DIFFERENT BY DESIGN
CHRISTOPHER IS A MAN OUT TO CHANGE HOW THE WORLD SEES VIDEOGAMES – WE DIG DEEPER INTO THE PHILOSOPHY DRIVING ANALOGUE
We’d like to support all portable systems with Pocket. We will announce more compatible systems at a later date CHRISTOPHER TABER
Never let it be said that Christopher Taber is modest in his aims. “Videogame history is extraordinary. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the same respect that virtually every other medium has (film, music etc). Analogue is here to change this perception,” says Christopher. “The standard for Analogue from day one has been to check every box possible. I’m not interested in Analogue just impressing retro game enthusiasts. Analogue should impress the entire industry, industrial designers, engineers, marketers, photographers and, of course, the most discerning retro gaming enthusiasts. It’s not worth it to me any other way.”
This means providing products that are not just functionally excellent, but also aesthetically striking. “When you look at other mediums, the videogame industry is quite immature in terms of diversity in concept exploration, especially when it comes to design. We’re interested in pushing that boundary in every way we can – or it’s just not interesting to us,” Christopher explains. “Our inspiration when it comes to design, and really as a company as a whole, comes from other mediums and industries, which makes Analogue stand out distinctly from any other company in the videogame industry. We’re intensely inspired by fashion, film, music, architecture and, of course, classic industrial design.” That definitely comes across in everything Analogue does – looking at the company’s Hong Kong office, it’s hard not to feel that the location was chosen in part thanks to its photogenic nature.
So who inspires Christopher? “It’s almost endless,” he explains, before quoting independent film maker Jim Jarmusch on the subject of originality – “Nothing is original.
Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination.” Amongst designers, one name is singled out for a special mention. “Saul Bass is a huge inspiration for me, personally. As an artist and in terms of his philosophy, he is particularly dear to me,” Christopher says. “We’re here to bring a perspective and approach to videogames that I don’t think anybody else is: ‘I want everything we do to be beautiful. I don’t give a damn whether the client understands that that’s worth anything, or that the client thinks it’s worth anything, or whether it is worth anything. It’s worth it to me. It’s the way I want to live my life. I want to make beautiful things, even if nobody cares.’”
While Christopher offers little comment on what’s going on in videogames outside of Analogue, it’s interesting to get a sense of where he sees his company’s hardware in the wider context of the classic gaming market. While he draws comparisons between watching films on VHS and Blu-ray, he sees the future of retro games as being closer in nature to the music market. “People have been buying vinyl since its inception – long before the relatively recent resurgence,” he explains. “Videogames are no different – year after year more people are hunting more games. The breaking point is already being reached (just starting with companies like iam8bit and Limited Run Games) and sooner than later, we’re gonna see re-releases on original media as a new norm.”
Neo Geo Pocket Color games ran at 160x152, and would need to run a bit smaller to avoid vertical cropping. The Game Boy Advance runs at 240x160, which is a slightly more awkward fit. However, this is all default stuff, and anyone that has used Analogue’s previous devices knows that they are highly configurable. “Pocket will have all of the system by system features, scaling and calibration options anyone could ever dream of – just like all other Analogue products,” says Christopher. “Everyone can count on this – we wouldn’t do it any other way.”
One thing yet to be determined is what support the Pocket offers for systems beyond Nintendo’s popular devices. While we know that the system incorporates an originalstyle link plug for the Game Boy family, compatibility with the peripherals for other systems – Game Gear, Lynx and Neo Geo Pocket – is currently a mystery. “Right now, we are only commenting on the systems launching out of the box with Pocket, but we will certainly be bringing as many features as possible to all supported systems,” Christopher comments. But there are some details that he can give us. “The adapters will be rolling out with launch, some coming later and plans to continue to develop and release more system supports. They will be sold a la carte, allowing users to get access to the adapters and system support they are interested in.” Will there be more supported devices? Christopher thinks so. “We’d like to support all portable systems with Pocket. We will announce more compatible systems at a later date.”
Analogue’s Super Nt and Mega Sg consoles have come with built-in software, and the Pocket does, too. However, unlike those previous systems the software is a creative tool. “There is a rich community of people who make music with original Game Boys and we wanted to extend that to Pocket in a more streamlined way,” says Christopher. “Nanoloop 2 is a sophisticated digital audio workstation built specifically for Game Boy Advance. It has a built-in synthesiser and sequencer. It has MIDI support and CV support. You can interface it with other hardware and do a ton of other things we’ll be sharing very soon.” Though it’s not exclusive to the Analogue Pocket, Nanoloop 2 is a valuable addition to the system – a physical version for your existing Game Boy Advance would cost you €49 before factoring in VAT and postage.
An exciting additional accessory for the system is the docking station. “Analogue Dock is sort of a three-in-one product – it docks and charges your Pocket, beautifully displays it and allows you to connect to the big screen with controllers,” says Christopher. The dock offers 1080p output over HDMI, and allows players to connect wired pads via
USB or 8bitdo’s wireless controllers via Bluetooth. “Not to mention you can connect DAC to Dock,” Christopher reminds us – referring to another of Analogue’s products, which converts digital output to analogue video and audio signals. “It is the conclusion to an entire ecosystem. With Pocket you can do it all – on the go, in your home on the big screen and even on PVM’S and CRTS.” It’s an exciting prospect, because while Game Boy fans have devices like the Game Boy Player and Super Game Boy, fans of the other supported systems have previously needed to mod hardware for TV output – and even then, they wouldn’t have crisp HDMI output.
The Analogue Pocket is due to launch in 2020, for $199. That’s without the Dock or the adapters for non-nintendo consoles, none of which have been given prices so far. That’s the sort of price that might make potential buyers pause for thought – it’s exactly as much as the Switch Lite, Nintendo’s current handheld console. But Analogue is known for promoting high-end products, and the high-quality display and other components come at a price. Plus, FPGA technology is not cheap – “The FPGA in Pocket is a $53 USD chip,” Christopher points out. But if Analogue can deliver on everything it has promised, the Pocket could truly justify that price, breathing new life into the handheld retro gaming experience. While it comes at a steep cost, the prospect of a one-stop system covering the whole of handheld history is a tempting one, especially when you consider Analogue’s decision to open up to external FPGA development. If some enterprising soul with the appropriate engineering skills and patience decides that the Pocket should support a system, that can potentially happen – whether it’s the PC Engine, the Wonderswan, or even the Mega Duck.
But whether or not you feel like the Analogue Pocket might be the handheld of your dreams, it’s an important step forward for a company that’s doing crucial work in advancing retro gaming. Some people are happy watching their favourite old films on their phones, others pick up 4K Blu-rays. Some people are fine with chucking an Eighties hits playlist on Spotify, but others swear by their LP collection. And while software emulation and digital copies will satisfy many players, there will always be an audience that wants to plug in those original cartridges. Hopefully, the Pocket and other devices like it will let us keep doing that for many years to come.