If you thought the Coleco Chameleon or the recent NX rumours were the last chance for cartridge-based gaming, then this might pick your spirits up. A Japanese group known as the "Pico Cassette Project" has started a crowdfunding drive to raise the funds to develop and release small game cartridges (referred to as "cassettes" in Japanese) for iOS and Android devices. We reported on the origins of this venture some time ago, but now it's actually becoming solid reality.
The games will plug into the headphone jack and each one, like the old days, will play a different game. The crowdfunding drive runs until the end of July with a goal of ¥10,000,000 (about US$91,850 / £63,900 / €81,200) and a ship date of mid-November. Its about 35% of the way to the goal as of publication. If the goal is met, the backers will receive a copy of the first game - Ninja JaJa Maru-kun - which was released in 1985 for the Famicom in Japan, and worldwide on Wii Virtual Console in 2007.
To find out more check out the video below that explains how it all (hopefully) will work.
Comments 18
Here's an idea, put a D-Pad on the backside of that cart.
So would something like this be region free?
clicking that thing in isn't the same pushing a full cartridge between two sets of copper pins.
Looks pretty cool
Looks neat but seems incredibly inconvenient.
I remember seeing this before. I like the idea, but the implementation does make you itch your head. The man behind the video brings up good questions. I personally find the slogan a bit odd: the "new" retro? Mm.
Oh I remember these. Seems kinda dumb to be honest with you.
@Thermoclorn
It's not a Nintendo product so I'm sure it's region free.
@AVahne good point. I agree it seems kind of dumb.
Why not put the connector on one side? At least a button on the device would be nice and give one physical button. As someone said a control pad maybe. Just seems so limited. Also, there are rumors that the headphone jack is going away on an upcoming iPhone model... there could be a trend away from these.
What would intrigue me would be like a little controllers on there. Tempest the old arcade game had a spinner and if I could attach a little spinner to my device and it opens up a game or two, I'd probably pay more money than I should for it. Too bad there aren't standardized connections though.
What about newer devices like the iPhone 7 which is rumored to not have a headphone jack?
https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/03/pros-and-cons-of-the-iphone-7-not-having-a-headpho.html
This looks a bit stupid.. Making a case with physical buttons and a cartridge slot would be way better...
The problem isn't the slightly awkward carts - it's touchscreen controls, as always, which will never be as good as physical buttons from 30 years ago.
@AVahne Apple does region lock some of its content though. I could see them easily blocking this, but I don't really know how it works, tbh.
@SmaMan
Pretty sure they just region lock the store like everyone else. I don't think anything hardware related would be locked.
I can imagine the cart being snapped off leaving the pin in the android/apple device.
Hmm kinda wish you could just have all the games on one cart tbh.
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