Okay, so retro gaming, huh? It’s like… why are we all suddenly into stuff that feels like it’s from a million years ago? But you know what? These old-school games seem like they’ve never been more in sync with the present. It kinda baffles me. Anyway, the latest thing to hit us is this teeny handheld doodad from Grant Sinclair. Picture this—it’s the size of one of those plastic gift cards you find hanging by cash registers. I mean, what?
So, Grant Sinclair. If that name rings a bell, it’s because of his uncle, Sir Clive Sinclair, the mastermind behind the ZX Spectrum. That thing turned everyone into a total geek squad back in the day. It’s weird, right? The nephew sort of picking up where the uncle left off? Let’s not dig too deep into family legacies. Moving on.
This little gadget, the GamerCard®, runs on a Raspberry Pi and shows off with this super crisp 4″ IPS screen – okay, 254 PPI if you care about details. Below that, you’ve got these two circular, button-y things – feels almost arcade-y. And voilà, there you are, diving into a bunch of old-school arcade games as soon as you switch it on.
You also get a launcher with giant icons—perfect for gaming but also plays nice with emulators like Recalbox, RetroPie, and Lakka. Get this, it even handles PICO-8 titles and lets you fool around with coding in MicroPython or whatever. You a coder? Cool, this could be up your alley.
They’ve even brought over Bloo Kid 2 and AstroBlaze DX from the Nintendo Switch just for this thing. Bloo Kid’s all about action-platforming, and AstroBlaze DX? Space shooter extravaganza. Pixel-art heaven, if you ask me, and it perfectly rides retro’s vibe wave.
Now, surprise—this thing is super thin, like 6.5 mm. Weighs about 100 grams. Kinda like holding a souped-up credit card. I don’t know why, but the image of it dangling next to literal gift cards tickled me. Imagine showing that off! It’s apparently all stacked PCBs with no traditional cover. Just raw and rugged, I guess—hold and play.
Underneath all that gaming goodness, it doubles as a PC. With a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W processor, 128GB storage, and a 1600mAh battery, you’re not just playing around. There’s this Qwiic connector, which… I won’t pretend to fully grasp, but it links up with sensors and stuff without cracking the thing open. Mind blown, sorta?
Slide in a keyboard or mouse via USB-C or HDMI, and boom—you’ve got a PC alternative. But honestly, unless you’re Scrooge McDuck, it’s a pretty steep investment for a glorified Raspberry Pi.
Pricing here: £125 or, like, $170—ouch! Consider alternatives like the more budget-friendly Retroid Pocket 4 Pro or even those enigmatic Anbernic gadgets all under $100. Feels like, do you really want something so idiosyncratic? Maybe a clamshell appeals more, like the Miyoo Flip?
I might sound harsh—don’t shoot the messenger—but think about it: when does cool creativity tip over into impractical territory? It’s this bizarrely expensive curiosity unless you’re a die-hard retro fanatic—or a gift card collector? Hats off to Sinclair for pushing the envelope, though. It’s quirky genius, no doubt about it.
