The good old days! A Gameboy Color with Pokémon on it! I’ve spent hours and hours playing games on the Gameboy Color. Now with the Retro Mini, we can relive that great time again with all the games on a single device! Is the Retro Mini worth buying or is it trash?

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Introduction & Specifications

I want to be a kid again and play Pokémon for hours, where a weekend feels like a week and you have no worries at all. You just want to catch them all on your Gameboy Color. The Retro Mini comes close to that same feeling, it is just smaller and it plays differently. Is it bad? Not at all. The controls are the same, all the classic games, Mario, Donkey Kong and many more, are playable on the Retro Mini. I’m in love!

Specifications
Brand:	Retro Mini
Compatible with:	Built-in Games / TF Card
Language:	English + 24 others
Screen Size:	2 inch
Resolution:	240 x 160
Battery:	1020mAh
CPU Speed:	384MHz
RAM:	32MB
Extra Memory:	Up to 32GB
Product Weight:	0.1300 kg
Package Weight:	0.2300 kg
Product Size:	10.50 x 2.20 x 7.00 cm / 4.13 x 0.87 x 2.76 inches
Package Size:	14.00 x 10.00 x 5.60 cm / 5.51 x 3.94 x 2.2 inches
Package Content:	1 x Handheld Game Console, 1 x Lithium Polymer Battery, 1 x UBS Cable, 1 x Games Manual

Unboxing

The box makes no secret of the inside. There is a picture of the Retro Mini on front and on the sides, we have a picture with all the controls and the inside of the box. Opening the box, we see the Retro Mini first. Underneath we find the charging cable, a micro-USB cable, and the User Manual which will clearly tell you how to use the Retro Mini.

Hardware & Design

This is no secret, but the Retro Mini looks like the GameBoy Color. The arrows are on the same side, as well as the A and B button and the Select and Start. The screen is smaller and the device, in general, is smaller.

On the right side of the Retro Mini, we have the power switch and the volume control. At the back, we have the L and R buttons, again the same as on the GameBoy Color. On the left side, almost invisible, we have the TF card slot, which supports a card up to 32GB.

At the bottom, we have a 3.5mm jack and the micro-USB charging cable.

The Retro Mini is completely made out of plastic, which gives it the same transparent look as the GameBoy Color (I like it!). You can see the parts on the inside and it is lightweight. The plastic is also a downside since it is not as strong as a metal casing of course.

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Screen Size

The screen is smaller than the GameBoy Color, but it does not annoy me as I thought. Yes, it is smaller, but playing on it is just fine and it goes smoothly. You can see everything properly and, even though it is smaller, playing a game like Mario is no problem.

The resolution of this 2″ screen is 240 x 160 and it is in full color, which is nice. Playing classic games like Pokémon Red or Blue or Mario is just great on this small and portable device.

Controls

The controls are the same as on the original GameBoy Color. We have the arrow keys where you can control the game with. The A and B key to use in the game and the select and start button. At the back, we have the L and R button which are used for different actions in different games too.

Just make sure to read the manual before you start using a game so you know how to use the controls properly for each game.

Playing with Retro Mini

Playing with the Retro Mini is really fun and I love to play the old classic games that I played when I was a kid. The screen is smaller than the old GameBoy Color, but you get used to it pretty quickly. Everything is clearly visible and it is not hard to see the game you are playing. The battery life is fine with 4 to 5 hours. Just remember to plug it into the charger once you are done with your game session. You can enjoy this great small device for the second gaming session.

I’m happy with the Retro Mini and the games that come pre-installed on this great device. Never worry about forgetting your favorite game. You got 40 games pre-installed with the Retro Mini! Just great.

Other Features

Gaming retro games are not the only feature of the Retro Mini. On this small device, you can play music too, watch some videos, view pictures, read e-books and there is a file manager. This small device has some great and different features, but I’m not sure why you would read a book or watch videos on this small device.

Battery Life

On a completely charged battery of the Retro Mini, you can play around 4 to 5 hours. It is not super long, but for playing games, it should be enough. After a few hours you can recharge it will you take a break and be ready to game another few hours.

Charging the Retro Mini takes around 1 to 1.5 hours and that is just fine with me. Not super long or short, just an average charging time.

Start your youth games again! Click Here To Get Yours!

How to get games?

Getting games might be hard. you have to find, buy or legally download old .gba files. These must be placed on a micro SD card and placed into the Retro Mini. I’ve not done that since I did not find a place where I can legally download them.

For me, the default games are enough to entertain me for some time. When I’ve played the games I want, I might look for legal games to play on the Retro Mini.

Default Game List

When you buy the Retro Mini, there are 40 games pre-installed on the Retro Mini. On this list, we have some classic games, like The Legend of Zelda: link to the past or Super Mario Advanced. Read the complete list here:

Click on the image to enlarge it

Conclusion

Playing the old classic games with the Retro Mini will bring back memories of when you were just a kid. Playing Pokémon or Mario again on a GameBoy like device is just great. The screen lights up so you can play secretly in your room without turning on the bedroom light.

The battery life of 4 to 5 hours is good I can have 2 or 3 game sessions before I have to recharge the Retro Mini. Recharging is easier with the Micro-USB port on it. No need to buy and replace the batteries every few days.

There are lots of game available when you purchase the Retro Mini. Everybody has a game on there which you played years ago and will enjoy again. I’m happy with the Retro Mini!

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