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The Super Pocket: A Retro Gaming Powerhouse in Your Pocket

The Super Pocket is back, and this time, it’s better than ever. Blaze has just announced an Atari woodgrain version of the retro handheld, and it’s a real showstopper. With a whopping 50 built-in games, this limited edition console is sure to be a hit with retro gaming enthusiasts. But don’t get too distracted by the pictures - only 2,600 units will be available, so you’ll need to act fast if you want to get your hands on one.

I’ve been a fan of the Super Pocket for a while now, and it’s easy to see why. For less than the cost of many new console games, you get a portable system with its own cartridge library - a dream come true for physical game fans and those who don’t want to mess around with ROMs.

New Versions Galore

But the Atari woodgrain edition isn’t the only new version of the Super Pocket on the way. There’s also an ordinary Atari version and a new Technos edition, which comes loaded with 15 games, including Double Dragon, Double Dragon II: The Revenge, and Double Dragon III - The Rosetta Stone. If you’re a fan of pixelated scraps, this one’s definitely worth checking out.

The Atari woodgrain Super Pocket: a retro gaming dream come true

Each Super Pocket handheld has its own unique color scheme, with the Atari option dressed in black and red and the Technos version sporting a white and blue shell. The ordinary models will set you back $59 / £49, while the woodgrain version will cost $74 / £59.

Games Galore

So, what games can you expect to find on the Super Pocket Atari Edition? Here are just a few:

Asteroids (Arcade)
Berzerk (Arcade)
Canyon Bomber (Arcade)
Crystal Castles (Arcade)
Frenzy (Arcade)
Liberator (Arcade)
Lost Tomb (Arcade)
Millipede (Arcade)
Missile Command (Arcade)
Night Driver (Arcade)
Pong (Arcade)
Skydiver (Arcade)
Super Breakout (Arcade)
Adventure (2600)
Aquaventure (2600)
Dark Cavern (2600)
Gravitar (2600)
Haunted House (2600)
Radar Lock (2600)
Save Mary! (2600)
Solaris (2600)
Street Racer (2600)
Submarine Commander (2600)
Tempest (2600)
Video Pinball (2600)
Wizard (2600)
Yars’ Revenge (2600)
Bounty Bob Strikes Back! (5200)
Countermeasure (5200)
Final Legacy (5200)
Miner 2049’er (5200)
Xari Arena (5200)
Alien Brigade (7800)
Asteroids (7800)
Centipede (7800)
Dark Chambers (7800)
Desert Falcon (7800)
Fatal Run (7800)
Food Fight (7800)
Ninja Golf (7800)
Motor Psycho (7800)
Basketbrawl (Lynx)
Checkered Flag (Lynx)
Dirty Larry: Renegade Cop (Lynx)
Kung Food (Lynx)
Robo-Squash (Lynx)
Scrapyard Dog (Lynx)
Super Asteroids & Missile Command (Lynx)
Turbo Sub (Lynx)
Warbirds (Lynx)

And if you opt for the Technos Edition, you’ll get:

Double Dragon (Arcade)
Double Dragon II: The Revenge (Arcade)
Double Dragon 3 -The Rosetta Stone (Arcade)
Block Out (Arcade)
The Combatribes (Arcade)
Minky Monkey (Arcade)
Mysterious Stones: Dr John’s Adventure (Arcade)
Renegade (Arcade)
Super Dodge Ball (Arcade)
Super Double Dragon (16-bit)
Double Dragon (8-bit)
Double Dragon (8-bit handheld)
River City Ransom (8-bit)
Crash ‘N The Boys: Street Challenge (8-bit)
Super Spike V’Ball (8-bit)

Should You Buy the Super Pocket?

The Super Pocket won’t be for everyone, but I’m willing to bet most players will have a blast with this adorable device. Even if you just stick to the themed library of games on each portable, you’ll be able to chase high scores and bash your way through various classic capers, all without having to buy pricey original games or resort to emulation. Plus, Evercade cartridge compatibility effectively makes the system its own platform, with consistent releases expanding the number of outings available.

The Super Pocket: a great way to play indie games too

Not fussed about retro consoles? The Super Pocket is also a great way to play indie games. There are already various cartridge collections full of new pixelated adventures available, and with new Giga Carts on the way, we’ll no doubt see even lighter-weight 3D games make their way to the Evercade ecosystem. I mean, Tomb Raider and Glover are now part of the Evercade’s expanding library, so there’s no reason why more Steam favorites can’t join them.

If you’ve no interest in adding another cartridge library to your collection or already have a chonky ROM library, you might be better off checking out something like the Anbernic RG35XX Plus. But if you are looking for a simple offline console that’ll provide easy access to the classics, the Super Pocket more than has you covered for under $60 / £50.

The Super Pocket Atari Edition: a retro gaming powerhouse