This is actually amazing de-influencing content for retro console collectors, I have been eyeing a vita forever and all the things you bring up make it sooo clear I dont need one
Vita emulation is growing, so you are probably better off playing those games on steam deck oled anyway. I have a modded vita and play it once a year or so. It was cool. Mgs collection, lots of racing games, perfect psp emulation and indies are cool and all, but I don't think that bying it used and overpriced is a smart thing to do when we have so much better options nowadays
It was the best handheld emulation machine, 6 years ago. Nowadays you can do better with a retro handheld or hell, a hacked Nintendo Switch. It can play PS1 and PSP better than a Vita.
Same. I really covet one of those pretty pink vitas floating around the webs, but I know I don’t need one, and this video has helped me come to terms with that. I still want a psp, though 😝
I keep kicking myself for breaking the screen on my Game Boy Micro in my bag the last week of university and then throwing it away instead of keeping it for parts. But I've never bought another one because first a DS Lite, and then an AGS-101, then an IPS modded GBA can run all the same games and more, are more comfortable to hold, and don't cause nearly as much eyestrain.
I was with you until the Micro. Sold my 3DS XL (replaced with the New 3DS smol version). Vita I always wanted to love more than I did 'cause of the game library. Wii I might still have set up under my TV if not for the clutter of the infrared light bar and the chain of controllers. But the Micro? Still bae.
*snort* That Gameboy Micro was worth every penny for the story. Scary and funny at the same time. I used to always give away old systems when I upgraded. My mindset was "This is better. Give the old one to someone without one." But ... this year I've bought and modded both a GBA and a GBC. I'm resisting getting an SP because, redundancy! Everything works on my 3DS XL, but I'm totally into playing on original hardware now. I've even bought "Goodboy Galaxy", a new GBA game, which is sooo adorable. Having retired in the last 12 months, I've been down the hack/mod everything rabbit hole, and it's a bit overwhelming. My 18 year old PSP is currently stacked with so many amazing games I turn it on and don' know where to start. My Wii U is the same with Wii, Wii U, and GameCube games. I feel like I could spend everyday gaming for the rest of my life without buying a new game ever again. Is digital hoarding a thing? I feel like it's a thing. There are just so many fabulous games! Thank you for a fun start to the day. 😃
Digital hoarding is absolutely thing. I was absolutely like that with film and music. Now that all the streaming services suck, guess who is cool again 😎 Also totally miss the trade up mindset, old consoles were never meant to become "financial investments”.
All of the consoles in your video happen to be favorites of mine but I definitely don’t disagree with you on their shortcomings. A console that I thought I would love but just am not is the Neo Geo Pocket Color. I love the clicky joystick and the feel of the device but I am just not in love with the game library and the non-backlit screen. One I will say is a new love of mine is the PSP Go. With the internal storage mod, a set of component cables, and a DualShock 3 controller, this is like the Sony equivalent of a Nintendo Switch. It’s been a lot of fun for me and it is so pocketable and cute. Great video!
This video was so spot on! From the systems to the reasons why - it’s literally what a lot of us feel, I think. While I did have a sting of regret selling off my minty and complete Famicom 20th edition GBA micro, its regret wasn’t nearly as felt with my beloved Vectrex 😭 This is part of the reason why I’m considering going completely emulation here on out. Selling off my original hardware will take time to catalog, but the space gained back (plus a little money) is alluring - but then again, that may just be funneled into another rabbit hole: music! Great stuff as usual, Uncle 🤘😎
@@yourcoolunclemarisa you’re making me miss it more, haha. It was a little cute CRT system, with the overlays from games providing color. Sigh, it was years ago so I’m (mostly) over it lol.
I’m proud of my video game console collection too and yes there are a few that mainly grace my shelf or are boxed inside a closet. Slim PS2, modded PSP (on my gaming shelf) and the Hacked Wii are in a box. I fell back in love with Nintendo after getting a Switch Lite. Then went on a tear getting DSI XL, that Wii (to mod), 3DS XL and DS Lite (to reshell and fix the hinge) & finally got an Oled Switch. My PS3, PS4 and Xbox One are on my entertainment center (with Oled docked) and I love them all. Love your videos - it’s a great feeling after fixing or modding something yourself. You take on some really complicated mods and it’s so satisfying and interesting watching you work - another great video 😊
i have a New 3DS Super Mario Black Edition that i stood in line for on a Black Friday sale eons ago. it almost instantly became a dust collector after the first time i played with it. just a bit too thin to comfortably hold compared to my beloved DS Lite. sure a grip made it more manageable but then it wasn't pocketable anymore. to this day, i wish i had an XL. maybe then i'd actually get to play (and enjoy while doing so) the 3DS games that i've missed out on.
One of the few reasons I hang on to the Vita isn't not just for on-going community support (Bully and DOOM RPG were my favorite on the Vita) but also it has a community plugin where you can use your right stick to move the camera. It's only available in select games but I loved playing AC Bloodlines using the plugins
The vita has a lot really good games, some of them exclusive: Soul Sacrifice Delta, Gravity Rush, Dragon's Crown, Phantasy Star Nova, Blue Reflection, Odin Sphere Leifthrasir, Disgaea 3, Killzone Mercenaries, to mention some of them. Regarding emulation, i usually use it for Dreamcast and GBA emulation. That and homebrew, some really nice games have been coming out from the community, from ports to completely original games like Purified or Feline Future. I see why people are interested in the Vita for emulation or playing the retrocompatible PSP games (the vita DOESN'T emulate PSP, it has the OG mips processor of the PSP integrated, that's how it can run PSP natively) The issue i have with the XL/LL versions of the DSi and 3DS is the PPI, the resolution stays the same 192p/240p, so many details that simply worked on the regular sized console are lost/distorted by the bigger pixels... Been trying to get a normal New3DS but seems like no one is selling those, everything is XL/LL on the used market.
You nailed it, yep. Both Vita and XL/LL blow up without upscaling. It's uggy. Try the Japanese used market for a new3ds. They are definitely the most sought after so they're really hard to find, especially under the triple digit mark.
Getting a gameboy micro last year is part of what rekindled my retro collection desire and got me a bit into console modding. I actually kind of like the tiny screen on the micro, but the form factor was just awful. It made me want to play my original gba. I had it in a drawer and busted it out. I could barely see anything on it. Sure I could emulate, but I wanted real hardware that played well. So I replaced the screen, and here I am now with more consoles, parts, cables, flash carts, ODE's, peripherals, etc than I really have the space for and a bunch of soldering equipment. Tbh I love playing on old hardware, and I don't regret any of it. Thank you gameboy micro for showing me the light.
People definitely over exaggerate the hypothetical OLED issues on early Vitas. You can see the Mura effect, but thats with all OLED screens from the early 2010's. Permanent burn in isn't much of a problem on the Vita specifically. People also like to claim yellowing is a problem, but a huge amount of these old handhelds have issues with this same issue due to UV/Heat damage. Yellowing isn't exclusive to OLED screens. As for 3DS XL vs the small version, its mostly due to the bigger battery and better ergonomics. The small original 3DS is very cramped in comparison.
That's good to hear, a few people have mentioned they haven't had burn in on their vitas. 3ds vs XL is absolutely a matter of taste, XL is uncomfy for me but clearly vice versa for you :D I'm glad there's something for everyone 🩷💚
I appreciate your selections and reasons. I was one of those people who snagged a Gameboy Micro new in 2005 when Best Buy was selling them on clearance. I was lucky. But my only consoles I shake my head at every time I see them are my Sanyo and Panasonic 3DOs. The disk drives don't work, so you have to get an optical drive emulator. Just a lot of money to get it going to play like 10 good games. And then there's the Supergrafx. I like it, but don't use it often. Another example of getting a console that only plays a handful of unique games. Great video!
I started getting use out of my wii again in like 2022 for gamecube games and guitar hero. The occasional newer super mario bros was also nice. Some people want big shelves of games but just a flash drive in a wii can give you a lot of fun. You can use a piece of homebrew so that if you hold reset when you turn it on it goes straight to a list of things to launch, so you can use a gamecube controller or guitar without needing a wii remote and sensor bar set up. I try to limit how much I mess with a system instead of playing it now, but setting that up helps everyday usability a lot for me. It's weird how if you want to play a vita game you will likely turn to a more definitive port on something like the switch or ps4, while if you want a psp or ps1 game you may be more likely to use a vita with adrenaline. Something to note about oled "burn in" is that usually it isn't permanently branded on your screen and instead some pixels may stay tinted until you've used it for something else for a while. My phone does it with google maps but eventually it goes away there as well. If you really wanted you could make it play a video that flashes colors for a few hours but that probably is overkill. Controls feel weird on the 3ds xl, I've heard grips make a big difference but I haven't tried one yet. I don't agree with the vision problems angle and I think instead a lot of people see the bigger one as the more "definitive" one and that if they don't get it then they're missing out on something. When my N3DS crapped out I decided to go for a N3DSLL because surely bigger is better but ultimately I use it way less. I have two micros that I have tried my best to take care of but still never use them. The plastic faceplates seem to scratch way easier than the lens on any other gameboy and it hurts to see wear on the famicom edition one. Some nintendo handhelds including these have an issue where dust gets in the triggers very easily and they stop working and when they're this small I don't feel confident in fixing them. They're nice and shiny looking but I'll hardly ever use them for 20+ minutes again it seems. For a little while they were great warioware and pokemon machines at least
I'm new to retro gaming (well, kind of, considering I played when some of these consoles were new) and I got back into it when I found my old GBA SP. I modded it (that 001 screen is rough) and I fell totally in love with the process of bringing an old handheld back from the dead! I'd never had a GBA before, so I ordered a custom one from Etsy, and I kind of regret it. It's a beautiful GBA, but half the fun of playing on my SP is the fact that I took it apart and put it back together myself. The GBA's buttons are a little mushy and not always responsive, and since I didn't mod it myself, I can't be sure what they did in terms of cleaning it before they put it together. I'll probably have to take it apart sometime and make sure everything inside is working properly. So, I picked up a GBA from FB marketplace this week and I'm going to mod that one myself! I don't think I'll get rid of my other GBA (for now), but I wish I had waited and gotten one to repair myself, especially because this is an expensive hobby. Now I know better!
