While the broader console business continues inching toward an all-digital future, Hyperkin is betting that plenty of players still have a shelf full of Super Nintendo cartridges they would rather use than admire from behind plastic. This fall, the company’s SupaBoy Portable Retro Gaming Console will return in two new translucent colorways, Crimson and Prime, for $129.99.
More notably for European retro fans, the new models will also mark the SupaBoy’s first official availability in the region. It is a long-overdue expansion for a handheld that has spent years serving the particular niche of players who want to play original SNES and Super Famicom carts without dragging a CRT and a yellowing console into every room of the house.
The SupaBoy Crimson is the standard edition, using a translucent red shell inspired by the original Japanese Famicom color scheme. The limited-edition SupaBoy Prime takes its cues from the pastel button colors associated with the Japanese and European Super Famicom. Both replace the existing SupaBoy models, and Hyperkin says Prime is the first in a planned cycle of annual limited color releases. Collectors, clear some shelf space now.
Under the new shells, the hardware remains familiar. The SupaBoy plays original Super Nintendo and Super Famicom cartridges directly, including PAL, NTSC, and Japanese releases, sidestepping the region limitations that once made importing games a more complicated hobby. This is not an emulation handheld and does not require ROM files, downloads, Wi-Fi, account logins, patches, or any of the other modern rituals that get in the way of enjoying your older games.
Key features include:
– Compatibility with original SNES and Super Famicom cartridges from PAL, NTSC, and Japanese regions
– A 4.3-inch IPS display
– Rechargeable lithium-ion battery rated for up to 10 hours of playtime
– AV output for television play
– Two controller ports for local multiplayer
That TV output and controller support are an important part of the package. The SupaBoy can serve as a handheld for a solo run through Super Metroid, then become a compact console for a proper couch session of “Street Fighter II” or “Secret of Mana”.
The SupaBoy Crimson and SupaBoy Prime are expected to ship this fall for $129.99 / €129.99 / £119.99.
