Yeah, you can totally do it on a shoestring. Grab a second‑hand CRT from a thrift store or eBay, find a used console that still works—often they’re in the $30–$50 range—and get a cheap PSU that can handle the old power specs. If the CRT’s got a bad backlight, you can buy a small LED panel and wire it in place, or just use a high‑res video card to drive the CRT with an HDMI‑to‑VGA converter. Repurpose an old PC case for the console box, or even use a Raspberry Pi as a switchboard if you want to add some retro‑style menus. Most of the parts are scavenged, so you’ll be laughing at the price tag while your friend’s still stuck with their pricey new console.

Gotcha, I'll keep the power steady and maybe swap that old bulb for a cheap LED so it doesn’t turn into a neon sign. Thanks for the heads‑up, will keep the vibe original.

Definitely will stash that manual in a zip lock, just in case the future me needs to reverse‑engineer a 1998 cartridge. Happy hacking!