Analogue Pocket

LeeroyJ. · 25-01-2023 10:18am

Had to send mine for repair right after receiving it, having waited nearly 18 months for it. Very little communication from Analogue about repair status and when I can expect it back and if I have to pay 70EUR to import a second time. Been waiting to find out whats happening with it for a good 3 weeks now. Very disappointing having spent over 300 EUR.

Retr0gamer · 25-01-2023 11:50am

What was the issue?

LeeroyJ. · 25-01-2023 5:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120154916#Comment_120154916

The "frame" around the display was incorrectly cut out, so at night you'd have white borders all around the screen, because the backlight wasn't covered

Retr0gamer · 25-01-2023 5:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120156739#Comment_120156739

That's a pretty shoddy issue to get through QA in fairness.

PlunkBox · 30-07-2023 11:28am

Bumping this thread to see how you existing Pocket owners are still getting on with it? I ordered mine last Oct and it looks like it might get shipped next month based on their latest shipping update (hope over experience!) so cant wait. I have lots of original carts to play in it but but looking forward to trying various cores such as the Amiga one so wondering how you are finding those?

Retr0gamer · 30-07-2023 7:40pm

Playing a lot of 3DS at the moment as playing SMT4 apocalypse which is long but absolutely adore the pocket. It's really transformed those handheld games as it's the best way to play them. I must update the unit to see if old school GB games are playable without it going into colour mode when using the homebrew cores. Looking forward to neo geo pocket.

PlunkBox · 30-07-2023 11:41pm

Great to hear! Can't wait to get my hands on it finally. I have all the original handhelds from back in the day and have upgraded some screens to IPS and new batteries but travel a lot and having everything in one device with that amazing screen...

McDermotX · 31-07-2023 11:27am

Like Retr0 says above, I'd argue its absolutely worthwhile piece of kit for anyone wanting to play their old handheld games. Screen upgrades for original devices is fine, but obviously if everything can be collected into a single device with both compatibility with your old range of carts, Everdrives and, yes, SD card support with the cores, then it's a very hard portable device to top. Certainly its screen separates it from the rest of the pack - especially with GB and GG titles.

Most cores are seeing incremental updates - likes of Pocket Sync type programs are a good way of staying up to date, but most appear relatively complete and most users would consider them functional enough. Amiga, I've not messed with too much as it's not something I'd see myself driving most days handheld, but the recent AmigaVision (MegaAGS) releases includes a slimmed down Pocket setup which is a great alternative for a lot of games that only require basic inputs.

McFly85 · 03-08-2023 3:24pm

Well, after 1 year and 3 months, my order is FINALLY being prepared. I cannot wait!

Hopefully will get it pretty soon after that.

Have a few GBA games lined up to play but really nothing else lined up yet.

CiDeRmAn · 03-08-2023 6:28pm

I definitely should have bought one instead of the Playdate...

o1s1n · 03-08-2023 8:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120935877#Comment_120935877

That whole platform fizzled out, I haven't heard anything about it since the original release.

Any more games for it at all of note?

Retr0gamer · 04-08-2023 9:33am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120936340#Comment_120936340

There's some good stuff and I'm still playing the season 1 games, some of them are great. Crankin' is definitely the stand out game for me. They also have a curated store on the device now that gets updated with the best games and there's been good stuff on there.

The thing is a lot of them are short form games which is understandable because of the budgets involved. There's also a very pretentious whiff of hipster off a lot of these games. I usually don't mind this, hell hipsters do have the best food, beers, music and make the best indie games, but there's a lot of try hard stuff on there. I mean there is literally a game where you play a moustachioed hipster delivering craft beer to people on a unicycle.

But yeah I'd rather be playing Warioland 3, Astroboy or Final Fantasy Legend on an OLED screen.

CiDeRmAn · 05-08-2023 8:31pm

I've probably spent a few euro on content at this stage and some of it is... okay.

But I think the platform appeals to those whose first console was an Xbox 360.

Otherwise these are titles that we've seen on the Gameboy or NeoGeo Pocket, things via homebrew for those formats too.

So it has gotten precious little play from me, with the equivalent of AAA titles being released very very slowly

CiDeRmAn · 05-08-2023 8:32pm

I may put mine up for sale, but not sure how in demand they are at this stage.

McFly85 · 21-08-2023 10:45am

Arrived this morning. After the briefest of tests with Golden Sun and Links Awakening DX, all I can say is the screen is absolutely gorgeous!

Cannot wait to give it a proper go!

Retr0gamer · 21-08-2023 11:40am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121006217#Comment_121006217

Just don't bother with Golden Sun. As Kevin Spacey said in The Usual Suspects: "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing people that Golden Sun wasn't as awful as the game it is a spiritual successor to, Beyond the Beyond".

o1s1n · 21-08-2023 11:43am

Golden Sun isn't any good??? That's been on my list of games to play for years, actually remember someone recommending it to me when it was new.