I just discovered your channel yesterday and you're already my fav techie youtuber. Keep up the good work! I don't know how you don't already have 500,000 or more subscribers!
You're right about the 3DS XL screen. It's the same resolution as the smaller screen so it being bigger just looks worse. You're right in saying it looks blown out because it is. It's why I bought the standard New 3DS. The New 3DS XL sold loads 12.25 million vs 2.49 million. It's going to be Game Boy Micro levels rare but it's also the best version of the 3DS.
As a kid who grew up with the original hardware back to the Atari 2600, I love the feeling I get when I hold vintage gaming hardware. And then return it to its owner and walk away. My GBA Micro is the one piece I'll probably keep along with an SP. I could see the argument for a DS. For anything else a modern upscaling retro handheld smokes vintage hardware + discs and carts.
My understanding with oled burn-in is that it's more of a temporary problem when the screen gets too warm. One of my old phones would have burn-in on the url bar if I was using it for websites for too long, but would be gone the next day. Of course I don't know about old vs newer oleds or anything. The one thing that I DO know about oleds, is that those black bars probably have next to no chance of burn-in. The great part of an oled is that actual black pixels are just 'off'. they aren't producing light and it makes them look REALLY good as black as opposed to a grey pretending to be black. But regardless here's my actual reason for commenting. You should play a dragon quest! 8 or 11 are my two favorites. I think you'd like 11, not just because the way turn order works is similar to final fantasy 10.
As someone who has done the "I'll just sell it and buy it again later if I want it" routine I can confirm it's almost always easier to just put it in a drawer unless you absolutely need the money. Also, you're right about the OLED burn in being a meme mostly. It's a non-issue. And I agree about falling into the Micro hype, I just keep mine to have one now because I know if I sell it I would regret it later. Edit: As for "I thought I would love you" it's my Transparent Smoke Black Analogue Pocket. But I got it in a crazy deal with some games, so it'll just live in the drawer too.
The incredible thing about the Wii is that you can trim it down to do something amazing mods. I’ve got a handheld Wii in the shape of a GameCube controller called an Ashida. This would make a great video if you have the time to put into a mod like that.
I've heard a lot about burn in but my launch Vita has been used ever since it came out and it's never been an issue. Now that ink splotchy effect on dark screens is very prominent, which was also the case since when I picked it up on launch.
I got into retro collecting when i graduated from high school in 2020. Had nothing else to do besides work a part time job. Made enough to pay for school and get all the games i never had growing up. For me personally, I'm a hoarder when it comes to collecting. Do i use it all? No not really. I bought an N64 but i havent touched it in over a year. I'm kinda thinking about the future when it comes to everything. So 15 years from now i wont be trying to scavenge around for a N64 that still works and looks pretty. So ill have it in the future and hopefully when i get a house I can set up a nice area for myself to play games in Also, just to felx, i have a SNES in pretty good condition with the box also in very good condition with all the little papers and Styrofoam. Found it at my grandma's house. My aunt bought it when she was going to college at the time. Apparently she was was a pretty big gamer back in the late 80s early 90s
One of the things I did really like about the vita was that it had remote play with the PS4 before almost anything else did - the screen definitely helps with the PS4 games too!
The Vita is a lot like the Sega Saturn -- an absolutely wonderful little console that it's difficult to recommend to too many people today who didn't get in on it on the ground floor. The Vita actually had lots of physical games in English -- I've got well over 200 -- but a ton of that was released through boutique companies like Limited Run Games. It also heavily represented certain genres (JRPGs, visual novels, "anime games", indies) above others, which might not be everyone's thing. But yeah, great system with a great library of its own (especially if you add in the Japanese and SE Asian regions, since it's region-free), separate from emulation. It has two major problems with recommending it to newcomers, though. The first is the cost -- Vita stuff tends to be very pricey. And second, the vast majority of the Vita's best games were either cross-released on PS3 or PS4 or were later ported to the Switch, the latter of which has been an especially great (and affordable) home for a lot of its former exclusives. Bottom line, the Vita is a lot more than an emulation machine. It's just too expensive (and the library is so much more affordable elsewhere) to suggest it seriously to all but the most hardcore Vita fans, who probably already have the thing. My own "least favorite retro console that I still keep" is actually the NES. I refuse to get rid of my old library of games for it I grew up with, but a console you have to blow on more than half the time and then weep bitter tears into its connector ports just to make it work... less than half the time... is trash technology. I love the library -- can't stand the NES itself. I try to play the games on compilations, minis, or "Virtual Console" rather than the old gray pseudo-VCR whenever I can.
That intro personally attacked me 😭😭 the way I bought a pink ds lite and vita recently and it was expensive… worth it tho… right? lol but I do play ds and vita/psp a lot actually so for me it was worth it!! I wish psp could run natively on the vita. It does tend to look a bit blurry but I eventually ignore it. Also small edit: I totally know what you mean about the screen looking blown up on the 3ds xl/LL. I got the acnl LL last year after playing on my og 3ds for yearssssssss. It took me a couple months to get used to how the pixels looked more square? Idk how to explain it. It used to bother me really bad but now it doesn’t which makes me happy bc I really wanted a 3ds xl for years as well.
It doesn't upscale, just blows up, so it's ugly >: ( I'm honestly glad you aren't bothered by either blow-up though - enjoying the things we have is one of the delights of being alive. Enjoy!
There are some really cool android games that have been ported to the ps vita. The homebrew scene on the vita is one of the best out there. Also the ps vita library while small has some real gems. Between psp, ps1, ps vita libraries plus android and homebrew games there is a ton to love
I know it makes absolutely no sense, but the Gameboy micro is my favorite Gameboy. I think it helps that I have small hands and I'm very near-sighted. if I take off my glasses, I can see absolutely every detail. Even reading small text is easy. I have a Final Fantasy IV one, and I think it's great!
I LOVE the micro, recently picked up my first GBA in over 2 decades, a FF micro from Japan. This thing is amazing, I have fairly normal sized hands (20x10cm), and I actually find it more comfortable to hold than a DSi/DS Lite. Slap in a 750mah battery in there and it will run for almost 19 HOURS! Been playing a lot of MMBN recently and its been a blast!
Honestly the reason why I picked up an xl/ll over a standard is because when I was a kid the 3ds was comfortable in the hands, but my hands almost doubled in size since my first 3ds and I can no longer push the individual buttons. yes, I have shaq hands.
At first, I didn't agree with your take on the 3DS XL as I played mine so much the slider broke off. Then I remembered I imported a Circle Pad Pro and never took it off. Doesn't count. So yeah, 5/5 agreement
I have had a Vita since launch and I love it, but that entirely because I played all those games when they came out. Much more niche catalog of games than people make it out to be IMO. Tales of Hearts R is pretty good if you like tales games and find yourself wanting to dive in.
The only one I didn't agree was the DS LL, I really love that thing, but I can also understand how it differs from what made the DS so good. The Micro story will make my high feverish glands have nightmares for a long time 😅😅
I bought into New 3DS hype about a year ago. Sold off my switch lite that I didn't really use since I mostly played my v1 switch docked to fund a new 3ds xl purchase, I never had a 3ds. Then recently I heard that a switch lite oled mod is coming, so of course i had to repurchase a switch lite in anticipation. I got a deal on a junker that needed a lot of work; shell, sticks, digitizer and lcd. It ended up costing about the same as a good condition used lite, but it has custom aesthetics and hall sticks, so im happy with it. Wouldn't you know, ive barely touched my 3ds since I got it and still no switch lite oled mod lol. Guess I'm a sucker for hype.
Oh man, I'm in the same boat with buying a switch lite for the OLED screen hehehe. Even without though I don't regret it - it's such a nice weight and form factor. I'm excited to mod it out.
I'm new to your channel but loving your vids so far. I still have my original gb micro from when they were first available! It's still my go-to errand device (alongside the ds lite) because gba games are my absolute favs for pick-up play and nothing as pocketable has a 3:2 screen. That said, I'd likely shelf it for something more modern in that size category with a 3:2 screen, and more importantly, would probably hate it as much as you did if I went through any of that to get it.
