Two handheld systems based on the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum are set for release later this year.
Retro Games Ltd – which specialises in mini and full-sized modern recreations of home computers like the C64, Spectrum, Amiga and Atari 400 – has teamed up with Evercade company Blaze Entertainment to create the handhelds.
Titled The C64 Handheld and The Spectrum Handheld, both devices are coming in October at a price of £109.99 / $129.99 each. There are also collector’s editions available from Funstock, which cost £129.99 / $149.99 and include a hard shell carry case and specially created Crash or Zzap magazine.
Each handheld contains 25 games built in, but – as with Retro Games’ other C64 and Spectrum recreations – each also includes a MicroSD card slot, allowing players to add their own (legally obtained) game ROMs.
The handhelds have a 4.3″ IPS screen with a 800×480 resolution, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack and a USB port for keyboard or joystick support if needed.
Each device also has its own array of buttons – plastic for the C64 and the trademark rubber buttons for the Spectrum – which are tailored for each built-in game and can be remapped for other titles.
The full specifications for each system are as follows:
- Dimensions – W136mm x H26mm x D86mm – 235g
- Form Factor- Clamshell Handheld Retro Gaming Console
- Colour – Retro Beige (The C64 Handheld), Classic Black (The Spectrum Handheld)
- Controls – D-Pad and Face Buttons, Four mappable function keys and menu/start/select keys in tactile plastic (The C64 Handheld) and rubber (The Spectrum Handheld)
- Screen – 4.3″ 840×480 IPS high resolution screen
- Processor – Quad Core 1.2Ghz Memory – 256mb DDR RAM
- Connectivity – 3.5mm headphone jack
- Battery – 3+ hour 2000mAH battery
- Charging – USB-C (cable included). 5v 1a minimum required for charging (mains adaptor not included)
- Extras – USB-A I/O port for external keyboard or joystick, MicroSD port for additional game loading.
- The C64 Handheld Formats – Can select between C64 PAL/NTSC, C64C PAL/NTSC, C64SX PAL/NTSC, PET64 PAL/NTSC, C64 GS
- The Spectrum Handheld Formats – Can select between Spectrum 48K, Spectrum 48K (NTSC), Spectrum 128K, Spectrum +2, Spectrum +2A, Spectrum +3, Spectrum +3e, Spectrum 16K. Spectrum CPU under/overclocking supported.
The full list of games for each handheld is as follows:
The Spectrum Handheld – Game list
- Head Over Heels
- Manic Miner
- Skool Daze
- Tiny Dungeons
- Archon: The Light and the Dark
- The Great Escape
- Bounder
- Switchblade
- Nightmare Rally
- M.O.V.I.E.
- Avenger: The Way of the Tiger II
- Bugaboo the Flea
- Devwill Too ZX
- Hammerfist
- Hammer Knight
- Penguin Attack
- S1NCLA1R C1TY
- Shovel Adventure
- Snake Escape
- Sorcerer Kid Adventure
- Splat!
- Tourmaline
- Where Time Stood Still
- Zynaps
- Starquake
The C64 Handheld – Game list
- A Pig Quest
- Sam’s Journey
- Nebulus
- Boulder Dash
- Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe
- Paradroid
- Hunter’s Moon Remastered
- Knight ‘n’ Grail
- Aztec Challenge
- Krakout
- Lee
- Druid
- Encounter!
- Galencia
- Ice Guys
- Metal Warrior Ultra
- Millie & Molly
- Planet Golf
- Shadow Switcher
- Spherical
- Squish ‘Em
- Steel Ranger
- X-Out
- Yeti Mountain
- It’s Magic 2
“The C64 and the Spectrum are two of the most iconic names in gaming history, with generations of players who hold them close to their hearts,” Blaze Entertainment CEO Andrew Byatt said in a statement.
“Bringing these experiences into a brand-new handheld form feels like a natural next step, and we’re proud to bring these to both longtime fans and a new audience discovering them for the first time. We are delighted to be working with Retro Games Ltd to make this happen.”
