Playdate: 1 year later - 400+ Games!

The Playdate handheld is a year old and now has over 400 games for it. Now that I've lived with it for a year, has my opinion changed? And what are some of the good new games for it? More info : play.date
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** DISCLAIMER : The catalog games were given to me for review, however all the opinions are my own **

[@MetalJesusRocks]

Am I crazy to not like the screen?! I know it's part of the "charm" I suspose...but at $200 you'd think they'd at least give ya the option for a backlit screen, right?

[@Zudden666]

I think that a black and white OLED would be amazing on the Playdate!

[@gjms]

Meh. I took the risk. But yeah, backlight should be a thing

[@qqq1701]

It should have that blue glow backlight that they started using on watches years ago. That would look pretty cool, I think.

[@anasevi9456]

amen, even just a side lit screen, which imperfect is the only way to internally light a reflective screen; is still vastly better than being stuck without being able to see the screen.

[@grayboxcar6031]

Other than paperweight or blunt ninja star, this device has no functions that do not utilize that screen. You cannot convince me that the price savings were worth it when it's in the expensive/quality toy marketspace. It's users would have likely paid the difference.

[@Amber-jb8su]

It’s looks like something that’s unique and fun to play with, but if I had $200 to spend on a gaming console and my options were a Nintendo Switch Lite or a Playdate… the answer is quite clear.

[@Winterstarf]

yeah, it looks really cool but not really worth the duhllas

[@dfurster]

it's kind of designed for people who have enough money to buy both

[@monkeygameplay5455]

They need to make it 60 bucks for the oled version and 40 for the normal version like that maybe they will mkae some kids childhoods

[@bigbodge]

to be fair, out of the two I'd chose the playdate, but then I don't have a great interest in Nintendo games and do tend to prefer smaller, more experimental games, like the kind of thing that pico8 does but for the record I dont actually own either (I don't have $200 to spend on a console lol)

[@Justgoodvids]

They don’t have the economies of scale, but not having a backlight sucks

[@Topesio66]

if this device could have a pricing tag of 60$ it would sell millions of units. 200$ something is definitively no go, super niche.

[@ricedbroccoli]

​@Borgis Not even. 80 is probably the highest they could reasonably priced it and that's probably pushing it

[@noodles2459]

200 and its black and white yeah no

[@ricedbroccoli]

@Master_Misanthrope Fr dude. You can get cheap Gameboy style emulator consoles for like 60 dollars, and they play literally like anything from N64 and before. And they have backlit, colored displays

[@oo--7714]

The game’s honestly seem better, I’d rather play newer games than older ones.

[@oo--7714]

“if this device could have a pricing tag of 60$ it would sell millions” It really would not, the steam deck has only sold 1.6 million and it’s made by valve.

[@cactoidpinata]

It's really interesting to see such smooth framerates on a device that looks like it wouldn't be capable of that. I realize the games look very simple, but my eyes want me to believe that I'm looking at a monochrome handheld from the 90s that's running 3D games.

[@ozmond]

Do you not own a cell phone?

[@ender2999]

@@ozmond How is that relevant to what he said? It looks nothing like a cell phone. He never said anything about the size, just the fact that it's surprising to see those graphics coming from a 90's looking device.

[@andros4323]

good pixel density and amazing animation work

[@ba_salt]

@@ozmond modern cell phones dont really look like handhelds from the 90's. if your phone has a 2.7 inch monochrome display with no backlight you might need to look into getting an upgrade

[@H.EL-Othemany]

@@ender2999 it's z 90's looking device. Not a 90's device .. sooo

[@shreknet]

For some reason this reminds me of the Dreamcast gaming unit that existing inside the controllers. It was such a cute and fun gimmick and this unit really feeds that to me.

[@gehtdichnichtsan5211]

I was thinking about the pokémon mini. Maybe the only gaming console that's more niche than the Playdate

[@saadcarnerd]

You mean VMU from Dreamcast

[@andyhansen5905]

I still love how unique the PlayDate is and the potential for really creative games is why I’ve kept tabs on it since release. Ultimately I’m left in the same position I had a year ago; it’s just too expensive for what you get. The crank is fun but the games themselves don’t have enough beyond the novelty to convince me to pick one up. I’ll see what developers can come up with in year two and revisit it again.

[@toututu2993]

You should try vr. This is nothing in comparison

[@andyhansen5905]

Um…alright. I feel like we’re talking about two very different things. I’m open to VR too, though. It’ll be fun to see how far that progresses in the coming years.

