Out of Pocket

 Spending the holidays with family, I was at a loss over which gaming handheld I should take with me.  Ultimately, I went with what could fit in my backpack along with a change of clothes, Christmas gifts for family, and my toothbrush.

NEOGEO Edition Super Pocket

Released by HyperMegaTech!, a subsidiary of Blaze Entertainment, the NEOGEO Edition Super Pocket is the latest in Evercade's ecosystem of consoles and handhelds.  With 14 NEOGEO games pre-installed, what really caught my attention was that the Super Pocket is an officially licensed NEOGEO console, making it the cheapest console from the brand at $70.  And Amazon's Black Friday sale was the perfect excuse to finally give in.

Though my biggest incentive for buying the Super Pocket was to bundle it with a game I've wanted forever (more on that in the not-too-distant future) . . .

I tried out the pre-installed games for a change of pace, and realized what I was missing.

I've played NEOGEO games before, with my biggest investment in the rebooted Samurai Shodown and both volumes of the NEOGEO Pocket Color Selection.  But without a multitude of other consoles distracting me, I could focus more on what I was playing at the moment.  So far I'm enjoying The Last Blade and Samurai Shodown II, but I'm blown away--so to speak--by the insanity that is Metal Slug X.  My one complaint is that the Super Pocket's namesake form factor's a little small for my hands (as are most portable systems in my collection).  So now I'm checking out the Evercade EXP line of systems for their bulkier design.

I'm fine with getting almost no gifts as I shop for myself all the time.  But then a relative gave me this, probably figuring I'd make better use of it than he ever did . . .

R36S Game Console

Housing over 22,688 emulated games (most likely copies), I've come across a few that don't appear on my own R36S.  I replayed Last Blade and Samurai Shodown to see whether they're easier to control than on the Super Pocket.  I've also tried the NEOGEO Pocket Color strategy game Faselei! along with Spyro the Dragon for Playstation 1.  I've even restarted Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones to see if I'd get different results than with Switch Online.

I still intend to replace the memory card on my old R36S and then, if successful, on this new R36S.  And if I wind up bricking the thing, at least I've got a replacement handy.  And speaking of Fire Emblem . . .

Fire Emblem Heroes (Mobile)

Since going back to work, I've found less time for gaming during breaks.  So I figured a mobile game like Heroes could scratch that itch.  I've left Heroes untouched for months, mostly cuz it's not a traditional mainline game.  That and I can't even download the newly released Fire Emblem Shadows on my phone.  With tons of missions and rewards left over, I'm breezing through the main game though I've got a ways to go before I'm up to speed.  Another resolution to go with curbing my spending and actually finishing a game.

We'll see next post whether I'll keep those resolutions, along with taking a toy or model out of a box for a change.  Till then, have a Happy New Year.