Analogue Pocket Review: The Best Retro Handheld?

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The popularity of retro handheld gaming seems to increase every year, with better and better mods becoming available for the likes of Game Boy consoles. But with an established reputation for creating amazing FPGA-based consoles, does the Analogue Pocket represent the pinnacle for the format?
Analogue Pocket product page: www.analogue.co/pocket
While Analogue provided me with a Pocket and accessories at no charge for this review, no money changed hands and the opinions expressed here are purely my own. I have a strict policy against paid reviews or sponsored videos as my viewers' trust is of paramount importance.
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Music by
Epidemic Sound (www.epidemicsound.com).
Intro music by BoxCat Games (www.box-cat.com).

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Опубликовано:

13 дек 2021

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Комментарии : 309

@Tom2404 2 года назад

USB C and headphone jack. When a retro console has more useful ports that a modern Smartphone.

@RolandKoller90 6 месяцев назад

To be fair I’m never stuck wishing my phone had a headphone jack.

@LaDeXi Месяц назад

@@RolandKoller90 I'm all the time :(

@PotatoFi 2 года назад

This was one of those, "Drop everything I'm doing and click on the notification" videos. It answered every question I had about the console too - thanks for the great review!

@l00t3R 2 года назад

I did exactly the same thing when I came onto RU-vid and checked my notifications 😂

@wimwiddershins 2 года назад

Its refreshing to see a retro-gaming handheld where the software and user experience has had as much attention to detail, as the device itself. Usually, that stuff feels like an afterthought.

@MrJonBertsch 2 года назад

I love my modded consoles because they are truly “original” but with these new chips I’m finding it hard to put too much more money into them, this tech is just too good.

@donwilson 2 года назад

Very happy that you got a chance to review the Pocket early, looking forward to getting mine in the mail soon

@SuperNicktendo 2 года назад

Looking forward to this. Hopefully I got my order in to have it ship today and hopefully get it by the end of the week. It's such a crazy system.

@Jbayz 2 года назад

You think the orders from the other day were going out already?? I doubt it. They usually take the money, make the product and ship it. That's how they roll.

@MmntechCa 2 года назад

I understand why it's $220, being a low volume product and all, but it's a bit rich for my blood. I'll stick with original hardware supplemented with emulation for the time being. Might change my mind though if/when that hacked firmware comes out.

@KyleRuggles 2 года назад

I got an RG351V and it's AWESOME and I get to play other systems, just waiting on the Odin to be shipped.. heh.. This is cool if you have tons of cartridges but it's really niche.

@robertl8069 2 года назад

Yeah, just get a RG351V with 351Elec and enjoy everything up to PS1

@malcolmar 6 месяцев назад

Well done. I just picked up a Pocket recently and loved it! I also got the Game Gear adapter and I am enjoying many Game Gear games I never knew existed before and the games just play. What an incredible time to be a portable gamer. My 3 go to portable systems now are the Analogue Pocket, the Nintendo Switch OLED and the Steam Deck. The fact that all 3 of these systems have docks that allow you to effortlessly play these games on a TV is just amazing. I know I take none of it for granted. Thanks.

@sethmmendez 2 года назад

Glad to see you got one for review! Have always enjoyed watching your modding videos.

@shatterball 2 года назад

Another great video, Colin! I love my Super NT and I can't wait to get my hands on this piece of hardware! Hopefully I can get a pre-order in when they reopen it in a few days...

@jmerey 2 года назад

Best review yet. You included several features that most others missed. Thanks, now just hope my preorder is in Group 1 and not Group 3!!

@megamix5403 2 года назад

I'm glad to see you alive and well, and glad you got your hands on one of these babies. Good review btw, Colin!

@jackbootshamangaming4541 10 месяцев назад

Didn't know about the menu+volume for brightness, thanks a ton, just got my unit a few days ago and was rewatching this

@TheRetroCount 2 года назад

I just ordered one. Super excited to finally get my hands on it soon!

@override7486 2 года назад

Well, if you order (pre-order) now, wouldn't you get it until 2023? Or Q3/Q4 2022 if lucky??

@husky3g 2 года назад

I'm still wondering why Pocket hasn't tried taking advantage of their hardware to include a WiFi connection for automatic firmware updates as well as the ability to create a Gameboy Link software that allows you to connect to other Analogue Pocket users via "link cable" over the internet. Imagine being able to connect to anyone in the world and trade Pokemon on Gen 1-3. You could actually have some relatively fun lobbies in the Union Rooms full of people. People could also host "event" lobbies via flash cart/ROM to give people the rare Pokemon from event distribution ROMs. The possibilities for that are endless and I hope that custom firmware for the Pocket can accomplish these things.

