The JollyBoard.RP328 Is Prototyping Perfected
The JollyBoard.RP328 is a more sophisticated take on the classic all-in-one electronics kit, packing a full prototyping lab into one board.
If you remember the time when Radio Shack stores were in every town and they actually sold interesting products like electronic components and personal computers, then you probably recall the all-in-one kits like the 130-in-1 Electronics Playground. These kits combined a number of components, like switches, transistors, resistors, and LEDs, on cardboard backing, with spring posts to make connections between them with wires. You could build everything from a blinking LED to a radio transmitter if you wired it up right.
A new prototyping platform called JollyBoard.RP328 is attempting to bring back this experience — only in a more sophisticated way. It is essentially a large PCB with just about every type of breakout board commonly used by hobbyists mounted on it. These components can be rapidly wired together as desired using the onboard pin header blocks.
The JollyBoard.RP328 is designed to eliminate one of the most time-consuming aspects of electronics prototyping: wiring together dozens of separate modules. Instead of juggling individual breakout boards for sensors, displays, relays, and motor drivers, everything is pre-integrated and ready to connect directly to a microcontroller.
The board includes a wide range of built-in inputs and outputs. Users get multiple buttons, switches, a touch input, a keypad, and a rotary encoder with push functionality. Visual and feedback components are equally well represented, with integrated LCDs, LEDs, a buzzer, and a vibration motor. For actuation, the board features three relays, drivers for DC and stepper motors, and connectors for servo motors, allowing it to handle everything from simple indicators to more complex electromechanical systems.
As far as sensors are concerned, the JollyBoard.RP328 includes temperature and humidity sensing, light detection, magnetic sensing, and current measurement, along with infrared transmit and receive capabilities. This makes it suitable for a wide variety of projects, from environmental monitoring to home automation and robotics.
Multiple I²C headers — including a Qwiic-compatible connector — make it easy to attach displays and external peripherals, while a dedicated SPI interface supports higher-speed devices like TFT displays. There is also a programmable I²C header that allows users to remap pins via jumpers, reducing compatibility headaches.
The board can be powered via USB-C, an external supply, or a power bank, with onboard regulators providing stable 3.3V, 5V, and 12V outputs for external devices. This allows it to drive higher-power components like relays and motors without additional circuitry.
A built-in interface for an Arduino Pro Mini, combined with an onboard USB-to-UART converter, turns the board into a self-contained development system. Users can program their microcontroller directly through the board and immediately begin testing without extra adapters.
The JollyBoard.RP328 is available via a Kickstarter campaign, with rewards ranging from $114 to $305, depending on how many components you want. Shipping is expected to begin in May 2026.