Discussion Reviews for the Analogue pocket are coming out (Spoiler: Very solid)

[Brock Reiher]

This is literally the first thing I've heard of buttons being worse. The ergonomics won't be worse than anything other than possibly a Game Boy Advance. And modded screens (while a huge improvement over original screens) are hugely worse than the screens here. Mod screens are ultimately not designed for Game Boys and have perceptible display errors.

The errors with the Pocket will be fixed (the power of FPGA). I don't get why you're so against this. It's a great product, and if people can afford it and they want it then they should feel confident getting one. Personally I won't, I have all of the previously mentioned stuff and a MiSTer. But "get an Anbernic" or "mod a Game Boy" is nuts if people want the best possible option with minimum faff.

It worse than GBA obviously, but also worse than Color and I would assume Game Boy Pocket. Buttons and ergonomics are closer to SP, which should say enough. And if one game has a huge and obvious error, more do. There will likely be tons of errors that aren't fixed, these are big libraries. If you want the best possible option for handheld, this is not it. Personally I'd also point out that while the screen is nice, it's too big to be authentic.

Do you not have one?

 

[Phantoon]

It worse than GBA obviously, but also worse than Color and I would assume Game Boy Pocket. Buttons and ergonomics are closer to SP, which should say enough. And if one game has a huge and obvious error, more do. There will likely be tons of errors that aren't fixed, these are big libraries. If you want the best possible option for handheld, this is not it. Personally I'd also point out that while the screen is nice, it's too big to be authentic.

Do you not have one?

Why would it have worse ergonomics than any 8 bit Game Boy? It's slightly thinner than the Pocket but in a mid point between the DMG and the Pocket for height and width, sounds pretty good. And again, one game having a huge and obvious error is actually a sign of one game having a huge and obvious error. Which going off all of Analogue's other consoles will be fixed. I'm sure I can come up with way more broken games on Chinese handhelds or things that look bad on modded screens. Lady Sia looks crap on them, for one. NES Classics don't play well with them either. That's off the top of my head.

I mean, pick your argument. Before you said "modded Game Boy" but those aren't authentic at all. Apart from the backlighting and lack of ghosting, most of the DMG and Color ones aren't the same size as the original now either. The filters on the Pocket use the fact you have 10x the pixels to do sub pixel effect stuff which looks hugely closer to the real thing, at integer resolution. The retro grid effect on RIPS V4 and the newest FunnyPlaying screens are nothing like as impressive.

Again, I don't have a Pocket, and I'm not buying one. I actually have most of the main alternatives. I appreciate what the Pocket is though. Do you have one? If you don't we have two people who've never so much as touched one telling the people who do have one why their purchase is good/ bad, which is peak internet.

 

[Brock Reiher]

Why would it have worse ergonomics than any 8 bit Game Boy?

Again, I don't have a Pocket, and I'm not buying one. I actually have most of the main alternatives. I appreciate what the Pocket is though. Do you have one? If you don't we have two people who've never so much as touched one telling the people who do have one why their purchase is good/ bad, which is peak internet.

Of course I have. I've used all of the devices I've talked about, which is why I'm able to have an opinion on them. I generally don't trust reviewers.

 

[Johnpv]

The hyperbole in your posts is thick enough to cut it with a knife.

 

[A. G. Cook]

Of course I have. I've used all of the devices I've talked about, which is why I'm able to have an opinion on them. I generally don't trust reviewers.

Your earlier posts came across like you don't have one or haven't used one, so I don't think @Phantoon 's question was out of line.

Anyway, it's not just the reviews, I'm in multiple communities for the Pocket and people are generally very happy with the device. It blows away anything else on the market that is a device meant to play these games with a modern screen, including modded GBC/GBAs. None of them are authentic because they're all using materials or screens that are not OG hardware.

 

[Brock Reiher]

But yeah, as someone who has both, it would actually be cheaper and easier at the moment to buy a nice modded game boy color or game boy advance. It somewhat limits the games you can play, but you'll be far happier. As with all analogue products, you'd actually be better off just getting a mister, but if you really want the portability the Pocket just has too many problems and is uncomfortable to hold imo

 

[EggmaniMN]

I would absolutely not be happier with a modded GBC or GBA at all. The Pocket hits everything I want out of it and I have a GBA Consolizer.