@AlexisLemesianos 2 года назад

Good point

@prufrockrenegade 2 года назад

Does the Pocket even have a wifi chip though? Custom firmware can't "hack" what doesn't exist ☹️. It would be awesome and totally doable if it has the chip though

@felipeoliveira7388 2 года назад

Can it be a extra accessorie 😔

@husky3g 2 года назад

@@prufrockrenegade It doesn't. I mentioned that because there's nothing stopping them from making a revision that has one.

@joarnagaming8145 2 года назад

Currently preparing to fight off an army of Scalper Bots when preorders open up again tomorrow...

@nermaldigital 2 года назад

Great video Colin, best one I've seen. My pocket is arriving on Monday and I can't wait to try it all out. Like you, I expected the size to be closer to the GB pocket. Interesting you didn't flag in your vid about the open cart port and games being loose. I look forward to seeing if I have the same issues as others in this area.

@francescobarrali637 2 года назад

Amazing! Can I ask you where you purchased that beautiful clear emerald DMG shell?

@NathanChisholm041 2 года назад

I find these videos put me in a calm relaxed mood! ✌

@Asai 2 года назад

I was waiting for this video. Can't wait to get mine!

@_mazarico_ 2 года назад

Are those two extra action buttons on the front of the Pocket turbo buttons, or are they alternate button for the L & R shoulder buttons?

@woodengamer 2 года назад

That is VERY tempting with it's modular system to support different systems. Tempted to get this and not bother re-capping my turbo express.

@prufrockrenegade 2 года назад

Totally worth it to just get this imho. Since I got my MiSTer set up a year ago (which uses similar tech) I've been seriously considering selling off my entire retro collection for the systems it supports. The new hardware is just so much more convenient and performs just as well

@edgarnx 2 года назад

placed my pre-order in this morning as fast as I could! Hopefully I'm in the first group and get mine in the first half of next year!

@jackbootshamangaming4541 10 месяцев назад

Also, what camera do you use to get your close up shots of the pixels? Those are so clean, and with my various handhelds, CRTs, and now my pocket, I'd love to take way better shots upclose to the pixels.

@TomGreen99 2 года назад

Glad you got a review unit. 🙌

@devikwolf 2 года назад

I've been itching to get my hands on one of these. I'm really surprised to see how big it is, though!

@michaelstanton8363 2 года назад

That's what she said... but no really.. because it is thinner it feels less bulky

@dwlang001 2 года назад

Great review! Thanks

@Laternater 2 года назад

Mine is being shipped tomorrow. Hype!

@MrLaafish 2 года назад

Glad to see you got hold of one, fingers crossed I manage as well

@Thunderfrog 2 года назад

Great Video! What was that Mario game you were playing at 4:16 ? Is That Mario Land 2? Just asking bc its in color.

@jaynekogames 2 года назад

It's a fanmade rom hack that basically turns SML2 into a GBC game! Look up Super Mario Land 2 DX.

@RetroFan1992 2 года назад

Great review! Hoping to get my hands on one eventually! What game is that at the 9:35 mark??

@Cwiiis 2 года назад

It's Motocross Maniacs 2 (I've only played the first, didn't realise it actually got two sequels on the GBC and GBA until seeing this video and searching for it!)

@goodjessehobbies 2 года назад

So, two days ago on Twitch I was stating how I wish they would manufacture an SNES portable with headphone compatibility. Any insight as to whether this would be able to play SNES roms once software is available? I'm also a huge fan of the GBA, so I'm sold there, but both would be a dream come true.

@VexAcer 2 года назад

I wanna say it's theoretically possible. The Pocket is using the same Altera Cyclone V chip as the Super NT (Analogue's SNES FPGA Console). It also already has the appropriate 4 buttons and two shoulder buttons needed. I wouldn't necessarily count on it though.

@thecryingsoul 2 года назад

@@VexAcer Its a different cyclone chip with fewer programmable units, according to an analysis by some other person I read, the core without the enhancement chips should be portable to it, with perhaps some room to load in enhancement chips dynamically. So with that it means it's not as easy as just copying the work on the existing core, meaning it all depends on how willing the Analogue team or its community are to put in the work in porting it.

