Retro-bit is hoping to reincarnate three of the most revered gaming handhelds in history: the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance. It's essentially merging the three into one compact handheld called the Super Retro Boy, unveiled at this year's CES.
Super Retro Boy
Retro-bit has done away with making a sleek, svelte handheld and instead opted for a more faithful approach, borrowing extensively from handheld consoles of yesteryear; the Super Retro Boy bears a striking resemblance to the original Game Boy's boxy, monolithic candybar factor, with no less than a D-pad, and A, B, L, and R buttons.
What Games Can The Super Retro Boy Run?
The console, as previously mentioned, will be able to run Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges. That's about it, really. There's no unnecessary features that artificially add a sheen of glamour, and there also won't be games preloaded on the system. However, an omnibus cartridge packed with multiple games is expected to be released down the line.
The device doesn't support Wi-Fi, and has no TV output port. Apart from the standard buttons, there's also "Start," "Select," volume controls, and a headphone jack. It's a dead-simple physical emulator with no unwanted bells and whistles to distract from its essential purpose. Best of all, Retro-bit claims that the handheld console has a rechargeable battery that can last up to 10 hours on a single charge.
While it's a bit of a nuisance that the L and R buttons aren't positioned on the device's shoulders, the company is currently looking for a way to implement such a design. Hopefully Retro-bit irons out minor gripes, but as it stands, the Super Retro Boy is already shaping up to be the definitive retro handheld console. But let's hope you were able to keep your old Game Boy cartridges.
The company also claims that the device has an "HD" screen, although exact specifications weren't disclosed. Engadget was able to try out the device firsthand, noting that the screen "seemed sharper than [the] Game Boy Micro's."
Pricing And Availability
What a great year 2016 was for gamers, having been gifted the NES Classic Edition, among other things. The system is a nostalgic nod to classic NES titles of the '80s. Although the system itself was mired by overwhelming demand and Nintendo's subsequently dismal effort to ramp up production, it's still a pretty great flashback for all intents and purposes.
The point being: Retro gaming has a strong and loyal user base, and it's not difficult to imagine that the Super Retro Boy will also resonate lovingly with them. These folks are more than happy to relive their experiences with the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, or Game Boy Advance, so hopefully the Super Retro Boy fails to disappoint.
The Super Retro Boy will be priced $80 when it starts shipping in the United States this summer.
What do you think of the Retro Boy, and retro gaming in the modern era in general? Any favorite Game Boy games you wish to share? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
