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PocketGo puts your favorite classic games in your pocket

NEWS – If you read my Bittboy Game Boy and NES handheld game console review a few months ago, you’ll know that I gave it two thumbs up. Now there’s an even smaller device. It’s the retromimi PocketGo Retro and with it, you can put all your favorite games from the golden age of handheld gaming consoles in your pocket.

The PocketGo Retro supports the following game types: NES/GB/GBC/GBA/SNES/SMD/SMS/PCE/NEOGEO and features a 2.4″ tempered glass IPS display screen, and the ability to save game states so you can play a few minutes or a few hours without losing your place.

The retromimi PocketGo Retro is currently available for pre-order for $39.95 and will ship on June 15th 2019. If you order during this pre-order phase, you’ll save $10 and receive an 8GB micro SD card to hold all your favorite classic games. Head over to retromini.com for all the details.

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PocketGo puts your favorite classic games in your pocket originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 13, 2019 at 8:00 am.

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14 Hidden Google Games You Need to Play

Say what you will about Google, but the old search-engine devil has some fine taste and sense of humor in its design department. Over the years Google’s amassed a veritable trove of hidden games, many of which first appeared in connection with anniversaries but continue to be available to play today. As if Google didn’t already have a great repertoire of secret games, it’s gone and added its most ghoulishly addictive one yet this Halloween. Scroll on to see how to play it and other titles in Google’s gaming dossier. 1. Magic Cat Academy (Google Doodle Archive) Taking us all the way back to… Read more

14 Best Games to Play on Your Chromebook in 2019

Chromebook is looking more and more like a perfectly decent gaming machine, even though just a few years ago you’d have been laughed out the room for saying so. With increasing support for Android apps via the Play Store, and growing support for native Linux software too, the list of Chromebook games you can play is getting better and better. In other big news on the Chromebook gaming front, Google recently announced Stadia, its game-streaming platform which will make all the biggest games available via streaming. And yes, Google has confirmed that Stadia is coming to Chromebook, which – if you pardon the pun –… Read more

GameSir Marsback Mini Game Arcade review

REVIEW – If you want to relive all of your favorite childhood Game Boy, NES, PS, and other games on your phone, you have to use an emulator, but playing these games with onscreen controls is not fun (at least I don’t think so). The GameSir Marsback Mini Game Arcade is a fun way to turn your Android or iPhone into a tiny retro gaming console. Let’s check it out.

What is it?

The GameSir Marsback Mini Game Arcade is a Bluetooth joystick controller and holder for your smartphone that turns it into a mini arcade machine.

What’s in the box?

  • GameSir Marsback Mini Game Arcade
  • 2 AA batteries
  • Instructions

Design and features

The Marsback (where’d they get that name?) is a square plastic device with a joystick and 6 control buttons on top and a slot for your phone.

On the bottom are the power switch and battery compartment (2 AA’s are included with the unit).

The device isn’t very large at only 3.25 x 3 x 3.5 inches.

Behind the phone slot is a pull-out backrest if you want to use the phone in landscape orientation with the controller.

Here we see my Pixel 2 XL resting against the backrest on top of the device. This orientation works fine as long as you are going to play the games on a flat surface. I wouldn’t recommend it if you want to hold the Marsback controller in your hands to play games as there is nothing to secure the phone in place and it could easily fall off.

And here we see the same Pixel 2 XL with a Pitaka case inserted in the phone slot. I think this is the preferred way to play games using the Marsback. Yes, the screen is smaller, but you can hold the whole thing in your hands which makes it more portable.

The Happy Chick app



The Marsback controller does not come with any games, but the instructions that come with the controller instruct you to download the Happy Chick app by using the QR code in the instruction sheet. You can see some of the errors and warnings that my Pixel 2 XL showed when I installed the app. Although these errors make the app look pretty shady, I decided to take a leap and installed it anyway. So far my phone hasn’t exploded. I also have read that lots of people use this app so hopefully, that means it’s not evil.

The app is basically an interface that lets you download and play game ROMs on your device. You can search for your favorite retro titles and find them for a variety of devices like the Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Color, NES, and more.

If you’re thinking that downloading and playing copyrighted game ROMs (if you don’t own them) could be illegal, well yeah, you’d be right. Will you go to jail if you buy and use this device? Highly doubtful.

One of my all-time favorite retro games is Prince of Persia, so I downloaded it first. You can actually use the Happy Chick app all by itself to play games as it has onscreen controls, but when you pair the Marsback controller to your device it works perfectly with these old games.

By default, the games display in landscape orientation, but you can bring up the Happy Chick settings to switch orientations.

In portrait orientation, the layout is perfect for placing the phone in the Marsback phone slot to create a mini arcade machine.

The joystick and buttons are smaller than what you will find on a full-sized gaming controller, but they are responsive and fully functional. Holding a plastic box between your hands to play games can be a little awkward and not nearly as comfortable as using a regular controller. But the idea of the Marsback device is to be a cute nostalgic nod to the standalone arcade games from the ’80s and ’90s.

What I like

  • Cute!
  • Easy to use
  • Phone can be used in either orientation

What needs to be improved

  • Put the power button on top so you won’t forget to turn it off after a gaming session
  • Shady Happy Chick app

Final thoughts

I guarantee if you stick your phone in the phone slot of the Marsback mini arcade device and boot up Pacman, Centipede, Sonic the Hedgehog, Doom, or another iconic game from the past, that anyone who walks by is going to ask you about it and want to take a turn playing the game. The Marsback Mini Game Arcade isn’t the most fantastic gaming controller I’ve ever tested. But it is fun to use and at only $34, it won’t make your wallet cry but it will make you and your friends smile.

Price: $34.00
Where to buy: Vinpok
Source: The sample for this review was provided by GameSir.

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GameSir Marsback Mini Game Arcade review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 19, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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Turn over your Gadgeteer game night with UNO FLIP!

NEWS – Gadgeteers love games!  Mattel has launched UNO FLIP!, a new variation on UNO, one of the most popular card games ever produced. UNO FLIP!, a new double-sided card game, plays just like original UNO – try to get rid of all your cards by playing matching color or number cards on the discard pile, while also playing change-direction cards or Draw cards, forcing your opponents to pick up additional cards. UNO FLIP! ups that ante by adding a flip card.

Playing this forces everyone to flip over their cards, revealing different numbers and colors on the dark back sides.  You also flip over the deck and play the dark side cards.  There are new penalty cards including a dreaded Draw 5 card.

UNO has always been a popular game because it is simple to learn, but lets players use strategy to outwit their opponents. UNO FLIP! adds new challenges and should prove to make game night even more entertaining.

UNO FLIP! is available now for $5.99 at Target and Walmart online, is expected to hit store shelves at Target in March and be available globally later in 2019.

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Turn over your Gadgeteer game night with UNO FLIP! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 14, 2019 at 11:03 am.

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