[@dfurster]

This console gave me feels like when I played nes for the first time. You won't get it until you try it.

[@toututu2993]

@@dfurster Sounds like Quest 2 I bought. I don't expect much for vr but man. Some games already showcase that nothing can beat vr at all in my 30 years of gaming

[@KingM119]

​@@toututu2993your comparing apples and dragons

[@MicahBuzanANIMATION]

Love to live in an age where unique things like this are coming out.

[@64-Bit-Gamer]

Did you post this comment from the future, or something?

[@Smiggsss]

Shut up

[@CaptainPupu]

The weird gadget 90s and retro-futuristics of Early 2000s are also gone.

[@blackdeath1619]

0:01 he riding that bike a lil TOO good

[@ZackRock]

I've also had mine for about a year, and am still surprised by the creativity of the community of developers producing games for the device. Having such a low bar for developing has led to a fantastic array of titles in a broad spectrum of genres. Lots of action games that take advantage of the crank, for sure. But also a ton of immersive, story-driven adventures, beautiful puzzlers, side-scrollers, and games there's no category for. And the best part is almost none of the titles cost more than $12, with some of my favorites being absolutely free. It's my go to game system for traveling, regardless of how weird I must look cranking away at a little yellow box on the train.

[@wesleyware_]

I just placed a preorder for one and it's really reassuring you mentioned using it on a train. I actually appreciate the games are smaller and not hundreds of hours. When I'm out and about I can't focus on big stuff like that haha

[@dracquiteur.4730]

This version of Celeste is actually based on the Pico 8 version of the game, which was created during a Game Jam. Lateron, the creators expanded the game to the PC and Switch version you mention in the video. Celeste Classic, as the Pico 8 version is commonly referred to today, is still playable. It's even possible to unlock it in the full version of the game!

[@Mr_APeezy]

Funnily enough, I remember the rave reviews about Celeste but I never played it. But let me tell you, I finally bought a Steam Deck late last year and about a month ago I picked up Celeste on a Steam Sale. Let me tell you, that game deserves ALLLLLLL the accolades. And yes, you can find the Pico-8 version in the hotel level in a secret area. I got pretty far in the “classic” version which made me think could it go on forever? But I read it doesn’t. It’s a dope companion piece to the main game. Once you find the Pico-8 version, you can play it at any time and it tracks your placement in the level just like the main game does.

[@Jaroartx]

@@Mr_APeezy have you already try the Celeste Strawberry Jam mod 🍓❤‍🔥

[@Mr_APeezy]

@@Jaroartx no, not yet. I haven’t done anything with mods or emulation yet. Later this year I want to start getting into both. I’ll make a note of this particular mod in my hundreds long list of emu and modded games I want to eventually try. 😅

[@chadbledsoe2416]

I have always found this device very intriguing, but I can't rationalize spending $200 on it. I'm not even sure I'd do $100. Maybe $60-$80. And even then, not until it has some lighting on the screen.

[@xXSummonNightXx]

Same

[@Softlol]

the cost of producing one of these is probably at least $60. I had to pay over $300 for mine. Crazy price, sure. But I feel like I am the niche targeted audience for this device and can’t wait to get my hands on it

[@zachbonebrake352]

I just found out about this device today and really want one, but that price is crazy.

[@misterdrgn5155]

These look like games that you'd play for 5-10 minutes and then move on, with the rare gem that might hold your attention for a couple hours.

[@arostwocents]

Exactly - so well worth it if the system cost £50. Right now they are targeting the ultra niche of people wealthy enough to spend the cost of a Switch on this thing. You can get an emulation machine that can play up to GameCube for the cost of this.

[@fearlesswee5036]

@@arostwocents The target market of this system is quite obvious; west-coast "tech-bro" hipsters with more disposable income than common sense, lol. The kind of person who'd buy this purely as a status symbol; they buy it *because* it's way too expensive for what is, not *in spite* of it.

[@mickey2ky]

Thank you for your content all these years. I’ve enjoyed having a beer and watching :D

[@MetalJesusRocks]

My pleasure!

[@mickey2ky]

@@MetalJesusRocks it’s so cool! And you guys are so old school and down to earth. Thanks! 🙏

[@TorgeirBerg]

What i like about it, is the 1-bit style. You really have to be creative to make something neat. Good challenge!

[@timpize8733]

Well technically it's 8 bit. There are differents shades of grey, like on the GB. 😅

[@kyle40582]

@UnjustifiedRecs It is 1 bit. There are not different shades of grey, just black/white pixels.

