Using the Game Boy to Teach Digital Systems and Computer Architecture
Keywords:
digital systems, computer architecture, assembly programming, retro gamingAbstract
This article presents the use of the Nintendo Game Boy, originally released in 1989, as a pedagogical tool for teaching computer systems and architecture in an undergraduate course given in the 2020s. The Game Boy is a well-documented platform, and proves useful for teaching fundamental concepts such as CPU architecture and assembly programming. Unlike many programming platforms described in classic computer architecture textbooks, the Game Boy has built-in support for graphics rendering, which allows for producing interactive software written in assembly in a reasonable amount of time. The course design includes a programming project in which students develop turn-based puzzles and simple real-time games. Using the vibrant modern Game Boy ecosystem, the course aims to provide students with a practical understanding of digital systems and computer architecture.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Guillaume Hoffmann
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