Arduboy FX-C: Pocket-Sized Retro Gaming Gets an Upgrade

Hey tech fans! If you're anything like me, you probably have a soft spot for retro gaming. And when it comes to ultra-portable gaming, the Arduboy has always been a quirky contender. Now, the Arduboy FX-C is here, and it looks like the best iteration of this credit card-sized console yet. It manages to pack in the best features from its predecessors along with some sweet upgrades, all within a form factor that’s unbelievably thin.

For those new to the Arduboy, it all started back in 2014 as a viral project by Kevin Bates – essentially a business card that could play Tetris. This sparked the creation of a commercial device a year later, serving as a tiny, open-source gaming console and a learning tool for aspiring coders. Fast forward to today, and the FX-C is the latest in a line of minor updates, but it feels like a significant leap.

Visually, the FX-C is nearly identical to the original, maintaining that incredibly slim profile. You've got six buttons, with four serving as your directional control. Given its 5mm thickness, the button travel is minimal, but they offer a satisfyingly tactile click. The sound comes from a high-pitched piezoelectric speaker that’s surprisingly loud, and the 1.3-inch, 1-bit OLED screen is bright enough for outdoor play, though it’s monochromatic, relying on clever dithering for any semblance of shading.

Under the hood, it's still running on the ATmega32u4 processor with 2.5KB of RAM. While this might seem primitive compared to modern handhelds, this limitation has spurred incredible creativity from game developers. The result? A library brimming with experimental and unique titles, which is a huge part of the Arduboy's charm. One major upgrade for the FX-C is its storage. It inherits an enhanced flash chip that now holds over 300 pre-installed games, a significant jump from earlier models, and it finally ditches microUSB for the much-welcomed USB-C.

While it would be nice to have a color screen or dedicated volume buttons, the FX-C focuses on the essentials. It’s about delivering a core gaming experience without unnecessary frills. The power switch, a small slider on the top, can be a bit fiddly, but once you boot up, you're greeted with a straightforward menu system that neatly categorizes the vast game library. All these games are free, developed by the Arduboy community, so you'll find plenty of clever clones and original titles that offer quick, pick-up-and-play fun.

One feature that's still in development is multiplayer over USB. While some users have managed to get it working using specific (and pricier) USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt cables, it wasn't functional in my testing. Bates assures it's coming, but if multiplayer is your main draw, you might want to wait a bit longer.

Despite that, the Arduboy FX-C is a solid upgrade. The upgraded storage and USB-C are welcome additions, but the real star is the enormous, free game library cultivated by a passionate community over the past decade. If you’re looking for a unique, pocketable retro gaming device with endless replayability, the Arduboy FX-C is definitely worth checking out.