Surprise: The BrickBoy kit for the Lego Game Boy uses floating magnets instead of switches | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessCreatorsMobilePolicySecurityTransportationReviewsExpandLaptopsPhonesHeadphonesTabletsSmart HomeSmartwatchesSpeakersDronesScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthEntertainmentExpandGamesTV ShowsMoviesAudioAIVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee All ShoppingCarsExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersOther TransportationFeaturesVideosExpandYouTubeTikTokInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersExpandThe Verge DailyInstallerVerge DealsNotepadOptimizerRegulatorThe StepbackArchivesStoreSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Surprise: The BrickBoy kit for the Lego Game Boy uses floating magnets instead of switchesComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...GadgetsCloseGadgetsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GadgetsGamingCloseGamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GamingNintendoCloseNintendoPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NintendoSurprise: The BrickBoy kit for the Lego Game Boy uses floating magnets instead of switchesIt’s a neat idea, but they should have told backers.It’s a neat idea, but they should have told backers.by Sean HollisterCloseSean HollisterSenior EditorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Sean HollisterNov 28, 2025, 11:53 PM UTCLinkShareA prototype BrickBoy, in my hands. Photo by Sean Hollister / The VergeSean HollisterCloseSean HollisterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Sean Hollister is a senior editor and founding member of The Verge who covers gadgets, games, and toys. He spent 15 years editing the likes of CNET, Gizmodo, and Engadget.If you’re one of the nearly 3,500 Kickstarter backers paying to give your Lego Game Boy an actual screen and buttons, I have a question: did you expect those buttons to have physical switches underneath?Because the BrickBoy — not to be confused with Natalie the Nerd’s Build A Boy — is not currently going with physical clicks. Instead, it glues rare earth magnets inside Lego bricks, for what will hopefully be a magical experience.This came as a surprise to me, because the BrickBoy Kickstarter, ending in three days, barely mentions magnets at all. Every one of the startup’s promo images shows domed switches underneath the buttons, and startup Substance Labs never really explained how the buttons worked until just yesterday — an hour into an AMA video that only has 248 views at the time I type these words.Those domed switches aren’t really a thing. Image: BrickBoyWhen I ask my colleague Andrew Liszewski, who’s covered the company twice, it’s a surprise to him too. He says he assumed they’d be rubber domes.To be fair, the magnets are a clever idea! Instead of having to hollow out much of the Lego Game Boy to fit a PCB, you only need to remove a few extra bricks here and there to fit a second magnetometer between the D-pad and face buttons. It’s easy to pop out the Start and Select keys (which are rubber tires) to fit a magnet inside; same with the A and B button posts. Here’s a glimpse at where those parts go:The magnets and the extra magnetometer (center grey 3D printed brick) that BrickBoy didn’t mention. Photo by Sean Hollister / The VergeWhen I press the A button, Mario jumps! When I press right on the D-pad, he runs. Some magnetic presses are being wirelessly detected. But I’m writing this story because — so far, with an early prototype — it doesn’t work very well. Like, I keep dying on the very first Goomba in Super Mario Bros, because I can’t stop running, or start jumping, reliably at all. Wireless multi-magnet sensing seems pretty ambitious from where I’m sitting right now!It’s probably too early to judge that prototype. But it’s not too early to raise some eyebrows. As another example, the published a video to YouTube that claims you can build a “playable Lego Game Boy in 5 minutes” but omitted the extra minutes it takes to wire up that extra magnetometer, remove extra Lego bricks to stuff it inside, and calibrate each and every magnet.Whether you’re angry about any of this probably depends on what you believe crowdfunding should be about. Are you funding an exact product that you want to exist, or are you funding a team to figure it out? Thomas Bertani tells me his team is figuring it out, building the most magical experience they can, and they’re ready to fall back to wired buttons if the magnets don’t work.“I don’t think people care about it being magnets or wired buttons,” he tells me. “They do care about it working well and about the Lego experience being enjoyable,” he says, adding that the magnetometers actually make the product more expensive to produce.Bertani says an early 800-backer survey suggested his customers care more about the building experience than the playing experience, that it “was clear they were Lego fans more than Game Boy fans,” and that many people were simply planning to put it on display.I can imagine being one of those people: I would enjoy handing the Lego Game Boy to my friends, challenging them to figure out how it works, and then reveal the cleverly hidden magnets inside. If Substance Labs figures out how to make the magnets truly playable, it’d be the cherry on top for my investment.But I believe I deserve to know what I’m betting on before I put money down, not after seeing lots of images suggesting I’ll be getting a physical button and assuming the device is built for play.Bertani tells me he’ll update all his backers this weekend, before the campaign ends, to be more transparent about how the device works. He says the intention was always to be transparent.Coincidentally, Natalie the Nerd just posted a new update on her Build a Boy project today, including a photo of the actual switches she’ll be using for the buttons. That Lego Game Boy may not be exceptionally playable either, mind. She writes: “It’s important for me to reinstate that at the end of the day it is Lego. I wouldn’t suggest this being an everyday carry item.”Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Sean HollisterCloseSean HollisterSenior EditorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Sean HollisterGadgetsCloseGadgetsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GadgetsGamingCloseGamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GamingNintendoCloseNintendoPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NintendoToysCloseToysPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ToysMost PopularMost PopularThe 170 best Black Friday deals we’ve found so far — a ton of tech is over half offThe VPN panic is only getting startedWyze’s new security camera watches your yard from inside your homeYou can play classic Nintendo games on these custom SNES-inspired Nike sneakersWhy can’t ChatGPT tell time?The Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Advertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native adMore in GadgetsThe Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are still at their all-time low for Black FridayBlack Friday deals that are most popular with Verge readersYou can get a four-pack of AirTags for just over $60, the lowest price everTwelve South’s magnetic PowerBug charger is 20 percent off for Black FridayI’m a laptop reviewer, and these are the Black Friday deals I’d shop—many are over $400 offDisney Plus, Hulu, and HBO Max are all over 60 percent off for Black FridayThe Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are still at their all-time low for Black FridaySheena VasaniAn hour agoBlack Friday deals that are most popular with Verge readersBarbara KrasnoffNov 28You can get a four-pack of AirTags for just over $60, the lowest price everBrandon RussellNov 28Twelve South’s magnetic PowerBug charger is 20 percent off for Black FridaySheena VasaniNov 28I’m a laptop reviewer, and these are the Black Friday deals I’d shop—many are over $400 offAntonio G. Di BenedettoNov 28Disney Plus, Hulu, and HBO Max are all over 60 percent off for Black FridayBrandon RussellNov 28Advertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native adTop StoriesTwo hours agoThe 180 best Black Friday deals you can still shop — a ton of tech is over half offNov 28The dark side of optimizing your metabolismNov 28Rivian’s software-powered e-bike won me over with its adaptabilityAn hour agoThe best Black Friday deals you can still get on iPads, AirPods, and other Apple gearNov 28The US dodged a bullet this Atlantic hurricane seasonNov 27Why can’t ChatGPT tell time?The VergeThe Verge logo.FacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSContactTip UsCommunity GuidelinesArchivesAboutEthics StatementHow We Rate and Review ProductsCookie SettingsTerms of UsePrivacy NoticeCookie PolicyLicensing FAQAccessibilityPlatform Status© 2025 Vox Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved

