A stalwart young adventurer by the name of “dark sponge” has figured out how to rig up a home-cooked solar array that’s just the right size and shape for the Nintendo DS, resulting in what is perhaps the first solar-modded version of the dual-screen handheld to hit the streets.

The modification utilizes panels on both the top and the bottom of the DS unit which are wired in parallel to produce six volts of power at 80 mA – just the right stuff for a trickle charge. The solar panels are 60mm x 60mm each and are affixed with scotch tape. Go ahead, folks, if you’ve got the guts; chances are you’ll be the first nerd on the block to play thirty-six straight hours of Mario Kart DS without an outlet in sight.