Something to look forward to: In case you haven't noticed, retro gaming is all the rage with the kids these days. So much so that just about every console manufacturer including Sony, Nintendo, Sega, and Atari, have revived their old platforms and software for a new market of gamer.
Nintendo has released mini consoles of its NES and Super NES but has yet to reveal if it is working on any others like the original Game Boy or Nintendo 64. Retro gamers would surely be interested in a re-release of either of these two classic systems. Fortunately, the former might be getting the reboot treatment soon --- just not from Nintendo.
Gaming-console maker Analogue announced its newest machine on Wednesday. The project is called the Analogue Pocket. It will be able to play any Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance title. In a move to "1-up" Nintendo, the company is throwing in support for Sega's Game Gear, the Neo Geo Pocket Color, and Atari's Lynx handhelds. However, those will only be playable with add-on adapters.
The unit is about the size of the original Game Boy, but with a beautiful matte-black (or white) finish. It also has four action buttons instead of the GB's two. In addition to that, it has two shoulder triggers tucked behind the screen on either side of the cartridge slot. The buttons will be programmable so players can set up the control scheme for any game to suit their mood or preference.
The Analogue Pocket also sports stereo speakers, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and USB-C to charge the battery.
The 1,600 x 1,440 display is a 3.5-inch LTPS LCD capable of 615 pixels per inch. For comparison, that is 10 times the resolution of the Game Boy. The company said that at that resolution, Game Boy, GB Color, and Game Gear titles should be "pixel-perfect" in full-screen. However, because of the odd resolutions of the Lynx, GBA, and Neo Geo, players will have to live with letterbox-style renders. The good news is, Analogue Pocket will have configurable display options to tweak it to whatever the player prefers.
The handheld will also have an optional dock that will allow output to an external display à la Nintendo Switch. Analogue says there will be "no loss in quality" when outputting to an HDMI TV.
Speaking of connectivity, the Pocket will also have two USB ports for external wired controllers and Bluetooth for wireless fun.
The company looks to launch the Pocket and the optional dock sometime in 2020. The game machine will sell for $199, but it did not yet have a price point for the dock.
Analogue refreshes of the NES, SNES, and Genesis have all been very well received. With the current retro phase still in full bloom, this release should also have fans raving.