{"id":17193,"date":"2024-08-29T01:27:18","date_gmt":"2024-08-29T01:27:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/?p=17193"},"modified":"2024-08-29T01:27:18","modified_gmt":"2024-08-29T01:27:18","slug":"still-a-fun-gaming-device-two-years-later","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/still-a-fun-gaming-device-two-years-later\/","title":{"rendered":"Still a Fun Gaming Device Two Years Later"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_68_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >\u062c\u062f\u0648\u0644 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u062d\u062a\u0648\u064a\u0627\u062a<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/still-a-fun-gaming-device-two-years-later\/#Key_Takeaways\" title=\"Key Takeaways\">Key Takeaways<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/still-a-fun-gaming-device-two-years-later\/#Price_and_Availability\" title=\"Price and Availability\">Price and Availability<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/still-a-fun-gaming-device-two-years-later\/#Design_Tiny_and_Almost_Mighty\" title=\"Design: Tiny and Almost Mighty\">Design: Tiny and Almost Mighty<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/still-a-fun-gaming-device-two-years-later\/#Technical_Capabilities_and_Control_Basic_on_Purpose\" title=\"Technical Capabilities and Control: Basic on Purpose\">Technical Capabilities and Control: Basic on Purpose<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/still-a-fun-gaming-device-two-years-later\/#Games_and_Gameplay_Cranked_Up_Fun\" title=\"Games and Gameplay: Cranked Up Fun\">Games and Gameplay: Cranked Up Fun<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/still-a-fun-gaming-device-two-years-later\/#Side_Loading_Mirroring_and_Making_Your_Own_Games\" title=\"Side Loading, Mirroring, and Making Your Own Games\">Side Loading, Mirroring, and Making Your Own Games<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/still-a-fun-gaming-device-two-years-later\/#Two_Years_Later_and_the_Future_Prognosis\" title=\"Two Years Later and the Future Prognosis\">Two Years Later and the Future Prognosis<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/still-a-fun-gaming-device-two-years-later\/#Should_You_Buy_the_Panic_Playdate\" title=\"Should You Buy the Panic Playdate?\">Should You Buy the Panic Playdate?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<section class=\"emaki-custom-block emaki-custom-key-points\">\n<div class=\"emaki-custom key-points\" id=\"custom_block_0\">\n<h3 class=\"title icon i-list\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Takeaways\"><\/span>Key Takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"custom_block-content key-points\">\n<ul>\n<li> Playdate is available directly from Panic with a full season of 24 games included. <\/li>\n<li> The handheld features a compact design, making it easy to hold. <\/li>\n<li> Hobbyists are able to create their own games which makes the Playdate more useful in the longrun. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"before\",\"adPosition\":0,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":0,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":0,\"ruleCount\":200,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"actualCount\":240} --><!-- Zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"after\",\"adPosition\":1,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":1,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":0,\"ruleCount\":200,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"actualCount\":0} --><br \/>\n<!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"currentRuleCount\":200,\"actualCount\":0,\"hasActualCountMetThreshold\":null,\"countRemainingForInjection\":null,\"nextBlockCount\":null,\"hasCountRemainingForInjectionMetThreshold\":null} --><\/section>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":1,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":1,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":1,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":0} --><br \/>\n<!-- No winning ad found for zone: below first paragraph! --><\/p>\n<p> <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/play.date\/\">Panic&#8217;s Playdate<\/a> has proved to be a surprise hit with gamers and non-gamers alike, offering an approachable low-tech handheld with distinctive crank. Now, more than two years later and over 70,000 handhelds sold, the Playdate is just as charming as ever, although its limitations, purposeful or otherwise, may still give some would-be owners pause. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":1,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":1,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":1,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":354} --><\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card scroll-offset tag large no-badge active-content \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"fd8b-4f25-b486d9db8167\">\n<div class=\"w-img \">\n<div class=\"body-img landscape \">\n<div class=\"responsive-img img-article-square\">\n<figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1100\" height=\"1000\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Panic Playdate\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Still-a-Fun-Gaming-Device-Two-Years-Later.png\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Still-a-Fun-Gaming-Device-Two-Years-Later.png?resize=1100%2C1000&#038;ssl=1\" style=\"height:auto;max-width:100%\" title=\"\">  <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-content regular article-block\">\n<h5 class=\"display-card-title \"> Panic Playdate <\/h5>\n<p class=\"display-card-description\">Panic Playdate is a tiny handheld game system with reflective screen, new games, and a crank.