Published on November 10th, 2024 | by Andrew Bistak
The Super Pocket Technos Edition Review @PixelCribAU
Summary: One retro console to rule them all? Potentially it's the Super Pocket Technos Edition
5
The one
In a gaming galaxy far far away – bitmaps graphics were an elegant “gaming” weapon for a more civilized age.
These games may have been simple in terms of their modern counterparts but they still magnificently brought you to another world and more importantly, they were fun to play. There’s also been a renaissance of retro gaming and although there are emulators that can provide a satisfactory experience, handhelds are the way to go.
Cue in the Super Pocket Technos which provides gamers with 15 preloaded Technos Arcade Classics under an impressive handheld chassis that includes a 2.7” IPS screen (320×240), 4 hours of battery life, USB-C fast charging and even the ability to tweak the gameplay.
This handheld also boasts a retro Technos inspired colour system with its blue faceplate and white buttons that really make it look retro. But if that’s not enough, this affordable handheld from PixelCrib ($109AUD) is also Evercade cartridge compatible, which means you can push your gaming library by 500+ games. POWER-UP indeed!
So what games does the Super Pocket Technos Edition come with you? If you’re a Double Dragon fan, you’ve come to the right place because the 15 preloaded titles include the following games;
- 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)
To quote the legendary Sith Lord, impressive, most impressive.
Unboxing Gallery
So yes, the Super Pocket Technos Edition is the place of the “Double Dragon” but more importantly, all the games play exceptionally well on this handheld and just like the arcades, only smaller. The Four face buttons, D-Pad are not only responsive but feel great to press and the 2.7” in-plane switching perfectly recreates these classic games with their coloured bitmap graphics.
KAPOW!
I also like the inclusion of the back buttons as well which adds a modern twist to this handheld.
Of course if you want a more realistic visual experience, you can enable scan lines that mirror the old-school TV (aka CRT, cathode ray tubes) in the arcades. Lastly there is a select, start and power button for additional functionality and to charge, you just connect the included USB-C cable.
Gallery
However the highlight of this handheld console were the Double Dragon games (developed by Technos Japan), particularly the original 2 that hold a special place in my gaming heart. Needless to say this console features the Golden Age greats of beat ‘em ups as twin martial artists Billy and Jimmy Lee took on the Black Warriors gang with an unexpected twist. Another highlight of this handheld is that it feels like a dedicated console (even though it is an emulation) and more importantly, no user input or tweaking is required to get these games to work like on PC emulation.
And if you want a break from brawling, Super Spike V’Ball is a fun beach volleyball game that channels retro fun from the 80’s and is simplicity at its best. I also never played River City Ransom which is basically a clone of Double Dragon as you play as Alex and Ryan, with one of their girlfriends (Cindy) kidnapped by Slick. Crazy and fun times, these 80’s were!
Final Thoughts?
For its price, the Super Pocket Technos Edition cannot be beaten… not only does it come with the definitive version of Double Dragon but it’s also Evercade compatible that greatly expands the titles to gaming multiverse. And it’s truly portable and is truly pocket size as well!
Recommended!