McFly85 · 21-08-2023 11:52am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121006460#Comment_121006460

Not having that! Played through Golden Sun I don’t know how many times. Looks great, the music is fantastic, the combat is enjoyable(even if summon rushing can make things a bit too easy), enjoyable story too. I’ve been looking forward to going through it again.

The Lost Age is the high point, but I consider the first two one game on two cartridges anyway.

I will be downloading beyond the beyond to the steam deck, however!

Retr0gamer · 21-08-2023 12:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121006481#Comment_121006481

Well it's not Beyond the Beyond bad, that's vying with Legend of Dragoon and Shadow Madness as the worst JRPGs on the PS1 in the West but it's just a really dull RPG. It looks nice and has a fantastic soundtrack but outside that the story is dull and the combat pretty meh. It's not outrageously bad just throw away and forgettable. I couldn't even tell you what the story was about except I fought a dragon on the top of a tower at the end and spend two weeks raging because the 16 page password wouldn't work on my copy of Golden Sun 2 until I found out US and PAL passwords weren't compatible.

I liked it myself at release but it was the first JRPG made specifically for the GBA and looks and sounds nice so there's a bit of misplaced nostalgia for it. Going back it's a bit dull and even worse, people in it don't shut up and repeat the same things. It's a bit like how in retrospect FFX is a bit **** but at the time seemed amazing as the first JRPG that felt like it was made for the PS2.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121006522#Comment_121006522

Golden Sun isn't a total thrash can fire, there's good stuff about it, but Beyond the Beyond is, no pun intended, beyond awful and dull. It's basically Golden Sun without the puzzle dungeons, nice visuals and amazing music.

McFly85 · 22-08-2023 9:38am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121006869#Comment_121006869

Well that’s true. Golden Sun is a comfort game for me, so nostalgia is a part of it. I’ve gone through it a few times over the years and I always enjoy it - I’ve been waiting to go through it again on the Pocket. If it was a game I’d never played before I’d probably feel differently.

And I had a quick look online at beyond the beyond, yeah, not for me!

I have a few old games I’m planning to go through again, Golden Sun, The Minish Cap, Metroid Fusion and links awakening.

I did get an everdrive too so still have up look up some gems I may have missed and set those up.

Retr0gamer · 22-08-2023 11:17am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121010759#Comment_121010759

Plenty of gems to discover. The Pocket has really opened my eyes to how good the Gameboy, Game Gear and Master System libraries are.

Also I'd highly recommend you install the custom cores on the system as you can then load games from SD card. They're pretty much just the Analogue cores released in a wink, wink, nudge, nudge way. I'm not sure if they fixed the Gameboy though, it defaults to the GBC colour scheme since it uses the GBC core which looks naff on black and white games. Hopefully it's fixed as I've not updated the pocket in a while, I'm on a 3DS binge.

I'm looking forward to Neo Geo Pocket support. That system has an incredible library.

PlunkBox · 22-08-2023 1:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121006217#Comment_121006217

Did UPS delivery it? I had an email yesterday to say mine had shipped and another today to say it will be delivered in the morning which seems too good to be true!

McFly85 · 22-08-2023 1:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121011665#Comment_121011665

They did!

Got a notification that it had been shipped on Saturday and would arrive Monday. Didn’t believe it would be that quick but arrived on Monday morning.

I did get an email on the day of delivery for an €80 import fee which was fairly painful, thankfully I had paid for the pocket well over a year ago!

Retr0gamer · 22-08-2023 1:20pm

I just had a look and the NGP Turbografx and Lynx adapters should be shipping Q3 2023.

Of course that would mean Analogue ship a product on time which would be a miracle.

o1s1n · 22-08-2023 1:21pm

Neo Geo pocket was one of the big reasons I kept meaning to pick one up, any word on them finally releasing the cartridge adapter for it?

How is the D pad on the pocket actually, does it hold up to Nintendo ones?

Retr0gamer · 22-08-2023 2:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121011725#Comment_121011725

Well I checked my order and it was 2023 Q3 so hopefully soon but I expect delays with Analogue.

The d-pad is good, not nintendo quality but not far off either. It's a damn sight better than Sony and XBox excuses for d-pads.

PlunkBox · 22-08-2023 3:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121011678#Comment_121011678

That's great to hear, I can't wait to get my hands on mine now. Bracing myself for the import charge but like yourself I paid for the Pocket ages ago so that softens the blow.

Has anyone cleaned up the contacts on their old carts before using in Pocket (see some people recommending this)?

Retr0gamer · 22-08-2023 3:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121012158#Comment_121012158

To follow up on this their site still has this release fate. It's usually 3 months before the open FPGA core but I also own pretty much every NGP cart worth owning already.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121012481#Comment_121012481

In fairness to Analogue their site includes all the proper charges in their shipping so no surprises with extra charges. The shipping is steep but it's because it takes this into account.

PlunkBox · 22-08-2023 4:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121012570#Comment_121012570

Yes indeed, can't complain about Analogue re the custom duty/fees as they are nothing to do with them (although their shipping costs are pretty steep at $60 for such a small package - but hey I paid them anyway!).