@@yourcoolunclemarisa So true! I have wanted that one for a while, but never pulled the trigger cause I felt it would get dirty on my desk. It looks awesome for a video though :D
i have been looking to get a wii for the longest time but this video is making me rethink it lol i wanted to get it for homebrew tbh, none of its games appeal to me. the motion control seems like something that i would find cool for a couple weeks but then would get sick of it. and you mentioned the clutter, which i hadn't consider..... i wanted to use it as a cheaper gamecube, i think, if we are being honest. but maybe i should just wait and be patient and get a gamecube at a price i'm comfortable with. i also had been thinking of getting an nintendo ds but i do have a 3ds. i wanted to get it bc "it's not the same" but yk what, i'll just stick to my 3ds... uncle, i'm hoping one day you'll make a video showing all those shelves behind you and your whole collection. i'm always curious whenever i watch your videos.
I actually do love my dsi for ds games! Really nice form factor. The DS lite is lovely too but they're so yellowed and more expensive. If you're able to import from Japan, you can get a decent priced GameCube and mod it!
I recently moved to Brooklyn from Seattle, and I know we don't have the retro scene here that Seattle offers with Pink Gorilla, Another Castle, Etc. But I am curious what the decentish retro stores are in New York. At some point i was visiting 8-Bit and up, they likely closed. Is there anything other that Arcade Brooklyn? Thanks for the story, the Uber story was a horror show! I Love my Micro, but it is a novelty for sure.
Ah, I know there's a barcade and there's some claw machine places like kenyc. All the retro stores are priced terribly though and they blame it on rent 😬 Book off in Japan village used to be good but last I went they've jacked their prices up too.
I bight the soundtrack to Mike Leighs Naked on Vinyl at that Book Off! Then when I was ready to listen to it, I ended up pukking iyt a laserdisc, and realized I could have been less excited and maybe read the cover slip more closely.
I totally understand this. I mainly use my micro over my SP because it's easier to shove into my pocket than the sp. But mainly I use a wii portable that I made because it essentially let's me play all my games up to wii in the size of an original advance. But something that I felt I would love more that I don't as much is my 3DS. I felt it was going to be more like my wii buy it's mainly just used for DS and 3DS games
@yourcoolunclemarisa my partner is always like "I cringe whenever you fumble with it or let someone use it" but if it breaks I don't think I was meant to have one then
thanks for this vid! i have this same feeling with all my crt units. they are smol and cute but some are just big hassle to make it work, and the ones which give the best image are just too fragile due to plastic aging. you know you can sell them but a big part of you want to keep em even if they are a bit painfull to watch seating there.
I love my vita as jrpg device , all the ps2 ports are fun in handheld too but yeah its library is very limited if you arent looking for the ports of jrpgs, but having the the sticks on it was so nice for psp games like monster hunter , i agree 4/3 content on the vita is not very fun though
I feel this so hard. And I am very fortunate that I've never had seller's remorse. I'm on my second Wii that was legitimately brand new and I use it as my all-in-one Nintendo station. I barely use it. I'm on my 5th 3DS. (They were all free) I got rid of the first four and I'm keeping this one simply because I like soul hackers and Metroid 2. I've been given 3 Xbox 360s that I eventually get rid of because everything I want to play is on PS3. And I tried psp three different times and gotten rid of them because it's just... The hardware wasn't what it was supposed to be. I want to try the Vita but I'm afraid to be disappointed... And I recently sold my OG Xbox. I literally never turn it on and it takes up almost as much space as a PS5. Luckily that one went to my friend who cried with joy when he started playing unreal. This is a long comment. Lol I'm very happy there's only four console variants and a single add-on piece I need to be finished. 😃
I love the Wii and yeah, the Wii U after its been modded. My 'main' Wii (one of five) has an HDMI mod. With an upscaler like an mClassic, it looks great. A modded HDMI Wii makes Wii games look so much better when loaded through USB Loader GX. GameCube games on a Wii vs. GameCube via HDMI, really look the same. Through a modded Wii U, GC games can look AMAZING! F-Zero GX looks like the remaster everyone keeps begging for, widescreen and everything. Unfortunately, you cannot easily switch between widescreen and 4:3 for GC games on the Wii U. Its either one or the other. You need to take your SD card, put it in your PC and switch a file. Really, if you want a large library of Wii and GC games, a Wii is the best way to go. If you don't want to open the console and solder in a HDMI mod, there are good HDMI adapters that plug in to the standard A/V port (MayFlash, Electron Sheppard) but there are a lot of crap 'Wii2HDMI' adapters on Amazon, all labeled the same thing, made by many quick-buck companies from China, all not delivering what they promise. NO 'Wii2HDMI' adapter actually upscales to 1080p. It will always be 480p but the adapter makes your TV think its 1080p. Get a good adapter, add an mClassic and the Wii looks nice at 4k. As long as your using a modded Wii (TOTALLY SAFE AND EASY) and launching games through USB Loader GX including games you still have on disc, it will look better than a Wii U. I know it was long but I love the Wii. And yeah, I got technical but there are many easy to follow videos on these subjects. I have an Analogue Pocket so I'm covered in almost all cartridge based console systems.
Not sure if it counts but my Analogue Pocket... I was so excited to get it but I realized I'd rather play those games on my 3DS. But I don't want to sell it because it's so rare! What if I change my mind one day!
More like SMELLS like. Yeah, it was awful. We put it out in the apartment hallway for a bit and then the hallway just smelled with no effect on the micro itself.
Wii + cheap component cable is a good affordable way to play GC on a more modern TV (saying that though, many TVs don't even have component now...). Mine is still hooked up, but the number of GC & Wii games I'll actually play on it is reduced, with many now on other systems (eg Pikmin 1 & 2). The Vita has a much nicer screen than the PSP (at least my OLED Vita vs PSP 1000/original). The ghosting on my PSP is as annoying now, as it was when I got it in '05. I only have a handful of digital PSP games for my Vita, but those 'GTA Stories' games look a lot better on the Vita screen than the PSPs. I don't plan on installing CFW on my Vita, but did for my PSP back in the day (to play PS1 and for improved battery vs the UMD drive). I sold my DS lite to get my original model white 3DS, but still have my original grey DS. My first and only time I bought an import (Japanese) system, got some confused looks as it wasn't available in the UK yet. Personally I have no issue playing DS games on the 3DS, scaling may not be perfect but it looks a lot better than the more dull original DS screens. I never owned a GBA, almost bought one when it the SP was released, but that coincided with a major Xbox price cut in the UK. So I went to a store looking at GBA SP and left with XB + Halo. I remember having to lug that heavy SOB up a series of hills to the car park... All my older systems are from when they were current, I'll occasionally get a new game for them, but most are whatever I bought at the time. Recently I have been looking at buying any 360 & PS3 gen exclusive games before prices start to creep up. Barring a few titles, most games from that gen are fairly cheap, for now at least. I suppose technically my PS3 was bought later used (Feb '18), but it was replacing my dead PS3. The PS3 is great blu-ray/media player, but using it that way likely shorted it life, so current one is PS3 games only.
I love the look of the GBP (and the idea of the pocket-color as well) but I know that it'll be a massive regret for me if I ever get/mod one because I have major hand cramps on things slimmer than a GBC. Also, I know its not the point of the video, but what desk mat/pad is that? It looks great.
I want to check out FF 3DS English Translation. Looks like a great way to enjoy the game. I was going to start GBA again but I think I will try Citra out instead.
if you still wanna play a dragon quest, IX on ds is the easiest to get into for those not particularly into rpg. it's a really casually cool captivating story about angels and has lots of customisation, but it's not at all heavy on dialogue or on japanenese tropes. before 9 i tried 5 but that felt really small whereas 9 feels like an openworld game
I’ve recently come to realise that while I don’t enjoy overly large devices like the XL variants, I also don’t get on well with screens that are too small like the micro. I have nostalgia for my old micro that was broken so I picked up another while I was in Japan, and honestly, I’d sooner play the games on my SP. The screen on the micro is just too small to enjoy it comfortably. I was trying to play the Zelda NES Classic on the micro recently and was like nope I can’t 😂 As for the other ones, the Vita is one of my favourite consoles 😂 my controversial pick for a console I’m really not bothered about would be SNES. Aside from the Super GameBoy, any game on there I’d just sooner either play a more 8bit NES version or newer N64 version.
I am horrified that you were forced to sit through this video. I hope you are freed from your captor soon. (In seriousness, I love your love for the micro - super cool and helpful to dedicate a channel to the niche)
I got a PSVita just to play psp games, after like 5 hours of playing it I started to dislike it, idk if it it was the resolution or what but it didn't feel that good to me, so i got a psp and crisis core instead lolz.
Yeap - it blows up without upscaling so it looks gross. The PSP is perfect! Also the number of variants it came out in - browsing them is like going to a candy store.
Wanted a vita ,but every time I went to GameStop,they only had 6 to 10 games for it. Also I find a lot of old retro games have more varied game concepts than a lot of newer ones. People who think you have to have the latest systems and games are just ignorant. It's all about fun. We shouldn't care what people think. Another thing is I don't have money to burn, nor the space.