<\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-pros-cons\">\n<div><strong class=\"sub-title\">Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"pro-list\">\n<li class=\"icon\">Quirky game selection<\/li>\n<li class=\"icon\">Display looks great in direct sunlight<\/li>\n<li class=\"icon\">It has a crank<\/li>\n<li class=\"icon\">You can make your own games<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div><strong class=\"sub-title\">Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"con-list\">\n<li class=\"icon\">No backlight for for use in dark places<\/li>\n<li class=\"icon\">Hard to keep screen at ideal viewing angle<\/li>\n<li class=\"icon\">Variable build quality<\/li>\n<li class=\"icon\">Some features and accessories still not available<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":1,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":1,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":1,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":354} --><br \/>\n<!-- No winning ad found for zone: native in content! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"price-and-availability\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Price_and_Availability\"><\/span><strong>Price and Availability<\/strong> <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p> The Playdate is available direct from Panic for $200, or $220 with a cover. In the box is the handheld, USB-C to USB-A cable, and some quick start paperwork. Included with the price is a full first season of 24 downloadable games. Additional games are available for purchase, generally ranging in price from free to $13 each. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":1,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":1,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":1,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":681} --><\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card scroll-offset tag large no-badge active-content expandable \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"7656-446c-9992e4d0f7e8\">\n<div class=\"w-display-card-content regular article-block\">\n<h5 class=\"display-card-title \"> Specifications <\/h5>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-info\">\n<dl><!-- div --><\/p>\n<p><dt><strong>Screen Size<\/strong> <\/dt>\n<dd><span> 2.7in <\/span> <\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<p><!-- div --><\/p>\n<p><dt><strong>Resolution<\/strong> <\/dt>\n<dd><span> 400 x 240 at 173ppi <\/span> <\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<p><!-- div --><\/p>\n<p><dt><strong>Built-in Games<\/strong> <\/dt>\n<dd><span> 24 <\/span> <\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<p><!-- div --><\/p>\n<p><dt><strong>Connectivity<\/strong> <\/dt>\n<dd><span> 2.4GHz Wi-Fi (b\/g\/n), Bluetooth 4.2, USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack <\/span> <\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<p><!-- div --><\/p>\n<p><dt><strong>RAM<\/strong> <\/dt>\n<dd><span> 16MB <\/span> <\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<p><!-- div --><\/p>\n<p><dt><strong>Storage<\/strong> <\/dt>\n<dd><span> 4GB <\/span> <\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<p><!-- div --><\/p>\n<p><dt><strong>Power<\/strong> <\/dt>\n<dd><span> USB-C <\/span> <\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<p><!-- div --><\/p>\n<p><dt><strong>Weight<\/strong> <\/dt>\n<dd><span> 3oz <\/span> <\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<\/dl><\/div>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"show-more-new icon i-chevron-down-solid\">Expand<\/button> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":1,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":1,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":1,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":681} --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"design-tiny-and-almost-mighty\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Design_Tiny_and_Almost_Mighty\"><\/span><strong>Design: Tiny and Almost Mighty<\/strong> <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape \">\n<div class=\"responsive-img image-expandable img-article-item\">\n<figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Panic Playdate unboxed with Playdate Cover\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Still-a-Fun-Gaming-Device-Two-Years-Later.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Still-a-Fun-Gaming-Device-Two-Years-Later.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&#038;ssl=1\" style=\"height:auto;max-width:100%\" title=\"\"><figcaption class=\"body-img-caption\">Bill Loguidice \/ How-To Geek<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"before\",\"adPosition\":1,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":1,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":1,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"actualCount\":921} --><!-- Zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"after\",\"adPosition\":2,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":2,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":1,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"actualCount\":0} --><br \/>\n<!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"currentRuleCount\":900,\"actualCount\":0,\"hasActualCountMetThreshold\":null,\"countRemainingForInjection\":null,\"nextBlockCount\":null,\"hasCountRemainingForInjectionMetThreshold\":null} --><\/p>\n<p> The Playdate is a compact, rounded square that&#8217;s about 2.9 inches around, 0.35 inches thick, and weighing in at 3 ounces. The dandelion yellow color of the casing bears a striking resemblance to one of the variations of the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendo.com\/en-gb\/Hardware\/Nintendo-History\/Game-Boy-Color\/Game-Boy-Color-627137.html\">Nintendo Game Boy Color<\/a> from 1998. Despite its diminutive dimensions, the Playdate&#8217;s shape makes it easy to hold, even with larger hands. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":2,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":2,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":2,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":371} --><\/p>\n<p> Overall, I was impressed with how the Playdate&#8217;s compactness made this mostly plastic device feel more substantial. However, on my unit, the top of the case by the lock button had some scratches and it creaked and flexed when pressed, which is a major annoyance for something new out-of-the-box. The rest of the case seemed fine, with no creaks and a generally solid build. I also appreciate that it&#8217;s smudge resistant. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":2,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":2,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":2,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":800} --><\/p>\n<p> Better were the directional pad (D-Pad) and B and A buttons on the front of the Playdate. The D-Pad is a classic plus shape, and, like the buttons, has a soft click when registering a press. <\/p>\n<p><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"before\",\"adPosition\":2,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":2,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":2,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"actualCount\":992} --><!-- Zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"after\",\"adPosition\":3,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":3,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":2,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"actualCount\":0} --><br \/>\n<!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"currentRuleCount\":900,\"actualCount\":0,\"hasActualCountMetThreshold\":null,\"countRemainingForInjection\":null,\"nextBlockCount\":null,\"hasCountRemainingForInjectionMetThreshold\":null} --><\/p>\n<p> To the right of the 2.7 inch 400 x 240 1-bit LCD is a single mono speaker. On the right side of the Playdate is an analog crank, which is the only other non-digital input besides a built-in 3-axis accelerometer to determine the device&#8217;s position and orientation. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":3,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":3,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":3,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":268} --><\/p>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape \">\n<div class=\"responsive-img image-expandable img-article-item\">\n<figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Playdate Cover closed on Panic Playdate handheld\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1724894830_266_Still-a-Fun-Gaming-Device-Two-Years-Later.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1724894830_266_Still-a-Fun-Gaming-Device-Two-Years-Later.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&#038;ssl=1\" style=\"height:auto;max-width:100%\" title=\"\"><figcaption class=\"body-img-caption\">Bill Loguidice \/ How-To Geek<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":3,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":3,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":3,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":508} --><\/p>\n<p> There are three magnetic screws on the front of the Playdate and four on the back that can attach to the optional Playdate Cover. While the cover magnetically closes, it doesn&#8217;t automatically put the Playdate to sleep. That&#8217;s controlled exclusively in the settings. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":3,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":3,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":3,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":783} --><\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":3,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":3,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":3,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":783} --><br \/>\n<!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"isEarlyInjection\":true,\"currentRuleCount\":900,\"actualCount\":783,\"hasActualCountMetThreshold\":true,\"countRemainingForInjection\":117,\"nextBlockCount\":240,\"hasCountRemainingForInjectionMetThreshold\":true,\"nextCount\":1023} --><\/p>\n<p><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"before\",\"adPosition\":3,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":3,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":3,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":true,\"actualCount\":900} --><!-- Zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"after\",\"adPosition\":4,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":4,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":3,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":true,\"actualCount\":0} --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"technical-capabilities-and-control-basic-on-purpose\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Technical_Capabilities_and_Control_Basic_on_Purpose\"><\/span><strong>Technical Capabilities and Control: Basic on Purpose<\/strong> <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape \">\n<div class=\"responsive-img image-expandable img-article-item\">\n<figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Panic Playdate on table top showing the World Clock\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1724894830_217_Still-a-Fun-Gaming-Device-Two-Years-Later.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1724894830_217_Still-a-Fun-Gaming-Device-Two-Years-Later.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&#038;ssl=1\" style=\"height:auto;max-width:100%\" title=\"\"><figcaption class=\"body-img-caption\">Bill Loguidice \/ How-To Geek<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":4,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":4,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":4,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":123} --><\/p>\n<p> Outside of the crank, one of the unique aspects of the Playdate is its display, which looks a bit like e-paper, but uses traditional LCD technology for a fast refresh rate. In a surprising move for a modern device, there&#8217;s no backlight, so you need to play in a reasonably well-lit area to even see the screen. There&#8217;s also no color, just black and white with a dithering technique to simulate grayscale. