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Analogue Pocket Adds New Features And Accessories As Release Slips To May 2021
Last year, the makers of the Super Nt and Mega Sg premium retro consoles announced a gorgeous new device to let you play your favorite handheld games of yesteryear in the best possible way. The Analogue Pocket lets you play more than 3,000 Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges, with the option to purchase cartridge adapters to expand the library to include Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket, and Atari Lynx. Unfortunately, this sleek device, which was originally scheduled to ship sometime this year, has been delayed to May 2021 due to supply-chain issues outside of Analogue's control.
The silver lining is Analogue has announced some new features, minor design changes, and a line of accessories to purchase alongside the Analogue Pocket. Perhaps the coolest new feature announced is Original Display Modes, which instantly turns the Pocket's display into the display of an original Game Boy, Game Boy Color, or Game Boy Advance. Analogue touts the accuracy of these display modes by saying, "quirks and all."
If you press the power button on the side of the Pocket, it puts the handheld to sleep and suspends gameplay. Press it again, and you can wake the system and resume the game right where you left off. The Pocket features a 4,300 mAh battery that lasts 6 to 10 hours of game time and 10 or more hours while in sleep.
For those wanting to jump into multiplayer, you can connect up to four Pockets using link cables that are sold separately. If you buy the Dock, which lets you play your handheld games on any compatible monitor, you can connect up to four controllers using Bluetooth, 2.4g, and wired USB.
In addition to the multiplayer link cables, Analogue also announced new high-quality MIDI and Analog sync cables for those who want to use the built-in Nanoloop music-creation tool and connect their Pocket to a PC, Mac, or other music hardware. Speaking of integration with a PC or Mac, Analogue announced a partnership with GB Studio, a retro game-creation tool that allows you to generate proprietary .pocket files and run them on your Pocket using an SD card.
As far as minor redesigns are concerned, Analogue re-positioned the start, select, and home button to the bottom center the Pocket for added comfort, and the Dock now features a recessed USB-C insertion point for added stability. Additionally, the Pocket's display is made from Gorilla Glass and Analogue claims it is three times as thick as a traditional smartphone to prevent cracks.
If you're looking to deck out your Analogue Pocket with all the accessories, you can pick up the aforementioned Link and Sync Cables, as well as cartridge adapters for Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket Color, and Atari Lynx games, a hard case for extra protection, and a high-speed charging adapter.
Pre-orders for Analogue Pocket go live next week on August 3 at 8 a.m. Pacific ahead of its new May 2021 ship date. The Analogue Pocket costs $200, while the Analogue Dock is priced at $99.
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