If you’ve browsed the electronics section of your local Walmart or Target in recent years, chances are you’ve seen mini arcade cabinets manufactured by My Arcade. The $35 cabinets feature classic arcade games such as Pac-Man and Galaga. My Arcade is expanding beyond arcade games with its next classic console, the Retro Champ Console, which can play both NES and Famicom cartridges. The Retro Champ and a bunch of other My Arcade products are available to demo at CES 2019.
Retailing for $80, the Retro Champ Console comes with a built-in 7-inch screen to play NES and Famicom games on the go. Its rechargeable battery boasts three to five hours of runtime on a single charge. It also has an HDMI port to let you play the games on your TV (wireless controllers are sold separately). Obviously, you’ll need the cartridges to use the Retro Champ. If you still have some sitting around collecting dust, the Retro Champ includes a “built-in cleaning kit” to get them back into playing shape.
The Retro Champ certainly isn’t the first retro console capable of playing NES cartridges, but My Arcade has a pretty good track record for making nice novelty products. With the NES Classic no longer in production, some may be looking for a new option for playing games from the 8-bit era.
In addition to the Retro Champ, My Arcade is expanding its lineup of $35 Micro Player mini arcade cabinets. Partnering with Bandai Namco, My Arcade will release a Ms. Pac-Man Micro Player. Like its other Micro Players, it has a 2.75-inch screen, joystick, and is designed with the original cabinet in mind. My Arcade is adding games from Japanese developer Taito to its Micro Player collection. Bubble Bobble and Elevator Action cabinets will be the first two in the Taito line.
If that isn’t enough nostalgia, My Arcade’s Pocket Player lineup of $35 handhelds is growing to include:
- Ms. Pac-Man: Ms. Pac-Man, Sky Kid, Mappy
- Galaga: Galaga, Galaxian, Xevious
- Dig Dug: Dig Dug, Dig Dug 2, Tower of Druaga
- Bubble Bobble: Bubble Bobble, Bubble Bobble 2, Rainbow Island
- Taito Adventure: Don Doko Don, Don Doko Don 2, and Chack’n Pop
Each Pocket Player has a 2.8-inch screen, directional pad, two face buttons, and a backlit screen.
You will also soon be able to grab a My Arcade-branded wireless controller ($25) for the recently discounted PlayStation Classic.
All of My Arcade’s new products will be available from its website, Amazon, and in stores this summer.
Updated on 1/9/19: My Arcade’s original press release stated the Retro Champ had 35 hours of battery life. That figure has since been updated to three to five hours.
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