Game Boy Archives - Gizmochina

Anbernic RG nano, the Game Boy-like mini retro game console finally goes on sale for $60

Sean — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 10:19:35 +0000

The Anbernic RG nano has finally gone on sale as the smallest ever handheld gaming console. This device is a miniature lookalike of the iconic Game Boy and comes with a number of retro games. So let’s have a look.

Anbernic RG nano is small enough to be carried on your keychain ring

With measurements of 2.8 inches x 1.7 inches x 07 inches, the new RG nano is a tiny and compact game console. Since it weighs just 153 grams, you can easily carry it around on your keychain and even toss it in your pockets or handbags. But despite its small form factor, it is still a fully functioning game console that features a D-Pad, action buttons, color display, and even shoulder buttons as well. Notably, this isn’t the first retro handheld gaming console from the company as they even launched the Anbernic RG35XX earlier this year.

The RG nano sports a tiny 1.54 inch IPS LCD panel that has a 240px resolution and is powered by a 1.2GHz ARM Cortex A7 processor. This chipset is paired with 64MB of DDR2 memory and uses a microSD card slot that supports up to 512GB of storage (the company sells only the 64GB or 128GB options). With these specs, it is clear that the console isn’t cutting edge, but for its size, it can run NES, GBA, and even PS1 era games with ease. It runs on a Linux based OS with support for emulators as well.

Other notable features include, built in speakers, a USB Type C port, and a 1,050mAh battery that can last for up to 2.5 hours. For those unaware, Anbernic had first unveiled the mini console back in May 2023, and it is currently available for purchase for a price tag of 66 US Dollars. Although, there is a 6 US Dollar company discount for those that order before June 15. Talking about its design, it is built using aluminum alloy and arrives in multiple color options, like dark purple, blue, and red.

An abridged version of ‘Wordle’ finds its way into the iconic Game Boy

Jed John Ikoba — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 20:47:31 +0000

The Game Boy is the ancestor of modern gaming devices including smartphones and it was introduced in 1989. The handheld device has seen several iterations and it still maintains its presence in the gaming segment to date. The Wordle word game has now been ported into Game Boy, bringing a vocabulary of up to 8,000 of the most popular English words.

The full version of the game cannot be incorporated into Game Boy due to the handheld’s limited ROM size. However, the new version of the Wordle game has now been incorporated as an abridged word list unlike the general version of the game. The game was ported into Game Boy by Kotaku notes security researcher Stackmashing who used some filtering mechanism to determine popular English words up to 8,000.

WORDLE is now running on the Game Boy! pic.twitter.com/Zk8aDr7MST

— stacksmashing (@ghidraninja) February 6, 2022

The procedure for having the device on your Game Boy includes downloading the game and loading it into a compatible cartridge that could then be used to play the game. Not much of the Nintendo iconic Game Boy is available and it could be stressful getting it into the console itself. So Wordle lovers can get the game from other devices which are easily accessible. The game has been adapted to several other applications like Palm PDA and there seems to be a direct plan to make it a ubiquitous game.

Modder runs GTA 5, Doom, and Crysis on the classic Game Boy

Sean — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 08:45:55 +0000

The modders in the gaming community have always pushed boundaries of beloved titles. An infamous example of this is Doom, the progenitor of the shooter genre, that has practically been run of every piece of technology, ranging from a calculator, microwave, and even more bizarre gadgets. But now, we have GTA 5, which was spotted running on the old Game Boy.

Coder and modder Sebastian Staacks shared on YouTube that he had managed to run Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto 5 and Id Software’s original Doom on Nintendo’s classic hardware. According to the coder, “A few weeks ago I created a Game Boy cartridge with built-in WiFi. Now I taught it to stream video and play games—in full resolution. At 20 fps. On an unmodified original Game Boy.”

Furthermore, he even shared the technical process through which he managed to run the modern day title on the old Game Boy. But due to the technical and hardware limitation of the Game Boy, GTA 5 runs exactly how you’d expect it too. The gameplay is passable, if you think visual fidelity is overrated. On the other hand, it can run Crysis as well.

He added that “With this new demo, many other demos almost become obsolete. It can display anything and I can control anything that can be displayed on and controlled by my PC. Of course, the interface and image are almost unusable this way, so some dedicated implementations might still be interesting. And also, I did not touch audio here, which unfortunately was a big oversight by me when designing this cartridge.”