There are two new retro handhelds on the market. Ayaneo, the company behind many, many handheld consoles for what seem like every gaming niche, revealed the Game Boy-inspired Ayaneo Pocket DMG and Pocket Micro on Wednesday, opening the door for more Android and game emulation options.
The Pocket DMG is the one that most resembles a classic Game Boy, although it’s obviously a more advanced machine. It features a 3.92-inch OLED screen, a 6,000mAh battery, and a Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 chip. All of this to say is that it’s decently powerful, will hopefully get long battery life, and the games will look excellent. It’ll also weigh only 9.8 ounces, so it’s super portable and won’t strain your wrists for long play times.
There are some unique features here that can help you play Android games: a tiny joystick and a touchpad that works like a mouse. There’s also a wheel on the lefthand side that can adjust your volume but also perform other actions like scrolling through menus. It can even be mapped for specific apps.
It comes in two colors — Moon White and Arctic Black — although there will also be a limited-edition Retro Color that evokes the classic Game Boy, down to its screen.
The Pocket Micro is a bit smaller, as you can tell from the name, and not nearly as powerful as the DMG. The form factor is taken up mostly by its 3.5-inch 960 by 640 screen, which is significantly lower-resolution than the DMG’s panel. It also only has a 2,600mAh battery, so it won’t run for nearly as long (although the lower resolution and weaker chip will make that last).
That said, it still has an aluminum alloy frame, so you can put it in your pocket without worrying it’ll crack with the slightest bump. It’s available in two colors — Magic Black and Soul Red — along with a limited-edition Retro Grey if you want it to look like an NES controller.
Both devices are available on Indiegogo right now, with the DMG going for $341 and the Micro set at $190. These are early-bird rates, so the DMG and Micro will be $449 and $250, respectively, at full price. The Micro will start shipping in September, with the DMG out at the end of October. Both will be released in batches, so if you want one as soon as possible and at the lowest price (barring future sales), you’ll want to get in on this now.