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":4,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":4,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":4,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":537} --><\/p>\n<p> Excusing the pun, but where the display does shine is outdoors. Even in direct sunlight, the nemesis of most other types of displays, the Playdate&#8217;s screen is perfectly visible, and in fact is the environment where it looks its best. Regardless of the environment, you need to have the device angled just slightly above parallel to catch the best light and point of view. <\/p>\n<p><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"before\",\"adPosition\":4,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":4,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":4,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"actualCount\":914} --><!-- Zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"after\",\"adPosition\":5,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":5,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":4,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"actualCount\":0} --><br \/>\n<!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"currentRuleCount\":900,\"actualCount\":0,\"hasActualCountMetThreshold\":null,\"countRemainingForInjection\":null,\"nextBlockCount\":null,\"hasCountRemainingForInjectionMetThreshold\":null} --><\/p>\n<p> The single speaker sounds fine and gets quite loud, but does suffer from some distortion at maximum volume levels. If you&#8217;re playing a sound-intensive game, you&#8217;re better off with headphones. While Playdate does have a Bluetooth chip, it&#8217;s not currently supported, and there&#8217;s no guarantee that it will be beyond the promised, but not yet available, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/play.date\/stereo-dock\/\">Playdate Stereo Dock<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":5,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":5,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":5,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":389} --><\/p>\n<p> To adjust the volume, you need to press and hold the menu button and move the D-Pad to the left or right. It works well, but I still would have been nice to have traditional dedicated buttons or a dial. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":5,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":5,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":5,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":593} --><\/p>\n<p> The 4GB of non-expandable storage is not much these days, but for storing Playdate games it&#8217;s just fine. Even the largest games tend to come in well below 100MB. With that said, should storage space ever become an issue, uninstalling games and deleting their game data is quick and easy from the settings menu. <\/p>\n<p><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"before\",\"adPosition\":5,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":5,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":5,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"actualCount\":909} --><!-- Zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"after\",\"adPosition\":6,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":6,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":5,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"actualCount\":0} --><br \/>\n<!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"currentRuleCount\":900,\"actualCount\":0,\"hasActualCountMetThreshold\":null,\"countRemainingForInjection\":null,\"nextBlockCount\":null,\"hasCountRemainingForInjectionMetThreshold\":null} --><\/p>\n<p> Even with the Playdate&#8217;s tiny size, thanks to its modest specifications, battery life is quite good. You&#8217;ll get up to 8 hours of active play, or up to 14 days in standby mode using it as a clock. It fully charges in a few hours as well. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":6,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":6,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":6,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":246} --><\/p>\n<p> Navigating the user interface is easy, as you can use either the D-Pad or crank, with the A button selecting options and the B button going back. You can purchase games either from the website or directly on the device. Games from every genre, as well as simple productivity apps like a talking pocket calculator, are available via the catalog option. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":6,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":6,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":6,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":599} --><\/p>\n<p> One neat feature of the user interface is a built-in screenshot capability. Pressing the device&#8217;s menu button and selecting screenshot takes an image of the screen. To access the images, however, you have to reboot the Playdate into data disk mode, plug the USB cable from the Playdate to your computer. <\/p>\n<p><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"before\",\"adPosition\":6,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":6,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":6,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"actualCount\":908} --><!-- Zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"after\",\"adPosition\":7,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":7,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":6,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"actualCount\":0} --><br \/>\n<!