[@kyle40582]

@UnjustifiedRecs No, it is just high resolution and dithering makes it seem like there are shades of grey. I promise, it is 1 bit! I recommend checking one out in person, I get the complaints about no backlight, but the screen is really nice.

[@timpize8733]

@@kyle40582 Pause the video when he's showing the game with the cyclist and look at the sky. There are clearly flat areas in a lighter grey than on the cyclist's shorts. So it's not due to the dithering. Also there are areas with just a grid of white and light grey pixels. I'd say there are four shades : black, white and two shades of grey, just like on the Game Boy.

[@kataStatik]

It’s a high definition, one bit screen that’s that’s just a fact.

[@soulden77]

No backlight, no buy. My 40+ aged eyes will get destroyed. And $200??? Same price as an Analogue Pocket?

[@MetalJesusRocks]

Right? Or a Switch Lite...but it would not be in place of...but more like something in addition to if you want something unique I suppose.

[@Robots0verHumans]

​@@MetalJesusRocks for $60-80 alright...i paid around $240 for it incl. shipping to Europe. Crazy price. Even it's exotic it's simply not worth this price.

[@nathanaelsmith3553]

Headtorch?

[@Grim528]

Just play with a light on.

[@pvsweetypie]

​@@Grim528 I imagine that would be their sales pitch - "Do you guys not have lamps?"

[@devint2409]

I was literally just talking about the playdate with my friends and i went back to watch your video! Now theres an update! Perfect timing.

[@kitchycloser]

This thing reminds me of playing games on my TI 83 in high school. There were some fun games on there, but they were all very simple. Not necessarily a bad thing, but unsure who the market is for a device like this when there’s so many ways to play both modern and retro style games. The crank is the only thing that sets it apart. Is that novelty worth $200? Not to me.

[@hullstar242]

It’s for a niche market of people who like niche cool things

[@charlesliify]

​@David Bee I mean at least it looks prettier than the 8-bit walmart consoles designed for gun loving freedom fighters in Texas

[@SIPEROTH]

@@knightofire Really? Those people don't seem the type that care about games and especially not simple little games like this. Those people at best will be playing candy crush on their expensive iphone instead of buying any game device.

[@plasmaoctopus1728]

@@SIPEROTH I'm having Deja Vu right now, are these replies some kind of copy of a meme or whatever?

[@lyhthegreat]

20 years ago when there were no smartphones this would be cool, now...probably for the retro loving folks..

[@irongiantBH]

Love love love the play date. But the no backlight is my biggest gripe. Other than that, if you have larger hands be on the look out for some sort of 3D printed extender piece

[@GregsGameRoom]

The Gameboy was b&w with no backlight to keep costs down. Is $200 really the best they can do with this?

[@someguy3186]

I heard the non backlit screen actually drove up the productions costs.

[@Pichuscute]

It comes with 24 games, so a large part of the cost pays for those. Also, remember, most consoles are sold at a loss. This is too small of a company to be able to do that.

[@someguy3186]

@@Pichuscute There are a lot of small companies now making handhelds with a similar level of tech and build quality for $100 or less. The Analogue Pocket is a truly premium handheld with one of the best screens on the market, is also made by a small company, and it's the same price. You can make an argument for the games that come with it (though I seriously doubt all 24 are worth playing), but otherwise it's just not a good value when compared to the competition. As I said in my previous comment, I suspect that the high price comes from them not being careful with the production costs by using hard to get parts (the non-backlit screens no one was asking for). I guess it's still a decent buy if the unique factors really appeal to you, but even for handheld and retro enthusiasts, this is just a bad value.

[@dpgwalter]

@@someguy3186Analogue emulates games, they don’t maintain a public SDK that supports hundreds of bespoke games for the console, most of which they receive 0% from. People underestimate the costs of making something new versus stitching systems together into a product that looks the same as the console that inspired it.

[@roypearson3893]

I love quirky stuff like this and I did grab a Playdate recently. Although that screen is a major sticking point for many, I am quite lucky being single as I can just turn a light on and play it whenever I like. Lol. It's great the amount of games that are available for it too. Am glad it seems to be doing well and am looking forward to more games being made for me to try out. As always, a great video, as am always interested to hear your views on games and systems.

[@kosterix123]

It would be great to have some text adventure on this. Even though the crank suggests balance and arcade it can also be used to scroll through menu items. It’s at the same time too expensive for its own good.

[@wolvesretro]

Love your content Jason! I listen to it all day while I work!

[@MetalJesusRocks]

I appreciate that!

