Details

No portable build is perfect, and so I like to be up front with the flaws of handmade devices like these.  None of these issues are serious in my opinion, but I want you to be aware of them before committing.

1. The triggers are not full analog triggers like a normal GCC due to the space constraints.  Instead, a two tact system is used to come as close as we can.  The first tact is activated at a light press, which acts as the analog portion of the trigger.  This allows for things like running and spraying water in Super Mario Sunshine or light shielding in Melee.  The second tact activates when you push a bit harder, and acts as the digital press.  This results in like a full shield in Melee or standing still and shooting water in Super Mario Sunshine.  Ultimately, this affects very few games at all.

2. The build does get pretty warm.  I install the best cooling system I can, but expect the unit to get pretty toasty.

3. I guarantee at least 4 hours of battery life in GameCube games.  You will likely get 5 hours or more out of it based on my tests thus far though.

4. There’s no rumble.  Rumble motors use up a fair bit of power, and I personally don’t like it enough to justify using it in my builds.

5. Not all Wii games will be playable with the built in GameCube controller.  I include a hack with the build that allows you to emulate a Wii remote with the built in controller, but this doesn't work well for games that require tilting or precise motion.  That being said, I've had very good results with games like Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, Super Paper Mario, the LEGO games, NSMB Wii, Xenoblade, and several others.  If you think you'll want to play lots of motion intensive games, then I can make it so that you can use external Wii remotes with the portable, though you will need a wireless sensor bar to play most games.  I personally don't really recommend this, as this method is ultra clunky and not fun to use.  I can help you set up another Wii with the software that the portable uses though, so if you'd like to continue your saves/play games on the big screen you can do so by putting the micro-SD from the portable into your Wii.  If you would like the ability to sync external Wii remotes, I charge an additional $25 for that.

6. The case will have some lines and flaws from 3D printing.  These are unfortunately inevitable, but I will do my best to get as clean a print as possible.

7. For legal reasons, I will not include any ROMs (games) on the micro-SD card.   I will help direct you through the process of putting games on it when you receive it.

What You Get For Your Money

The price for this build starts at $1800 USD due to the expensive costs of the parts used and the sheer number of man hours it takes to build one from start to finish.  This price is also my “I do not want to build these right now” price so in the future when I feel up to doing these more often the price will be lower. For this price, you will get:

• All the features listed above

• The case 3D printed in any combination of colors you’d like

• Custom molded buttons in whatever color you like.  Sticks must be black, white, red, blue, or GameCube themed, but buttons can be anything you’d like.

• A 128gb micro-SD card for loading games and software from.  I can include a larger card if you think you will want more storage.  (For reference, I’ve got about 40 GC games and 30 Wii games on one of these).  You can also buy a larger card on your own if you want to upgrade later on.

• A protective foam carrying case.

• The charger

For an additional $150-200 (depending on the process used) I will get the case 3D printed professionally.  This means you will have fewer color options, but a more even texture on the case.

Repairs

Repairs will be done on a case-by-case basis.  If  you have any issues with your build whatsoever, let me know and I will do what I can to help.  If a repair is needed, you will likely need to at least cover the cost of shipping.  If the issue is due to something I did poorly on my end, I won’t charge you for time or materials, but if you did something you shouldn’t have then you will be expected to pay for repair.  For example, if you drop the portable 5 feet onto concrete and it breaks, that’s on you and you’ll be paying.  If a speaker wire pops loose shortly after you receive the portable, that’s on me and I will fix that out of pocket.  Providing an exact warranty is something I can’t really define, but I’m not too worried about it failing quickly.  The portables I’ve built for my personal use have been running great for over a year, but I also do a good job of taking care of them.  Some portables are still working even 10 years after they were closed up, and I’m hopeful that mine can live up to that legacy. 

Turnaround Time

Turnaround time is going to vary a lot depending on my schedule.  I am a full-time student so my free time to work on this is generally pretty low.  That being said, I love building portables, so motivation should generally be pretty good for working on your commission.  Generally you should expect turnaround time to be between 1 and 2 months, as I am a full time engineering student and I do need to put school first.  I will be sure to update you on my progress as I go.  During the summer, I do work on portables full time, so turnaround times may be quicker.  Parts from China can take several weeks to arrive though, so don’t be surprised if it’s still close to a month.

General Rules of the Road

There are a few additional rules I have when buying a portable that I would like you to be aware of before making any commitments.

• Do NOT for any reason whatsoever open the portable up after I have shipped.  If you would like to see what it looks like on the inside I will send you pictures.  If something breaks and you need a repair I will take care of that for you.  If I receive the portable back for repair and find that it has been tampered with then the price of fixing it will increase drastically.

• Any time you are traveling with the portable, you must use the carrying case.  My builds are sturdy and I have yet to have any issues, but this device isn’t the sort of thing you can drop into the bottom of your backpack or shove in your pocket without any additional layer of protection.

• Be careful about letting small children or people with little respect for others property use this.  Regardless of whether you or your toddler breaks it, the price for repairs is the same.

• Do not perform any major software changes to the portable after shipping.  If something messes with the main program the Wii uses, then it is very possible for your portable to go dead in the water and require a whole new Wii.  If it’s a simple homebrew program that doesn’t modify any CIOSes then it is fine to use.  If you are uncertain of whether a program or modification is safe to use, feel free to ask me first!  If you aren’t familiar with Wii homebrew or don’t have any interest don’t worry about this, I make sure all the software you're likely to want are included with the portable to make it easy on you.

Countries I Ship To

If you live in North America, then I will have no issues shipping to you.  Europe, Japan, and Australia should be fine as well, you will need to cover shipping and any customs fees in addition to the cost of the portable.  I’m hesitant to ship to some areas in South America and Africa as there have been horror stories in the past of the mail service intercepting portables and creating a really bad situation for everyone.  If the mail service in your country is dishonest, then if you decide to commission a project that risk falls 100% onto you. I will not issue refunds if your portable is stolen in the mail.  I will ship all packages with tracking, and double check with you before shipping to be certain the address is correct.

Payment

All payments will be made through PayPal.  I ask for around half of the money up front to cover the cost of parts.  The remainder of the money will be requested upon completion of the build before I ship.  If you have to cancel the commission after I have begun purchasing parts and working on the build, then that money is forfeited and will not be refunded.  If I have to cancel the build part way through for any reason (would only be in the case of some sort of emergency) I will refund any money you sent in full.