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I'm normally into kitschy, retro handheld gaming devices like this. I was in a flurry to get the Analogue Pocket. I love the Gamebuino and Arduboy. By all acco

I'm normally into kitschy, retro handheld gaming devices like this. I was in a flurry to get the Analogue Pocket. I love the Gamebuino and Arduboy. By all accounts, I should be smack dab in their target demographic. Yet, for some reason I don't fully understand, I have no interest in the Playdate. The design of the main device is super slick. I want to want to play games on it. Even the idea of the crank has some appeal. I can imagine Stardew Valley style fishing, or some Zelda mini games fitting right in with it. Then I look at it all together and my heart gives it a big old meh that I can't explain.

LeoNatan25 4y ago
Exactly what I feel. Part of what gives me that feeling is that Panic and Cabel Sasser are such Twitter “darlings”, so everyone has been gushing over this for years. Also, some of the hardware choices are really stupid. No LCD backlight is ridiculous. Playing to nostalgia goes only so far. When it actively hinders the enjoyment of the product, the product just isn’t very good.
- reaperducer 4y ago
  When it actively hinders the enjoyment of the product, the product just isn’t very good I'm a bit confused here. In the beginning of your comment, you imply that you haven't used one. Then at the end, you state that the lack of a backlight "actively hinders" the product. How would you know if the lack of a backlight actively hinders the product, if you haven't used it? The review indicates that the lack of a backlight isn't a problem at all. That's from someone who's actually used it. How is it that you know more about this product's usability when you haven't used it? 31 comments in, and 90% of the posts here are people who have never used the product complaining how bad it is based on their pre-conceived assumptions, or making wild guesses. I miss the old days of HN when people would post when they had something substantive to add, not just to slake their vanity by seeing their words in print and pretend they're an expert on things they know little about.
  - LeoNatan25 4y ago
    I know because I’m old enough to have used a Gameboy without backlight. There is, still, in 2022, a hardware modding scene that modifies old Gameboy, Color and Advance hardware to have active backlight. What do you reckon the reason for that is? Because the lack of backlight actively hinders the enjoyment of those products. But they were released decades ago, not in 2022. Is it your “take” that without testing just about every product out there, people are not allowed to form and opinion, and post about it on the internet?
    - ihuman 4y ago
      Did you read the article? It has images comparing the screen to the original Game Boy's under different lighting conditions halfway down the page. Edit: as for why there isn't a front light (like the first GBA SP): > So unlike an LCD, which has transparency to let a backlight shine through, ours is extremely reflective on the back and lets NO light shine through, so backlight isn’t possible! We tested a front light solution and it was… not great. But we’ll keep researching for future models! https://www.twitter.com/playdate/status/1131736869153017856 https://www.twitter.com/playdate/status/1131736869153017856
      - layer8 4y ago
        I modded my original Gameboy in the early 90s to add edge LEDs (green ones), which was a significant improvement. Surely something like that would have been possible. Purely reflective LCD isn’t easy on the eyes, even if it’s super reflective. It was okay for PDAs (Palm Pilot) that you only use for a minute or so at a time, but for gaming it really isn’t very attractive.
        ihuman 4y ago
        Did those LEDs reflect off the front of the display? They said they tried something like that, but it wasn't good enough. It looks like the reflectiveness is closer to epaper than a mirror.
- MattRix 4y ago
  Most other devices “actively hindered” by bright sunlight, whereas this one is not. Seems like an interesting tradeoff.
  - LeoNatan25 4y ago
    Maybe it’s my play style that is different. I don’t sit in the park, under the sun, to play handheld gaming devices. I do play on busses, trains and airplanes, as well as indoors, where there isn’t a lot of ambient light. I used to sit under a desk lamp to play the GB at evening/night. That was very uncomfortable.
    - andai 4y ago
      My friend had one of those gameboy attachments that would shine a little LED lamp on the screen.
    - philistine 4y ago
      You're comparing your past experiences with old unlit screens of the 90s. Modern unlit screens are a whole different deal. Back then unlit screens existed to give good battery life. Nowadays, unlit screens exist to be useful under sunlight. It's a whole different ballgame.
bitwize 4y ago
The asking price is quite steep for what you get (steeper than the PinePhone I bought!). I think of it as the Zooey Deschanel of handheld consoles: it's cute, it's quirky, and it's there to make rich hipsters feel special and validate their alt/indie uniqueness. Playing games on it is secondary to the feeling of "I'm playing unconventional games on an unconventional console with an unconventional distribution model! I'm definitely outside the mainstream!" The fact that it looks like an Alegria style Game Boy helps it along in that regard. Think I'm gonna pass on this one; my money is better spent on an Analogue Pocket or something.
- MattRix 4y ago
  It’s ok to accept that other people have different tastes without denigrating them. It’s possible for people to enjoy different games than you without them having ulterior motives. I ordered a PlayDate because the games and tools looked cool. That’s it.
  - Loughla 4y ago
    In the history of gaming, has there ever been a game, console, or experience that wasn't immediately met with 'this isn't for real gamers' sort of gatekeeping? I also ordered one because it looks neat and I can probably make my own games for it.