[@MatthewOceanXVX]

It’s definitely super niche and interesting, I just don’t know if I’d personally enjoy it? Guess I’d have to try it out. Think the price point is way too high as well…maybe if it was lowered to $100. Cool that there’s seemingly good community support though. A backlit screen needs to happen.

[@jaragosh]

Soooo.... we are not gonna talk about how the biker threw it back like there is no tomorrow ?

[@HelloMisterJAMWAH]

I get the backlit screen being a deal breaker, but other than that this is EXACTLY what I think video games have been missing for so long. I'm old school, so this might be 'old man shouts at cloud', but modern gaming is so concerned with stats, crafting and 100hrs of narrative, and reliant on familiarity with previous mechanics that it's not as innovative and playful as it should be. Playdate is like game jam as console. Restrictions and unique challenges make for more interesting games.

[@dark12ain]

Yeah but most games he showed looked so boring and dull, you need those 100 hour gaming designs because that's what we really want

[@HelloMisterJAMWAH]

@@dark12ain There's room for both.

[@dark12ain]

@@HelloMisterJAMWAH can't argue with you on that one

[@Right_Said_Brett]

Agreed. I desperately want to support this system because it represents everything that I love about videogames, in terms of creativity. However, the price point is a barrier to entry. I simply cannot justify spending that amount of money on something so simple.

[@HelloMisterJAMWAH]

@@Right_Said_Brett It's all relative though. People spend more than $200 on a pair of curtains or a vase. And the Game Boy cost $90 on release in 1989, with inflation that's $220 today. If you look at it as its own unique experience and less like a competitor to other consoles, it's more justifiable (to me, at least). I realise this makes me sound like a shill! I don't own one, for the record.

[@ThatOneGuyFromSchool]

0:22 "the biggest bean"

[@arsonne]

Man. I really want this thing but I was hoping the price would go DOWN just a little bit. I would absolutely love to get it for around 120.

[@apesander]

Same. I immediately fell in love with this device, but its just too pricy :/

[@monkeygameplay5455]

I would rather buy a device that plays pico 8 games

[@Lansolot]

That's still insane, you can get a pocket device that runs every snes, nes, sega, sms, gameboy, gbc, and gba game for that price and the device would have a larger screen and more buttons (including shoulders).

[@PoboyMusic]

Welcome to Teenage Engineering.

[@monkeygameplay5455]

play pico 8 games instead there are hundreds of games including fanmade demakes so you are gonna feel right at home many hidden gems out there

[@TheYa2000]

I want this handheld soooooooo much!!! Thanks for the video!

[@GamerbyDesign]

Not really for me but I do love it when devs squeeze every once of power out of a system, something sorely missing in todays games.

[@highgroundtreasures]

I commend the creativity involved, the crank, and the black and white aesthetic of the games. But the fact there is no backlit screen, and there is no option to at least turn color on and off in certain games, still makes this an easy pass for me. Many games like this would benefit greatly even from minimum color. Also, the fact that it's only available in yellow limits its appeal even further. It's a niche novelty at best, and I'm glad I cancelled my preorder.

[@daddykarlmarx6183]

I'm sorry but this was a mistake, no backlight and monochrome with mostly novelty/minigames for $200, this would be cool if it was like a tenth the price at my local rite Aid lmao

[@lovemadeinjapan]

The worst about the playdate is a design flaw in the yellow handle on the crank and Panic being the seller, not Teenage Engineering. They don't have their hardware sales and repair channels functioning. The crankle grip is like a single yellow piece of plastic with a hole to hold the screw, yet they don't manage to fix the cracking issue with it nor make it easy to order a bag of 100 replacement handles for 10 bucks.

[@arostwocents]

I'm sure they'd do one replacement handle for $20 going by the price of the system and its 400% markup over the price it should be. The thing is if they made them much cheaper, they would probably sell enough to make the price feasible for them. They are building a cheap device like it's a luxury item instead of a fun handheld. This is the Neo Geo of black and white systems.

[@arostwocents]

At this point they should partner with Blaze to get them into mass production and retail channels etc, if price was pushed down to a realistic £40 like Blaze definitely could then they actually would sell a lot.

[@TransCanadaPhil]

The crank seems like a variation of the Paddle controller, which I've long argued and wished would make a bit of a comeback. I liked the way games like Bit Trip Beat on the Wii used the controller in a unique rotating way to make it a pseudo paddle. I've always loved the instantaneous analog positioning of paddle controllers which no other type of controller is able to do and it makes for unique types of games like this. I wish such a thing existed on PC and we had paddle style games on PC.

