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HyperMegaTech’s Super Pocket is a nostalgic homage to arcade gaming, neatly wrapped up in a familiar DMG Game Boy inspired shell. The past couple of years have seen plenty of products humming the same tune as this, so what makes this any different? Well, it’s the support for Evercade cartridges packed full of licensed retro games that really sets it apart.
If you’re not familiar with the history of video games – it pretty much all began in arcades. Until the Famicom was released in the early 80s, you’d need your parents’ permission, a handful of coins and a local arcade in order to sink some hours into gaming. Games like Space Invaders, Pac-Man, and Double Dragon were popular at the time, with companies like Capcom and Taito building their reputations across Asia, the Americas and Europe. Now, though, those games are virtually impossible to play authentically without sourcing giant arcade cabinets that could set you back a noticeable amount.
Enter Evercade, designed by Blaze and also responsible for the HyperMegaTech brand. This game system loads up licensed games onto cartridges compatible with a range of modern game systems. This includes the Evercade EXP, the Evercade VS, and now HyperMegaTech’s Super Pocket.
That said, it’s entirely true that many of these games are now available on online game platforms such as Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox, though that experience will always feel inferior to blowing the dust out your cartridge, wedging it in a console and getting up close and personal with a little handheld.
Design
The Super Pocket design doesn’t take itself too seriously. While modern retro handhelds such as the Miyoo Mini Plus and RG35XX might feature bezel-less displays and classic colour schemes, HyperMegaTech’s devices instead pop with highly saturated tones and a plasticky feel that’s actually fun. It’s the first time I’ve thought something feels like a McDonalds toy in a good way.
Nostalgia is the reason that people want to play retro games on authentic hardware instead of on retina touch-screens, and HyperMegaTech do well to play into this. The Super Pockets add a modern splash of paint onto a familiar design, while also letting the nature of cheap and clunky materials play an important part in aesthetics.
As nostalgic as the original DMG Game Boy might feel in your hand, or how much more compact the Game Boy Color is, the Super Pockets actually feel a little bit better. Much of this is thanks to the bevelled shoulder buttons on the back, which while they might not see much use in-game, they do a pretty good job at making the device feel ergonomic. That’s the only real useful feature that the shoulder buttons bring. Basically no games actually make use of the shoulder buttons aside from Street Fighter 2. Even then, actually pressing them was a little uncomfortable and you’re going to need to do a little bit of finger gymnastics. I don’t mind them as a finger rest, though.
Capcom’s variant, my favourite, is bold. It dons a contrasting blue and yellow combination best analogised as Marge Simpson morphed into a retro handheld. The Blaize Taito version is a little darker, with a mint green shell shielded by an underworld navy. I’ve been pretty happy playing the Capcom edition sitting at Manchester’s moody bus-stops.
The tactile nature of a handheld is one of the main reasons there’s even a market for them now. It’s the clicky buttons, slidey cartridges and the fingerprints you leave on the screen that keep people revisiting their old Game Boys and Game Gears. The Super Pocket’s face buttons are pretty rigid and clicky. The ABXY set are all membrane buttons that demand a pretty confident press to activate, and you’ll notice a huge difference between them and your 30 year old Game Boy.
The D-Pad is eight-directional, with a recessed circular pad beneath the directional buttons. This is a step away from the traditional design of the Game Boy, but it makes hitting diagonals a lot easier in game. Immediately, my first thought was testing out how well you can pull off a Hadouken in SF2.
I handed the console over to a colleague much more proficient at Street Fighter, and instantly they were throwing combos across the stage with ease. They said that while the adjustment going from arcade levers to a D-Pad was a bit of a learning curve, the eight-direction design helped out massively.
Performance
The Super Pocket has a great IPS display running at a 320 x 240 resolution. For reference, the Game Boy Advance runs at 240 x 160px, so you’re enjoying a display that’s far denser and brighter. That said, compared to other retro handhelds available right now you’re going to encounter quite a few that are much brighter and sharper. This makes sense for consoles aiming to play slightly beefier games, though the display slots in seamlessly enough with the Super Pocket’s identity as an arcade handheld that it’s not really an issue. You won’t be playing anything that really pushes this display to the limits, and games look pretty fantastic with bold colours that pop really well.
The packaging on the back of the box states that you’re going to squeeze about four hours of play from the device, though the lack of a brightness toggle means you have little control over this. There is a 3.5mm audio jack that’s going to let you rely on headphones rather than the speakers to save a little more battery, but it won’t be drastic.
That said, the speakers on the Super Pocket are pretty loud and clear – which I really didn’t expect from a device this affordable.
One of the most important parts of a handheld games console is the actual gaming experience. The controls and ergonomics will only make up for so much quality, but what’s really important is how a device handles creating a fun experience. You’re going to have three options for aspect ratio: Original, Pixel Perfect, and Fullscreen. There’s also the space to toggle between scanline intensity to replicate that authentic visual experience: None, Subtle and Strong.
Even with a Pixel Perfect aspect ratio (smallest display area) and strong scanlines enabled, the display is never difficult or uneasy to look at. Whether or not you use scanlines is entirely up to you. While they’re going to add another flavour of nostalgia, they can also be quite inconvenient. On larger screens they’re a little more bearable, though small screens sometimes struggle depending on their resolution. Luckily, the display has a decent enough PPI that it’s clear enough.
The Evercade cartridge system invites the fact that there’s only licensed games available on the system. This is great news as it encourages flawless emulation quality through which I’ve yet to encounter a single crash or bug. We were supplied with this IREM Arcade cartridge, which was filled with plenty of classic games.
There’s a certain level of expectation with a console like this. To me, the Super Pocket and all of the Evercade products are a statement against piracy. The hardware itself is an homage to retro gaming in every way: it’s fun, tactile, yet utilitarian and extremely functional. Had the Super Pocket missed the mark on perfect emulation – it would render its associated cartridges useless. It doesn’t though. You have fully licensed games on well designed hardware that deserves timeless classics. It’s a very ideal situation for anyone interested in archiving video game history, or simply enjoying games on realistic hardware.
I’m a big proponent of people enjoying tactile interactions with hardware. The thought of holographic joy-sticks and touch-screen controls doesn’t pique my interest as much, so it’s refreshing when a retro console comes along that relies on cartridges rather than digital media. If any of my close friends or family are reading this, you’ll understand why I’ve given you one of these for Christmas.
Price and availability
The Super Pocket will set you back $59.99 / £49.99 in the US and UK for the base console alone. There are two different variants available: either Blaze Taito or Capcom. The former comes with 18 games built-in, while the latter sports 12. Evercade cartridges are sold separately and will cost roughly $25 / £18. All products are also readily available in a range of territories across Europe, New Zealand, Australia and more.
I’m annoyed the Super Pocket wasn’t around when I was a kid; a highly portable way to play old nerdy games on the cheap. I’m grateful devices like the PSP and DS were around, but building a game library larger than two titles is a sucker punch to your wallet. It looks like Blaze has recognised that there’s a cost of living crisis right now though. It’s incredibly affordable to pick up the base hardware and the Evercade ecosystem is versatile enough that the price you’re paying for a handful of games is really worth it.
Super Pocket
MSRP
$59.99
Screen size
2.8-inches
Resolution
320 x 180
Battery Life
4-hours
Charging
USB-C
Review sample provided by HyperMegaTech.
