Hands-on with the Supaboy: 5 Things We Love About the Portable Super Nintendo

If we had been more productive during every idle moment we've spent reminiscing about our favorite Super Nintendo games, we might have actually contributed something useful to society by now. Actually, we probably would have invented something like the Supaboy, come to think of it.

When we headed out to El Monte, CA to check out the portable Super Nintendo in person, we thought we knew what to expect. It turns out we were right, but that's not a bad thing, and neither is the Supaboy. In fact, we'd go so far as to say we love the damn thing, and by golly, we're not afraid to admit it. Read on to find out why!

One of our favorite things about the Supaboy is its cost: $79.99. That's how much you'll probably be paying for the games alone, barring serendipitous yard sale finds. And you'll be hard pressed to find an oldschool SNES for less than $100. The Supaboy's A/V out jack allows it to easily replace the original system, since it can connect directly to your TV and fill the role of a home console as well as a handheld. We give kudos to Hyperkin for keeping the price down.

F-Zero and Mario Kart just aren't the same when you're playing solo, and even games like Donkey Kong Country, Super Mario World and Secret of Mana allow for multiplayer in one form of another. One concern we had with the Supaboy was that the capability to play with friends would be lost in the translation to a handheld device, but as soon as you hook it up to your TV and plug in a second controller, it acts just like the original console did. That makes it even easier to bring to a friend's house or a party, something we actually might do. We're not saying it'll get you laid, but you might make an awesome friend or two.

Another of our concerns was that only certain games—big hitters like Mario and Final Fantasy titles—would be compatible with the Supaboy, and less popular titles (Tiny Toons: Buster Busts Loose, anyone?) would be forgotten in the annexes of time. When we asked, though, the folks at Hyperkin assured us that it should work with any US or Japanese cartridge we could find. Everything they've tested has worked flawlessly, they said, because the device's motherboard—unique to the Supaboy—was developed specifically with that in mind.

There are few things worse than picking up an old classic console controller only to realize that it's a knock-off—an inauthentic copy made by third-party companies to pick up the slack where the original manufacturers have failed. Thankfully, the Supaboy feels exactly how it looks: like an oversized, but real, Super Nintendo controller. It's aesthetically and tactilely pleasing; each button has the right amount of give, is placed just right on the controller (with the exception of "start" and "select", moved to make room for the screen) so your fingers won't be fumbling around as you defeat Mother Brain for the millionth time.

Playing a PSP, 3DS or iPhone game in public has become rather inconspicuous these days, and part of us misses the time when spotting a fellow gamer in the wild was akin to finding a banana bird in Donkey Kong Country 2. With the Supaboy, we'll never have that problem again; it's an instant conversation-starter, a beacon for fellow gamers to come out of the woodwork and geek out about at the library, on the train or sitting in class (pro tip: prop your laptop up in front of it so it looks like you're taking notes. Also useful for sleeping and/or drinking). With its authentic look, anyone who recognizes what you're playing will become an instant friend.

Have we convinced you? Pick one up now on Amazon and drop us a line in the comments or on Twitter or Facebook and let us know what you think.