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A new Super Pocket is on the way, and it’s dressed just like a woodgrain Atari 2600. That’s a sure-fire way to get me to fall in love with the retro handheld all over again, but it also boasts a whopping 50 built-in games. However, only 2,600 units of the specific version will be available, so I wouldn’t get too distracted lovingly staring at pictures of it if I were you.
It’s no secret that I adore the Super Pocket and the great value retro experience it brings. It’s been sitting pretty on my best gaming handheld roundup since last year, and it’ll take something truly special to knock it from its budget throne. For less than many new console games, you’re getting a portable system with its own cartridge library, something that appeals to me both as a physical game fan and someone who doesn’t always like to faff with ROMs.
Revealed today, there are actually three new versions of the Super Pocket on the way, as the limited edition woodgrain model is accompanied by an ordinary Atari version and a new Technos edition. The latter comes loaded with 15 games, including Double Dragon, Double Dragon II: The Revenge, Double Dragon III - The Rosetta Stone, meaning it’s one to watch if you love a good pixelated scrap.
Just like with the previous Capcom and Taito releases, each Super Pocket handheld is identifiable thanks to its unique color scheme, with the Atari option dressed in black and red and the Technos version sporting a white and blue shell. Those ordinary models will come in at $59 / £49 just like before, but you’ll be looking at $74 / £59 if you can’t resist the woodgrain version.
Super Pocket Atari Edition games
- Asteroids (Arcade)
- Berzerk (Arcade)
- Canyon Bomber (Arcade)
- Crystal Castles (Arcade)
- Frenzy (Arcade)
- Liberator (Arcade)
- Lost Tomb (Arcade)
- Millipede (Arcade)
- Missile Command (Arcade)
- Night Driver (Arcade)
- Pong (Arcade)
- Skydiver (Arcade)
- Super Breakout (Arcade)
- Adventure (2600)
- Aquaventure (2600)
- Dark Cavern (2600)
- Gravitar (2600)
- Haunted House (2600)
- Radar Lock (2600)
- Save Mary! (2600)
- Solaris (2600)
- Street Racer (2600)
- Submarine Commander (2600)
- Tempest (2600)
- Video Pinball (2600)
- Wizard (2600)
- Yars' Revenge (2600)
- Bounty Bob Strikes Back! (5200)
- Countermeasure (5200)
- Final Legacy (5200)
- Miner 2049'er (5200)
- Xari Arena (5200)
- Alien Brigade (7800)
- Asteroids (7800)
- Centipede (7800)
- Dark Chambers (7800)
- Desert Falcon (7800)
- Fatal Run (7800)
- Food Fight (7800)
- Ninja Golf (7800)
- Motor Psycho (7800)
- Basketbrawl (Lynx)
- Checkered Flag (Lynx)
- Dirty Larry: Renegade Cop (Lynx)
- Kung Food (Lynx)
- Robo-Squash (Lynx)
- Scrapyard Dog (Lynx)
- Super Asteroids & Missile Command (Lynx)
- Turbo Sub (Lynx)
- Warbirds (Lynx)
Super Pocket Technos Edition games
- Double Dragon (Arcade)
- Double Dragon II: The Revenge (Arcade)
- Double Dragon 3 -The Rosetta Stone (Arcade)
- Block Out (Arcade)
- The Combatribes (Arcade)
- Minky Monkey (Arcade)
- Mysterious Stones: Dr John's Adventure (Arcade)
- Renegade (Arcade)
- Super Dodge Ball (Arcade)
- Super Double Dragon (16-bit)
- Double Dragon (8-bit)
- Double Dragon (8-bit handheld)
- River City Ransom (8-bit)
- Crash ‘N’ The Boys: Street Challenge (8-bit)
- Super Spike V’Ball (8-bit)
Should you buy the Super Pocket?
The Super Pocket won’t suit every handheld fan out there, but I’m willing to bet most players will have a blast with this adorable device. Even if you just stick to the themed library of games on each portable, you’ll be able to chase high scores and bash your way through various classic capers, all without having to either buy pricey original games or resort to emulation. Plus, Evercade cartridge compatibility effectively makes the system its own platform, with consistent releases expanding the number of outings available.
Not fussed about retro consoles? The Super Pocket is also, perhaps surprisingly, a great way to play indie games too. There are already various cartridge collections full of new pixelated adventures available, and with new Giga Carts on the way, we’ll no doubt see even lighter-weight 3D games make their way to the Evercade ecosystem. I mean, Tomb Raider and Glover are now part of the Evercade’s expanding library, so there’s no reason why more Steam favorites can’t join them (I’m personally hoping for something like Cavern of Dreams, but we’ll see.)
If you’ve no interest in adding another cartridge library to your collection or already have a chonky ROM library, you might be better off checking out something like the Anbernic RG35XX Plus, and there’s even an RG35XXSP version that’ll run your own backups while looking like a Game Boy Advance SP. That said, if you are looking for a simple offline console that’ll provide easy access to the classics, the Super Pocket more than has you covered for under $60 / £50.
The Super Pocket Atari and Technos edition handhelds will be available to pre-order from July 31 and will ship in October 2024.
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