WHAT IS A MODULAR GAME CONSOLE?
The GameShell started as a Kickstarter which I backed and it first caught my eye because it was a modular game console. You might be asking yourself “what is a modular game console?”, and the answer to that is simple. The Gameshell is a handheld game console kit and you build the console yourself. Does that sound like something you would enjoy?
Build Quality and Design
When the GameShell arrives on your doorstep, it comes in several pieces pretty similar to a DIY model car set and a set of directions to bring it all together. There are five modules, LCD Screen, Main Board (motherboard), keypad, battery (power board) and the speaker module. All the plastic seem to be 3d printed but very sturdy and well designed. As you can see from the above picture is resembles a Gameboy but has four action buttons and a D-pad. The console also has a menu, shift, start and select ( which also doubles as the volume controls). The Gameshell came in several different colors and an option for a lego back that held the four trigger button module.
Function & Specs
The GameShell is powered by Quad-core Cortex-A7 CPU, MaliGPU has Wi-Fi & Bluetooth. The handheld has 1GB DDR3 Memory, 16GB MicroSD, HDMI output, and GPIOs. The Clockwork GameShell has a 2.7-inch RGB 60fps LCD Screen, 2 Channel Stereo Speaker and a 3.7v 1200mAh battery. Now, these specs were on the retail GameShell and not the Kickstarter version. The handheld is operated by the ClockworkPi OS which is a modified version on Linux 4.1x and uses RetroArch for emulation.
Emulation?
In my personal experience, the GameShell does really good at Emulating retro consoles with some little quirks here and there. Unlike other retro handheld or consoles, the GameShell can install different emulators from RetroArch that might perform better emulated different consoles. The GameShell is also open source and there is a large community working on different features or modifications to make the console perform better. The GameShell emulates all consoles from Gameboy all the way up to original PlayStation, and even your older consoles such as Atari. One of the major reasons I got hooked was the capability to play Dos Games such as Doom and Quake. There is also a large indie game community porting their games to the GameShell and that is really cool.
Sound
For the most part, the sound quality on the GameShell seems pretty good depending on what your playing and how loud you have the volume up. The speakers seem to be good quality despite there size but at times the sound does get crackly. However, I think the audio quality depends on the emulator you are using at the time more so then the GameShell’s speakers!
Final Thoughts
Well, this is kind of more than a mini-review but overall I have always been happy with the GameShell and I have had plenty of fun with it. The console is well built, a blast to put together and even though it has a learning curve it was a rewarding learning experience. The GameShell emulates retro consoles really well and has a large community backing to keep new indie games being ported to the handheld. Personally, I think there might be some people turned off of the GameShell because it isn’t just a drag and drop system. Overall if your looking for a good handheld to play your favorite retro games the GameShell is a really good option if you can find it!
“To see the GameShell in action check it out on the We Deem Channel”
Check out the GameShell: http://bit.ly/2QsIxlx
KickStart GameShell for Sale: http://bit.ly/340FIfO
Pickup the GameShell on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2rCn7bC