It wasn't that long when we played Space Invaders for the very first time and thought to ourselves "It won't get any better than this."
Well, it got better - much better. Games like Borderlands, Grand Theft Auto and Doom push the limits of what is possible in the gaming realm.
But every once in a while comes a game that harkens to the simpler times, and sometimes there is a gaming console that focuses exactly on that simplicity, such as Playdate.

What on Earth is Playdate?

It is possible that this is the very first time you've heard of Playdate. In short, it is the newest handheld console, akin to Gameboy in its design, scheduled for release sometime in 2020.

It has no intention to compete with other handhelds - instead, it is going for a different experience.

The console features a black-and-white 1-bit screen, which means simplicity in the graphics department. The classic Game & Watch games come to mind, only slightly more sophisticated. No more than two buttons are used for inputs, as well as a directional pad.

But here is what really makes this one stand from the crowd - the crank.
At the side of the console, there is a crank that you can pull out and spin to control the game. One such example showed in the screenshot above is from Crankin's Time-Traveling Adventure, where you turn the crank to move time forward or backward, avoiding hazards on the way. It is a highly original concept and fits with the design perfectly.

More games on the way

The console will release with the aforementioned title but there will be 12 more titles that will be transferred to the console via Wi-Fi. Each week a new game will be downloaded and ready to play.
While 12 games might sound disappointing, the console will be open for other developers to create games for - no need of hacking into the system and no licensing needed.
Some of the developers already confirmed to bring their games to the console are Keita Takahashi of Katamari fame and Bennet Foddy infamous yet loved for Getting Over It.

Playdate sounds like a great little console for killing some time while waiting for a bus or, let's face it, going to the bathroom. It won't replace your more robust gaming consoles, but it is not supposed to.

What might give you a pause is the price point. $150 is steep for a console that promotes simplicity, but we are sure it will find its demographic.

Let's just hope it will live up to its potential because we would love to see more games in this style. Just imagine Assassin's Creed on Playdate! One can dream.

Does Playdate sound like your cup of tea? Do you plan to buy it? Which games would you like to see adapted to Playdate?
Let us know in the comments below, and as always, keep on gaming!