I'll admit that these are niche devices. The native gba support is cool for 3ds, but the pixel scaling is off, and is plain horrendous for ds. It became a singleplayer handheld smash machine. The vita became my guilty gear accent core machine due to the excellent dpad.
You sure have a nice collection there, and its visible how carefully well you maintain them. Totally understandable why you don't want to give them away even though you don't use them as much as others, they are still cool consoles after all.
lol my list is like exactly the same! (Besides the micro, don’t have one anymore but had one in high school and played the crap out of it before regretfully selling it 😢) 3Ds and Vita are nice but overall not very ergonomic and id rather play the games on other systems or emulators honestly. Your micro story was exactly the same as mine with an original Xbox. I went through 2 awful eBay sellers trying to get a deal on a fixer upper and spent more than I would have on a normal one… learned my lessons there.
Understandable reasons, I for one love the 3ds though. I sold my Old 3ds xl for the new model and it feels better and lighter? But I wish I kept my regular 2ds since it was more comfortable to hold. I love handhelds and I've been eyeing to get a switch lite soon, I think having these two consoles is all I ever need. Curious what your favorite handhelds are, thanks for the vid!
The new 3ds is so good - bet that was a great trade, even if it's xl. Different ergonomics for different folks 💗 My favorites are MGBC, GBA, DSI, New 3DS, and PSP - of course the switch too.
@@yourcoolunclemarisa Man those are good too but I don’t see the need to buy those consoles since I can play gba and ds games on the 3ds already. It’s an absolute want though🫠. As for the psp I might consider that since I grew up with that system and I don’t really need a psvita since i’ll only want to play psp games, plus getting a psp is cheaper. I think it’s a perfect time to get a modded switch though since the new gen is coming soon☺️
I have been super happy with just my phone lately for everything. I had forgotten how much stuff I had the rights to emulate. I am doing 3DS stuff. I just need to buy a Translator so I can play Game Center CX 3. I didn't buy that one though. I did pay for Retro Game Challenge though.
Closest thing I have to this is the Sega Master System that a coworker gifted me after I showed him my modded Gameboys. Plugged the thing in once and realized that I would never actually want to play it lmao.
I got my vita on the cheap a couple years ago and although there are definitely way way better options for not too much more, my vita follows me everywhere i go. The homebrew scene today is doing big things and keeping the vita alive. Plus I just think the vita is super sleak and better looking than most emulation machines lol
My regret was the Game Gear I picked up. I'll spare you the details, but restoring it ended up being a far bigger hassle than it was worth. Especially for a console with no games.
I have this problem with retro handhelds, I just love them aesthetically but the problem is the next one that comes out always has better hardware and i get caught up in that as well. Currently I am finding that japanese collectors are modding theirs with leds and custom buttons and I find myself buying custom resin buttons from japan for handhelds that I don't even play. I need an intervention.
the wii slander wiill not be tolerated! people really tend to forget that outside having gamecube compatibility the wii has its own library of amazing games from the 1st party titles to the 3rd party titles and to me the motion gimmicks are still fun and cool
I love your love for the wii! I agree, it is absolutely not just a GameCube machine. When people talk about it like that I feel it's diminishing of both consoles.
@@yourcoolunclemarisaanother thing people tend to do with the Wii (and also the og xbox) is that they just tall about it being a "homebrew and emulation powerhouse" which is really annoying to me as both consoles have a bunch of amazing games that people overlook just because motion controls bad (for the wii) and halo (on the Xbox)
I kinda feel like this about my consolized mvs. I mean its cool, and I use it with a gbs-control so it looks the way I want. I've only got the 161 in 1 cart so far, so maybe thats part of the issue as well. I think I wanted a neo geo so badly as a kid, that that desire is what drove me to get this thing as an adult, and I realize its just too expensive to really collect for. Even an sd cart is ridiculously priced.
Meanwhile I have a Dreamcast with an ODE that I never, ever use. I don't know why I bought it. All the games I want to play on Dreamcast are available elsewhere, usually in better forms, too.
I'm at the cusp of wanting to buy an Ambernic Pocket but considering I already have about 4 other systems that can play what I want to play on it, it feels like it wouldn't be worth it.
Analogue pocket? A lot of people swear by it but between my enjoyment of the og hardware, the price tag, and the gross business practices...I'm good personally 😭
Gameboy Micro is still the one system that I've never had yhat i desperately want. The prices vs condition I've seen don't make enough sense for purchase yet but someday it will be mine.
Very reasonable. The Vita is really a huge waste of potential, I had one and even though I like niche Japanese games I always thought it was kind of meh. Even at the time a lot of the games were better on other platforms. The only game that has a definitive edition on it is probably Muramasa: The Demon Blade because it has added content the Wii version doesn't.
Wow, crazy the wii is almost 20 years. Im getting old. I love the vita so much that i got 8 of them, 4 oleds and 4 2000 lcd. Make sure to stockpile the oled screen replacements while theyre still cheap. Youll thank me later.
Sorry Uncle but you should enjoy more your PS Vita, I could suggest you A LOT of great games and hidden gems. However, I support your choice if you prefer playing PSP games on the PSP and PS games on your Miyoo Mini :) P.S. the 3DS XL screens are really awful.
I’m never liked the Nintendo DS Lite, I preferred the old brick style DS. Tell me why, in the last year or so, I’ve bought three different ones? I couldn’t even say.
This is actually amazing de-influencing content for retro console collectors, I have been eyeing a vita forever and all the things you bring up make it sooo clear I dont need one
Nah Vitas are cool af. But if you didn't own one already, and ur not gonna mod it, just skip it. Games are super expensive.
Vita emulation is growing, so you are probably better off playing those games on steam deck oled anyway. I have a modded vita and play it once a year or so. It was cool. Mgs collection, lots of racing games, perfect psp emulation and indies are cool and all, but I don't think that bying it used and overpriced is a smart thing to do when we have so much better options nowadays
It was the best handheld emulation machine, 6 years ago. Nowadays you can do better with a retro handheld or hell, a hacked Nintendo Switch. It can play PS1 and PSP better than a Vita.
Vita is an amazing emulation device imo. Super Nintendo games look amazing on the OLED screen!
Same. I really covet one of those pretty pink vitas floating around the webs, but I know I don’t need one, and this video has helped me come to terms with that. I still want a psp, though 😝
Speaking as a gamer whose eyes are aging, the XL/LL variants are immensely helpful (along with phablets).
Oh no! I'm glad I was on the right track hahaha
I keep kicking myself for breaking the screen on my Game Boy Micro in my bag the last week of university and then throwing it away instead of keeping it for parts. But I've never bought another one because first a DS Lite, and then an AGS-101, then an IPS modded GBA can run all the same games and more, are more comfortable to hold, and don't cause nearly as much eyestrain.
Oh man, that's me with my ds lite. Before I got into modding I just disposed of it when I opened it to find the touch screen damaged 😭
16:22 “Fortunately for me, I’ve had vision problems since I was six” That is a positive spin on things!
That's showbiz, baby
Speaking as someone who's had to wear glasses since like middle school, maybe earlier, I resonate with that statement
I can't believe you even kept going along with this guy to get the GBA Micro 🤣
Same tbh. My girlfriend thought I was in danger. But I was just in danger of a Stinky Micro.
13:37 I'd say vita homebrew is the real ticket, all the android ports, etc are quite solid
I was with you until the Micro. Sold my 3DS XL (replaced with the New 3DS smol version). Vita I always wanted to love more than I did 'cause of the game library. Wii I might still have set up under my TV if not for the clutter of the infrared light bar and the chain of controllers.
But the Micro? Still bae.
New 3ds is sooo nice! Micro could probably have been bae if we had a better meet cute.
I’m retired and love collecting old handheld consoles. I now have the time to play them😊 Micro is handy to play games on the bus.
*snort* That Gameboy Micro was worth every penny for the story. Scary and funny at the same time. I used to always give away old systems when I upgraded. My mindset was "This is better. Give the old one to someone without one." But ... this year I've bought and modded both a GBA and a GBC. I'm resisting getting an SP because, redundancy! Everything works on my 3DS XL, but I'm totally into playing on original hardware now. I've even bought "Goodboy Galaxy", a new GBA game, which is sooo adorable. Having retired in the last 12 months, I've been down the hack/mod everything rabbit hole, and it's a bit overwhelming. My 18 year old PSP is currently stacked with so many amazing games I turn it on and don' know where to start. My Wii U is the same with Wii, Wii U, and GameCube games. I feel like I could spend everyday gaming for the rest of my life without buying a new game ever again. Is digital hoarding a thing? I feel like it's a thing. There are just so many fabulous games! Thank you for a fun start to the day. 😃
Digital hoarding is absolutely thing. I was absolutely like that with film and music. Now that all the streaming services suck, guess who is cool again 😎
Also totally miss the trade up mindset, old consoles were never meant to become "financial investments”.
All of the consoles in your video happen to be favorites of mine but I definitely don’t disagree with you on their shortcomings. A console that I thought I would love but just am not is the Neo Geo Pocket Color. I love the clicky joystick and the feel of the device but I am just not in love with the game library and the non-backlit screen. One I will say is a new love of mine is the PSP Go. With the internal storage mod, a set of component cables, and a DualShock 3 controller, this is like the Sony equivalent of a Nintendo Switch. It’s been a lot of fun for me and it is so pocketable and cute. Great video!
