If you're not yet familiar with Analogue, allow us the honour of introducing you. In its own words, Analogue "makes products to celebrate and explore the history of video games with the respect it deserves".
Riding the retro nostalgia wave currently front and centre of the games industry, Analogue produces dedicated consoles based on some of the most popular hardware releases of yesteryear. Its first major hit was the Analogue Nt, a reproduction of the NES which actually pre-dated the NES Classic. The official Nintendo offering pales in comparison to the Nt, which supports over 2,000 games compared to the Classic's built-in 30.
Following on from recreations of the Super Nintendo and Sega Mega Drive consoles, Analogue has now unleashed the Analogue Pocket. Based on the design of Nintendo's Game Boy family, it comes pre-loaded with all 2,780+ Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance games. With cartridge adapters, it can also support games released for Sega Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket (and the Color version) and Atari Lynx.
Check out all the details of this incredible machine below...
Analogue Pocket specs
Unlike the majority of retro consoles on offer already, Analogue prides itself on providing true gaming solutions not based on emulation. In other words, you play the original cartridges rather than cheap digitised versions.
The Analogue Pocket is no different, supporting Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance cartridges. Plus, with additional adapters sold separately, it can also play Neo Geo Pocket and Atari Lynx games.
The console is designed using a specialty hardware chip called an FPGA, which essentially allows Analogue to build a system from the ground up to support game cartridges, rather than relying on copyrighted ROM files. A second dedicated FPGA is also included to enable users to develop and port their own brand new creations.
Graphics-wise, the Pocket features a 3.5" 615 PPI LCD display. This outputs a screen resolution of 1600 x 1440p, which is ten times that of the original Game Boy and Game Boy Color.
READ MORE:Which retro games consoles should you buy?
Analogue Pocket features
The list of features on the Analogue Pocket is impressive. Not only does it play all Game Boy family games, but it is also equipped with a digital audio workstation called Nanoloop. This allows users to create music using a built-in synthesizer and sequencer - perfect to soundtrack any games you might be working on.
In terms of gaming features, the Pocket has a quick sleep and wake feature, a choice between several different display modes for truly retro gaming, and support for multiple players. With the Analogue Dock (sold separately), you can easily hook up the console to your TV by HDMI and play using 8BitDo's incredible controllers.
Other headlines include a 6-10 hour battery life during gameplay, fully mappable buttons, stereo speakers, a 3.5 mm headphone output, microSD card slot and USB-C charging. Phew!
READ MORE: Why the Game Boy Micro was a disappointment
Analogue Pocket price
Right now, the Analogue Pocket is only available to pre-order in US currency. It is priced at $199.99, which works out at around £155 in the UK and €170 in Europe. No word yet on releases in other territories. Although judging by the company's other products, you will likely just have to buy it from their main store.
Prices are also available for the following Analogue Pocket accessories:
- Analogue Dock: $99.99 (around £78.00 / €85.00)
- Hard case: $29.99 (around £23.50 / €25.50)
- USB-C power supply: $19.99 (£15.50 / €17.00)
- Screen protector: $15.99 (around £12.50 / €13.50)
- Game Gear / Neo Geo Pocket / Atari Lynx adapters: $29.99 (around £23.50 / €25.50)
- Link cables: $15.99 (around £12.50 / €13.50)
READ MORE: Why the Atari Lynx failed so badly
Analogue Pocket release date
The Analogue Pocket is available for pre-order at the Analogue store from Monday 3rd August 2020. The site states that it will ship in May 2021, so there's still a bit of a wait...
READ MORE: The worst video game console launches in history
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