I also do not like the extrapolation of one bad GBA game that 99.99999% of people will never attempt to play having issues as "this thing will have tons of issues." All of these posts come across as antagonistic to the company and it's really not the first time I've seen that attitude. It's fine to enjoy your other products, but it's all needlessly antagonistic and condescending.

 

[Brock Reiher]

I would absolutely not be happier with a modded GBC or GBA at all. The Pocket hits everything I want out of it and I have a GBA Consolizer.

I also do not like the extrapolation of one bad GBA game that 99.99999% of people will never attempt to play having issues as "this thing will have tons of issues." All of these posts come across as antagonistic to the company and it's really not the first time I've seen that attitude. It's fine to enjoy your other products, but it's all needlessly antagonistic and condescending.

For what it's worth I've had multiple GBC games just not start at all. I'm curious why you have a problem with calling attention to issues with a product. I don't want people to spend scalping prices or wait until 2023 for something that isn't worth the wait.

The Pocket is a product who's main utility over something like a MiSTER is you can play your own cartridges on the go. Well, it may not play your cartridges depending on the game, and the ergonomics are substandard. That seems like worth mentioning to me!

 

[Phantoon]

For what it's worth I've had multiple GBC games just not start at all. I'm curious why you have a problem with calling attention to issues with a product. I don't want people to spend scalping prices or wait until 2023 for something that isn't worth the wait.

The Pocket is a product who's main utility over something like a MiSTER is you can play your own cartridges on the go. Well, it may not play your cartridges depending on the game, and the ergonomics are substandard. That seems like worth mentioning to me!

Well that changes things a lot. Are the games consistent? Does IPA on the contacts help? If it's a genuine issue with the console you should log it to Analogue. There's a decent chance it will be fixed.

Edit: I will add that it irks me greatly that the community has to help with this sort of stuff. This is apparently the issue tracker:

Issues · frederic-mahe/Analogue-Pocket

An issue tracker for Analogue's Pocket, a handheld FPGA device released in December 2021 - Issues · frederic-mahe/Analogue-Pocket

github.com

 

[Brock Reiher]

Well that changes things a lot. Are the games consistent? Does IPA on the contacts help? If it's a genuine issue with the console you should log it to Analogue. There's a decent chance it will be fixed.

Edit: I will add that it irks me greatly that the community has to help with this sort of stuff. This is apparently the issue tracker:

Issues · frederic-mahe/Analogue-Pocket

An issue tracker for Analogue's Pocket, a handheld FPGA device released in December 2021 - Issues · frederic-mahe/Analogue-Pocket

github.com

I should try IPA. But thank you for the link! I've been looking for something like that.

 

[EggmaniMN]

For what it's worth I've had multiple GBC games just not start at all. I'm curious why you have a problem with calling attention to issues with a product. I don't want people to spend scalping prices or wait until 2023 for something that isn't worth the wait.

The Pocket is a product who's main utility over something like a MiSTER is you can play your own cartridges on the go. Well, it may not play your cartridges depending on the game, and the ergonomics are substandard. That seems like worth mentioning to me!

I don't have a problem with posting issues with games, I have a problem with you taking your one or few issues and then expanding that to just instantly mean it must have tons of issues to further what is very clearly a desire to paint the entire product in a negative light.

The ergonomics are completely fine or better than anything else I've used and the issues you have are again, so isolated as to be extremely easy to take a look at and hopefully fix. Which, you know, is how the Mister project is as good as it is. Why you continue to make it sound like logging odd bugs here and there for them to look at as a negative I have no idea. That's how every single one of these community products have become as good as they are.

Yeah, it's fine to mention it. No one's saying you can't. But your phrasing and tone are just needlessly standoffish and honestly insulting to others.

 

[Brock Reiher]

The ergonomics are completely fine or better than anything else I've used

Maybe ergonomics aren't important to you? If I'm buying something solely to have a portable version of something I already have, I will notice when it is immediately and obviously more uncomfortable to hold than a 20+ year old piece of hardware.

It's definitely worth bringing up too-- the outlets that review the Pocket are more tech focus and tend to miss stuff that can't be explained in a digital foundry video.

