Panic Playdate is a tiny handheld game system with reflective screen, new games, and a crank.
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.
Bill Loguidice / How-To Geek
Additional games are available for purchase, generally ranging in price from free to $13 each.
Despite its diminutive dimensions, the Playdate’s shape makes it easy to hold, even with larger hands.
Overall, I was impressed with how the Playdate’s compactness made this mostly plastic machine feel more substantial.
Panic Playdate is a tiny handheld game system with reflective screen, new games, and a crank.
The rest of the case seemed fine, with no creaks and a generally solid build.
I also appreciate that it’s smudge resistant.
Better were the directional pad (D-Pad) and B and A buttons on the front of the Playdate.
Bill Loguidice / How-To Geek
To the right of the 2.7 inch 400 x 240 1-bit LCD is a single mono speaker.
While the cover magnetically closes, it doesn’t automatically put the Playdate to sleep.
That’s controlled exclusively in the options.
Bill Loguidice / How-To Geek
There’s also no color, just black and white with a dithering technique to simulate grayscale.
Excusing the pun, but where the display does shine is outdoors.
If you’re playing a sound-intensive game, you’re better off with headphones.
Bill Loguidice / How-To Geek
It works well, but I still would have been nice to have traditional dedicated buttons or a dial.
Even the largest games tend to come in well below 100MB.
Even with the Playdate’s tiny size, thanks to its modest specifications, battery life is quite good.
Bill Loguidice / How-To Geek
It fully charges in a few hours as well.
you might purchase games either from the website or directly on the machine.
One neat feature of the user interface is a built-in screenshot capability.
Bill Loguidice / How-To Geek
Pressing the machine’s menu button and selecting screenshot takes an image of the screen.
As the weeks wear on, you’ll eventually have access to all 24 games from Season One.
It’s a fun time, but the visuals do reveal some of the Playdate’s limitations.
Bill Loguidice / How-To Geek
Prices there generally range from free to $10.
Finally, there’s the powerful ability to make your own games.
Should You Buy the Panic Playdate?
ThePanic Playdateis something of a paradox.
For the price, I’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 gadget unlike anything else in the modern era.
At just over two years on, that remains the beauty of the Playdate.
