Last summer we reviewed the SmartBoy accessory from Hyperkin. Essentially, it was a sleeve designed for the Galaxy S8 that took old Game Boy cartridges and pushed the action to your phone’s screen.
Now the company is looking to go one better with the Ultra GB an aluminium-built clone of the Nintendo Game Boy Pocket handheld.
It features a backlit display and classic controls, as well as all support for all of those old cartridges you’ve been hoarding since the late 80s.
Related: Upcoming Nintendo Switch games 2018
The prototype isn’t the finished article yet. The final model will include an RGB wheel that’ll enable users to cycle through the various colour option from the Game Boy canon (via GameSpot).
It’ll also have USB-C charging, stereo audio and an audio amp. There’ll also be an audio out for anyone wishing to harness those soundtracks to create their own music.
The company plans to sell the device for less than $100. No news on release date yet, but Hyperkin is bringing a production unit to E3 2018 next May.
The device might be a great option for old school Nintendo fans who’ve original Game Boy models have succumbed to overuse.
However, given rumours Nintendo might be planning its own official retro re-release same fans may want to hang fire.
Boy, oh boy…
As for the SmartBoy, it received a 7/10 score from TrustedReviews back in August.
We praised the device for its physical controls as well as its battery-free operation. It fell short for supporting a limited number of phones and the fiddly method for booting games.
Reviewer Damian McFadden wrote: “If you’re a fan of retro gaming then the SmartBoy is a must – especially now that modern screen technology makes the whole experience so much better.”
Will you be grabbing an Ultra GB when it arrives later this year? 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.