[@arostwocents]

The new Atari handheld has a paddle on it and seems as if it can run 7800/Lynx so should be cracked for paddle based homebrew and arcade games I guess. It would be very cool to see the paddle make a comeback.

[@arostwocents]

Two paddles would be good, imagine a fixed path shooter like Starfox with a paddle for vertical and a paddle for horizontal aim - you'd need to have buttons for your pinky and ring finger though so would need some work on the shoulder buttons to make them suitable. I think systems with unique control options is a good way to get people to buy these handhelds over an all in one emulation handheld. The new Atari with paddle, trackball and Number Pad actually makes me want one despite having all the games on my phone.

[@LiamApilado]

I like how you kept showing multiuple games, made for an addictive watch

[@heckensteiner4713]

I'm okay with black and white, but I don't think I'll ever get one of these just because they went a little *too* retro with the no backlit screen. The crank looks awesome though! Maybe I'll pick one up if they ever do a 2.0 version with a backlit screen.

[@LyndanTylor]

I would probably be sold on it if the crank had force feedback.

[@SuperNicktendo]

I don't think you're crazy for not liking the screen. Like you said, it's a very niche product. That being said I think it's weird that people compare it to more popular products like they're being forced to choose between one or the other. This isn't the 80s anymore where things need to appeal to the widest audience or risk irrelevancy and I think Panic understands that and priced their product accordingly. I personally have played it from time to time and it's fun as a little fidget device. I bring it with me to bars when I don't want to be on my phone all the time. I'm glad they have been updating it more and more and look forward to seeing more games come to the system that really take advantage of the system. I still wish the crank had a little bit of resistance to it though.

[@BuckeyeStormsProductions]

Question...can you turn it off in the middle of a game and then start back up where you were when you turn it back on? I could see the appeal of games you could play 2 or 3 minutes at a shot, without having to load back into it every time you want to play.

[@badaboum2]

For the vast majority of people purchasing something is choosing to not purchase something else with a similar price.

[@kentslocum]

I've been really enjoying the creativity fed by the simplicity and limitations of the Playdate. My current favorite game is Root Bear. 😊 But with the PC emulator, it's possible for people to buy a few games and try them out before purchasing the physical device.

[@mlmattin]

The playdate is cool and I love the black and white graphics. I personally hope that they never make it have a color screen. It forces developers to be really creative with the graphics. I think that's where it get it's charm. Kinds of reminds me of playing the old Vectrex system. However, the price and lack of backlight are certainly issues for me. There are so many $100 and under retro handhelds out there. I'm sure they are pricing it as cheap as they can. That custom crank hardware costs money. However, it's a tough sell. I imagine most of the purchases are from people who are also interested in trying their hand at developing for it. I do love how accessible game development is for it.

[@morgantrias3103]

Yes! Exactly. The price is unfortunate but people don't seem to recognise how expensive quality custom components make a device. Of course there are cheaper handhelds made entirely from off the shelf components or with sales runs in the millions.

[@TheBaconVanMan]

@@morgantrias3103Bruh they would have sales runs in the millions too if the price was closer to like $80.

[@morgantrias3103]

@@TheBaconVanMan The demographic who truly appreciates the playdate is not huge. Eventually you reach market saturation wherever you set your price point.

[@wamrainc176]

1:16 oh, I believe there Has to be a lot of fishing games on the

[@JaredConnell]

Us: Too expensive Them: *Raises price*

[@pedromenezes1458]

yeah...

[@kpeterrafael]

Yeah lool... not sure if I want to cry or laugh.... maybe both.

[@UNIRockLIVE]

Metal jesus has guitar playin fingernails! Rock and roll!

[@kumbackquatsta]

waiting for these to be emulated on a better device, maybe anbernic will come up with something

[@DWN-020]

I got one of those for Christmas! Love it!

[@tms10000]

I don’t know why I’m saying this, but there’s something very San Fransisco about it.

[@RobadobaChannel]

I’d love to try this out and I just know my girlfriend who has minimal gaming experience but loves to try wacky indie games would LOVE this. But $200 is way too much. I wonder what production costs are for the thing. It does look to be really high quality, hell the design, motion graphics and marketing for the thing is top notch, really beautiful stuff.

[@81-jdowlwp]

12:14 surprised you don't know this, but this a port from Celeste from the Pico-8. This is the original Celeste. The game you know from the switch/ steam is based on this version of the game

[@WheeledHamster]

$200 for a black and white handheld, that's a hard sell.

