While there’s no shortage of retro-inspired handheld game consoles that you can use to play classic games on the go, the FunKey S might just be one of the smallest to date.

Designed to look like a Game Boy Advanced SP, the Funkey S is smaller. Like about 1/6th the size in volume.

It’s small enough to fit on a keychain… and possibly to small to really be fun to use for an extended period. But it might be fine for a quick retro gaming session on the go.

The FunKey S is expected to ship in November, and the developers are running a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign where you can reserve one for a pledge of €62 (about $71) or more.

FunKey S

The little gaming device features a 1.54 inch, 240 x 240 pixel IPS LCD display, a 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex-A7 processor, 64MB of DDR2 RAM, and support for microSD cards up to 128GB for storage.

There’s a 450 mAh battery, a micro USB port for charging, a 0.5W speaker, and a Linux-based operating system called FunKey-OS that the developer say boots in less than 5 seconds, and automatically saves your game state when you close the lid, among other things.

While the FunKey S won’t come with licensed games like some other retro consoles, it supports emulators for classic game consoles including NES, SNES, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Sega Master System, Sega Genesis, Sega Game Gear, Sony PlayStation 1, Atari Lynx, WonderSwan, and Neo Geo Pocket.

The developers also promise to make the source code for the operating system and emulators available at the FunKey project GitHub page, as well as schematics and design files that will let you 3D print your own case.

But really, the most impressive thing about the FunKey S has got to be its size. At 42.5mm x 44.5mm x 13.8mm, the little system is substantially smaller than a real GBA SP, which had a 2.9 inch display and measured 84mm x 82mm x 24.4mm.

Does shrinking that design make for a better gaming experience? Probably not. But it certainly makes for a more portable one.

via Hackster.io and Technabob

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5 replies on “FunKey S is a tiny retro console that looks like a Game Boy Advance SP (crowdfunding)”

  2. Shrinking the device like that pretty much excluded anyone over six feet tall. My hands were too big for that device when I was 12 years old. But I’ll try not to be myopic and there are plenty of kids that would love to have something like this.

  3. I almost pulled the trigger, but then remembered my Pocket Sprite still in the box, played about 4h grand total on it, and that I can probably get a second-hand Galaxy S4-5-6 for this price, swap the battery and get a way more decent emulation platform.

    1. Yeah, the Samsung Note 4 (Exynos) would be your best bet.
      It’s not left behind by much, thanks to it’s 64bit processor… but you do need Custom Roms to take advantage of it. The camera is also dated but serviceable. However, the faux-leather and metal does feel great, the S Pen performs really well, microSD can store all your game files, and that old screen is still competitive with today’s phones (as long as no burn-in). No issues connecting to controllers. It’s powerful enough to run all Android games, as well as emulation from Atari, Sega, SNES, GBA, MS DoS, N64, DSi, PS1, upto PSP without issues. Bonus, it can do a few “light games” from PS2, 3DS, GameCube, and Wii but I wouldn’t count on it much.

      …most important of all, is that User Removable Battery.
      Run out of juice? Just take a spare one from your pocket. Swap. And continue your session. Easy. And if one battery lasts you hours and hours, and you have a couple cheap ones with you… well, that will get you through any flights/camping/trips/weekend events. Just make sure to dedicate the Note4 for gaming, and use a separate phone for phone things.

      With the likes of newer phones:
      Have to deal with battery anxiety. Or using clunky PowerBanks. Or slow wireless trickle charging. Or all of the above.

      PS: You can also give the LG V20 a shot, it also has a User Removable Battery. Uses a better processor, but probably a downgrade in-terms of Custom Roms, Display, Camera, S Pen, and build quality.

      PSPS: If you don’t care about battery life, and are fine with a Sealed Battery, it’s still a good idea to have a dedicated phone for games. Don’t just get any Brand New low-end device, or a New mid-ranger. I suggest getting a Used device in a fair-condition, but an ex-flagship. Something like the Note9/S10+ are good options if cheap (they’ll emulate PS2, 3DS, GameCube, and Wii games too!!).

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