I've said it a few times this year, but I believe 2027 will see the reveal of many FPGA GAME BOY Advance handhelds coming to fruition. ModRetro are working on one; we know that for a fact, and fellow retro YouTuber Taki Udon has stated multiple times that he is working on these devices too, showcasing not only a GBA version but a GBA SP version too.
And at this moment in time, we don't really have a great, affordable FPGBA on the market; sure, the Analogue Pocket can play your GBA cartridges for $239, but it's in the vertical formfactor of a GAME BOY, which means larger borders around your games and a tiny display because of it. Then there's GAMEBUB, but it lacks the superb build quality that the market expects for a device that costs $269.
So, there are many of us waiting for something new, and something affordable, and the race is on to get there. Though I believe one of the first to market will be Taki Udon's, seeing as his recent teases on social media have shown a working device, alongside prototypes featuring new displays that look absolutely stunning.
"We started prototyping some bigger screen options this week with a new hardware revision that’s been in the works for a few months. The new screen is a big upgrade in brightness, color, and scaling. We also started work on the GBA form factor with one of the new screens. FPGBA SP now cold boots in 2 seconds with a nice boot logo. I’ll showcase the larger screens this weekend if there are positive results" states Taki.
It's clear he's hard at work at the moment. After successfully launching and shipping out the SuperStation, which is a PlayStation-focused FPGA console, he and his team at Retro Remake even announced that they're working on an SNES version too, but the GBA versions seem furthest along, with prototype consoles featuring transparent shells being used to showcase the gameplay quality of his new products.
We're excited to see more teases throughout the coming months, and even more information regarding specs, pricing, release date and accessories. RetroRemake are looking to compete with the big dogs next year, and I'm kinda rooting for them, especially if it can take cartridges and emulate other consoles at the same time.
