We all pine for the glory days of retro gaming from time to time, and that need for regular shots of nostalgia is reflected in the offerings some companies bring us. Whether it be in the form of 80s-inspired games like Shovel Knight, or in consoles like the ever-scarce NES Classic, we as a collective community remain defiantly shackled to the past – but hey, we can all agree things were pretty sweet back then, and anyway, who are we if not indulgers of the very same idea? We’re a bunch of enablers, us.
However, some modern conveniences are just too nice to ever pass up, which is why Analogue’s (in)famous upcoming handheld, the Pocket, is reportedly set to have a user interface and OS that’s bang up to date, irrespective of its retro feel. As The Verge reveals, the system – which has been marred by several delays borne of COVID et al – will feature “AnalogueOS, the new custom software that will power the Pocket whenever it does actually arrive.” Nice to see they have as much contempt for the release situation as the consumers do.
“AnalogueOS features a minimal, pixel-art style design that’s meant to get you into games as easily as possible,” the report continues, and places special emphasis on a ‘Library’ feature. What does that do, you ask? Well, I’ll let them explain: “it’s a massive database that the company has built from the ground up with the goal of serving as a comprehensive historical archive for retro gaming. Players will be able to browse around and explore the history of classic games and developers, sorted by region, system, publisher, and more. The Library will also let players pull in box art or title screens for games that they’re playing and even read physical cartridges to identify the exact revision and version of a game.” There’ll even be playlist support, for folks who can’t be bothered sorting through all that malarkey and would rather just have a comprehensive list of their top picks.
Other modern features to be implemented in the package are save states (you cheating devils), playtime trackers, an activity log and the ability to share save files with other players who own the same cartridges as you. It’s the golden dream of any kid that grew up with the SNES and Genesis who wished they could show off their progress to their mates without carting the, erm, carts around (and risking getting them nabbed by a sticky-fingered eejit in the playground).
Well, if the damn thing ever comes out, it certainly seems that it’ll be loaded with features. Some things you just can’t go back from. Sorry, 80s. I don’t make the rules.
Has this announcement swayed you towards pre-ordering a Pocket? Let us know!
Via, The Verge.