LeoNatan25 4y ago

Exactly what I feel. Part of what gives me that feeling is that Panic and Cabel Sasser are such Twitter “darlings”, so everyone has been gushing over this for years. Also, some of the hardware choices are really stupid. No LCD backlight is ridiculous. Playing to nostalgia goes only so far. When it actively hinders the enjoyment of the product, the product just isn’t very good.

reaperducer 4y ago
When it actively hinders the enjoyment of the product, the product just isn’t very good I'm a bit confused here. In the beginning of your comment, you imply that you haven't used one. Then at the end, you state that the lack of a backlight "actively hinders" the product. How would you know if the lack of a backlight actively hinders the product, if you haven't used it? The review indicates that the lack of a backlight isn't a problem at all. That's from someone who's actually used it. How is it that you know more about this product's usability when you haven't used it? 31 comments in, and 90% of the posts here are people who have never used the product complaining how bad it is based on their pre-conceived assumptions, or making wild guesses. I miss the old days of HN when people would post when they had something substantive to add, not just to slake their vanity by seeing their words in print and pretend they're an expert on things they know little about.
- LeoNatan25 4y ago
  I know because I’m old enough to have used a Gameboy without backlight. There is, still, in 2022, a hardware modding scene that modifies old Gameboy, Color and Advance hardware to have active backlight. What do you reckon the reason for that is? Because the lack of backlight actively hinders the enjoyment of those products. But they were released decades ago, not in 2022. Is it your “take” that without testing just about every product out there, people are not allowed to form and opinion, and post about it on the internet?
  - ihuman 4y ago
    Did you read the article? It has images comparing the screen to the original Game Boy's under different lighting conditions halfway down the page. Edit: as for why there isn't a front light (like the first GBA SP): > So unlike an LCD, which has transparency to let a backlight shine through, ours is extremely reflective on the back and lets NO light shine through, so backlight isn’t possible! We tested a front light solution and it was… not great. But we’ll keep researching for future models! https://www.twitter.com/playdate/status/1131736869153017856 https://www.twitter.com/playdate/status/1131736869153017856
    - layer8 4y ago
      I modded my original Gameboy in the early 90s to add edge LEDs (green ones), which was a significant improvement. Surely something like that would have been possible. Purely reflective LCD isn’t easy on the eyes, even if it’s super reflective. It was okay for PDAs (Palm Pilot) that you only use for a minute or so at a time, but for gaming it really isn’t very attractive.
      - ihuman 4y ago
        Did those LEDs reflect off the front of the display? They said they tried something like that, but it wasn't good enough. It looks like the reflectiveness is closer to epaper than a mirror.
MattRix 4y ago
Most other devices “actively hindered” by bright sunlight, whereas this one is not. Seems like an interesting tradeoff.
- LeoNatan25 4y ago
  Maybe it’s my play style that is different. I don’t sit in the park, under the sun, to play handheld gaming devices. I do play on busses, trains and airplanes, as well as indoors, where there isn’t a lot of ambient light. I used to sit under a desk lamp to play the GB at evening/night. That was very uncomfortable.
  - andai 4y ago
    My friend had one of those gameboy attachments that would shine a little LED lamp on the screen.
  - philistine 4y ago
    You're comparing your past experiences with old unlit screens of the 90s. Modern unlit screens are a whole different deal. Back then unlit screens existed to give good battery life. Nowadays, unlit screens exist to be useful under sunlight. It's a whole different ballgame.

bitwize 4y ago

The asking price is quite steep for what you get (steeper than the PinePhone I bought!). I think of it as the Zooey Deschanel of handheld consoles: it's cute, it's quirky, and it's there to make rich hipsters feel special and validate their alt/indie uniqueness. Playing games on it is secondary to the feeling of "I'm playing unconventional games on an unconventional console with an unconventional distribution model! I'm definitely outside the mainstream!" The fact that it looks like an Alegria style Game Boy helps it along in that regard. Think I'm gonna pass on this one; my money is better spent on an Analogue Pocket or something.

MattRix 4y ago
It’s ok to accept that other people have different tastes without denigrating them. It’s possible for people to enjoy different games than you without them having ulterior motives. I ordered a PlayDate because the games and tools looked cool. That’s it.
- Loughla 4y ago
  In the history of gaming, has there ever been a game, console, or experience that wasn't immediately met with 'this isn't for real gamers' sort of gatekeeping? I also ordered one because it looks neat and I can probably make my own games for it.