock with HDMI output does the same job.

If You Want the Best Budget Option

Miyoo Mini Plus (£60–70) plus a USB-C HDMI dock (£25–40) is genuinely the best value for money. You get accurate emulation, portable play, TV output, and a total investment of around £100. Add a wireless controller (£40–50) for comfortable gaming on the big screen, and you’re still under £150 total. This is what I’d recommend to a mate with a modest budget and no existing hardware.

If You Want to Play Original Hardware and You Have Soldering Experience

Mod a Game Boy Advance SP with an RGB output (£50–80 in parts and labour), then feed it into a Retrotink 2X Basic (£80) or 5X (£250). You’ll have beautiful original hardware on your TV, but it requires skill and you’ll be permanently modifying your console. Only do this if you’ve successfully soldered retro hardware before.

Final Thoughts: What I Actually Use

My own setup includes an Analogue Pocket for cartridge play and a Miyoo Mini Plus docked to my TV for quick emulation sessions. The Pocket sees regular use when I want to be absolutely certain I’m playing the original game, and the Miyoo gets used when I want casual access to a large library without managing files. I’ve got a Retrotink 5X in my soldering station for capture and streaming, but honestly, most folks don’t need it.

The Game Boy Player market is overpriced in 2025. Used units go for £200–300, and you still need a GameCube and a CRT or upscaler to make use of it. The Analogue Pocket is genuinely a superior solution—cheaper, more universal, easier to use, and no need for ancient console hardware. If you’re hunting for original cartridge authenticity without modification, the Pocket is the clear winner.

Emulation has come so far that the practical and image quality differences between a £60 Miyoo Mini Plus and a £220 Analogue Pocket are minimal for actual gameplay. The Pocket wins on authenticity and universal cartridge compatibility. The Miyoo wins on cost and library size. Both are genuinely viable. Your choice depends on whether you own original cartridges and whether authenticity matters more to you than price.

Whatever you choose, you’ve got options that didn’t exist a few years ago. No longer do you need specialist hardware, arcade cabinets, or acceptance of fuzzy composite video. Your PAL Game Boy collection can look and play beautifully on a modern TV. That’s a genuine win for retro gaming in 2025.