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"currentRuleCount\":900,\"actualCount\":0,\"hasActualCountMetThreshold\":null,\"countRemainingForInjection\":null,\"nextBlockCount\":null,\"hasCountRemainingForInjectionMetThreshold\":null} --><\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":7,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":7,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":7,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":0} --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"games-and-gameplay-cranked-up-fun\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Games_and_Gameplay_Cranked_Up_Fun\"><\/span><strong>Games and Gameplay: Cranked Up Fun<\/strong> <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape \">\n<div class=\"responsive-img image-expandable img-article-item\">\n<figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Playing Casual Birder on the Panic Playdate\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1724894831_421_Still-a-Fun-Gaming-Device-Two-Years-Later.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1724894831_421_Still-a-Fun-Gaming-Device-Two-Years-Later.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&#038;ssl=1\" style=\"height:auto;max-width:100%\" title=\"\"><figcaption class=\"body-img-caption\">Bill Loguidice \/ How-To Geek<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":7,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":7,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":7,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":240} --><\/p>\n<p> What&#8217;s interesting about the Playdate season concept is that games are meant to be rolled out on a two games per week schedule, giving you a chance to really play what you have before moving onto something else. For example, &#8220;<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/play.date\/games\/whitewater-wipeout\/\">Whitewater Wipeout<\/a>&#8221; and &#8220;<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/play.date\/games\/casual-birder\/\">Casual Birder<\/a>&#8221; are unlocked first and are solely available until the following week, when &#8220;<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/play.date\/games\/crankin\/\">Crankin&#8217;s Time Travel Adventure<\/a>&#8221; and &#8220;<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/play.date\/games\/boogie-loops\/\">Boogie Loops<\/a>&#8221; are unlocked. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":7,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":7,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":7,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":697} --><\/p>\n<p> As the weeks wear on, you&#8217;ll eventually have access to all 24 games from Season One. Of course, you can also simply login to your account on the website, select Devices, and modify the season schedule to your liking, including simply downloading all games at once. <\/p>\n<p><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"before\",\"adPosition\":7,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":7,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":7,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"actualCount\":967} --><!-- Zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"after\",\"adPosition\":8,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":8,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":7,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"actualCount\":0} --><br \/>\n<!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"currentRuleCount\":900,\"actualCount\":0,\"hasActualCountMetThreshold\":null,\"countRemainingForInjection\":null,\"nextBlockCount\":null,\"hasCountRemainingForInjectionMetThreshold\":null} --><\/p>\n<p> Both &#8220;Whitewater Wipeout&#8221; and &#8220;Casual Birder<em>&#8220;<\/em> are good introductions to the Playdate, as they make varying degrees of use out of the D-Pad, two action buttons, and crank. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":8,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":8,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":8,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":192} --><\/p>\n<p> Just like the legendary mini game included with Epyx&#8217;s &#8220;<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mobygames.com\/game\/1823\/california-games\/\">California Games<\/a>,&#8221; &#8220;Whitewater Wipeout<em>&#8221; <\/em>casts you as a surfer trying to ride a wave and perform tricks. You turn the crank to maneuver your surfer in an absolute position, meaning up for up, down for down, toward you to turn left, and away from you to turn right. Just before you crest a wave, you hold up on the D-Pad to get more air, and, once in the air, move the D-Pad left or right to snap the board in that direction. It&#8217;s a challenging game that requires precision use of the crank\u2014you&#8217;ll wipe out a lot\u2014but it also has pleasing visuals and just-one-more-try appeal. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":8,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":8,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":8,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":867} --><br \/>\n<!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"isEarlyInjection\":true,\"currentRuleCount\":900,\"actualCount\":867,\"hasActualCountMetThreshold\":true,\"countRemainingForInjection\":33,\"nextBlockCount\":240,\"hasCountRemainingForInjectionMetThreshold\":true,\"nextCount\":1107} --><\/p>\n<p><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"before\",\"adPosition\":8,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":8,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":8,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":true,\"actualCount\":900} --><!-- Zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"after\",\"adPosition\":9,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":9,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":8,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":true,\"actualCount\":0} --><\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":9,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":9,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":9,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":207} --><\/p>\n<p> <em>&#8220;<\/em>Casual Birder<em>&#8220;<\/em> is a much easier game where you&#8217;re tasked with exploring eight different environments to find birds to photograph. The D-Pad is used for movement, the A and B buttons for different actions, and the crank to make the camera focus, as well as other puzzle-specific uses. It&#8217;s a fun time, but the visuals do reveal some of the Playdate&#8217;s limitations. For instance, because of the detailed graphics on the tiny display, it can be hard to make out some of the in-game elements, like text on objects or where there&#8217;s actually a bird. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":9,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":9,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":9,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":778} --><br \/>\n<!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"isEarlyInjection\":true,\"currentRuleCount\":900,\"actualCount\":778,\"hasActualCountMetThreshold\":true,\"countRemainingForInjection\":122,\"nextBlockCount\":759,\"hasCountRemainingForInjectionMetThreshold\":true,\"nextCount\":1537} --><\/p>\n<p><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"before\",\"adPosition\":9,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":9,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":9,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":true,\"actualCount\":900} --><!-- Zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"after\",\"adPosition\":10,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":10,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":9,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":true,\"actualCount\":0} --><\/p>\n<p> Again, just about every genre is represented in the Playdate&#8217;s catalog, and the included Season One games do a good job of reflecting that with puzzle games, shooters, racers, adventure games, sports games, RPGs, rhythm games, and more. Not every game is a winner, but every game included in Season One does try to offer something interesting for the platform, giving you something to look forward to each week. For instance, the charmingly silly week two game, &#8220;Crankin&#8217;s Time Travel Adventure,&#8221; exclusively uses the crank to advance or rewind the titular character&#8217;s timeline to jump over or duck under enemies so he&#8217;s not too late for his date with Crankette, and is quite unlike anything else you&#8217;d find on other platforms. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":10,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":10,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":10,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":637} --><\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":10,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":10,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":10,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":637} --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"side-loading-mirroring-and-making-your-own-games\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Side_Loading_Mirroring_and_Making_Your_Own_Games\"><\/span><strong>Side Loading, Mirroring, and Making Your Own Games<\/strong> <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape \">\n<div class=\"responsive-img image-expandable img-article-item\">\n<figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Playing Crankin&#039;s Time Travel Adventure on the Panic Playdate\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1724894831_918_Still-a-Fun-Gaming-Device-Two-Years-Later.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1724894831_918_Still-a-Fun-Gaming-Device-Two-Years-Later.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&#038;ssl=1\" style=\"height:auto;max-width:100%\" title=\"\"><figcaption class=\"body-img-caption\">Bill Loguidice \/ How-To Geek<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":10,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":10,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":10,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":877} --><br \/>\n<!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"isEarlyInjection\":true,\"currentRuleCount\":900,\"actualCount\":877,\"hasActualCountMetThreshold\":true,\"countRemainingForInjection\":23,\"nextBlockCount\":474,\"hasCountRemainingForInjectionMetThreshold\":true,\"nextCount\":1351} --><\/p>\n<p><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"before\",\"adPosition\":10,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":10,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":10,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":true,\"actualCount\":900} --><!-- Zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"after\",\"adPosition\":11,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":11,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":10,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":true,\"actualCount\":0} --><\/p>\n<p> While Playdate is designed to be as simple as possible out of the box, there are some advanced options that can be worth exploring. You can easily buy more games from the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/play.date\/games\/\">catalog<\/a>, but you can also <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/help.play.date\/games\/sideloading\/\">side load<\/a> games from other sources either over USB with a PC or wirelessly through the website. These other sources can be from anywhere, but one of the more popular places for developers to upload their creations to is <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/itch.io\/games\/tag-playdate\">itch.io<\/a>. Prices there generally range from free to $10. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":11,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":11,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":11,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":451} --><\/p>\n<p> &#8220;<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/play.date\/mirror\/\">Mirror<\/a>&#8221; is an app that streams gameplay video and audio in real-time from a Playdate to a Windows-, Macintosh-, or Linux-based PC. While it&#8217;s primarily meant to mirror your Playdate&#8217;s display, it also gives you an alternate means of controlling the games, like with a gamepad or mouse. While &#8220;Mirror&#8221;<em> <\/em>loses some of the charm of playing on the actual handheld, it&#8217;s nice to have the option to play some of these games on a larger screen or with different controls, and further justifies the investment in more games for your personal library. I was also impressed by the lack of any noticeable lag between what was done or displayed on the Playdate versus what showed on my Windows 11 PC&#8217;s monitor in the app. <\/p>\n<p><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"before\",\"adPosition\":11,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":11,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":11,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"actualCount\":1198} --><!-- Zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"after\",\"adPosition\":12,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":12,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":11,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"actualCount\":0} --><br \/>\n<!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"currentRuleCount\":900,\"actualCount\":0,\"hasActualCountMetThreshold\":null,\"countRemainingForInjection\":null,\"nextBlockCount\":null,\"hasCountRemainingForInjectionMetThreshold\":null} --><\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":12,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":12,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":12,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":240} --><\/p>\n<p> Finally, there&#8217;s the powerful ability to make your own games. If you&#8217;re an experienced developer, you can use the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/play.date\/dev\/\">Playdate SDK<\/a> for Windows-, Macintosh-, or Linux-based PCs, which includes a Playdate Simulator, or, use the simpler browser-based <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/play.date\/pulp\/55046\/edit\/\">Playdate Pulp<\/a>. Pulp allows you to create Playdate games in a much more intuitive manner and has pixel art, chiptune music, and simple logic scripting built-in. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":12,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":12,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":12,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":653} --><\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":12,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":12,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":12,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":653} --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"two-years-later-and-the-future-prognosis\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Two_Years_Later_and_the_Future_Prognosis\"><\/span><strong>Two Years Later and the Future Prognosis<\/strong> <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape \">\n<div class=\"responsive-img image-expandable img-article-item\">\n<figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Playing Pick Pack Pup on the Panic Playdate\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1724894832_773_Still-a-Fun-Gaming-Device-Two-Years-Later.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1724894832_773_Still-a-Fun-Gaming-Device-Two-Years-Later.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&#038;ssl=1\" style=\"height:auto;max-width:100%\" title=\"\"><figcaption class=\"body-img-caption\">Bill Loguidice \/ How-To Geek<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":12,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":12,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":12,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":893} --><br \/>\n<!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"isEarlyInjection\":true,\"currentRuleCount\":900,\"actualCount\":893,\"hasActualCountMetThreshold\":true,\"countRemainingForInjection\":7,\"nextBlockCount\":385,\"hasCountRemainingForInjectionMetThreshold\":true,\"nextCount\":1278} --><\/p>\n<p><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"before\",\"adPosition\":12,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":12,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":12,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":true,\"actualCount\":900} --><!-- Zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"after\",\"adPosition\":13,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":13,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":12,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":true,\"actualCount\":0} --><\/p>\n<p> At just over two years since launch, the Playdate has no real surprises left. What you see now is likely what you&#8217;ll get if you buy it at any point in the foreseeable future. There&#8217;s still a chance that the Playdate Stereo Dock will come out and that the Bluetooth functionality will see at least partial use, but it&#8217;s best to keep those particular expectations in check. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":13,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":13,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":13,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":378} --><\/p>\n<p> What you can count on are the 24 built-in games and access to more both direct from Panic and, via side loading, from outside sources. Since the barrier to creating content is low, you can expect some low quality content mixed in with the gems, but it&#8217;s nothing if not a platform for experimentation. Along those same lines, even if there&#8217;s never a Season Two of games and Panic just sticks to individual releases, there&#8217;s always probably going to be hobbyists making new content. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":13,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":13,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":13,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":872} --><br \/>\n<!