McDermotX · 28-08-2023 4:15pm

Glow in the dark Pocket.....Nah....you're alright Analogue.

Shipping next week all the same

Retr0gamer · 28-08-2023 5:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121038986#Comment_121038986

Just give me by **** Neo Geo Pocket adapter instead of dicking around like this Analogue!

Inviere · 28-08-2023 5:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121039207#Comment_121039207

How is that STILL not out yet....it's just a passthrough as I understand it??

McDermotX · 28-08-2023 5:50pm

Feck knows

There is obviously core work underneath that requires work along with the adapters, and as per Jotego's updates for NGP in particular, they themselves are still trying to crack it on the OpenFPGA side with more than a few bugs standing in the way, so it's entirely possible it's slow going for Analogue (I would assume Kevtris) as well. Considering it's a selling factor for the adapters not to mention the device itself, they probably need it relatively bulletproof.

Or it could be just purely a manufacturing thing. Tied up with Pockets and whatnot (accessories look to have become available of late) . Becoming a bit of a running joke all the same, but they still saying 2023.

Retr0gamer · 28-08-2023 6:13pm

Pretty sure the emulator is the hold up there. But again it's not gone past their promised release timeframe either.

Inviere · 28-08-2023 6:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121039508#Comment_121039508

Tsk tsk, putting the word emulator on the same sentence as an Analogue product....shame

super_furry · 29-08-2023 12:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121038986#Comment_121038986

Damn, I'm tempted again but the delivery charge and import fees just push it over the edge for me in terms of cost. €250 all-in, I'd be all over that.

Retr0gamer · 29-08-2023 12:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121042079#Comment_121042079

Honestly think it's worth it. I'm getting a lot of bang for my buck out of it.

CiDeRmAn · 29-08-2023 5:05pm

What does it work out at, all in

KeRbDoG · 29-08-2023 5:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121043295#Comment_121043295

My bad math and using Revenues direction, around €380 with device/shipping/Duty/VAT added up? That doens't include the shipping companies charge for collecting the Duty/VAT.

A very bold option would be to use a freight forwarding service from the US like shipito.com and under declared value...but that would be bad, also insurance is out the window as you'd undervalue it

Retr0gamer · 29-08-2023 9:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121043402#Comment_121043402

I'm pretty sure they have all the Duty and import charges sorted so it doesn't get caught by customs.

KeRbDoG · 29-08-2023 10:49pm

From reading eariler, doesn't look like they pre-pay customs.

Non-glow versoin, out of stock but shipped it would be around $299.98 ($219.99+$79.99 shipping) = €275.73

From earlier on in this thread, delivery via Fedex and a eventual import invoice of €‎70 so €345ish?

Retr0gamer · 30-08-2023 11:46am

Got an email that all pocket accessories are now back in stock. There was also a note that the adapter set will be available end of 2023 so looks like it's being delayed into Q4 at the earliest.

o1s1n · 30-08-2023 12:24pm

I'd love to know how this glow in the dark model came about. It's bizarre. Especially given the regular version is unavailable.

Was it planned or did they for some reason just have access to the type of plastic and decided to go this route to get more consoles out?

super_furry · 30-08-2023 1:08pm

Would absolutely love a clear plastic/purple clear plastic model in line with the Gameboy Colour, but with the glow in the dark version the only one available right now, I think I’m going to at least try to get one.

deadl0ck · 30-08-2023 1:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121044777#Comment_121044777

Nope - I had to pay UPS 80.76 import tax / fees on Monday.

I got it yesterday but haven't opened it as I'm not sure now if I even want it anymore.....

CiDeRmAn · 31-08-2023 3:15am

Nope, won't be paying that kind of insane money.

Thanks for the sums though

KeRbDoG · 31-08-2023 10:00am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121049689#Comment_121049689

If you have someone going to the US, it might make sense - but with shipping & import charges to Ireland, no so much

McDermotX · 31-08-2023 10:18am

TBH.....they really need an EU distributor, as while I think the Pocket (and all their products) are very good, it's always a bitter pill to swallow. More so these days with the extortionate shipping charges. Only announced recently that they are changing the US based shipping, but that does no good for us this side of the water.

Think it was only ever with one of the Mega SG limited editions, the Hyperdub IIRC, that they were able to provide some EU-based shipments that avoided tariffs. Might have even been shipped from the UK.

Retr0gamer · 31-08-2023 10:24am

Yeah I mean 8-bitdo have it sorted for us, no reason they couldn't do it either.

Also for all you playdate regretters, Lucas Pope has a new game out on it so might be worth a try, Mars after Midnight.

deadl0ck · 31-08-2023 6:11pm

Lads I'm considering selling mine - it's still unopened but I don't want to screw anyone so if anyone is interested let me know. If nobody interested I'll probably put it on adverts.

I'd be thinking around 300 so about 50 cheaper than buying and shipping

Edit: Actually I'll put it in the marketplace in case a boardsie not on this thread wants it

Analogue Pocket

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