VideoGame_Discussion

Topic Talk me into/out of buying an Analogue Pocket

Snappy

1-Mar-2023(#1)

Hello GameTZ folks,

I'm considering ordering an Analogue Pocket - can you please share all opinions on why I should or shouldn't get one? If I buy it I want to actually use it.. so not to make the topic too complex but some deep cut recommendations for games to play would also help justify the cost. More info:

- I'm not an expert on the finer nuances of the GB+GBC+GBA libraries
- I'm interested in Pokemon games - never played one before at any length... also Castlevania, tactics style games and games with an engaging story
- I have a Nintendo DS Lite
- I would buy the dock with the Analogue pocket if only to have a very convenient way to charge it since I hate plugging things in and wires laying around if I can help it
- I have a Mister FPGA, so I have the option already of playing all games the Pocket can play on the big screen
- I'm finding myself more and more enjoying playing mobile games since I can do it anywhere in short sessions - kind of have a busy life

OK, enough about me, thanks for your thoughts in *advance*! At the very least maybe this will spark some interesting discussion.

Lunar

1-Mar-2023(#2)

Well, you already have a mister, so the only advantage this has is the portability.

Pocket has been jailbroken, so it can do SMS, GG, GEN, NES, SNES, PCE, GBA, GB/C, last I checked. Prob more now, I know Jotego was working on CPS cores for the Pocket, it's still not done yet. Also, some Neo Geo stuff I saw in the early stages.

Anyway, Jailbroken Pocket with a Dock is essentially Nt Mini, Super NT, Mega SG, and half of the unreleased Duo combined.

You should definitely get one if you see it close to MSRP. I wouldn't pay the inflated prices.

Renaissance2K

1-Mar-2023(#3)

For the platforms it supports, it's going to be the best-performing portable until the Multisystem team finalizes how to put a MiSTer into a handheld. The display is gorgeous, especially with the original screen modes enabled.

If you already have one of those mega Android-powered handhelds that supports everything up through GameCube, I guess it's a bit of a harder sell unless you're a real stickler for accuracy.

nonamesleft

1-Mar-2023(#4)

Lunar wrote:

> Anyway, Jailbroken Pocket with a Dock

*Record scratching sound* Hold it! The Pocket can be docked and connected to a screen?! I had no idea. That's very tempting.

Renaissance2K

* 1-Mar-2023(#5)

You need Analogue's proprietary dock, which isn't the best, but yeah, it gives you all those consoles on a TV.

Snappy

2-Mar-2023(#6)

@Lunar @Renaissance2K thanks for the feedback - the fact that it’s jail broken is helpful.

A mobile mister would be awesome though it would be somewhat of an engineering feat to fit the de10 nano into a mobile form factor, which I’m sure is what they’re struggling with. Maybe it will be Game Gear size haha.

Snappy

2-Mar-2023(#7)

Oh yeah, I definitely wouldn't buy one at re-sale prices, this would be me doing a pre-order from Analogue and likely waiting months time.

Gypsy

2-Mar-2023(#8)

Snappy wrote:

> Oh yeah, I definitely wouldn't buy one at re-sale prices, this would be me doing

> a pre-order from Analogue and likely waiting months time.

Hard to argue against it at that price. Very easy to get your money back.

For me I did not care for it. I mostly wanted it for GBA games and it felt so awkward for that due to button placement. The screen is very nice though.

Renaissance2K

2-Mar-2023(#9)

Snappy wrote:

> A mobile mister would be awesome though it would be somewhat of an engineering feat

> to fit the de10 nano into a mobile form factor, which I’m sure is what they’re

> struggling with. Maybe it will be Game Gear size haha.

https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?t=4646

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYQDqnJT0Lk

Snappy

2-Mar-2023(#10)

Renaissance2K wrote:

> Snappy wrote:

>> A mobile mister would be awesome though it would be somewhat of an engineering

> feat

>> to fit the de10 nano into a mobile form factor, which I’m sure is what they’re

>> struggling with. Maybe it will be Game Gear size haha.

> https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?t=4646

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYQDqnJT0Lk

Nice! More like Nintendo Switch size - intriguing.

Snappy

2-Mar-2023(#11)

Gypsy wrote:

> Snappy wrote:

>> Oh yeah, I definitely wouldn't buy one at re-sale prices, this would be me doing

>> a pre-order from Analogue and likely waiting months time.

