Throwback console maker Analogue has unveiled its latest project, a modernized handheld for playing original Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games called the Analogue Pocket.
The $199 system offers considerably more power than the nearly-30-year-old original Game Boy, boasting a 1600x1400 resolution, 615 PPI LCD screen, and the ability to output to a TV set, alongside other improvements.
However, much like its predecessors, the Analogue Pocket only works with physical game cartridges; Analogue’s website specifically calls out that the device isn’t designed to emulating digital copies of games.
But on top of built-in support for Game Boy, GBC, and GBA cartridges, Analogue says that, with adapters, the Pocket can also play games from other handheld systems including, but not limited to, the Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket, and Atari Lynx.
The Analogue Pocket looks to be primarily geared at players looking to relive the Game Boy’s glory days, but the system’s creators say that the upcoming handheld offers creation tools for composers and developers looking to tap into that era of games with their own projects as well.
“Pocket is designed for FPGA development. We added a second dedicated FPGA just for developers to develop & port their own cores,” briefly explains Analogue. “With access to Analogue's proprietary hardware and scalers - we think developers are going to do some amazing things.”
Alongside that, the Pocket includes a built-in synthesizer and a sequencer called Nanoloop for those that are interested in turning to Game Boy hardware for music creation.
Right now, the Analogue Pocket itself is set to launch in 2020 for $199, while pricing for the dock to connect it to a TV has yet to be revealed. More info can be found on Analogue’s website.