Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Yes, this is a GameBoy case. A fully functional GameBoy case, to be precise. Well, in a way, it’s not an officially licensed Nintendo product.
In fact, I doubt the manufacturer has the rights to market such a close resemblance to the iconic handheld game console, let alone use the name or sell the games. But that’s the current state of Chinese manufacturing, and it’s not like Nintendo is going to do anything that impressive.
Read more: The ultimate guide to buying phone cases
The design perfectly encapsulates the classic GameBoy vibe, which I was initially drawn to. If you’re looking for the ultimate retro look for your phone and the time sink that goes with it, well, this case is absolutely what you’re looking for. At least if you have a recent iPhone or Galaxy phone, as the range of supported models is very limited.
What is it like to use?
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
This bit of gameplay runs on a Chinese game emulator, with some game titles being mistranslated when you select the English language option. Which you have to do on every reboot.
Includes 36 built-in games with classic GameBoy titles such as Super Mario Bros, Donkey Kong, Pac-Man and Tetris.
Includes 36 built-in games in total; a handful of GameBoy classics, titles sourced from other platforms, and some that I doubt ever saw a commercial release due to their poor quality. The list includes Super Mario Bros, Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, Tetris(a), Ice Climbers, “Boom Man” and an assortment of more mundane titles like Soccer, Pinball and Chinese Chess. The selection might keep you busy while you wait for a bus, but it’s not a GameBoy highlight reel.
The case features a soft D-pad and A/B buttons (they’re not solid plastic like the original), along with on/off, reset, start/pause, and sound keys. It can be charged via micro-USB and has a small LED light to let you know when it’s charging.
It also works pretty well as a case, in the sense that it’s heavy. Now I’m more worried about breaking the console than the phone. There are well-placed cutouts for the usual things like the camera housing and USB-C port, and you can still store the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s stylus with the case on. The soft power button and volume control keys complete the design. It certainly looks and feels the part of a pretty rugged phone case.
Cheap manufacturing at its best
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
OK, with the good stuff out of the way, I regret spending $37 on this epitome of crass consumerism ($74 actually, I bought two!). While the aesthetics draw you in, once it’s in your hand, it’s immediately obvious that it’s probably going to cost around $7.
With no battery indicator, figuring out when to charge the thing is a game in itself.
For starters, the rubber buttons have come out of their enclosure on numerous occasions. The speaker is messy and distorted, the screen is not well centered, and it makes the already quite large Galaxy S22 Ultra more than a centimeter thicker. Not to mention you lose the wireless charging capabilities with the case on and have to charge it separately via a micro-USB port. However, clearly asking for a battery level indicator is too much. The screen just dims and then goes black when the juice runs out, but the games continue to run for a few more minutes. Figuring out when to charge the thing is a game in itself.
There are at least a couple more things the manufacturer could have done to make this a better product. The opportunity to take advantage of reverse wireless charging, or at least a USB-C attachment to draw power from the phone, has been missed. A microSD card slot to load other games would have been awesome too, instead of being stuck with the built-in library which you’ll tire of pretty quickly. It’s not really a proper GameBoy experience without Metroid, Pokemon or Zelda. Serious Nintendo fans would clearly be better off with an Android emulator.
Also See: Best Android Game Emulators to Play Old Favorites
This is definitely a case of form over function; guess that’s what i should have expected anyway. While it still looks undeniably nostalgic, it’s not a thoughtful enough product to command a $37 purchase, never mind the alleged $74 RRP (seems to be a perpetual “today-only” discount). However, if that hasn’t put you off, you can purchase the case from the button below.
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