The Playdate is an upcoming handheld console conceived to look reminiscent of Nintendo's old Game Boy but with a sleek and modern design. And not only will all of its games feature single-bit graphics, but the Playdate's complete catalog will also be made exclusively for the console, giving consumers an incentive to buy it.
Unfortunately, the Playdate's launch has been delayed, and buyers who preorder it now won't get it until sometime next year. But with it, players won't need to purchase any games from the console's catalog. Instead, via wifi, the Playdate will release a handful of games in seasons, where two new games will launch each week. For the first season, there will be 24 games in total that feature a slew of genres and playstyles, making the Playdate fit for any gamer, especially the nostalgic ones.
Playdate's Season 1 Games
Not every upcoming game for the Playdate handheld has been announced yet as some "surprise" games will release along the way, according to Panic. However, the website currently lists 21 games confirmed to be launched with Playdate's Season 1.
- Battleship Godios
- Boogie Loops
- Casual Birder
- Crankin’s Time Travel Adventure
- DemonQuest 85
- Echoic Memory
- Executive Golf DX
- Flipper Lifter
- Forrest Byrnes: Up in Smoke
- Hyper Meteor
- Lost Your Marbles
- Omaze
- Pick Pack Pup
- Questy Chess
- Ratcheteer
- Sasquatchers
- Snak
- Spellcorked!
- Zipper
- Saturday Edition
- Whitewater Wipeout
Crankin's Time Travel Adventure was what Panic used when demoing the product, featuring a nap-loving robot who's never on time to his date. Using the crank on the side of the Playdate, players can rewind Crankin to solve puzzles like dodging hilarious obstacles so he can finally get to his date with Crankette. Also, it's developed by Keita Takahashi, the director of Katamari Damacy.
Many games releasing for the Playdate have little information revealed about them. For example, Spellcorked! is simply listed as a game about making magic potions and "maybe" spells. In Lost Your Marbles, players must help reunite Prota with her lost dog Minty before the annual Pomegranate Village Festi-Ball by making choices in a replayable branching narrative. Saturday Edition is an adventure game about investigations, and Omaze features circular mazes. For now, most game descriptions are similarly vague.
However, some players might recognize the name Forrest Byrns, who will star in his own game titled Forrest Byrns: Up In Smoke on the Playdate. Panic published Campo Santo's Firewatch, a 2016 walking simulator with a somber story. At the time, the indie game won several awards for its narrative. Forrest Byrns is an advertising character similar to the real-world Smokey the Bear, spreading public awareness about the dangers of wildfires and forest fires.
Looking ahead, even more wonderful games can be expected in the extended future of the Playdate. For example, Bloom might be of interest to Stardew Valley fans. Here, the crank acts as a control for the elevator, navigating between Midori's bedroom, her flower shop, and a rooftop garden that she needs to tend to as she starts a new chapter of her life. This little narrative life sim also has a texting mechanic between Midori's friends and family.
The Playdate will release in 2022.