Where to buy: Ali Express
I had been hearing a lot about this little device, the BittBoy. Basically, it’s a portable video game console that has a design totally inspired by Nintendo’s Gameboy. I ended up asking for a review unit and was happy for receiving one.
It’s made by an independent company and usually costs between $30 and $40, depending on the package. What games does it play? Well, classic video game emulators. Moreover, it’s important to highlight that this is the third version of the device. The first one was just simpler NES knock-off, the second one added Gameboy support… And this third is much more capable, including compatibility with systems such as Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Atari, old arcade games, Neo Geo and even the first PlayStation.
We’ll talk about in-game performance in a minute. I just wanted to make this differentiate these versions, because the manufacturer has launched one after another, and this can confuse people. So this is the BittBoy V3 (which is super similar to the called 3.5).
The device itself is very small. It’s smaller than the Gameboy Pocket, which was already a small version of that system… And it’s also very light. When you hold it, the lightness becomes evident. But still, the build quality is decent.
Buttons have good feedback, the D-Pad is soft, and besides that, the speakers delivers a loud mono sound. But the screen was what impressed me the most. It’s super bright, colors are vibrant, and it’s an IPS panel – the type os display that doesn’t distort image quality when viewed from the sides. This screen is at the same level, or even above that seen on Nintendo’s Gameboy Advance SP, the brighter screen variant.
The buttons layout is curious. While in original Gameboys, A and B stand side by side, they’re up and down here, something similar to what’s found in SNES controllers. There are purist players who will find this to be bad, but I particularly like it. It’s much more practical to put your thumb at the top one and pushing both just by tilting your finger. Anyone long time player knows this makes a difference after a few hours.
Oh, and still speaking of buttons… Unfortunately, they are a limiting factor. That’s because there are no L and R triggers. That is, some SNES or PS1 titles won’t be fully playable. So, in my opinion, the best scenario would be to consider the BittBoy as an upgraded Gameboy which runs extra consoles, rather than a complete video game with button limitations. Also because it doesn’t seem to have enough power for certain games. For example, you may forget about PlayStation or several Neo Geo titles – although emulators do exist, it was more than usual for them to present performance issues.
Among the emulators I tested, the Gameboy ones worked well, including Advance, as well as NES, Genesis and SNES (this one, not always). Overall, nice graphics, very close to original sound and great performance. In tthe SNES emulator, sometimes I noticed incidence of the so-called screen tearing. This would be a difference between the display’s refresh rate and the game’s frame rate, which creates subtle dashes on the screen, breaking the continuity of the image. It doesn’t hinder gameplay, but it’s a noticeable graphic flaw.
The BittBoy has a button labeled “R” in the middle, which is handy. It allows you both to exit the current emulator and to execute commands such as save state. This version of the handheld also supports in-game saves, in compatible titles such as Mega Drive’s Sonic 3. But in some games this feature didn’t work properly, so I always use the save state, which is better anyway.
Battery is just average. I got about 3 ½ hours with above medium screen brightness and audio volume. I saw some people saying they got around 5 and others who got 2. This should vary according to your usage pattern, but the results seem to be a worse than the brighter Gameboy Advance SP I mentioned before.
You may have noticed that during the analysis I mentioned some limitations and minor flaws that may cause a bad impression about BittBoy. But I think it’s all a matter of perspective. In my opinion, it’s better not to view it as a super capable multi-emulator machine. Not only for the lack of some buttons, but also because of its general capabilities. But c’mon: this little gadgets costs less than $40! And considering that, it’s also super light, super portable, and it has a pretty good screen. For me, it’s a good option to leave in the backpack to be enjoyed when you want to spare some time. Not only playing Gameboy titles, but also some Mega Drive, SNES and other extra gems.
By the way, I didn’t even talk about it exactly, but as it is, a tiny handheld, which is nice for portability… It limited my playing times a little, because in about 1 hour my hands are really tired, especially if I play something that requires precision and speed. But if I play something like GBA’s Pokémon or WarioWare Inc., than I can have fun for longer.
So that’s it. If viewed as a cool and super portable toy, I recommend the BittBoy. But for those who want something super serious and complete, clearly it won’t do it.
PROS:
– The beautiful IPS screen
– Buttons are nice
– Cheap!
CONS:
– Lacks L and R triggers
– Limited power and otimization to run some classic consoles
– Not the best ergonomics for those with big hands