All-in-one game consoles

I’ve had a couple multi-console systems on pre-order for quite a while.

Polymega

Polymega is a unit that emulates several CD-based gaming consoles out of the box: Sega CD, Saturn, Playstation, Neo Geo CD, and Turbo-Grafx CD. There is also planned support for Sega Dreamcast in the future, if they can figure out how to play GD-ROMs (Sega used dedicated disc technology in the late-90s/early 2000s) on a DVD-ROM.

The console can also read cart-based consoles with optional modules that slot into the Polymega. These include:

1. NES
2. SNES
3. Genesis and 32X
4. TurboGrafx 16

I have most of those consoles, but they’re either taking up too much space or are tucked away in a closet. The idea that I can rip my actual games to this console and play them right off the unit was too appealing to miss out on. The fact that there’s no region-lock is also pretty attractive, given that I have a healthy collection of old PAL and Japanese games from traveling as a kid, a couple of which I never had the opportunity to actually play.

I am also growing somewhat nervous that my Sega Saturn’s laser will eventually fail. There are some modifications that one can make to a Saturn to emulate off the console, but eh. I’m not necessarily ready to conduct that sort of major surgery and change the console that drastically.

The only additional module I ordered was TurboGrafx 16. I really want to rebuild my TG16/Duo collection back up again.

All in all, it’s going to be great that I can consolidate most of my collection into a single box.

Analogue Pocket

Analogue Pocket is a different sort of proposition. Rather than straight emulation, Analogue uses FPGA (field-programmable gate arrays) to accurately represent the original consoles that play on their system. This means you get the original games as represented on the actual consoles.

With optional add-ons (to suit the dimensions of the cartridges and their inputs), Analogue Pocket supports:

• GameBoy, GameBoy Color, GameBoy Advance
• Game Gear
• Atari Lynx
• Neo Geo Pocket Color
• TurboGrafx 16

Overall, this is a very good opportunity to consolidate consoles and get my area cleaned up. Very stoked to be able to once again play TurboGrafx games both on Polymega and portably on the Analogue Pocket. TG16 was a really dynamite system for shooters, underrated platformers, and… that’s about it.

The downside, though: they’re all heavily backordered. Polymega had an estimated ship date of second half of 2022, but there was apparently a substantial delay at their production facility overseas. Analogue Pocket is currently looking at 2023 (nothing more specific) for ship dates. By the looks of it, both companies produce in batches and send an order to production once they receive a sufficient size of units to develop.

Another obvious downside is the international component shortage, which is apparently getting somewhat better, but has cramped several industries since covid hit.

Ah well, these aren’t critical acquisitions, so no hurry.