The internal storage mod for the PSP go really breathed life into the console! Glad you're enjoying it 😊
This video was so spot on! From the systems to the reasons why - it’s literally what a lot of us feel, I think. While I did have a sting of regret selling off my minty and complete Famicom 20th edition GBA micro, its regret wasn’t nearly as felt with my beloved Vectrex 😭 This is part of the reason why I’m considering going completely emulation here on out. Selling off my original hardware will take time to catalog, but the space gained back (plus a little money) is alluring - but then again, that may just be funneled into another rabbit hole: music!
Great stuff as usual, Uncle 🤘😎
Omg the vectrex is so cute, I hadn't heard about it before! Don't be too hasty selling everything, who knows what you'll be yearning for next year 😭
@@yourcoolunclemarisa you’re making me miss it more, haha. It was a little cute CRT system, with the overlays from games providing color. Sigh, it was years ago so I’m (mostly) over it lol.
I’m proud of my video game console collection too and yes there are a few that mainly grace my shelf or are boxed inside a closet. Slim PS2, modded PSP (on my gaming shelf) and the Hacked Wii are in a box. I fell back in love with Nintendo after getting a Switch Lite. Then went on a tear getting DSI XL, that Wii (to mod), 3DS XL and DS Lite (to reshell and fix the hinge) & finally got an Oled Switch. My PS3, PS4 and Xbox One are on my entertainment center (with Oled docked) and I love them all. Love your videos - it’s a great feeling after fixing or modding something yourself. You take on some really complicated mods and it’s so satisfying and interesting watching you work - another great video 😊
Thank you! I can relate to the rampage after falling for one console 🤭
i have a New 3DS Super Mario Black Edition that i stood in line for on a Black Friday sale eons ago. it almost instantly became a dust collector after the first time i played with it. just a bit too thin to comfortably hold compared to my beloved DS Lite. sure a grip made it more manageable but then it wasn't pocketable anymore. to this day, i wish i had an XL. maybe then i'd actually get to play (and enjoy while doing so) the 3DS games that i've missed out on.
Oh noo, really! That model is so pretty too. I'll trade you lmao
@@yourcoolunclemarisa hah! tempting but the shell IS pretty cool and i love that bit at least.
Having that 3DS and not playing a DQ game feels like it should be illegal. I am sooooooo jel
My backlog is so long 💀
@@yourcoolunclemarisa I feel ya, especially when life gets in the way, I've only completed 1 game this year 🥲
Nah, sorry. I‘m a basic Miitopia/Tomodachi/StreetPass bitch.
Cool Uncle coming in with an amazing story and throwing out finance terms like sunk cost. Truly, the coolest uncle.
Economy 😏
One of the few reasons I hang on to the Vita isn't not just for on-going community support (Bully and DOOM RPG were my favorite on the Vita) but also it has a community plugin where you can use your right stick to move the camera. It's only available in select games but I loved playing AC Bloodlines using the plugins
The vita has a lot really good games, some of them exclusive: Soul Sacrifice Delta, Gravity Rush, Dragon's Crown, Phantasy Star Nova, Blue Reflection, Odin Sphere Leifthrasir, Disgaea 3, Killzone Mercenaries, to mention some of them.
Regarding emulation, i usually use it for Dreamcast and GBA emulation.
That and homebrew, some really nice games have been coming out from the community, from ports to completely original games like Purified or Feline Future.
I see why people are interested in the Vita for emulation or playing the retrocompatible PSP games (the vita DOESN'T emulate PSP, it has the OG mips processor of the PSP integrated, that's how it can run PSP natively)
The issue i have with the XL/LL versions of the DSi and 3DS is the PPI, the resolution stays the same 192p/240p, so many details that simply worked on the regular sized console are lost/distorted by the bigger pixels... Been trying to get a normal New3DS but seems like no one is selling those, everything is XL/LL on the used market.
You nailed it, yep. Both Vita and XL/LL blow up without upscaling. It's uggy. Try the Japanese used market for a new3ds. They are definitely the most sought after so they're really hard to find, especially under the triple digit mark.
Getting a gameboy micro last year is part of what rekindled my retro collection desire and got me a bit into console modding. I actually kind of like the tiny screen on the micro, but the form factor was just awful. It made me want to play my original gba. I had it in a drawer and busted it out. I could barely see anything on it. Sure I could emulate, but I wanted real hardware that played well. So I replaced the screen, and here I am now with more consoles, parts, cables, flash carts, ODE's, peripherals, etc than I really have the space for and a bunch of soldering equipment. Tbh I love playing on old hardware, and I don't regret any of it. Thank you gameboy micro for showing me the light.
People definitely over exaggerate the hypothetical OLED issues on early Vitas. You can see the Mura effect, but thats with all OLED screens from the early 2010's. Permanent burn in isn't much of a problem on the Vita specifically.
People also like to claim yellowing is a problem, but a huge amount of these old handhelds have issues with this same issue due to UV/Heat damage. Yellowing isn't exclusive to OLED screens.
As for 3DS XL vs the small version, its mostly due to the bigger battery and better ergonomics. The small original 3DS is very cramped in comparison.
That's good to hear, a few people have mentioned they haven't had burn in on their vitas. 3ds vs XL is absolutely a matter of taste, XL is uncomfy for me but clearly vice versa for you :D I'm glad there's something for everyone 🩷💚
I appreciate your selections and reasons. I was one of those people who snagged a Gameboy Micro new in 2005 when Best Buy was selling them on clearance. I was lucky. But my only consoles I shake my head at every time I see them are my Sanyo and Panasonic 3DOs. The disk drives don't work, so you have to get an optical drive emulator. Just a lot of money to get it going to play like 10 good games. And then there's the Supergrafx. I like it, but don't use it often. Another example of getting a console that only plays a handful of unique games. Great video!
this just showed up on my recommended and youre so cool! new sub here, and i love your vibes. cant wait to go through all your past uploads.
Thank you so much, really glad you're here!
I started getting use out of my wii again in like 2022 for gamecube games and guitar hero. The occasional newer super mario bros was also nice. Some people want big shelves of games but just a flash drive in a wii can give you a lot of fun. You can use a piece of homebrew so that if you hold reset when you turn it on it goes straight to a list of things to launch, so you can use a gamecube controller or guitar without needing a wii remote and sensor bar set up. I try to limit how much I mess with a system instead of playing it now, but setting that up helps everyday usability a lot for me.
It's weird how if you want to play a vita game you will likely turn to a more definitive port on something like the switch or ps4, while if you want a psp or ps1 game you may be more likely to use a vita with adrenaline. Something to note about oled "burn in" is that usually it isn't permanently branded on your screen and instead some pixels may stay tinted until you've used it for something else for a while. My phone does it with google maps but eventually it goes away there as well. If you really wanted you could make it play a video that flashes colors for a few hours but that probably is overkill.
Controls feel weird on the 3ds xl, I've heard grips make a big difference but I haven't tried one yet. I don't agree with the vision problems angle and I think instead a lot of people see the bigger one as the more "definitive" one and that if they don't get it then they're missing out on something. When my N3DS crapped out I decided to go for a N3DSLL because surely bigger is better but ultimately I use it way less.
I have two micros that I have tried my best to take care of but still never use them. The plastic faceplates seem to scratch way easier than the lens on any other gameboy and it hurts to see wear on the famicom edition one. Some nintendo handhelds including these have an issue where dust gets in the triggers very easily and they stop working and when they're this small I don't feel confident in fixing them. They're nice and shiny looking but I'll hardly ever use them for 20+ minutes again it seems. For a little while they were great warioware and pokemon machines at least
I'm new to retro gaming (well, kind of, considering I played when some of these consoles were new) and I got back into it when I found my old GBA SP. I modded it (that 001 screen is rough) and I fell totally in love with the process of bringing an old handheld back from the dead! I'd never had a GBA before, so I ordered a custom one from Etsy, and I kind of regret it. It's a beautiful GBA, but half the fun of playing on my SP is the fact that I took it apart and put it back together myself. The GBA's buttons are a little mushy and not always responsive, and since I didn't mod it myself, I can't be sure what they did in terms of cleaning it before they put it together. I'll probably have to take it apart sometime and make sure everything inside is working properly.
So, I picked up a GBA from FB marketplace this week and I'm going to mod that one myself! I don't think I'll get rid of my other GBA (for now), but I wish I had waited and gotten one to repair myself, especially because this is an expensive hobby. Now I know better!
Ooh have fun! You could probably take parts from the Etsy GBA too. Unfortunately there are a lot of subpar modders trying to make a quick buck.
I just discovered your channel yesterday and you're already my fav techie youtuber. Keep up the good work! I don't know how you don't already have 500,000 or more subscribers!
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it 🩷💚🩷
"I'm sure there are a lot of hidden gems...in the truest sense of the word."
What a fantastic line.
You're right about the 3DS XL screen. It's the same resolution as the smaller screen so it being bigger just looks worse. You're right in saying it looks blown out because it is.
It's why I bought the standard New 3DS. The New 3DS XL sold loads 12.25 million vs 2.49 million. It's going to be Game Boy Micro levels rare but it's also the best version of the 3DS.
