A creator has made a tiny Nintendo Switch that can be hung from your Christmas tree, and it even has a functioning LCD screen.
Angels? Baubles? They’re just so passe. If you’re a gaming fan, why not decoeate your tree with a faithful Nintendo Switch replica that even has a working LCD screen? Just take a look at this wonderfully inventive creation from YouTuber scottbez21:
The tiny model which is hardly much larger than a thumbnail consists of little more than a printed circuit board, SD card slot, a 1.14-inch LCD panel, and the 3D-printed Switch body. Elements were sketched in the Fusion 360 program, before being sent off for printing; the details even include clickable joysticks and a hand-painted exterior.
Electronics were drawn up using KiCad, and space was at such a premium that some resistors were housed in the SD card slot itself, and the miniscule size of the PCB meant that solder paste (heated via a hotplate) was used to connect components rather than the hand-soldered method.
A wire leads to a power source and also acts the string to hang the ornament from the tree, where a Micro-USB to 3.3V adaptor is hidden among the branches.
Once up and running, animated GIFs pre-loaded onto the SD card can play on the LCD screen, showing scenes from Zelda, Mario, or Animal Crossing as you
Animated Gifs loaded onto the SD card can then play on the screen, showing scenes from Zelda or Mario, Animal Crossing to give an unmistakable twist of Nintendo to your festivities.
Related: Vote for the best console here
However if you’re hoping for a console under the tree this Christmas, you might be well-advised to temper your expectations; due to an industry-wide chip shortage, it’s been depressingly difficult to buy a PS5 or Xbox Series X — ever for Father Christmas.
