If you've been eyeing up the Analogue Pocket but haven't managed to get hold of one, then there's a new FPGA handheld on the scene that connects up to your old Game Boy consoles with a link cable and is also fully open-source, and it needs your help to become a reality!
Meet Game Bub, the world's first open-source FPGA retro-emulation handheld that plays all of your Game Boy, GBC, & GBA cartridges. The handheld boasts a vivid backlit IPS screen and doesn't need any batteries to run as it comes with a rechargeable battery that offers over 14+ hours of battery life. To put that into perspective, the Analogue Pocket has around 6-1o hours of charge, and the ModRetro Chromatic needs 3 batteries to run as it doesn't come with a battery charging pack as standard.
Like the Pocket, the Game Bub comes with a microSD card slot and also has built-in rumble, a real-time clock, an accelerometer, and a gyroscope, meaning you can twist and turn through your favourite titles just like you used to on your original hardware. Check out the full specs list below:
Game Bub System Specs
- Enclosure: Transparent plastic
- FPGA: Built around the powerful AMD (Xilinx) XC7A100T FPGA, with 101,400 logic cells and 607.5 KiB of block RAM
- MCU: ESP32-S3 microcontroller for auxiliary tasks
- Wireless: 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE
- Memory: 32 MiB of SDRAM and 512 KiB of SRAM connected to the FPGA
- Display: 4.0-inch 720 x 480 IPS LCD
- Audio: Stereo 1 W speakers, TRS headphone jack
- Input: 12 buttons for the FPGA, 4 additional system buttons for the MCU only
- Expansion: PMOD header
- Storage: microSD card slot
- Power: USB Type-C charging, 3000 mAh battery with 14+ hour in-game time
- Optional Dock: Digital video output and wireless controller compatibility, simultaneous charging
- Dimensions: 85 x 174 x 19 mm (3.35 x 6.85 x 0.75 in)
- Weight: 250 g (8.82 oz)
The main thing that most gamers will be interested in, however, is the fact that this handheld is fully open-source (I know you've been chomping at the bit to find this out after the title). According to the official blurb on the Crowd Supply website, 'the hardware, firmware, and gateware are licensed under GPLv3 (software) and CC BY-SA 4.0 (hardware), ensuring that modifications are shared back into the community so that everybody can benefit.'
The Game Bub team have also made it very clear that the console is not locked down, and that they won't punish people for modifying their devices, which is probably in relation to a certain company bricking their devices after modifications... It's great that you can hook up to trade Pokémon and compete in multiplayer titles with friends who have original Nintendo hardware, however. That's a very nice touch!
The Game Bub can also be docked with an affordable accessory for playing games up on the big screen, allowing you to use your favourite console controller while kicking back on the sofa. I'm not sure how much of a pull that will be in terms of swaying you to buy one, but the fact that the dock is $59 as opposed to the Analogue Pocket's $100 offering is an extra bonus.
I love the idea, the shoulder buttons, and the power that this thing is going to boast, as well as the fact that it can do everything that the Chromatic and the Pocket can do and more besides. I really enjoy the horizontal form factor, and I also like the clear plastic casing on the front that takes me straight back to the 90s. The rear is a little on the boring side, however, largely due to the two rechargeable batteries constantly on show. I would maybe have gone for an opaque back as opposed to clear to hide them a little. It will also depend on how easily available these are too; they're priced similarly to the Analogue Pocket, and if consumers can get them readily without delays or limited runs, then it could do very well!
Still, the real proof will be if the Game Bub gets backing and we can test it out ourselves. You can head to the Crowd Supply campaign page now to back the handheld and make it a reality. It's currently 63% backed with 22 days to go, so if you want to get your hands on one, then go back it today!