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"isEarlyInjection\":true,\"currentRuleCount\":900,\"actualCount\":872,\"hasActualCountMetThreshold\":true,\"countRemainingForInjection\":28,\"nextBlockCount\":381,\"hasCountRemainingForInjectionMetThreshold\":true,\"nextCount\":1253} --><\/p>\n<p><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"before\",\"adPosition\":13,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":13,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":13,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":true,\"actualCount\":900} --><!-- Zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"after\",\"adPosition\":14,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":14,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":13,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":true,\"actualCount\":0} --><\/p>\n<p> Of course, with the right motivation, you can also use Panic&#8217;s free SDK or the Pulp game maker to create your own games or apps, opening up even more possibilities. As with the hardware and games themselves, the Playdate is just different enough, and open enough, to stand on its own merits, regardless of how much more time passes and what other companies may come out with. <\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":14,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":14,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":14,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":353} --><\/p>\n<p><!-- No repeatable ad for zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"none\",\"adPosition\":14,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":14,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":14,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"actualCount\":353} --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"should-you-buy-the-panic-playdate\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_You_Buy_the_Panic_Playdate\"><\/span><strong>Should You Buy the Panic Playdate?<\/strong> <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p> The <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/play.date\/\">Panic Playdate<\/a> is something of a paradox. For the price, I&#8217;d really like something that feels just a bit more premium and substantial. On the other hand, Panic has gone all in on a very compelling, and open, concept. The Playdate proves to be a fun and approachable gaming device unlike anything else in the modern era. At just over two years on, that remains the beauty of the Playdate. No matter how much technology advances, or what other gaming platforms offer, the Playdate&#8217;s core concept of fun, simple games, as well as that irresistible crank, are timeless. <\/p>\n<p><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"before\",\"adPosition\":14,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":14,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":14,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"actualCount\":932} --><!-- Zone: character count repeatable. --><!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"injection\":\"after\",\"adPosition\":15,\"startingPoint\":0,\"skipEvery\":null,\"nbrPlacementFilledEachSkip\":15,\"nbrPlacementsScanned\":14,\"ruleCount\":900,\"degradationStartingPoint\":1,\"stopAds\":null,\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"actualCount\":0} --><br \/>\n<!-- Repeatable debug data: {\"isEarlyInjection\":false,\"currentRuleCount\":900,\"actualCount\":0,\"hasActualCountMetThreshold\":null,\"countRemainingForInjection\":null,\"nextBlockCount\":null,\"hasCountRemainingForInjectionMetThreshold\":null} --><\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card scroll-offset tag large no-badge active-content \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"6fe1-486d-a07f3075df4c\">\n<div class=\"w-img \">\n<div class=\"body-img landscape \">\n<div class=\"responsive-img img-article-square\">\n<figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1100\" height=\"1000\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Panic Playdate\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Still-a-Fun-Gaming-Device-Two-Years-Later.png\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Still-a-Fun-Gaming-Device-Two-Years-Later.png?resize=1100%2C1000&#038;ssl=1\" style=\"height:auto;max-width:100%\" title=\"\">  <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-content regular article-block\">\n<h5 class=\"display-card-title \"> Panic Playdate <\/h5>\n<p class=\"display-card-description\">Panic Playdate is a tiny handheld game system with reflective screen, new games, and a crank.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Playdate is available directly from Panic with a full season of 24 games included. The handheld features a compact design, making it easy to hold. Hobbyists are able to create their own games which makes the Playdate more useful in the longrun. Panic&#8217;s Playdate has proved to be a surprise hit with gamers &#8230; <a title=\"Still a Fun Gaming Device Two Years Later\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/still-a-fun-gaming-device-two-years-later\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Still a Fun Gaming Device Two Years Later\">\u0625\u0642\u0631\u0623 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0632\u064a\u062f<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17194,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[82],"class_list":["post-17193","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","tag-video-games"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1724894833_Still-a-Fun-Gaming-Device-Two-Years-Later.jpg?fit=2100%2C1400&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17193","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17193"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17193\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17194"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17193"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17193"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodwriterz.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17193"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}