As a kid who grew up with the original hardware back to the Atari 2600, I love the feeling I get when I hold vintage gaming hardware. And then return it to its owner and walk away. My GBA Micro is the one piece I'll probably keep along with an SP. I could see the argument for a DS. For anything else a modern upscaling retro handheld smokes vintage hardware + discs and carts.
My understanding with oled burn-in is that it's more of a temporary problem when the screen gets too warm. One of my old phones would have burn-in on the url bar if I was using it for websites for too long, but would be gone the next day. Of course I don't know about old vs newer oleds or anything. The one thing that I DO know about oleds, is that those black bars probably have next to no chance of burn-in. The great part of an oled is that actual black pixels are just 'off'. they aren't producing light and it makes them look REALLY good as black as opposed to a grey pretending to be black. But regardless here's my actual reason for commenting. You should play a dragon quest! 8 or 11 are my two favorites. I think you'd like 11, not just because the way turn order works is similar to final fantasy 10.
As someone who has done the "I'll just sell it and buy it again later if I want it" routine I can confirm it's almost always easier to just put it in a drawer unless you absolutely need the money.
Also, you're right about the OLED burn in being a meme mostly. It's a non-issue. And I agree about falling into the Micro hype, I just keep mine to have one now because I know if I sell it I would regret it later.
Edit: As for "I thought I would love you" it's my Transparent Smoke Black Analogue Pocket. But I got it in a crazy deal with some games, so it'll just live in the drawer too.
That's reassuring, in the drawer they will stay 🥲
The incredible thing about the Wii is that you can trim it down to do something amazing mods. I’ve got a handheld Wii in the shape of a GameCube controller called an Ashida. This would make a great video if you have the time to put into a mod like that.
The handhelds are absolutely super cool!
I've heard a lot about burn in but my launch Vita has been used ever since it came out and it's never been an issue. Now that ink splotchy effect on dark screens is very prominent, which was also the case since when I picked it up on launch.
I have 4 vita 1000s with zero burn in
That's good to know!
I got into retro collecting when i graduated from high school in 2020. Had nothing else to do besides work a part time job. Made enough to pay for school and get all the games i never had growing up. For me personally, I'm a hoarder when it comes to collecting. Do i use it all? No not really. I bought an N64 but i havent touched it in over a year. I'm kinda thinking about the future when it comes to everything. So 15 years from now i wont be trying to scavenge around for a N64 that still works and looks pretty. So ill have it in the future and hopefully when i get a house I can set up a nice area for myself to play games in
Also, just to felx, i have a SNES in pretty good condition with the box also in very good condition with all the little papers and Styrofoam. Found it at my grandma's house. My aunt bought it when she was going to college at the time. Apparently she was was a pretty big gamer back in the late 80s early 90s
One of the things I did really like about the vita was that it had remote play with the PS4 before almost anything else did - the screen definitely helps with the PS4 games too!
That is a neat feature for sure. I'd have loved it if the timing had been right.
The Vita is a lot like the Sega Saturn -- an absolutely wonderful little console that it's difficult to recommend to too many people today who didn't get in on it on the ground floor. The Vita actually had lots of physical games in English -- I've got well over 200 -- but a ton of that was released through boutique companies like Limited Run Games. It also heavily represented certain genres (JRPGs, visual novels, "anime games", indies) above others, which might not be everyone's thing. But yeah, great system with a great library of its own (especially if you add in the Japanese and SE Asian regions, since it's region-free), separate from emulation. It has two major problems with recommending it to newcomers, though. The first is the cost -- Vita stuff tends to be very pricey. And second, the vast majority of the Vita's best games were either cross-released on PS3 or PS4 or were later ported to the Switch, the latter of which has been an especially great (and affordable) home for a lot of its former exclusives. Bottom line, the Vita is a lot more than an emulation machine. It's just too expensive (and the library is so much more affordable elsewhere) to suggest it seriously to all but the most hardcore Vita fans, who probably already have the thing.
My own "least favorite retro console that I still keep" is actually the NES. I refuse to get rid of my old library of games for it I grew up with, but a console you have to blow on more than half the time and then weep bitter tears into its connector ports just to make it work... less than half the time... is trash technology. I love the library -- can't stand the NES itself. I try to play the games on compilations, minis, or "Virtual Console" rather than the old gray pseudo-VCR whenever I can.
Great video! I love my modded wii. Like you mentioned it’s a great emulation machine. Since I don’t have older consoles I just use it mostly for that.
I have both XL and regular 3DS and I love them both. I like that the regular is a little lighter and the XL is a little easier to hold for me.
That intro personally attacked me 😭😭 the way I bought a pink ds lite and vita recently and it was expensive… worth it tho… right?
lol but I do play ds and vita/psp a lot actually so for me it was worth it!! I wish psp could run natively on the vita. It does tend to look a bit blurry but I eventually ignore it.
Also small edit: I totally know what you mean about the screen looking blown up on the 3ds xl/LL. I got the acnl LL last year after playing on my og 3ds for yearssssssss. It took me a couple months to get used to how the pixels looked more square? Idk how to explain it. It used to bother me really bad but now it doesn’t which makes me happy bc I really wanted a 3ds xl for years as well.
It doesn't upscale, just blows up, so it's ugly >: ( I'm honestly glad you aren't bothered by either blow-up though - enjoying the things we have is one of the delights of being alive. Enjoy!
There are some really cool android games that have been ported to the ps vita. The homebrew scene on the vita is one of the best out there. Also the ps vita library while small has some real gems. Between psp, ps1, ps vita libraries plus android and homebrew games there is a ton to love
I know it makes absolutely no sense, but the Gameboy micro is my favorite Gameboy. I think it helps that I have small hands and I'm very near-sighted. if I take off my glasses, I can see absolutely every detail. Even reading small text is easy. I have a Final Fantasy IV one, and I think it's great!
I love that for you! ❤️
I LOVE the micro, recently picked up my first GBA in over 2 decades, a FF micro from Japan. This thing is amazing, I have fairly normal sized hands (20x10cm), and I actually find it more comfortable to hold than a DSi/DS Lite. Slap in a 750mah battery in there and it will run for almost 19 HOURS! Been playing a lot of MMBN recently and its been a blast!
That's really awesome! I'm happy you're enjoying it to its fullest
@@yourcoolunclemarisa I really am, next thing is gonna be the Pocket Color mod, hopefully that goes alright haha
Honestly the reason why I picked up an xl/ll over a standard is because when I was a kid the 3ds was comfortable in the hands, but my hands almost doubled in size since my first 3ds and I can no longer push the individual buttons. yes, I have shaq hands.
I bet you give great handshakes though :0)
The micro is cute! And your story gives it value that no one else can.
When it isn't the battery in the Micro it's usually the Fuse. It does have one. Check that.
I did replace the fuses but was sadly that wasn't it. It's long gone now.
At first, I didn't agree with your take on the 3DS XL as I played mine so much the slider broke off. Then I remembered I imported a Circle Pad Pro and never took it off. Doesn't count. So yeah, 5/5 agreement
I have had a Vita since launch and I love it, but that entirely because I played all those games when they came out. Much more niche catalog of games than people make it out to be IMO. Tales of Hearts R is pretty good if you like tales games and find yourself wanting to dive in.
The only one I didn't agree was the DS LL, I really love that thing, but I can also understand how it differs from what made the DS so good. The Micro story will make my high feverish glands have nightmares for a long time 😅😅
I bought into New 3DS hype about a year ago. Sold off my switch lite that I didn't really use since I mostly played my v1 switch docked to fund a new 3ds xl purchase, I never had a 3ds.
Then recently I heard that a switch lite oled mod is coming, so of course i had to repurchase a switch lite in anticipation. I got a deal on a junker that needed a lot of work; shell, sticks, digitizer and lcd. It ended up costing about the same as a good condition used lite, but it has custom aesthetics and hall sticks, so im happy with it.
Wouldn't you know, ive barely touched my 3ds since I got it and still no switch lite oled mod lol. Guess I'm a sucker for hype.
Oh man, I'm in the same boat with buying a switch lite for the OLED screen hehehe. Even without though I don't regret it - it's such a nice weight and form factor. I'm excited to mod it out.
I'm new to your channel but loving your vids so far. I still have my original gb micro from when they were first available! It's still my go-to errand device (alongside the ds lite) because gba games are my absolute favs for pick-up play and nothing as pocketable has a 3:2 screen. That said, I'd likely shelf it for something more modern in that size category with a 3:2 screen, and more importantly, would probably hate it as much as you did if I went through any of that to get it.
Thank you for being here! I definitely think I'd love it more if it wasn't such a journey, absolutely.
Bruh, no peer pressure here, but I need that Meowth.
Where can I buy one?
😭 I bought him used from Japan after searching for a while for non-scalper prices since he is discontinued. Just search Meowth Chu Plush.
Thank you so much!
I hope to find it!
@@yourcoolunclemarisa
I remember that deskmat from the mech hobby! It looks great in the video!