 

[DAC Returns]

I've been on a buying spree in anticipation of receiving mine in (hopefully) the next three months. Picked up so far:

• The Castlevania Adventure
• Castlevania Aria of Sorrow
• Donkey Kong Country
• Mortal Kombat 4
• Pokemon Blue
• Pokemon Crystal
• Pokemon Silver
• Pokemon Pinball
• Super Mario Land 2
• Tetris
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (GBC)
• Zelda Oracle of Seasons

I have a Game Boy Micro to hold me over, but it's a shame I cannot play any of the regular GB or GBC games until the pocket arrives.

 

[A. G. Cook]

Maybe ergonomics aren't important to you? If I'm buying something solely to have a portable version of something I already have, I will notice when it is immediately and obviously more uncomfortable to hold than a 20+ year old piece of hardware.

It's definitely worth bringing up too-- the outlets that review the Pocket are more tech focus and tend to miss stuff that can't be explained in a digital foundry video.

That's not really true. Outside of some places like DF, the majority of people who got this in their hands were the handheld gaming channels. My Life In Gaming has one of the best reviews and they're very much typical gamers who care about quality and not tech specs. It's a 54 minute long review. You're just doing the most and it's annoying at this point.

I've been on a buying spree in anticipation of receiving mine in (hopefully) the next three months. Picked up so far:

• The Castlevania Adventure
• Castlevania Aria of Sorrow
• Donkey Kong Country
• Mortal Kombat 4
• Pokemon Blue
• Pokemon Crystal
• Pokemon Silver
• Pokemon Pinball
• Super Mario Land 2
• Tetris
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (GBC)
• Zelda Oracle of Seasons

I have a Game Boy Micro to hold me over, but it's a shame I cannot play any of the regular GB or GBC games until the pocket arrives.

Great pick ups.

I need to get THPS2. I just picked up Vampire for Game Gear and it's a really good Castlevania clone. Hard to find and found it at a tiny retro place by my work. I also picked up Crystal and a bunch of other things this week, like Mario Tennis for GBC.

 

[Brock Reiher]

That's not really true. Outside of some places like DF, the majority of people who got this in their hands were the handheld gaming channels. My Life In Gaming has one of the best reviews and they're very much typical gamers who care about quality and not tech specs. It's a 54 minute long review. You're just doing the most and it's annoying at this point.

If they don't mention the terrible ergonomics in a 54 minute review, and that's considered one of the best, then that proves my point doesn't it?

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

Is your point "I have more specific ergonomic requirements than most people?"

 

[Brock Reiher]

Is your point "I have more specific ergonomic requirements than most people?"

It an obvious downgrade

 

[VHS]

Spawn Wave specifically talked about the ergonomics in his review, lol

 

[A. G. Cook]

Firmware 1.0A is out.
https://www.analogue.co/support/pocket/firmware/1.0A

Fixes:

• GB: Bootstrap fix (LSDJ)
• GBC: Noise channel fix (Shantae)
• GB/C: Pitch issue on square 1/2 fixed
• GBC: Slight timing changes
• GBA: Slight timing changes (Napoleon)
• GBA: Improved Original Display Mode
• GG: Added region switch
• GB Studio: Save fix with Force GB Mode
• System: Rare controller / dpad stops working issue

Jimmyduckegg who runs the strt-slct discord has been in charge of compiling all the patches that can currently run on GB Studio mode. Now that GB saves are fixed, you can currently play the games listed below in the link with the patches. Great for the DX versions of certain games, like Super Mario Land 2 and Metroid II.

https://strt-slct.com/analogue-pocket-patches/

 

[Clix]

Firmware 1.0A is out.
https://www.analogue.co/support/pocket/firmware/1.0A

Fixes:

• GB: Bootstrap fix (LSDJ)
• GBC: Noise channel fix (Shantae)
• GB/C: Pitch issue on square 1/2 fixed
• GBC: Slight timing changes
• GBA: Slight timing changes (Napoleon)
• GBA: Improved Original Display Mode
• GG: Added region switch
• GB Studio: Save fix with Force GB Mode
• System: Rare controller / dpad stops working issue

Jimmyduckegg who runs the strt-slct discord has been in charge of compiling all the patches that can currently run on GB Studio mode. Now that GB saves are fixed, you can currently play the games listed below in the link with the patches. Great for the DX versions of certain games, like Super Mario Land 2 and Metroid II.

https://strt-slct.com/analogue-pocket-patches/

Can you explain to me GB studio mode? We’re those games not saving when playing with the cart? Or if this for everdrive and jail token games?

