Play Date Is a New Handheld Gaming System Unlike All the Others

When it comes to video games, we’re all for modern shooters and crazy expansive adventures that feel like you’re controlling a Hollywood blockbuster, but there’s something to be said for the old school classics and portables. Play Date is an upcoming handheld gaming system that’s completely modern while also feeling decidedly vintage. Developed in collaboration between software developers at Panic and the hardware engineers from Teenage Engineering (they’re the ones responsible for those cool, little Pocket Operator synths), Play Date is like a re-imagined Game Boy with all kinds of new tech. It’s got a beautiful black and white screen, bright yellow exterior, d-pad, A/B button and crank (Seriously. You pop it out and crank it forward/backward) controls, along with twelve brand new games from industry favorites that will be delivered one per week for a few months after launch. The best part–next to the crank controller, of course–is that all 12 games in Season 1 are free with purchase of the Play Date.