Mintlodica never fails
@@yourcoolunclemarisa So true! I have wanted that one for a while, but never pulled the trigger cause I felt it would get dirty on my desk. It looks awesome for a video though :D
i have been looking to get a wii for the longest time but this video is making me rethink it lol i wanted to get it for homebrew tbh, none of its games appeal to me. the motion control seems like something that i would find cool for a couple weeks but then would get sick of it. and you mentioned the clutter, which i hadn't consider..... i wanted to use it as a cheaper gamecube, i think, if we are being honest. but maybe i should just wait and be patient and get a gamecube at a price i'm comfortable with. i also had been thinking of getting an nintendo ds but i do have a 3ds. i wanted to get it bc "it's not the same" but yk what, i'll just stick to my 3ds...
uncle, i'm hoping one day you'll make a video showing all those shelves behind you and your whole collection. i'm always curious whenever i watch your videos.
I actually do love my dsi for ds games! Really nice form factor. The DS lite is lovely too but they're so yellowed and more expensive. If you're able to import from Japan, you can get a decent priced GameCube and mod it!
I recently moved to Brooklyn from Seattle, and I know we don't have the retro scene here that Seattle offers with Pink Gorilla, Another Castle, Etc. But I am curious what the decentish retro stores are in New York. At some point i was visiting 8-Bit and up, they likely closed. Is there anything other that Arcade Brooklyn?
Thanks for the story, the Uber story was a horror show! I Love my Micro, but it is a novelty for sure.
Ah, I know there's a barcade and there's some claw machine places like kenyc. All the retro stores are priced terribly though and they blame it on rent 😬 Book off in Japan village used to be good but last I went they've jacked their prices up too.
I bight the soundtrack to Mike Leighs Naked on Vinyl at that Book Off! Then when I was ready to listen to it, I ended up pukking iyt a laserdisc, and realized I could have been less excited and maybe read the cover slip more closely.
I totally understand this. I mainly use my micro over my SP because it's easier to shove into my pocket than the sp. But mainly I use a wii portable that I made because it essentially let's me play all my games up to wii in the size of an original advance. But something that I felt I would love more that I don't as much is my 3DS. I felt it was going to be more like my wii buy it's mainly just used for DS and 3DS games
I think that's the best use for a micro but at the price point and my Suffering™️ it feels wrong to take it out, y'know?
@yourcoolunclemarisa my partner is always like "I cringe whenever you fumble with it or let someone use it" but if it breaks I don't think I was meant to have one then
thanks for this vid! i have this same feeling with all my crt units. they are smol and cute but some are just big hassle to make it work, and the ones which give the best image are just too fragile due to plastic aging. you know you can sell them but a big part of you want to keep em even if they are a bit painfull to watch seating there.
I'm pushing it with two crts, but I would not be able to say no to a smol one
I love my vita as jrpg device , all the ps2 ports are fun in handheld too but yeah its library is very limited if you arent looking for the ports of jrpgs, but having the the sticks on it was so nice for psp games like monster hunter , i agree 4/3 content on the vita is not very fun though
I feel this so hard. And I am very fortunate that I've never had seller's remorse. I'm on my second Wii that was legitimately brand new and I use it as my all-in-one Nintendo station. I barely use it. I'm on my 5th 3DS. (They were all free) I got rid of the first four and I'm keeping this one simply because I like soul hackers and Metroid 2. I've been given 3 Xbox 360s that I eventually get rid of because everything I want to play is on PS3. And I tried psp three different times and gotten rid of them because it's just... The hardware wasn't what it was supposed to be. I want to try the Vita but I'm afraid to be disappointed... And I recently sold my OG Xbox. I literally never turn it on and it takes up almost as much space as a PS5. Luckily that one went to my friend who cried with joy when he started playing unreal.
This is a long comment. Lol
I'm very happy there's only four console variants and a single add-on piece I need to be finished. 😃
I love your clarity and decisiveness - also kudos to the generosity 🩷💚
I love the Wii and yeah, the Wii U after its been modded. My 'main' Wii (one of five) has an HDMI mod. With an upscaler like an mClassic, it looks great. A modded HDMI Wii makes Wii games look so much better when loaded through USB Loader GX. GameCube games on a Wii vs. GameCube via HDMI, really look the same. Through a modded Wii U, GC games can look AMAZING! F-Zero GX looks like the remaster everyone keeps begging for, widescreen and everything. Unfortunately, you cannot easily switch between widescreen and 4:3 for GC games on the Wii U. Its either one or the other. You need to take your SD card, put it in your PC and switch a file. Really, if you want a large library of Wii and GC games, a Wii is the best way to go. If you don't want to open the console and solder in a HDMI mod, there are good HDMI adapters that plug in to the standard A/V port (MayFlash, Electron Sheppard) but there are a lot of crap 'Wii2HDMI' adapters on Amazon, all labeled the same thing, made by many quick-buck companies from China, all not delivering what they promise. NO 'Wii2HDMI' adapter actually upscales to 1080p. It will always be 480p but the adapter makes your TV think its 1080p. Get a good adapter, add an mClassic and the Wii looks nice at 4k. As long as your using a modded Wii (TOTALLY SAFE AND EASY) and launching games through USB Loader GX including games you still have on disc, it will look better than a Wii U.
I know it was long but I love the Wii. And yeah, I got technical but there are many easy to follow videos on these subjects.
I have an Analogue Pocket so I'm covered in almost all cartridge based console systems.
Not sure if it counts but my Analogue Pocket... I was so excited to get it but I realized I'd rather play those games on my 3DS. But I don't want to sell it because it's so rare! What if I change my mind one day!
That fragrance GBA Micro story, that sounds like one of my personal hells......
More like SMELLS like. Yeah, it was awful. We put it out in the apartment hallway for a bit and then the hallway just smelled with no effect on the micro itself.
I hate how retro consoles and games are sooo expensive in my country. Great video!
Thank you! I really hope the bubble bursts.
Wii + cheap component cable is a good affordable way to play GC on a more modern TV (saying that though, many TVs don't even have component now...). Mine is still hooked up, but the number of GC & Wii games I'll actually play on it is reduced, with many now on other systems (eg Pikmin 1 & 2).
The Vita has a much nicer screen than the PSP (at least my OLED Vita vs PSP 1000/original). The ghosting on my PSP is as annoying now, as it was when I got it in '05. I only have a handful of digital PSP games for my Vita, but those 'GTA Stories' games look a lot better on the Vita screen than the PSPs. I don't plan on installing CFW on my Vita, but did for my PSP back in the day (to play PS1 and for improved battery vs the UMD drive).
I sold my DS lite to get my original model white 3DS, but still have my original grey DS. My first and only time I bought an import (Japanese) system, got some confused looks as it wasn't available in the UK yet. Personally I have no issue playing DS games on the 3DS, scaling may not be perfect but it looks a lot better than the more dull original DS screens.
I never owned a GBA, almost bought one when it the SP was released, but that coincided with a major Xbox price cut in the UK. So I went to a store looking at GBA SP and left with XB + Halo. I remember having to lug that heavy SOB up a series of hills to the car park...
All my older systems are from when they were current, I'll occasionally get a new game for them, but most are whatever I bought at the time. Recently I have been looking at buying any 360 & PS3 gen exclusive games before prices start to creep up. Barring a few titles, most games from that gen are fairly cheap, for now at least.
I suppose technically my PS3 was bought later used (Feb '18), but it was replacing my dead PS3. The PS3 is great blu-ray/media player, but using it that way likely shorted it life, so current one is PS3 games only.
I love the look of the GBP (and the idea of the pocket-color as well) but I know that it'll be a massive regret for me if I ever get/mod one because I have major hand cramps on things slimmer than a GBC. Also, I know its not the point of the video, but what desk mat/pad is that? It looks great.
I often find myself playing my MGBC with one hand but I can absolutely see it being cramped for some people. Ergonomics in size are so subjective 😅
Oh and the desk mat is from mintlodica!
@@yourcoolunclemarisa Will def be using this new one-hand tech life hack to justify getting a new pocket color. Look out old me!
The solution is emulation devices. So long as you stop at about 30 of them.
No, the best solution is using your phone together with a controller as an emulation system. So long as you just with your 30th controller.
I want to check out FF 3DS English Translation. Looks like a great way to enjoy the game. I was going to start GBA again but I think I will try Citra out instead.
Retro gaming through the lens of a sane person is a very refreshing thing to see
Sane is a relative word 💀
if you still wanna play a dragon quest, IX on ds is the easiest to get into for those not particularly into rpg. it's a really casually cool captivating story about angels and has lots of customisation, but it's not at all heavy on dialogue or on japanenese tropes. before 9 i tried 5 but that felt really small whereas 9 feels like an openworld game
Wii, PSVita and 3DS are all improved massively by Homebrew. They are all fantastic consoles.
Slander! 3DS doesn't need homebrew to be perfect little guy.
@@yourcoolunclemarisaCopium! Everything is better with homebrew.
Me during the micro story... 👁👄👁. Sadly, I think it's also very relatable for many of us watching that have acquired retro items 😅
I’ve recently come to realise that while I don’t enjoy overly large devices like the XL variants, I also don’t get on well with screens that are too small like the micro. I have nostalgia for my old micro that was broken so I picked up another while I was in Japan, and honestly, I’d sooner play the games on my SP. The screen on the micro is just too small to enjoy it comfortably. I was trying to play the Zelda NES Classic on the micro recently and was like nope I can’t 😂
As for the other ones, the Vita is one of my favourite consoles 😂 my controversial pick for a console I’m really not bothered about would be SNES. Aside from the Super GameBoy, any game on there I’d just sooner either play a more 8bit NES version or newer N64 version.
