Since its launch in 2017, there has rarely been a time when I leave the house without my Nintendo Switch. The portable console became so fundamental to my routine that I had to adopt a messenger bag into my daily fashion choices so I could carry it. When I got my Steam Deck, I ended up carrying both consoles with me, unwilling to fully put down what had become my digital safety blanket.
So when I say the Playdate finally has me leaving my Switch OLED at home, that’s no small feat. Despite being a niche device with far less games available on it, the bright yellow gaming device is filling certain gaps in my life better than Nintendo’s console. That’s because the Playdate is a better gaming handheld than the Switch.
I’m choosing my words wisely there. The Nintendo Switch is, without question, the better video game console between the two. The Switch is home to some of the greatest games of all time, whereas the Playdate’s best titles are more toy-like, charming oddities.
But when I think about what I look for most in a handheld device, the Playdate checks all the boxes in a way that no device has since the Nintendo 3DS. On the most basic level, it’s the most truly portable gaming device I’ve ever owned. At roughly three inches by three inches and 84 grams, it’s a device so unobtrusive that I could leave it in a pocket and forget it’s there. Whenever I decide to take my Playdate out instead of my Switch, it’s a literal weight off my shoulders.
With the small size comes an ease of use. If I want to break out my Switch while waiting in line at the DMV, I have to take it out of my bag, remove it from its case, and boot it up. If I suddenly need to stop, I have to rush to do that in reverse, hastily tossing my Switch into my
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