@VexAcer 2 года назад

@@thecryingsoul It's definitely smaller than the MiSTer which has 110k Logic Elements vs. the 49k the Pocket has. I can't find any concrete info from Analogue themselves on how much the Mega SG or Super NT have. Supposedly they also have 49k too. Analogue's SNES core is very basic to begin with though, since with the Super NT they're relying on you using your actual carts when it comes to onboard enhancement chips.

@ruineka_one 2 года назад

Does it support the trade link cable either directly or via software to another pocket?

@Kumimono 2 года назад

All well and good, but, does it support the GameGear TV tuner?

@luismartins3785 2 года назад

Another quality video : ) Great work!

@rekor 2 года назад

Out of all the reviews I saw, I have to say this was the best. I think you went over the things that most of us care about without getting bogged down in pointless detail.

@letthetunesflow 2 года назад

Best review of the dozens I’ve seen in the last day or two!

@SYIBOI 2 года назад

I NEED IT!!! Hoping I can get a preorder for the next drop I missed the first round of them orz

@eternalextrapolations 2 года назад

This looks quite amazing. Is there a way to colorize some original Gameboy games like Warioland?

@ThisDoesNotCompute 2 года назад

It offers color palette options like the Game Boy Color does.

@Ragesauce 2 года назад

I'll be VERY interested if they ever get a similar product in a proper "pocket" sized package. The gameboy pocket was my perfect go-to for travel fun back in the day, so many fond memories...this thing is just enormous in comparison.

@robbyclark9711 2 года назад

This looks super cool and with companies making such incredible handheld like this it just makes you wonder why Nintendo will not make this type product. I'm betting they will finally make some gameboy collector thing but it will not have cartridge support and will have like 20 roms emulated on it. But it will cost 50 to 75 bucks, they will be hard to get your hands on one. But we will buy it again just cause we love handheld devices and they started the gameboy.

@SultanSamet 2 года назад

I Was just waiting for something like this. It seems to be the most fleshed out product so far. Too bad I've lost my job a few weeks ago, because it is (obviously) expensive, plus shipping to germany/europe will be super expensive i assume? Couldn't find information on the page. That company seems to produce quality stuff. I hope they get fortunate enough to operate in Europe as well for a lower price. 👌🏻

@Wasper216 2 года назад

Packages of that size can vary from $20-$40, depending of the carrier and which service. However you’ll have to pay taxes, so 19% of the total value (device + shipping) and probably also customs. So yeah, it adds up unfortunately.

@ab.su.7797 2 года назад

Can i buy/ order it in 1-2 years? Or only now? Because i buy a Steam Deck some while a go.

@eatachodeutube 2 года назад

Really curious to see what the community makes with its game maker toolkit.

@JetteroHeller83 2 года назад

My black analogue pocket got delayed to tomorrow. I put in an order for the white one and some accessories this morning. Hoping the morning order I placed 5 minutes after orders opened up gets shipped Q1 2022.

@TieFighter99 2 года назад

I would love to check out there site and purchase one but their website is not working properly.

@hosam7609 2 года назад

What's the name of the motorcycle game? + Did you try the Pocket in a switch dock? Or with an off the shelf usb c dock that has hdmi?

@toronado455 2 года назад

Thanks for the review. Seems like a very nice gizmo.

@NatetheAceOfficial 2 года назад

A Colin AND an Anthony video covering the same tech? Nice to see the different takes.

@alfredthegreat7750 2 года назад

Love it, cant wait to mod it!

@Gameaddict2o9 2 года назад

Amazing review. 👏

@Tomtrocity 2 года назад

Going from Bob Wulffen to your video for this product reviews lol I do want to own this but I'll have to wait to invest one due to finances on my part. It does look fantastic, and the games I would go to would be Pkmn, Sonic Advance series, Gunstar Super Heroes, Metroid and of course Super Mario Advance 4 SMB3

@Kratosauron0 2 года назад

Ahh, first review that I watched which covers game compatibility! Shame I can't replay Boktai on this thing, but I'm still nonetheless excited :D :D

@typewriteraudio 2 года назад

Can you connect two of them?