It was hard to sit through your spiel on the Micro but to each their own. Great watch!
I am horrified that you were forced to sit through this video. I hope you are freed from your captor soon.
(In seriousness, I love your love for the micro - super cool and helpful to dedicate a channel to the niche)
@@yourcoolunclemarisa It was a small price to pay lol. Thank you. I appreciate it :)
where do I sign the petition to get my Cool Uncle to play Dragon Quest??
I'm gonna play once I finish my current game! I've been convinced!!
I got a PSVita just to play psp games, after like 5 hours of playing it I started to dislike it, idk if it it was the resolution or what but it didn't feel that good to me, so i got a psp and crisis core instead lolz.
Yeap - it blows up without upscaling so it looks gross. The PSP is perfect! Also the number of variants it came out in - browsing them is like going to a candy store.
"I really want it to work.. it's just not." That hit hard 😂
Wanted a vita ,but every time I went to GameStop,they only had 6 to 10 games for it. Also I find a lot of old retro games have more varied game concepts than a lot of newer ones. People who think you have to have the latest systems and games are just ignorant. It's all about fun. We shouldn't care what people think. Another thing is I don't have money to burn, nor the space.
I like your PSVita ! The GBC and GBA games look beautiful on the oled screen .
They look beautifuller on an ITA GBA or IPS GBC in retropixel mode!!!! Also thank you!
I'll admit that these are niche devices. The native gba support is cool for 3ds, but the pixel scaling is off, and is plain horrendous for ds. It became a singleplayer handheld smash machine. The vita became my guilty gear accent core machine due to the excellent dpad.
You can remove the DS and GBA playback blur, and force a pixel perfect mode.
@juststatedtheobvious9633 I have tried this, and the image is small enough that I'd rather use a different device. Still a great system
You sure have a nice collection there, and its visible how carefully well you maintain them.
Totally understandable why you don't want to give them away even though you don't use them as much as others, they are still cool consoles after all.
Haha thank you! They are all very special. I think it'd be easier to gift some things than sell them one day.
lol my list is like exactly the same! (Besides the micro, don’t have one anymore but had one in high school and played the crap out of it before regretfully selling it 😢) 3Ds and Vita are nice but overall not very ergonomic and id rather play the games on other systems or emulators honestly. Your micro story was exactly the same as mine with an original Xbox. I went through 2 awful eBay sellers trying to get a deal on a fixer upper and spent more than I would have on a normal one… learned my lessons there.
Understandable reasons, I for one love the 3ds though. I sold my Old 3ds xl for the new model and it feels better and lighter? But I wish I kept my regular 2ds since it was more comfortable to hold. I love handhelds and I've been eyeing to get a switch lite soon, I think having these two consoles is all I ever need. Curious what your favorite handhelds are, thanks for the vid!
The new 3ds is so good - bet that was a great trade, even if it's xl. Different ergonomics for different folks 💗 My favorites are MGBC, GBA, DSI, New 3DS, and PSP - of course the switch too.
@@yourcoolunclemarisa Man those are good too but I don’t see the need to buy those consoles since I can play gba and ds games on the 3ds already. It’s an absolute want though🫠. As for the psp I might consider that since I grew up with that system and I don’t really need a psvita since i’ll only want to play psp games, plus getting a psp is cheaper. I think it’s a perfect time to get a modded switch though since the new gen is coming soon☺️
DSi XL = Best screen for playing DS games
New 3DS non-XL = Best Screen for 3DS games
I have been super happy with just my phone lately for everything. I had forgotten how much stuff I had the rights to emulate. I am doing 3DS stuff. I just need to buy a Translator so I can play Game Center CX 3. I didn't buy that one though. I did pay for Retro Game Challenge though.
Closest thing I have to this is the Sega Master System that a coworker gifted me after I showed him my modded Gameboys. Plugged the thing in once and realized that I would never actually want to play it lmao.
At least it was free!
I got my vita on the cheap a couple years ago and although there are definitely way way better options for not too much more, my vita follows me everywhere i go. The homebrew scene today is doing big things and keeping the vita alive. Plus I just think the vita is super sleak and better looking than most emulation machines lol
My regret was the Game Gear I picked up. I'll spare you the details, but restoring it ended up being a far bigger hassle than it was worth. Especially for a console with no games.
It's such a funky looking guy. They really tried.
I love all consoles and here's why:
gadget
gadget. trinket. we are but crows in flesh suits.
I have this problem with retro handhelds, I just love them aesthetically but the problem is the next one that comes out always has better hardware and i get caught up in that as well. Currently I am finding that japanese collectors are modding theirs with leds and custom buttons and I find myself buying custom resin buttons from japan for handhelds that I don't even play. I need an intervention.
omg, do you know various_ka? I got buttons imported from them for my miyoo mini plus, their work is gorgeous!
@@yourcoolunclemarisa thats who i got my buttons from too and i found a led flex pcb for the miyoo mini plus on etsy
the wii slander wiill not be tolerated! people really tend to forget that outside having gamecube compatibility the wii has its own library of amazing games from the 1st party titles to the 3rd party titles
and to me the motion gimmicks are still fun and cool
I love your love for the wii! I agree, it is absolutely not just a GameCube machine. When people talk about it like that I feel it's diminishing of both consoles.
@@yourcoolunclemarisaanother thing people tend to do with the Wii (and also the og xbox) is that they just tall about it being a "homebrew and emulation powerhouse" which is really annoying to me as both consoles have a bunch of amazing games that people overlook just because motion controls bad (for the wii) and halo (on the Xbox)
Speaking of FOMO I just bought a Roland SC-88 so I can finally enjoy all the DOS games I played as a kid they way they were intended.
Full commitment - have fun!!
@@beanwithbacon ROLAND IS DOING WHAT
@@yourcoolunclemarisa Used for high quality music in old DOS games.
@@beanwithbacon no the thing about denying women health care
@@yourcoolunclemarisa Sorry about that, wrong response thread. That was response to some crazy Texas law, sorry to bring that up on your channel.
Wii is versatile enough to keep around in case you need to scale down your setup, otherwise agreed, just store it away for a rainy day!
I kinda feel like this about my consolized mvs. I mean its cool, and I use it with a gbs-control so it looks the way I want. I've only got the 161 in 1 cart so far, so maybe thats part of the issue as well. I think I wanted a neo geo so badly as a kid, that that desire is what drove me to get this thing as an adult, and I realize its just too expensive to really collect for. Even an sd cart is ridiculously priced.
Ooh yeah, the wanting as a kid part is wild too. I had a bit of that with the vita 😭
@@yourcoolunclemarisa it still makes me happy to have it, so I guess that’s what really counts.
Meanwhile I have a Dreamcast with an ODE that I never, ever use. I don't know why I bought it. All the games I want to play on Dreamcast are available elsewhere, usually in better forms, too.
I relate. Every time I acquire a console it's immediately modded and then...do I use it? That's a question for another day.
@@yourcoolunclemarisa I mostly use the other ones! Mostly! Playing PS1 this weekend lol
I'm at the cusp of wanting to buy an Ambernic Pocket but considering I already have about 4 other systems that can play what I want to play on it, it feels like it wouldn't be worth it.
Analogue pocket? A lot of people swear by it but between my enjoyment of the og hardware, the price tag, and the gross business practices...I'm good personally 😭
Gameboy Micro is still the one system that I've never had yhat i desperately want. The prices vs condition I've seen don't make enough sense for purchase yet but someday it will be mine.
I hope you can get one and that it doesn't disappoint 💚
Very reasonable. The Vita is really a huge waste of potential, I had one and even though I like niche Japanese games I always thought it was kind of meh. Even at the time a lot of the games were better on other platforms. The only game that has a definitive edition on it is probably Muramasa: The Demon Blade because it has added content the Wii version doesn't.
Wow, crazy the wii is almost 20 years. Im getting old.
I love the vita so much that i got 8 of them, 4 oleds and 4 2000 lcd.
Make sure to stockpile the oled screen replacements while theyre still cheap. Youll thank me later.
I can't handle the switch almost being 10 to boot.
I just went ahead and got a strong enough retro handheld with HDMI support and threw all my classics on it
Look at you with your logic and cost efficiency.
@@yourcoolunclemarisa I can't take praises they make me blush!
The GB Micro story was wild!!
Hi can you please help a fellow modder. I'm looking for the grey looking polarizer film for my GameBoy pocket. Do you have a source? Please 🥺🙏🏻
Aliexpress!
Sorry Uncle but you should enjoy more your PS Vita, I could suggest you A LOT of great games and hidden gems.
However, I support your choice if you prefer playing PSP games on the PSP and PS games on your Miyoo Mini :)
P.S. the 3DS XL screens are really awful.
I’m never liked the Nintendo DS Lite, I preferred the old brick style DS. Tell me why, in the last year or so, I’ve bought three different ones? I couldn’t even say.
So relatable haha