This Fashionable ‘Recreation Boy’ Can Play Dreamcast, GameCube, and PS2 Video games

We now have the primary take a look at the Ayaneo Pocket Vert, a vertical “Recreation Boy-style” handheld able to emulating retro consoles from the Dreamcast, GameCube, and PS2 period. What a time to be alive.

However first, the {hardware}—it seems fairly stable. Eagle-eyed gadget nerds will already know that the Pocket Vert shouldn’t be Ayaneo’s first handheld formed like a Recreation Boy. The handheld maker launched the Pocket DMG final 12 months. Whereas succesful, the Pocket DMG was fairly dear, beginning at $450. Ayaneo hasn’t introduced official world pricing for the Pocket Vert but, however based mostly on its 1,699 Chinese language yuan beginning value (about $241), it’s speculated that the hand-held might price round $250. This could make the Pocket Vert simply barely dearer than the $220 Analogue Pocket.

Talking of the Analogue Pocket, the Pocket Vert shares many similarities. It’s obtained what seems to be the identical 3.5-inch LTPS LCD touchscreen with an equivalent 1,600 x 1,400 decision at 615 pixels per inch (ppi). The Pocket Vert even has the identical 60Hz refresh charge and 450 nits of brightness.

In comparison with the Pocket DMG and the Analogue Pocket, the Pocket Vert has some main variations. It’s nonetheless an Android 14-based handheld, so that you’re gonna be operating software program emulators to play retro video games. Not like the Analogue Pocket, the Pocket Vert doesn’t have a cartridge slot for Recreation Boy video games. The Pocket Vert can also be fabricated from extra premium supplies—steel as an alternative of the plastic on the Pocket DMG and Analogue Pocket.

From YouTuber ETA Prime’s thorough first impressions video above, you may see that the Pocket Vert is mainly a hybrid between the Pocket DMG and Analogue Pocket. All the buttons appear to be tactile and satisfying. The specs—Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip with 8GB or 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and both 128GB or 256GB of storage, a microSD card slot, and a 6,000mAh battery—appear greater than succesful sufficient for emulation. And even the “Magic Contact” touchpad under the D-pad and face buttons, which helps you to management video games that require a joystick or twin joysticks, appears practical sufficient for 3D video games. As a cherry on high, the Pocket Vert has a fingerprint sensor embedded in its energy button.

On the entrance of video games emulation, the Pocket Vert seems to have the ability to deal with beefy retro consoles just like the Sega Dreamcast, Nintendo GameCube, and Sony PlayStation 2 fairly effectively. Utilizing the default AYASpace launcher, ETA Prime says they have been capable of get a constant 60 fps in GameCube video games similar to The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Metroid Prime, and Resident Evil 4 at 3x the unique decision. Similar factor for PS2 video games similar to Metallic Gear Stable 2: Sons of Liberty, Okami, and Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando. Dreamcast video games are much less demanding, however in addition they run with very playable body charges.

As a Game Boy guy, the Pocket Vert appeals to me in a approach that horizontal-shaped retro handhelds don’t. No phrase on when precisely Ayaneo will launch the Pocket Vert—someday in early 2026—nevertheless it’s one machine I’m very a lot trying ahead to. That’s assuming the present RAM and flash storage shortage doesn’t utterly wreck launch plans.