[@marior9690]

200 they must be yanking our crank...for 200 they better be

[@TheNostalgicFuture]

I think i love it. It has DMG era gameboy energy. Physical, tactile, original, quirky, yet clean and professional. Very very refreshing device in a sea of clones for sure. And the games all look so cool and original and fun too.

[@chicanoman2999]

for $200 and no back lit is wild

[@tonyc3282]

The ONLY game that capitalised on the “crank” gimmick was the cycling one which looked great! The rest looked like they’d play better with D-Pad & Buttons. The primitive screen & excessive price tag are also deal breakers. It’s a hard pass from me but Kudos for attempting something different.

[@Serlock4869]

If it has gyro it'll be great for fishing

[@tonyc3282]

@@Serlock4869 Yeah it would! 👍

[@XoaGray]

This little thing has been on my radar since it first came out, but I still haven't actually got one yet. It doesn't get a lot of attention so I just sort of forgot about it with all the other stuff going on. This video was a good reminder of why I wanted one in the first place though. :)

[@ScrubsWasTaken]

I wish panic gave the playdate a backlight, the gameboy aesthetic is cool but the ONE thing everyone hated about the gameboy was the lack of a backlight and that really cripples this device because you can only play this console in very specific conditions, and i feel like most people want their handheld to be something you can pick up and play in moment's notice.

[@floydhayes]

Enjoyed that. I've had mine 10 days or so. I think your review is balanced. The screen for me, isn't an issue, I have a reading light, I play outdoors on the deck, cafes, pubs etc. It looks great in the right conditions. The B&W is easy on the eyes. We'll see how it goes on a plane/traveling...two points: people saying it should be a $40 product needs to school themselves on the awesomeness of Teenage Engineering :). Also, a game I would add to your list is 'Playdapon'. A match 3 game like the one you reference except for a crucial difference: it's a larger play space and the blocks are WAY more distinct and sharp, making it pleasing to play on the tiny screen. Post Hero. P-Racing...so many really decent pick up and play games. It is niche, but anyone who came of age during the spectrum days will definitely get a kick from this. Sorry long post - but! It should be mentioned that it is easy and fun to make your own games using their free Pulp code. Drag and drop stuff, if you're into tinkering it's a fun time. I can't code beyond basic but had a little two screen thing on the device in no time - which was a special kind of kick :). So this "craft" element of it could be a draw for some.

[@zilog1]

Why in the hell doesn't anyone talk about how absolutely exceptional the animation quality is? or the graphics work within the limited color palate that is just black OR white. not grey scale. BLACK AND WHITE ONLY. why isn't anyone talking about the art and animation? this is a HUGE seller and its like people are downplaying it and most people are like "meh yeah its good" I'm like "ARE YOU FUCKING BLIND CHILD?" do y'all not know how much fucking work went into that art and animation????

[@ruffark]

I have one. What most reviewers forget to mention is the fact, is the Mirror app. There is an application from Playdate which runs on Windows, Mac & Linux which lets you mirror the screen from the playdate. So you can plat the games on a big screen on a computer. Not all games work flawless, some games demand a bit more from the cpu, but for most of them it works Greet.

[@_gamma.]

Well now I’ve got a list of games to get when my order arrives 😄 I’ve seen some people use book lights to play at night, which is annoying but it’s also not the only device I own without a backlight 🙈

[@zelrex4657]

i wish there was something like this for pico 8. I know that there is like the rgb30 but just how polished and cool the playdate looks makes me wish pico 8 could be like that

[@arostwocents]

Pico8 system for £69.99 would be a great buy.

[@justintantiongloc6987]

Definitely shaping up to be a neat device with a pretty nice library of games for arcade game fans. I myself am generally more into games with more story, and/or a more substantial sense of "progression" these days, so I'm definitely not in the target audience here. I could see folks enjoying this if they have a few mins at a time on the average day to just play something quick on a device they can easily carry around in their pocket or something though.

[@the_echoYT]

There are bigger games with more longform progression and playtime (Legend of Etad for example, and I've heard Factory Farming is over 20 hours), but as you might imagine those are gonna be harder to develop and take more time. More and more of them come out all the time.

[@Taorakis]

Maybe it's time for the Magnifying glass with teh 2 Lighbulbs in it that you could snap on the OG Gameboy. :D

[@shawntaylor7442]

Have to say at $180-200, not having at least side lighting seems a big misstep. Being such a gimmicky device, you'd think they would make it at least practical

[@QraQrJaq]

As others said, $200 is far more than what most would spend for it. Priced accurately for a Teenage Engineering device though.

