What’s the Hyperkin SmartBoy?

It started life as an April Idiot’s joke, however the Hyperkin SmartBoy could be very actual. It’s a bolt-on module that successfully transforms your Samsung Galaxy S8 into a totally useful Nintendo Recreation Boy, full with help for unique Recreation Boy and Recreation Boy Shade cartridges and a set of authentic-feeling button inputs.

The unit connects to the cellphone’s USB Kind-C connector and comes with a devoted software that ‘dumps’ the sport knowledge from the cartridge, so it may be learn by your emulator of alternative. The SmartBoy doesn’t require any batteries, and whereas it will possibly probably help any Android cellphone with USB Kind-C, it’s a part of the accredited Samsung accent programme and has been designed with the Korean firm’s telephones in thoughts.

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Hyperkin SmartBoy – Design

The SmartBoy is a lifeless ringer for the Recreation Boy that began all of it: 1989’s DMC-01 – or “The Brick” because it’s affectionately identified. It’s long-established from the identical gray plastic and the 2 face buttons are the same color to these on the unique console. The eight-way digital pad can be an in depth match of the unique, providing the identical really feel and responsiveness, whereas the L and R shoulder buttons are a brand new addition. The unit was initially alleged to ship with help for Recreation Boy Advance video games, however this seems to have been eliminated.

The perimeters of the unit spring outwards when a button is pushed on the rear panel, permitting you to slip in your smartphone earlier than clamping the edges shut once more; mushy materials on the within holds the handset tightly in place and prevents any marks or scratches.

The extremely engineered design implies that the SmartBoy seems to be a bit odd from sure angles, and it’s fairly cumbersome – in reality, it’s even thicker than the unique console, which was hardly essentially the most pocket-friendly handheld available on the market. On the rear there’s the all-important cartridge slot, which accepts Recreation Boy and Recreation Boy Shade cartridges.

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Hyperkin SmartBoy – Efficiency

The SmartBoy works together with a devoted app, which must be downloaded from the Google Play Retailer so as to make the system work. With this app put in, inserting a recreation cartridge triggers the dumping course of, with the sport knowledge being saved quickly in a particular folder within the cellphone’s inside reminiscence.

As soon as that is full, the app will launch the Recreation Boy emulator of your selecting (it defaults to the free model of the somewhat wonderful My OldBoy), providing you with the possibility to find the sport knowledge and boot it. Upon eradicating the cartridge, the sport knowledge is deleted.

It’s potential to make use of ROMs that you just’ve sourced from elsewhere, too – all it’s essential to do is place them within the SmartBoy folder and cargo them as an alternative of loading the dumped recreation knowledge from the cartridge.

Whereas it might sound a bit odd that Hyperkin hasn’t created its personal emulator to be used with the SmartBoy, this strategy means you’ve the liberty to choose one your self from the various at present obtainable on Android. It additionally implies that the system is, to a sure diploma, future-proof. As higher emulators seem, the SmartBoy can make the most of them, whereas if Hyperkin was solely answerable for the software program, there’s a hazard it may very well be forgotten if the corporate decides to shift focus elsewhere or take away help.

For the reason that SmartBoy makes use of present emulators, it’s onerous to charge its efficiency, however just about any Recreation Boy emulator goes to run precisely on a cellphone as highly effective because the Galaxy S8. Many emulators include extra options resembling save states, graphical filters and rather more in addition to, leading to an expertise that’s arguably far superior to taking part in on unique . It additionally goes with out saying that the display screen on the Samsung Galaxy S8 is one million instances higher than the blurry, pea-soup LCD panel of the unique Recreation Boy.

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When it was initially pitched, Hyperkin promised that the SmartBoy would come with help for a variety of telephones, together with the iPhone. Nonetheless, because the product has developed over time, this bold goal has been shelved, and the shift to USB Kind-C means the system will solely work with newer Android gadgets.

Because the SmartBoy is a part of the Samsung Cell Accent Partnership Program, this could guarantee it features completely with future Samsung telephones from the Galaxy S8 onwards. Nonetheless, once I examined it with a few different USB Kind-C Android telephones, it refused to work. Time will inform if help is rolled out to a wider number of handsets by way of some sort of firmware or app replace, however in the event you don’t have a Samsung system you then’ll nearly definitely need to strive before you purchase.

Ought to I purchase the Hyperkin SmartBoy?

When you think about that your common Recreation Boy doesn’t precisely value lots, you could possibly argue that the SmartBoy is somewhat pointless. When you’re going for authenticity, then absolutely the true deal is the best choice?

That’s true to a sure extent, however there are some distinct benefits to Hyperkin’s system – the obvious of which is the truth that you don’t must put up with the shortcomings of decades-old LCD panel know-how. The Galaxy S8’s attractive Tremendous AMOLED display screen is superior in each potential means.

Second, you additionally profit from emulator-specific options resembling save states and the power to fast-forward gameplay. Lastly, the truth that you’re ready to make use of unique cartridges will please the purists amongst you, whereas the wonderful bodily controls provide as shut an expertise to the true factor as is feasible on a smartphone.

Solely the cumbersome nature of the unit and the somewhat convoluted means through which video games are loaded stop us from recommending this much more extremely.

Verdict

When you’re a fan of retro gaming then the SmartBoy is a should – particularly now that fashionable display screen know-how makes the entire expertise so significantly better.

Due to Funstock for supplying the Hyperkin SmartBoy and MobileFun.co.uk for supplying the Galaxy S8 used on this assessment.