Section 1.1: Understanding FPGA and Retro Gaming

Retro gaming is rapidly advancing, and here’s what you need to know about this evolution.

When the firmware version 1.1 was launched earlier this summer, it brought along several third-party cores developed by the enigmatic FPGA creator, Spiritualized1997. The Analogue Pocket community celebrated the addition of Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance support. Shortly thereafter, Spiritualized1997 also introduced cores for the Game Gear, Sega Master System, and SG-1000.

Speculation suggests that Spiritualized1997 could be the pseudonym of Keven “Kevtris” Horton, Analogue's FPGA Development Director, who is unofficially releasing these cores. This approach helps maintain a buffer between Analogue and the distribution of cores that enable the playing of downloaded ROMs of officially licensed games.

Subsection 1.1.1: Expanding the Supported Hardware

Recent advancements from the FPGA community show tremendous enthusiasm for the Pocket. Notable new releases include:

Neo Geo — One of the first third-party cores for the Pocket was the Neo Geo, which, despite still being in its beta phase, allows users to adjust dipswitch settings and bios regions. Currently, most games are supported, and future updates are expected to accommodate more demanding titles, such as SNK vs. Capcom.

Tecmo Arcade — Recently, significant progress has been made in adapting arcade games to the Pocket. Developer Josh “nullobject” Bassett is behind the porting of several Tecmo arcade classics.

Current games available include Rygar, Gemini Wing, and Silkworm. While some of these cores still require fine-tuning, my personal testing indicates promising developments.

Other Arcade Cores:

Section 1.2: Anticipated Cores for NES and SNES

Two more cores generating significant buzz among enthusiasts are those for the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Adam “agg23” Gastineau has teased ports of Mister project cores for both systems, which are currently operational.

Agg23 has successfully ported the classic Pong to the Pocket, alongside the hobbyist handheld Arduboy. While there are many ways to enjoy NES and SNES games on the go today, having a cycle-accurate FPGA version that can be used handheld or via the Analogue Pocket dock is revolutionary for retro gaming.

Though we can only speculate about future releases for the Pocket, it’s reasonable to expect cores for the Atari Lynx, Neo Geo Pocket, and TurboGrafx 16, all of which are scheduled to support cartridges through Analogue’s upcoming hardware adapters.

It’s also likely that support for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive will follow shortly.

If you haven't preordered your Analogue Pocket yet, the company is still accepting orders. However, there’s no update on when the next batch will ship, and if you place an order now, you may not receive your device until mid-to-late 2023.