[@bland9876]

I recently went into a store called Barnes & Noble and you still have to find your own light source If you want to use anything in there. This proves that some people don't care about having a built-in light.

[@Right_Said_Brett]

Some people don't care about living in their own filth either, but I'm certainly not going to pay premium price to live in a pigsty.

[@vesstig]

This speak to me, I used to have a silly hand held which only had retro black and white Game-N-Watch styled games. this brings me back.

[@dree2295]

What was the handheld device called?

[@martinvegas1327]

Some old school spectrum type games would work well on this👍

[@MetalJesusRocks]

There are a few ports I believe as part of the "OneBit" series. 👍

[@Alx-gj2uz]

Pro Tipp: You can avoid the lighting problem by unsummoning your wife, so you can activate the lightsource behind you.

[@pedroangelsaezhernandez5347]

The monochrome screen adds a lot of charm. Too bad the system is too expensive, especially with that non-backlit screen.

[@quantumuniverse4606]

I like the color and the shape it has so sharp corners it's so unique when don't have like this design today. I hope they will make more bright colors like red blue pink green etc…

[@ClassicGameSessions]

Impressive to see these game creations a year later considering the limitations of the system! Certainly a bit of a bummer with the screen.

[@stark0ss712]

$200 for a device to play games that I would be disappointed with if I downloaded them for free on a phone. What a steal.

[@chriskyriacou862]

Hey MJR, I'd really love to see you review the Miyoo Mini Plus - is this something you're considering? Emulation device obviously, but definitely a very well rounded one!

[@Kozmicstar]

Appreciate the update video is very unique🔥nice video

[@MetalJesusRocks]

Appreciate it

[@anasevi9456]

I find the build quality and crank format very endearing, $200 is a bit too dear for me given most of the titles look about as complex as a 2000s flash game, and I will be hunting for decent light. But hope it succeeds as I know there are a lot of people out there taken by such simple charming games, even if I am not one of them.

[@PurushNahiMahaPurush]

200$ is crazy considering that you can get a Switch Lite for that price and this console doesn’t even have a backlight.

[@badboy-gn8fu]

I admit, I like the simplicity of the games. Reminds me of original nes and gameboy. With that said, it still won't replace my Switch and 3ds that I'm still playing. If this goes for $100, I may consider buying one

[@Wethole14]

This is so cool. Can’t wait to get my hands on one

[@BoostO2010]

I love this thing. It's like physical Warioware

[@dopadream]

I like it a lot too, but $200 feels absurd. I don't see how they could possibly justify that sort of price tag for a glorified gameboy that still doesn't even have a backlit screen.

[@dopadream]

I get that they claim they only price the device at slightly above production value, but it really makes me wonder, are they really using that budget properly? It looks like they cut corners where it mattered the most from what I'm seeing

[@badaboum2]

​@@dopadream I was going to say you pay more because they're not made in a sweatshop in China, but apparently they're built in Malaysia where the average factory worker is paid slightly *less* than in China.

[@indianapolisjones1173]

I still remember the couch in front of the largest window in the house. As my favorite place to play original phat gameboy for the light.

[@HoroJoga]

A novelty for those who have spare money to spend and don't know what to do with it.

[@GotNextVideo]

That's a fair assessment, but compared to other novelty systems I've bought, PlayDate actually gets played a lot. The super pocketable form factor, library of quick-fix games, and fidget-spinner-esque satisfying feel to the crank mean I keep it around and play with it all the time.

[@Tankerbells]

I made my decision the moment the $200 price tag was mentioned...

[@unseenhues]

Thanks for this review! I've had mine for almost a year now and I have hardly seen it covered! I think it's cute and fun but honestly don't play it much, the charm wears off pretty quick. I'm excited to own it tho and for all the games in the pipeline

[@betafishmaster5451]

the 1st game got me acting up

[@BuzzaB77]

I have an Amberbnic 35iV in wood grain, I think it has more charm, and more use cases. Took a day to set up emulation etc but as cool as the playdate I think it's too niche for most. But that's fine. I like that it's different, I just don't know who it's for.

[@alyx4436]

It is for weird people like me that like quirky consoles with qustionable design decisions and handhelds with unique games that you cant get anywhere else that vary in quality. oh and hipsters.

[@GotNextVideo]

It's kind of somewhere between a game and a fidget spinner, it's just super-small, super-satisfying little console with a lot of quick, quirky indie games. Some of the games are quite good and unique.

