I was browsing the internet recently.
It's something I do a lot.
God knows how I coped in the 90s.
Annnd an advert popped up for Wish.com.
You know, the super low price site, with loads of far eastern electronics.
It's sometimes a bit hit and miss, and if an order seems too good to be true, then it
probably is.
I ordered a laser etcher for a fiver once, only to have the description updated to a
fidget spinner thing a few months later.
I didn't get either item.
But this "298 Games Pocket Hand-held Classic Game Console with 2.4" Color Screen for Children"
appeared in a banner and I went for it.
I mean for £7, which equates to approximately 5 North American dollars, what is there to
lose.
Look you can get it for just £6 now, with 3000 Games.
Oh, no it's still 298.
Errrr, anyway.
In a matter of weeks, this incredibly cool box turned up.
I mean, it was almost worth it for the box alone.
From the screen shots on the side, we can tell it's obviously a NES/Famicom on a chip.
Which most of these things are.
The box actually has a magnetic strip which is a nice touch and inside is the orange handheld
of almighty fortitude.
There were other colours, but I wanted something bright, which reminded me of the Tango Man.
It's an incredibly light device.
Hardly feels like there's anything inside.
We've got a paper sheet which offers a fairly reasonable level of translation.
No laughs here I'm afraid.
3 AAA batteries in the back ensure the deliverance of power to the device and a button on top
completes the circuit.
We can choose our language, which is handy and then we get a menu of games.
We've got this little ditty playing, but you can change the volume between 4 presets.
Off, quiet, normal and heavy distortion.
We'll opt for normal at this time and get stuck into some games.
Play wise, everything checks out a-ok.
The buttons are responsive, and the games work like they should.
The screen is pretty good.
From the left had side, you can't really make it out too well, but face on and from the
right, it seems fine.
I mean, compare this to what we had in the early 90s and really you can't complain.
Also size wise, it's considerably smaller than these earlier devices, and of course
massively cheaper.
Can you imagine getting this for Christmas 1992.
Your eyes would bulge out of their sockets.
You could buy 10 of these for the price of a GameBoy in 1991, and if you add inflation
it's more like 20.
It's supposed to have 298 games.
But I mean, it doesn't.
We've got repeated games throughout the menu, and some selections lead you to a completely
different game.
I'd say it's more like 100, maybe a little more.
But that's still a decent wedge of games.
What's more, they get even better once you take the screen protector off.
Look at that shine... mmmmmm..
2 player games, like Dr. Mario, do pose a problem.
After all, there's only one controller input.
But games where you take it in turns, are of course no problem.
There's a lot of the games you'd expect to be on here, and also a few ROM hacks like
Dora Bros. where you play as Doraemon from the Manga series.
We've also got FIFA 2006, which is an updated version of Tecmo World Cup Soccer.
All, in all, this is a neat little package, and I mean for a few dollars or pounds, there
is zero room to complain.
If you're complaining stop complaining.
Of course, it wouldn't be fun if I didn't open it up.
So five screws on the back reveals the contents.
You could describe this as incredibly simple.
But just imagine how many components this would have required in the late 80s or early
90 and you realise how much technology has advanced.
Anyway, I'm going to put this back together, box it back up and probably give it away as
a Christmas present.
If you're thinking of doing the same, you might just get your order in time....
If you WISH for it.
See what I did there.
Great.
Thanks for watching.
Have a great evening!