> Hard to argue against it at that price. Very easy to get your money back.

> For me I did not care for it. I mostly wanted it for GBA games and it felt so awkward

> for that due to button placement. The screen is very nice though.

That's good feedback since I mainly want it for GBA games. Is it less comfortable to play on than a DS Lite? DS Lite wasn't terrible but hands definitely get sore after an extended session of Castlevania, for example.

Or is it less the form factor and strictly about button placement not being where your muscle memory expects?

Snappy

2-Mar-2023(#12)

I personally think the horizontal form factor, like the original GBA, Gamegear, etc. is most comfortable. Too bad IMO the Pocket wasn't done in that format... though I get they were aesthetically going for an original GB design.

Gypsy

2-Mar-2023(#13)

Snappy wrote:

> I personally think the horizontal form factor, like the original GBA, Gamegear, etc.

> is most comfortable. Too bad IMO the Pocket wasn't done in that format... though

> I get they were aesthetically going for an original GB design.

Completely agree. To answer your previous question it was worse than DS lite for me. The biggest issue was the way the cart sticks out and what not made the shoulder buttons very weird to use. I never did like the original GB form factor.

Lunar

2-Mar-2023(#14)

The Pocket def has the Original GB in mind with the correct 10:9 aspect ratio. GBA games you get some black bars. Though game boy carts are pretty flush with the top of the system. GBA is even more of a non-issue. Unless you're talking about the GG adapter which makes GG games stick out, the GB/A carts do not stick out.

Lunar

2-Mar-2023(#15)

The Dock is still pending the DAC support. For those who care, DAC with the Dock means you can connect it to a analog source (CRT/PVM). It'll be pretty awesome.

But I guess for those of us already in the mister space, we been have that option so it's less revolutionary.

Gypsy

* 2-Mar-2023(#16)

Lunar wrote:

> The Pocket def has the Original GB in mind with the correct 10:9 aspect ratio. GBA

> games you get some black bars. Though game boy carts are pretty flush with the top

> of the system. GBA is even more of a non-issue. Unless you're talking about the GG

> adapter which makes GG games stick out, the GB/A carts do not stick out.

They stick out enough that it's very easy to bump them with your fingers while using the shoulder buttons. Ymmv depending on hand size of course.

I would have kept something with a horizontal form factor.

Snappy

2-Mar-2023(#17)

Well, I'm kind of getting talked out of it since I have a mister for TV usage, have a DS Lite for GBA... I was really hoping it would provide a better GBA experience but it's sounding like maybe not.

Renaissance2K

2-Mar-2023(#18)

The big advantages over the DS Lite would be the screen (bigger, more accurate screen modes, but with letterboxing), screenshots, and save states.

Lunar

2-Mar-2023(#19)

Much much better screen. DS Lite is like the 4th or fifth best choice for GBA games.

Lunar

2-Mar-2023(#20)

Played around with the jotego cps1 core during lunch,

image
image

Gypsy

2-Mar-2023(#21)

Lunar wrote:

> Much much better screen. DS Lite is like the 4th or fifth best choice for GBA games.

The screen is very good.

@Snappy I do think if you can get it at the "regular" price it's worth at least trying to see how it is for you.

ChronoLe

2-Mar-2023(#22)

If you don't want to wait for months for a unit to ship, perhaps a GBA with a swapped out backlit screen? You get the comfortable original form factor. It's not going to have access to all those other library cores, but if the goal is just to play cart based Pokemon games, I think a backlit GBA would be a good option. I've seen some with a nice glass screen.

Snappy

2-Mar-2023(#23)

Well, I ended up putting in a preorder for one (white).. so whenever it actually comes one day I’ll share my own impressions.

I figure if I don’t like it I can always sell it for a decent price.

In the meantime, I snagged a copy of Pokémon Leafgreen which ill be giving a whirl on the DS Lite.

Off-topic… but after some research it sadly looks like there’s no mods to improve the DS Lites rather squishy dpad… I can attest to it being rather poor for diagonals when trying to do the summon combo in Circle of the Moon and probably having a less than 50% success rate.

Thanks again for all the feedback!

Kommie

3-Mar-2023(#24)

Don't do it.