@gamers7800 2 года назад

I just ordered this, hope the wait won’t be till the end of next year. 🤞

@ekim613 2 года назад

I just came from one of your ultimabe GBA for 2020 vid and in that [ when you asked if there were any mods for consoles that dont exist yet, i instantly thought of an idea i had the other day; Gameboy Colour Advance. It's just a Colour shell with an Advance widescreen. The other day i was mucking around with my old gameboys and i put the advance lens over the colour screen and thought how good a widescreen Colour would be by being able to swap the screen into it. The advance lens almost matches the width of the colour so i know the screen would be a very tight fit and the power light would have to go, but with a dremel/milling tool you could easily fix the shell. As for compatibility between my own parts (pcb and screen) idk, but i'm sure a mod should exist for not just a backlit Colour but an Advanced one.

@bodhi1271 2 года назад

If Nintendo were smart, they'd make something like this to play original carts and have a built in eshop app to purchase games. It would fly off the shelves.

@bodhi1271 2 года назад

Also imagine game developers making new games to run on official hardware, but also releasing them in the eshop, and they'd get limited physical releases. That'd be amazing. Nintendo could also do limited re-rleases of classic games on physical carts

@terrydaktyllus1320 2 года назад

Nintendo (or any console manufacturer) would never do that. Consoles are usually sold at a loss because the money is made from the subsequent game purchases - but if the game cartridges are old ones that have already been purchased, there's no economic sense to doing it.

@bodhi1271 2 года назад

@@terrydaktyllus1320 well they could also release games through an exclusive eshop, both new and old, and you'd have to get the console to play those games. Like imagine the new pokemon games getting a retro version released only on their Gameboy classic console

@mintyerb 2 года назад

@@bodhi1271 while it’s a cool concept they’d never do it, why would they when they just remade a pokémon game and sold like 8 million copies in the first week

@bodhi1271 2 года назад

@@mintyerb idk I think if they made retro versions with game boy graphics of sword and shield and the new ones that are coming next month, pokemon fans would be all over it, especially if they had some new exclusive pokemon, I think they would pay a full $60 per game.. Retro gaming and pixel art games have become extremely popular lately

@SHUPIRATE1991 2 года назад

Got one on order. Can I use the standard iPhone wall power supply to power the unit?

@ThisDoesNotCompute 2 года назад

Should work fine - I recharged mine with a generic USB-C power adapter with no problems.

@SHUPIRATE1991 2 года назад

@@ThisDoesNotCompute thank you , I really enjoy your videos

@jakobdueck7491 2 года назад

great stuff! thx for your effort.

@SevenDeMagnus 2 года назад

Very nice. I want one. It's always better not to emulate but create an equivalent hardware. Also it's a great feeling inserting original cartridges (better than the disc experience), knowing it's also original and not pirated so that our conscious is clean :-) Advanced Merry Christmas. God bless you.

@tdata545 2 года назад

Does this method offer infinite scaling? If I had it on a 4k display would it start taxing the system with say... GBA games?

@StaceyAyodele 2 года назад

Nice video, Colin. Well done.

@kindmulberry7196 2 года назад

Where can I buy this in the UK?

@Ludanc0 2 года назад

I love your Gameboy related videos

@TarikA 2 года назад

Best video about the Pocket I've seen on YT so far.

@Max-wh7nz 2 года назад

How do gameboy advance games look on the Pocket despite the small interpolation compared to playing them on gameboy advance? Edit 1: Also, do games look better on a modded gameboy advance or Pocket?

@jacobbritt8191 2 года назад

Does it save to the cartridges? Like if I’m playing Pokémon emerald does it save to the cartridge so I can take it out and put it in another Gameboy and all my progress will be there?

@ionmyke 2 года назад

Yes.

@reznoire 2 года назад

The screen looks insane, like in video reviews it almost looks like game footage is just being directly edited onto where the screen would be lol

@joshua.snyder 2 года назад

Whoa, Colin on a Monday? Yes!

@startedtech 2 года назад

oh god I've got like 10 Analogue Pocket vids in my sub feed, guess I'll start with this one 😅

@organiccold 2 года назад

Oh well, because of you i now have to buy one... Will be my Christmas present hehe

@anonym-g-a-d7817 2 года назад

Hello. How i can buy? 2022?

@ChonbaeSun 2 года назад

I'll eventually consider should they make a cartridge adapter for the Wonder Swan .

@ThisDoesNotCompute 2 года назад

That would be awesome - I can’t wait for the Neo Geo Pocket adapter myself!

@ViolentDetour 2 года назад

Well I'm sold! I want this thing!

@cryptmind4202 2 года назад

Thanks. Bought two... Just wish I knew earlier about it. 2023 is faaar away ...

