Travelling with the Playdate

I'm on a short trip via train for work. Because I'm trying to keep my bag light I purposefully didn't bring my Switch 2. But I did want to bring a videogame device. I haven't gone down the rabbit hole of retro handhelds, so that leaves me conveniently with the Playdate.

I've had one for quite a while, I think I was in the third main batch. Yet, it's not something I've spent loads of time with. I dabbled with the first season of games that came with the system and got a couple from the store.

It was Lucas Pope's "Mars After Midnight" that saw me actually play it for extended play sessions. Not surprising as this was partly what prompted me to get a Playdate in the first place. "Paper's Please" is one of my all time favourite games, and "Return of the Obra Dinn" also holds a special place (I even mention it on my thesis).

Yet it's with the second season of games - which is an optional purchase - that has really shown what the Playdate is about. These are solid handheld games that "get" the strengths of the Playdate. The crank (which is one of the things that really sets it apart) is used meaningfully in a non gimmick way. 

I've been playing "Otto's Galactic Groove" and "Tiny Turnip". Both use the crank as one of the main control inputs. Whilst playing it reminded me of playing a Game Boy despite the different inputs. These are games where with the former it's about the music, the latter the precise gameplay, and for both the simple to understand play experience.

I had tried out a couple of other games from season 2 as they dropped, but never got round to the others. I'm now righting that wrong.

*I also wrote this on the train.