A very clever individual has proven that the Game Boy Color, a 27 year-old, 8-bit portable system, is capable of running a real-time, interactive 3D shader.
Danny Spencer is a developer that has “made a Game Boy Color game that renders images in real time.” He shared a demo that renders a 3D teapot, which the player can rotate and manipulate its shading by adjusting the light source. (Thanks, PC Guide!)
You can play the demo within your internet browser by visiting Danny’s blog. The page also includes a full, hyper-technical rundown of how it works, for those of you with complex programming know-how. He has also made the Game Boy Color ROM and the full source code available to download on Github.
A lot of optimization and complicated equations were used to bypass the Game Boy Color’s limits – and while the endless math statements are beyond my comprehension, I do know that getting 3D graphics on a ‘90s handheld is an incredible achievement.
Check out more Game Boy related content
February 2026 Switch Online update releases Game Boy games Balloon Fight and Yoshi
Resident Evil’s canceled Game Boy Color port has leaked online in a near-final state
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