My favorite retro handheld just dropped to under $50 ahead of Prime Day

The Super Pocket is already an incredibly affordable retro handheld, but Amazon just kicked the Taito version down to a new record-low price ahead of Prime Day. For under $50, you can now grab a portable that offers up old-school Game Boy vibes while having access to a plethora of Evercade cartridges. Simply put, this tiny isn’t just a novelty gadget, and I think everyone should have one to hand.

Over at Amazon right now, the Super Pocket is now available for just $47.99 (was $59.99). I actually think the best gaming handheld contender is fantastic value even at full price, but this latest offer should be enough to win more of you over. It’s worth noting that this deal applies specifically to the green and black Taito version, which just so happens to be my favorite model. The Capcom edition is still sadly sitting at full price for now, so keep that in mind if you prefer punching cars to bubble bobbling. 

It’s worth noting that the Capcom version did drop to $42 back in March. However, the deal was brief and felt like an extraordinary one-off, as I haven’t spotted any Super Pocket models for that price since. For the sake of $6, it’s probably worth taking advantage of this current offer rather than waiting for that record low to return, as there’s no guarantee that’ll apply to the Taito edition or any other variant down the road.

Should you buy a Super Pocket?

(Image credit: Future / Phil Hayton)

With Prime Day Steam Deck deals around the corner, I know many of you will have big portable spending plans. That’s not something I object to, as handheld gaming PCs and even consoles like the Nintendo Switch will provide a stellar on-the-go experience. That said, for less than the price of many new-release games, the Super Pocket can provide hours of entertainment, and while retro console romps are its specialty, you soon won’t be restricted to 2D outings.

That’s right, thanks to new Evercade Giga carts, you’ll soon be able to play 3D classics like Tomb Raider on the Super Pocket. Yes, I know even Nokia’s failed range of N-Gage gaming phones could do that, but I believe it’ll open the door to more modern releases on the handheld. We’ve already been graced with a bunch of great indie capers on Blaze’s compact console line-up, so I don’t think it’s unreasonable to assume more advanced releases will become a thing on Evercade. 

Of course, even if the Super Pocket and Evercade do primarily stick to 2D games, I reckon that’ll be enough to please most of you out there. Not only is there an Atari woodgrain version on the way, but Blaze continually releases new cartridges for its ecosystem, so you’ll be able to continue building up a physical collection without resorting to emulation. Sure, I know there are benefits to picking up something like the Anbernic RG35XX Plus and loading it with ROMs, but the Super Pocket’s simplicity means it’s far more approachable. 

In any case, if you’ve been holding off on picking up the Taito Super Pocket specifically, now’s your chance to grab a pre-Prime Day bargain. If you prefer to keep things authentic, you might want to check out this Game Boy Color AMOLED touchscreen mod instead, as I used it to breathe life into Nintendo’s ‘90s hardware.

Looking for more summer savings? Swing by Prime Day TV deals and Prime Day monitor deals for discounted displays. Alternatively, take a peek at Prime Day tablet deals if you need a new entertainment device.