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Someone built a custom handheld PS2 to play Kingdom Hearts, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and other PlayStation classics on the go Nintendo Switch style.
GingerOfOz's 'PS2 Eclipse' is built from a chopped-up PS2 motherboard crammed into a slick 3D-printed housing, which was painted black to match the PS Vita buttons and Switch joysticks. Because the portable console uses the original Sony motherboard, it's able to play genuine PS2 games glitch-free and at full-speed without having to emulate anything.
pic.twitter.com/gx74dCdrDuAugust 5, 2021
The PS2 Eclipse comes sporting a 5-inch, 480p screen, side speakers, a battery life indicator, and a headphone jack. Since there's no disk drive, games need to be ported over rather slowly via USB, and as The Verge points out, this can make some games stutter slightly and lead to long load times. But honestly, those seem like minor compromises in what's otherwise an impressively clean rig.
GingerOfOz says they don't plan on selling the PS2 Eclipse right now, though that could change if it gets enough attention. For now, I'll point you to the creator's breakdown of how their handheld PS2 works on a technical level, as well as how to build one for yourself.
If you're on the hunt for the latest and greatest in handheld games, you'll want to keep an eye on Valve's Steam Deck, which is essentially a gaming laptop with a handheld Switch-like design. We were lucky enough to spend some time with the portable for our Steam Deck hands-on preview and walked away more than impressed. Pre-orders are open now, but due to demand, new orders won't ship until after Q2 2022, well past the initial December 2021 launch.
Join us on a trip down memory lane with the best PS2 games of all time.
