Classic arcade games are awesome.

Sure, they don’t pack the graphics punch of whatever it is the kids are playing these days (oh god, I honestly don’t know for sure, how did I become so old?) but there’s something to be said for how the designers were able to create addictive, challenging games within the limits of constrictive technology.

Games like Pac-Man are a far cry from modern open-world sandboxes like GTA V and Skyrim. And while it’s easy to compare those games and view it as an evolution of the format, it makes more sense to look at them as existing on opposite ends of the same spectrum.

That Skryim exists doesn’t make it any less fun to play a few games of Pac-Man. It’s still fun to play Tecmo Bowl even after Madden’s long-time dominance. And as the point of video games is that they’re a fun way to spend time, that means those games are still very legitimate.

Of course, arcades themselves are a rare find these days. Video games are more accessible than ever, as we found out with Pokemon Go, but the format has changed to touchscreens. (Wow, Pokemon Go. It feels like that happened almost as long ago as the original Pokemon craze.) That’s led to necessary changes in gameplay mechanics, of course.

I remember buying a Nexus 7 tablet a few years ago, downloading Pac-Man just for fun, and being sorely disappointed in the lack of control I was able to exert over the main character. I’d never appreciated the utility of a joystick as much as I did at that moment.

That went for other games as well, especially any that attempted a touchscreen facsimile, which are always just the worst. People would still play these old games, but now expect mobility as well as functionality similar to the original. What’s the solution?

Well, novelty toy company Super Impulse would have you believe it’s these tiny, working arcade boxes.

Via Gizmodo:

Super Impulse, the company responsible for making everything from miniature Rubik’s Cubes to keychain-sized versions of Stretch Armstrong, is coming out with a new series of four incredibly tiny arcade cabinets featuring officially licensed versions of Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Space Invaders, and Galaxian.

The prototypes we were able to try out at Toy Fair featured the same graphics as the original Namco arcade cabinets, in addition to a tiny joystick and a pair of buttons. Those controls felt far more clicky and stiff than the joysticks and buttons on the arcades we remembered playing as kids, but they still felt far more natural than using simulated on-screen controls to play these classic titles.

So, that’s believable, but the main concern is…they’re so incredibly tiny! I have large hands/thumbs. I don’t think there’s any way at all I could play something like this. Plus I’d feel a bit ridiculous whipping out a tiny arcade console while in line at the grocery store.

Tiny Arcade via Gizmodo
Via Gizmodo

However, Super Impulse is a toy company! And though it might not feel like it all the time, toys are generally aimed at kids. And for kids, with tiny hands and an endless amount of attention that requires distraction, these are perfect.

And it’s a great way to introduce kids to classic video games, too, no quarters required.

[Gizmodo]

About Jay Rigdon

Jay is a columnist at Awful Announcing. He is not a strong swimmer. He is probably talking to a dog in a silly voice at this very moment.