[@7Mindovermatter1]

an interactive book pretty much ,nice

[@danielholmes-nj5nq]

This is a really interesting looking system. Shame that the crank is on the wrong side for a left-hander like myself though.

[@kkwalker]

Like someone mentioned, the lack of RGB (color) is probably the downfall of this device at $200 pricepoint.

[@qqq1701]

I was just wanting to find out how this thing went. I want to see a full classic Final Fantasy style rpg on it.

[@MetalJesusRocks]

There are some old school RPGs like that, but I don't like playing them on such a small screen...

[@SvennyMcG]

Still love the idea of the Playdate and looking forward to trying one in the future. Definitely a neat, niche little handheld

[@TimelessGamingUK]

I’ve had my Playdate for about 6 months I think. The season of free games was pretty strong with a few duds, a fair bit of mediocre to decent and a few stand-outs (the Ratcheteer and Crank’s TTA being my favourites). I love the device itself - the battery charges in 30 mins and lasts for an absolute age. As you say, the build quality feels excellent and the screen looks really sharp. The lack of backlight doesn’t bother me personally - I never play games in the dark anyway and still play unlit Gameboys from time to time (and the Play date’s screen is crystal clear compared to those). I find that it is uncomfortable to hold after 30mins of playing but it’s clearly made for little and often play sessions. I think the lack of quality games is it’s main boon at the moment. I think it needs a lot more simple, almost Game & Watch, type games with infinite replay-ability rather than the short, quirky, cute-dialogue, type things which are more disposable. Overall I think it’s a good value console thanks to the included games, the build quality, the uniqueness and it’s potential for future games.

[@nkorth]

Haven't tried it yet myself, but "spider sg-21" (on itch) looks like a game & watch port. I too thought old lcd games would be a good fit, which is why I ported "yacht" (yahtzee) and I'm working on "bass fishin" as my next release.

[@Right_Said_Brett]

"I think the lack of quality games is it’s main *boon* at the moment." You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

[@TimelessGamingUK]

@@Right_Said_Brett Oops, yeah. I think I was thinking of bane.

[@StephenPaulChaseJr-nn1ng]

A crank, whoa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@timpize8733]

It definitely became interesting now. Thanks for the review. I still find it very expensive for what is is though. It's not really about the quality of the console but for the fact that its appeal is gimmicky. I mean, a lever is cute but in no way does it do more than an analogue stick, in fact it obviously does less. But still, with more than 400 games it's still worth considering. ^_^

[@timpize8733]

@@devalue7064 Yes, the price is clearly an issue. Although, I guess it depends on the quality of the games. At least those are new, unlike on the Game Boy, but it feels like we need to dig a lot in order to find something outstanding.

[@tvav69]

Teenage Engineering makes the Playdate!! That in itself lets me know it’s well-made.

[@MJFallout]

That's great! Had not expected for Playdate to hit it off like that. Glad to be proven wrong, and for this little bugger to have grown into its own. Edit: Celeste was first created for the Pico8 fantasy console, that was in 2015. so yeah, Celeste classic should be a perfect candidate for even stronger bit-crunching.

[@KeelingFamalan]

Great vid.. Massive fan from England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@overlordalfredo]

I think the price is still way too high. It has so many compromises, like the missing backlight, the missing colors, few buttons to work with, etc. And for less than half of that price you get multiple devices that come at premium quality and have all these things standard! So yes the Playdate is cool and unique, but that uniqueness is not enough to justify 100+ price! Let alone twice that high!

[@bobbobbington4426]

Should be 50 dollars maximum even that feels like pushing it considering all u said.

[@EuSouRCS]

This little device is such an amazing idea,so different and fun.

[@thekennyway]

its too much you can get a steam deck for $300

[@arostwocents]

Agree. It looks very cool but would need to be £50 rather than $200 and probably £180

[@arostwocents]

It's using old style tech Nintendo style but charging as if it's something powerful. You can get a switch lite for the price of this thing, it's insane. This is like if the original Game Boy cost the same as the Lynx or Nomad.

[@johndd9140]

Thanks for reviewing such a niche device, but glad it has support from a thriving community. Roll on Version 2 😁

[@AppliedCryogenics]

The crank is just a paddle controller with a handle, right? We've had paddle-controlled games for longer than we've had electronic digital computers, and paddle controls were in worldwide use in the early 1970's, with the introduction of PONG.

[@nathanstrik]

Also check out "Under the Castle", which is a really fun turn-based roguelike. Kinda like the Shiren the Wanderer / Mystery Dungeon games.