Just when I thought I couldn’t love the Super Pocket more, Blaze went and announced an Atari woodgrain version
Jul. 2, 2024It looks like your dad’s old alarm clock, but can run Tomb Raider.
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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 theSuper Pocketand the great value retro experience it brings. It’s been sitting pretty on mybest gaming handheldroundup 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 previousCapcomand 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
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 aboutretro 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 theAnbernic RG35XX Plus, and there’s even anRG35XXSPversion 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.
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I’ve been messing around with PCs, video game consoles, and tech since before I could speak. Don’t get me wrong, I kickstarted my relationship with technology by jamming a Hot Wheels double-decker bus into my parent’s VCR, but we all have to start somewhere. I even somehow managed to become a walking, talking buyer’s guide at my teenage supermarket job, which helped me accept my career fate. So, rather than try to realise my musician dreams, or see out my University degree, I started running my own retro pop culture site and writing about video games and tech for the likes of TechRadar, The Daily Star, and the BBC before eventually ending up with a job covering graphics card shenanigans at PCGamesN. Now, I’m your friendly neighbourhood Hardware Editor at GamesRadar, and it’s my job to make sure you can kick butt in all your favourite games using the best gaming hardware, whether you’re a sucker for handhelds like the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch or a hardcore gaming PC enthusiast.
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