 

[BassForever]

Yeah the L/R shoulder placement is really questionable for GBA games. I'm not sure where else they could have put them with their og GB form factor, but that's why they probably should have gone with a horizontal form factor like the gba or gg.

 

[Seik]

Can you explain to me GB studio mode? We’re those games not saving when playing with the cart? Or if this for everdrive and jail token games?

From what I understand these patches, when applied, let the Pocket see these specific ROMs as GB Studio projects instead, enabling them to be played without a cartridge. Saving didn't work when playing that way but now that issue seems to be fixed on this latest firmware.

 

[A. G. Cook]

From what I understand these patches, when applied, let the Pocket see these specific ROMs as GB Studio projects instead, enabling them to be played without a cartridge. Saving didn't work when playing that way but now that issue seems to be fixed on this latest firmware.

Yep, correct. Although Game Boy Color saves were working just fine, so there was a push to try and move over certain Game Boy games to color versions but this new firmware fixes that, so all GB and GBC games now save in GB Studio.

This is really just temporary until the jailbreak happens.

 

[Johnpv]

If they don't mention the terrible ergonomics in a 54 minute review, and that's considered one of the best, then that proves my point doesn't it?

All it proves is that you're posts continue to be rich with hyperbole.

 

[VHS]

Longer form review

 

[Clix]

Thread seemed to have died down but bumping to ask if there is any update on Everdrive GB and GBA?

I’m still 2023 group, but if it seems it’s going to be borked, I may cancel and just get myself a modded GBA instead.

 

[Deleted member 2349]

Thread seemed to have died down but bumping to ask if there is any update on Everdrive GB and GBA?

I’m still 2023 group, but if it seems it’s going to be borked, I may cancel and just get myself a modded GBA instead.

Krikzz put out an Everdrive GBA update



depending on the model you have it might not even be a problem. and one has to assume that the thing will be jailbroken by then. that being said, I have one, and the fact that it isn't jailbroken has me playing the thing a lot less than I would like to

 

[Clix]

Krikzz put out an Everdrive GBA update



depending on the model you have it might not even be a problem. and one has to assume that the thing will be jailbroken by then. that being said, I have one, and the fact that it isn't jailbroken has me playing the thing a lot less than I would like to

Yeah, this is where I am at. I only have 1 GB game left from my collection (Mario Tennis) and 3 GBA games (Mario World, Pokemon Fire Red, Mother 3) left. Back when I was a kid the only way to afford new games or new systems was to trade in current stuff. Not about to spend absurd amount of money re-buying all my faves, so will just buy an ED and leave it at that.

 

[AgeEighty]

I have had a Pocket since the first shipment wave, and just to provide my impressions—and provide some balance to the weird hyperbole being spread around by a certain poster in the thread—I just have to say this device is fantastic.

The gameplay accuracy is closer than any device you'll find apart from original hardware, which of course does not convey some of the advantages Pocket does. There are not "tons of errors", which is a really bizarre claim I saw farther up. There have been a handful of them which Analogue has already released patches to address.

The original screen modes truly are revelatory—aesthetically duplicating the experience of playing on a variety of original hardware. The original GB mode is what all of us wished we could have with the original Game Boy while we were squinting at the screen through bulky lighted magnifiers. The sleep mode is fantastic: I've left it in sleep mode, off the charger, for over a week, and it still had more than 75% charge left.

And the ergonomics of the device are just fine, as far as I'm concerned. I've held it for several hours at a time with no discomfort, cramping, or fatigue. The buttons aren't the best I've ever used but they've got a much better feel than any third party device I've tried out.

And all of this is before the upcoming firmware update that will allow core development and loading on it.

In short, don't listen to the overblown criticism and if you've been eyeing one, put in your preorder. It'll be worth the wait.

 

[Brock Reiher]

Allegedly beta versions of launch features are planned to launch in July. Would be cool if it happens.

 

[Brock Reiher]

Screenshots are finally available, but are in beta. I'm glad it's still beta because it's not really usable or functional. Taking a screenshot requires pressing the home button and start button with tight timing, two buttons at the bottom of the handheld. This wouldn't be quite as much of an issue if pressing them doesn't force the screen to go black for about half a second while the game keeps playing. I tested it on Fusion and died when I took a screenshot of the first boss lol

Screenshots also don't take into account your screen settings, which is frustrating.