Sonic, X-Men, Transformers, and The Little Mermaid will headline a new series of retro Tiger handheld LCD gaming devices that are set to release later this year.
Now, we’re temporarily going to assume that you, valued reader, may not have any idea what we’re talking about when we talk about LCD gaming devices. If that’s the case, then let us take you back to a strange time in gaming when kids everywhere who probably honestly just wanted a Game Boy were instead gifted these little toys that were capable of playing only one game.
Actually, “game” is a bit of a generous description of what these toys were capable of offering. Through some primitive LCD technology, these handhelds allowed you to perform some incredibly simplified actions that should have, theoretically, made these interactive experiences quite easy. However, the awful lighting of the screens themselves (combined with the natural confusion of trying to understand what was happening at any given moment), typically meant that the average player never got beyond mashing a few buttons in a vague attempt at progression.
So why did anyone play these games? Well, they usually featured licensed characters from other video games (such as Double Dragon) or outside properties (like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) which usually made it that much easier to forgive their flaws. It’s truly no surprise, then, that Hasbro is bringing back the big licensed guns with this revival series by making new Tiger Electronic-style handhelds based on the aforementioned franchises. Specifically, you’ll be able to choose between Sonic The Hedgehog 3, X-Men: Project X, The Little Mermaid, and Transformers Generation 2.
Advertisement
For better or worse, these devices haven’t really changed much since their original incarnations. While that doesn’t bode well for the gameplay that they’ll offer, it does mean that these devices will offer that sweet burst of nostalgia that we imagine they were manufactured to deliver straight to your veins.
These LCD handheld games are set to release exclusively at GameStop stores sometime this fall. They’ll retail for $14.99, but don’t be surprised if your local GameStop employee tries to upsell you while you’re there.
Matthew Byrd is a staff writer for Den of Geek. He spends most of his days trying to pitch deep-dive analytical pieces about Killer Klowns From Outer Space to an increasingly perturbed series of editors. You can read more of his work here or find him on Twitter at @SilverTuna014.