Well, what can I say about this little piece of kit?
When I first picked it up, I was sceptical. It’s small, it’s light, and it doesn’t exactly feel as though it’s been built to survive being reversed over by a delivery van.
Then I switched it on.
And there was Galaxian.
Oh dear. There goes the afternoon.
If, like me, you’re of a certain age, this little handheld games console has a sneaky way of drawing you in. One minute you’re wondering whether it’ll be any good. The next you’re leaning forward, jabbing buttons and muttering, “I used to be better at this.”
You probably weren’t. You just had quicker thumbs and fewer things to worry about.
First, though, you have to work out what you’re doing. There are instructions, apparently, but I approached it using the traditional Shabby Dave method: press things until something happens, then try to remember which thing you pressed.
Once I’d figured out the buttons and selected English—a useful early victory—it was time to browse the games.
And browse.
And browse a bit more.
There are hundreds to scroll through, including familiar names such as Galaxian, Galaga, Super Mario Bros., Defender, Donkey Kong and Pac-Man. If your younger years involved arcade machines, loose change and somebody shouting that it was time to go home, you’ll find plenty here to bring the memories flooding back.
Remember that one bloke who put ten pence into a machine and stayed on it for three hours? Meanwhile, you’d spent your entire budget in eleven minutes and were pretending you’d stopped because you were bored.
Well, now you can have another go without feeding your housekeeping money into a slot. You can still be rubbish, obviously. But you can be rubbish in the comfort of your own armchair.
Right, Dave. What do you actually get?
There’s a rechargeable battery, which means no rummaging through the kitchen drawer for a couple of AAs and wondering whether the ones in the television remote have any life left in them.
There’s a volume control on the side, too. Turn it up for the full nostalgic soundtrack, or turn it down when somebody nearby has heard quite enough electronic beeping for one evening.
And here’s something I genuinely wasn’t expecting: a TV-out socket, with an AV cable supplied, so you can connect it to a compatible television and play on a bigger screen. Check your telly has the right connections, mind—it isn’t HDMI.
Your inability to get past that particularly annoying bit can now be enjoyed by the whole family.
Is it perfect?
No. The casing feels light and a little flimsy, and finding your way around takes a bit of patience. This is a budget handheld, and it feels like one. I wouldn’t chuck it into the bottom of a bag and expect it to enjoy the experience.
But at £10, I found it surprisingly easy to forgive its shortcomings once I’d started playing.
The appeal is simple: switch it on, find an old favourite and have a go. Then have another go because the last one “didn’t count”.
Who’s it for?
Kids, if you’re wondering what to buy Dad, this could be a very good shout. Just be prepared for a lengthy explanation of how games were better in his day, followed by a demonstration that suggests he wasn’t.
Although my kids enjoyed playing it too, so don’t assume it’ll remain Dad’s for very long. It could make a fun stocking filler for the younger gamers in the house—or an inexpensive little treat for yourself.
It’s available in red, white, yellow, blue and black as well. Mine’s yellow, which makes it easier to find when I’ve put it down somewhere sensible and immediately forgotten where.
The Shabby Dave verdict
A lightweight little console with a surprisingly strong grip on your spare time. It has its rough edges, but for inexpensive, nostalgic fun, it’s put a proper smile on my face.
It’s a YES from Shabby Dave.
Now, leave me alone a minute. I’m having one more go.
And this time I mean it.
Choose your colour and buy the retro handheld games console for £10