@karbengo 2 года назад

This consol looks great, but I wish it had an horizontal form factor, like the GBA. My ideal retro portable consol would be a V1 GBA, with a high quality illuminated screen and compatible with as many retro portable games as possible.

@VSigma725 2 года назад

What was that motorcycle game at 9:35? that music was killer!

@JakeLucob 2 года назад

Looks like Motocross Maniacs. It's probably a sequel to the original

@VSigma725 2 года назад

@@JakeLucob Seems to be Motocross Maniacs 2. I'm going to have to give that one a try!

@AzteCypher 2 года назад

My wallet will not be happy with me... again. :) Great work as always!

@michaelhill6453 2 года назад

Astonishing!

@ScarletSwordfish 2 года назад

What's that motorcycle game at 9:33?

@josh_dick 2 года назад

Looks like Motocross Maniacs 2 for Game Boy Color.

@EnderCrypt 2 года назад

this is very tempting, hopefully they'll add support for rom files

@Mastoffire 2 года назад

U got my like with the intro song.

@narlzac85 2 года назад

I wish I had pre ordered when it was first available. I remember seeing it when it was first announced, but I didn't catch it when it was up for order. Right now, the ship date is just too far away for me to want to put money down. I ended up spending about the same for the GBA mods I did (and then modded a few more systems) so I'm content for now.

@heedmywarning2792 2 года назад

I am amazed.

@piplup10203854 2 года назад

If this can play roms I’d be stoked :) it would make it a lot better for me. The accessories are just expensive and this device is already expensive as it is. The case being 30 bucks suck and 100 for the dock :/ it’s something to keep an eye on for me in the future but I can’t see myself waiting till 2023 for it

@mikehot6669 2 года назад

What is the game at 9:33?

@sametkamgul 2 года назад

What a design, product, hardware, UI/UX etc. just wow.

@Narque 2 года назад

I just hope this sells well and Nintendo take notice and maybe do something like this of there own

@krimke881 2 года назад

Must. Have. Now

@random11 2 года назад

Um sir… where did you get a full color version of Super Mario Land 2?

@Suhadisgood 2 года назад

I hope it’s not a game boy or I’m not getting it there are other handheld that let you play all sega consoles such as Sega Saturn and PlayStation the gameboy wasn’t that fun as the PSP that was an upgrade from gameboy that Nintendo would never do then comes PS Vita I still love more then Nintendo Switch I want to see Arcade like mame 32 ps1 ps2 not just gameboy games

@megamix5403 2 года назад

At that point, you're just better off with a hacked Switch.

@Suhadisgood 2 года назад

@@megamix5403 I can see you weren’t born in 1980 to why your crying over this handheld I went through this in my childhood I know how it feels playing gameboy games to you it feels like your Xbox series X and PS5 graphics no ones stopping you from buying it go spend $200 on a small gameboy pocket the difference is you get digital games instead of having to buy them physical the reason is very easy to understand Nintendo no longer supports gameboy games they won’t make anymore physical cartridges you can easily add these gameboy games to anywhere

@Suhadisgood 2 года назад

@@megamix5403 I’m getting the Steam Deck it costed me $600 I’m a gamer not a child

@mikekanner2156 2 года назад

@@megamix5403 do you know what happens if you hack your Switch do you even know what your saying kiddo Nintendo will banned your account and will make your Switch unplayable think they don’t know what players are doing with their Switch consoles your taking a big risk if you hack your Switch Nintendo has put people in court for a million dollars

@emadstarns291 2 года назад

@@megamix5403 if the graphics were as good as the Nintendo Switch it would be worth buying for $220 but this is game boy games not remakes making them playing better your buying something that you can do yourself is go and add all these games to your PSP console people who are gamers are searching for PS5 and Xbox series X and are ignoring the Xbox series S and PS5 digital and Nintendo Switch consoles like who wants the Oled that’s not a big huge difference that’s where Steam Deck steps in and makes theirs the Switch Pro that Nintendo don’t

@abdelali9279 2 года назад

This really looks so coool1!

@ChrisLeeW00 2 года назад

Preorders are likely going to sell out fast! Again!

@Reckoner89 2 года назад

Stellar tech, loving these FPGA-based solutions. Given all the labor that goes into creating these niche machines, I can condone the high price tag. But taking an extra $30 for a clear plastic protective shell that should come with the system by default, feels a bit stingy to say the least. Even pricier than the cables.