NEWS – Do I consider myself a gamer? Heck no! The most exciting gaming that I’ve done lately has been a rousing game of Words With Friends on my phone. #Sad. That doesn’t mean that I can’t appreciate when something new and interesting comes along and the Playdate certainly looks interesting.
Playdate is a handheld gaming system from Panic, a company who has been making macOS and iOS software for 20 years. The device features a hi-resolution 400 x 270 pixel 2.7-inch black and white display, a traditional D-pad controller, and a crank. Yes, a crank! The crank is an analog controller that looks wonky as heck but that’s what makes the Playdate interesting. How the heck will it work and what will the games be like?
It looks cool as heck and I want one right now! But unfortunately, Playdate isn’t available yet. We won’t be able to get our hands on one until 2020. ARGH! But when it is available, it will set you back $149 and you’ll receive a new game for it at no extra charge each week for 12 weeks. Want to know more? Head over to the play.date site and sign up to be notified when the device is available
Gadgeteer Comment Policy - Please read before commenting
I can’t *WAIT* for this. The little hand-crank is so gimmicky, but in a fun way… it reminds me of something Nintendo would do with one of their handheld systems or games. Like back when they added an accelerometer (and haptic feedback!) to Warioware Twisted for the Gameboy Advance, and now that’s how half of mobile phone games work. Or putting a solar cell on a cartridge in Konami’s Boktai, so you had to use the actual sun to charge up your solar light gun. I love stuff like that, and this looks ridiculous and wonderful.
Me too. It looks different and fun!