Leave the paint to harden for a few days before putting your Game Boy back together. I used Plasti Kote spray paint in this case (Baby Blue) and used a clear sealer spray over the top. Don't forget to spray from the back too otherwise you'll still have the original colour visible where the front and back shell join. Keep the area well ventilated and build up in thin layers at a time, giving plenty of time to dry in between.

I've not done that many paint jobs but patience is always the key to success. If you're going to paint then now is the time. It's worth a quick check and adjustment if needed at this stage to make sure your sockets fit in place before doing any soldering. There are other locations you can place these sockets, but these are the ones I prefer to use. I prefer to put the RCA sockets at the top of the front shell, between the screw posts (don't put them too close together you need the plugs to connect without getting in the way of one another). The 3.5mm socket needs a hole in the lower right of the front shell. I use a 6mm drill bit with my trusty cordless drill and have a jig I built to aid accuracy and speed up the process of getting these holes in the correct place. Using a dremel type tool to create a small hole and gradually widen it to the right size in the right place is the best bet when starting out. For this project I installed a 3.5mm socket for a sound signal that can be controlled via the volume dial and a pair of RCA sockets for a direct line-out. This kind of mod is one of the most popular for the Game Boy and provides additional audio connections giving a cleaner, louder line-out compared to the standard headphone socket. This is the best stage for drilling any holes for switches or Prosound mods.

What follows is how I go about a typical project but it is not intended to be a definitive guide. I am no expert and am still learning as I go with the help of the online community. I took photos throughout the process and have done my best to put into words how I went about reviving a tired old handheld into something unique. So I figured it's high time I talked through one of my projects, in this case the Baby Boy Blue created recently for Nintendo Life. They may want to know how I fitted something, what parts I used, where I got them from and how difficult it was. People might want to know what it is I have done to the Game Boy, how it differs from the original, what that switch does or what that socket's for. Over the last couple of years, since getting hooked on the Game Boy modification scene and sharing my creations on Instagram, I have been asked a lot of questions. In this unique one-off feature, esteemed Game Boy modder Joe Heaton - also known as Joeteach - takes us through an entire Game Boy custom job.

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