It’s a great time to be a handheld gaming enthusiast. Last week Lenovo launched a version of its Legion Go S that comes with SteamOS, an addition that improves a capable portable PC. Nintendo has the stage this week, as the Switch 2 is set to launch on June 5. Those two devices alone are enough to keep players’ hands full for a while. But another portable device is having a moment of its own right now: the Playdate.
Panic’s yellow, crank-controlled handheld just got a major update last week. For $40, players can now sign up for Playdate Season 2. Doing so will get them 12 new games delivered over six weeks, as well as a bizarre bonus in Blippo+, a sort of subspace television app for the system. While I hadn’t planned on signing up, my curiosity got the best of me this weekend; I paid the entry fee and got access to Season 2’s first two games. I’m very glad I did, because I’m now reminded why the console is so special in the first place. If the Switch’s high price tag has you bummed out, this may be the perfect moment to grab a Playdate instead.
Upon purchasing the new season, two new games showed up on my home screen: Fulcrum Defender and Dig Dig Dino. The first one is a major attraction considering that it’s the latest project from Into the Breach developer Subset Games. That was a big reason I decided to dive into Season 2, as it showed me that Panic is still serious about courting top-tier indie developers to experiment with its console. Fulcrum Defender is relatively straight forward game compared to some of Season 1’s more out-there releases. It’s a minimalist wave defense game where I’m controlling a turret at the center of the screen. Shapes fly in from the sides and try to attack the turret, so it’s my job to shoot them before they reach it. To do that, I need to use the system’s crank to spin my gun around in a circle and fire away. It’s this season’s version of Hyper Meteor, arguably Season 1’s best game.
As a simple high score chase, Fulcrum Defender is a fun little time waster with just enough depth to make it interesting. In a good run, I’m able to equip three weapons. My top D-pad button fires single shots, while the bottom shoots them in rapid-fire mode. I can’t just spam those buttons, as doing so will overheat my gun and take it offline for a few seconds. I eventually get more powerful weapons that map to the left and right D-pad buttons, though those weapons have a cooldown. That combat system is infused with a light roguelike hook, as I can choose from one of two upgrades every few minutes. It’s not too complex and not as original as other Playdate games I’ve enjoyed, but it’s the kind of game that I could see myself pulling out every now and then when I want to get a quick run in.
I’m more enamored with Dig Dig Dino, which has quickly become one of my favorite games the platform has to offer. The idea here is that I’m an archeologist looking for dinosaur bones. I drop into a dig site, which is presented as a small grid that fits on the display. Every time I dig in a spot, I use a tick of energy. My goal is to dig as much as I can before I run out, finding as many bones as possible as well as cash. When a dig ends, I can then buy upgrades that allow me to dig further, drill rocks more efficiently, or ping treasure locations. It’s almost like a 2D version of A Game About Digging a Hole, and it’s every bit as engrossing as that game. I played through the entire thing, getting every dinosaur and hidden artifact, in one sitting.
As I tore through both games on a lazy Sunday, I was reminded how much I loved the Playdate when I first got it. It’s basically one big game jam, where developers get to toy around with short, creative ideas. I can especially see that in Blippo+, the most fascinating app the system has gotten yet. It’s essentially an alternate version of cable TV that’s running its own weird shows at all times. I’ve yet to spend too much time with it, but it’s the kind of wild swing that makes the Playdate so special. It simply inspires developers to cut loose, even three years into its niche little life.
So if you’re on the fence about getting a Switch 2 right now, but still want to dig into a handheld device, now might be the perfect time to grab a Playdate. You’ll get a great collection of games out the gate with Season 1’s offerings and be able to add Season 2 on top of that. That’s not even to mention the catalogue of purchasable games, which includes Lucas Pope’s excellent Mars After Midnight. The Switch 2 may have Mario Kart World, but the Playdate might be more of a Nintendo console than Nintendo’s own console.
