Los Angeles (CA) – Has all the hype and chaos of E3 left you feeling nostalgic for the old days of 8 and 16 bit gaming? Do you have a sudden urge to play The Legend of Zelda or Golden Axe instead of waving a Wii controller, holding a vibrating Xbox 360 pad and dreaming of the new PSP Go?
I know I did. Luckily, I stumbled into the Hyperkin crew who were showcasing the FC Mobile II, Firebox Diamond and the Digital Pocket Handheld System. These shiny plastic devices may not look or feel as slick as a PS3, but they do allow veteran gamers to dust off their old Sega and Nintendo cartridges and relive the glory years of console gaming.
FC Mobile II
The FC Mobile II provides gamers with the opportunity to play NES games on a 2.5 inch LCD screen. Other features include TV-out capability, two wireless controllers, auto-fire buttons and a wireless rifle for virtual duck hunters.
Firebox Diamond
The Firebox Diamond console is packaged with 20 embedded 16 bit Sega Genesis games, including my personal favorite: Golden Axe. The unit also includes a cartridge slot (Genesis and Mega Drive compatible), two controllers and wireless capabilities.
Digital Pocket Handheld System
Like the Firebox, the pocket handheld system is packaged with 20 embedded Sega games and offers a cartridge slot for additional titles. The Pocket’s design is similar to that of the FC Mobile II, albeit with a slightly smaller 2.4 inch screen. The unit also includes a TV output connector, recharagable battery and an AC adapater.
As I noted earlier, modern games are undeniably smooth – rendered without the annoying lag that plagued early consoles and PC’s. But there is something missing, something that can perhaps be found only in classic 8 and 16 bit titles.
