Retro gaming machines continue to shrink. A little while back we brought word of a handheld console inside an Altoids mints box. Now some bright spark has built a GameBoy-like console comparable to a Tic Tac box.
The PocketSprite, which has just been successfully crowdfunded at Crowd Supply, is capable of playing GameBoy, Master System and Game Gear titles thanks to the fully-featured emulators.
It has a 240MHz dual-core processor and 520KB of RAM, which is more than enough to handle those 8-bit classics and still fit on your keychain.
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There’s an OLED screen, built-in speakers, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and an internal battery you can recharge, saving you a fortune on AA batteries.
It looks a little fiddly, but fun nonetheless, unless you’re Andre The Giant.
There’s 128MB of internal storage, which doesn’t sound a lot in today’s terms, but it’ll get you an awful lot of late 80s/early 90s games. For example, Ghostbuster for the Sega Master System is 138KB.
Wi-Fi also makes one-click uploading a doddle, while the Instant Resume feature lets you pick up where you left off without any fancy RetroPie-like hotkey shortcuts.
Both the hardware and software is in the open source if you feel like building your own version too.
All of the assembled ‘early bird’ editions have been sold for $45, but you can still grab one in kit form and enjoy piecing it together yourself. Otherwise, it’ll cost you $55. Orders placed now are expected to ship in May.
The funding campaign has already surpassed its modest $20,000 goal (currently at over $27,000) with 41 days left.
Do you think this is large enough to play comfortably? Drop us a line @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
