I like the idea of Game Boy carts (Game Pak is Nintendo’s old name for a cartridge) on display looking like they’re standing up by themselves. Partly that was for photos, but mostly I just like the idea of them floating. I wanted a way to display these that didn’t involve an ugly base. The stands out there tend to have a big base and a big lip, so you end up looking at the stand. This one is a sliver of plastic that props a cart at 15 degrees and mostly disappears behind it.
A few of my own custom cartridges are sitting on these right now.
Two versions
One STL each (that’s the file you load into your printer’s software): one for Game Boy and Game Boy Color carts, one for Game Boy Advance. The cart sits in a shallow channel and leans back. The foot has a hole through the center so you can screw it to a shelf if it’s going somewhere it might get bumped, but it stands on its own fine.
If I’m going to be real honest, the GBA version was more of an afterthought, and probably isn’t as good as the original.
Print a row of them
- 0.2 mm layers, 2 walls, 15% infill
- About 13 minutes and 2 g per stand. The profile prints two at once, one of each
- No supports, no raft, so there’s nothing extra to peel or clean off afterward
I’ve not printed these in any material other than PLA. PLA is probably the best material for them just because it’s the easiest, and I don’t think folks are going to be storing these somewhere with significant temperature or humidity differences or direct sunlight, the things that would wear PLA out quickly. Theoretically you could print it in whatever you like.
Somebody reviewed it with “Strength Issue: It broke immediately after printing.” From the photo of his print, it didn’t look great, and it didn’t look like he was working with dry filament. Wet filament gets brittle, and this is a pretty thin print, so it’s going to be more likely to break.
The remix thing
On MakerWorld, a remix is a version of somebody else’s model, posted with credit back to the original. In 2025 another designer uploaded a near copy of this one with minor edits, claiming it as their own, no credit and not marked as a remix, which violates both the license and MakerWorld’s policies. I asked for it to come down and he did it: “Removed as requested.”
Then I told him this:
I appreciate the boosts. For what it’s worth, I think your model did improve on the strength of mine, although it does make it a bit easier to see I think. I do think you should relist yours, as a remix, and I’ll be happy to boost and rate it.
He said mine fit a little tight on his printer and his was built solid. He’d also printed his in low density clear PETG or PLA, to hide them somewhat on clear carts, which is a better idea than anything I’d thought of for clear cases.
He said he’d look at remixing it later that evening. That was seventeen months ago. There’s no remix on the listing.