Remember the Game Boy Camera? That little gray box that clicked onto your Nintendo handheld back in 1998? It might seem ancient now, but it was a big deal then. For the first time, a game device let you snap pictures. These photos were tiny, only 256 by 224 pixels, and came in just four shades of gray. Think stark black and white, light gray, and dark gray. It was simple, yet totally cool for its time.
Now, imagine taking those same retro, pixelated photos with your modern iPhone. A new app called Delta Camera does exactly that. It brings that classic 8-bit look from the Game Boy Camera straight to your phone. It’s a fun way to revisit a piece of tech history, but with all the perks of today’s devices.
The brain behind Delta Camera is Riley Testut. He’s already famous for creating Delta Emulator. That’s the app that lets you play classic games from systems like the original Nintendo, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS right on your iPhone or iPad. So, it makes sense that he’d tackle another piece of gaming nostalgia.
Delta Camera isn’t just a simple filter, though. While it perfectly captures the low-resolution feel of the Game Boy Camera, it also adds modern twists. You can adjust things like brightness and contrast. There are controls for aperture and zoom, too. Plus, it even supports newer features on the latest phones, like the Camera Control button on iPhone 16 models. You can snap panorama shots with a retro flair.
And if you want to bring those digital pixels into the real world, Delta Camera has you covered. It works with Zink printers, which use a thermal printing style similar to the old Game Boy Printer. But here’s where it gets better: you can easily save your photos or share them directly to social media. No need for a clunky cable or a separate device.
Right now, Delta Camera is in a closed testing phase. Only a few people can try it out. But the word is, it should become available to everyone later this year. If you’re eager to get that instant hit of 90s nostalgia and try it sooner, you might be able to sign up through Riley Testut’s Patreon page.