The BrickBoy kit, a Kickstarter project aiming to recreate the Game Boy using LEGO bricks, has revealed a surprising design choice: it’s employing floating magnets instead of traditional switches. This development, as detailed by Sean Hollister of The Verge, emerged as a significant surprise for backers, particularly given the promotional materials showcased domed switches. The project, spearheaded by Substance Labs, is attempting to build a playable LEGO Game Boy, and while the concept is intriguing, its current implementation has encountered difficulties.

The core of the issue lies in the unconventional button design. Rather than relying on the tactile feedback of physical switches, the BrickBoy utilizes rare earth magnets strategically placed within LEGO bricks. These magnets are intended to detect presses and translate them into commands within the Game Boy’s software. However, the prototype, as experienced by Hollister, is demonstrably unreliable. The user reports consistent problems with the controls, including failing to reliably jump or move, suggesting a fundamental issue with the magnetic sensing technology.

This revelation raises questions about transparency and communication with backers. Hollister notes that Substance Labs’ initial explanations regarding the button mechanism were scarce, only appearing after an hour into a lengthy, sparsely attended AMA video. The group’s intention is to build the most magical experience possible, and they’re willing to fall back to wired buttons if the magnets don’t work. The project’s founder, Thomas Bertani, highlights that backers’ primary interest lies in the building experience and the LEGO aspect, with many simply intending to display the finished product. An early survey indicated that the building experience was more important than the immediate playing experience.

However, this shift in approach has presented logistical challenges. The implementation of the magnetic system necessitates the removal of several LEGO bricks to accommodate the magnets and the associated magnetometer. This adds to the construction time and contributes to the overall complexity of the build. Bertani also points out that using magnets significantly increases the production cost of the kit.

Interestingly, this project’s development is being contrasted with another initiative, Natalie the Nerd’s Build A Boy project, which employs traditional rubber-dome switches. Hollister’s report emphasizes the importance of clearly communicating the product’s functionality to backers, and it’s reasonable to expect increased clarity from Substance Labs going forward. The project is currently in a state of development, necessitating further refinement of the magnetic sensing technology and a more robust user experience. Ultimately, the success of the BrickBoy hinges on the team’s ability to overcome these initial challenges and deliver a truly playable LEGO Game Boy.