The Playdate is a handheld games console that provides pure fun. It's pocket-sized, bright yellow, and has a crank on the side to control games. Plenty of games have been developed exclusively for the Playdate, with its high-contrast screen and unique form factor.
Have you been eyeing up the Playdate and wondering whether to buy it? We're going to tell you everything you need to know about this exciting handheld—who makes it, what games it offers, what the technical specifications are, and more.
What Is the Playdate?
The Playdate is a portable games console that fits in the palm of your hand. It's unlike any other console on the market and it has lots of interesting and exclusive games. It was announced in May 2019 and began shipping in April 2022.
Consider it a complementary device to the likes of the Nintendo Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X. It's not designed to compete with those, nor high-end handhelds like Valve's excellent Steam Deck. If you're old enough to remember the Game & Watch, the Playdate is akin to something like that.
The Playdate has a charming design. The device itself is bright yellow, while the screen is black and white and very reflective. When the console is in standby, the screen turns into a clock. On the front you'll find a directional-pad and a couple of buttons.
But best of all? On the side of the Playdate is an actual, physical crank. The crank doesn't charge the console. Instead, it flips out and acts as a control method for some games.
For example, in one game called Crankin's Time Travel Adventure, you use the crank to move the lead character back and forwards in time. Not all games use the crank, but it certainly adds something different to those that do.
Who Makes the Playdate?
The Playdate is made by Panic, a software company based in Portland, Oregon. It was founded in 1999 and for a long time was primarily known for macOS software like Audion, Transmit, and Nova.
More recently, Panic has published video games, including the highly regarded Firewatch and Untitled Goose Game.
For Panic, the Playdate is the next step: production of a physical games console. The company designed it in collaboration with Teenage Engineering, a Swedish electronics manufacturer.
What Games Does the Playdate Offer?
Every Playdate comes with 24 free games, which are delivered to the system two at a time every week from when you set up the console (though you can jump ahead and get them all at once if you're impatient).
Veteran developers created these games specifically for the Playdate. Titles include Casual Birder, Pick Pack Pup, Lost Your Marbles, Sasquatchers, and Whitewater Wipeout.
Once you've exhausted those, turn to the Playdate Catalog for more excitement. It's a curated collection of games and utilities (no low-effort, asset-flipped content here). A few things are free, but most are reasonably priced from around $5 to $15. The Catalog grows every month, so you'll never run out of new Playdate experiences.
Can You Develop Games for the Playdate?
If you develop games, or want to start doing so, Panic makes it easy to develop for the Playdate thanks to its free software development kit (SDK). It's available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It includes everything you need, including Lua and C APIs, a simulator for local development, and documentation.
If that's too complicated for you, Panic also offers a web-based game editor called Pulp, which it calls "a friendly tool for making tiny but visually and narratively rich games for Playdate".
That's not all! There's also Caps (an online bitmap font editor), Playdate Mirror (a desktop app that mirrors a connected Playdate's screen), a developer forum, and more. It's all accessible on the Develop for Playdate site.
What Are the Playdate's Technical Specifications?
These are the technical specifications of the Playdate:
- Battery: 14 days standby clock, 8 hours active
- CPU: 168Mhz Cortex M7
- Display: 400 x 240 1-bit high-contrast black and white
- Size: 76 x 74 x 9mm
- Storage: 16MB RAM, 8KB L1 cache, 4GB flash
- Sound: Built-in mono speaker, stereo headphone jack, condenser microphone and TRRS microphone in
- Wireless: 802.11bgn 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
In terms of buttons and controls, on the front of the console there's a directional-pad, A and B buttons, and a menu button. The lock button is on the top. Of course, there's also the crank on the side, which pulls out when you need it. The Playdate also has a three-axis accelerometer.
Where Can You Buy the Playdate?
If you want to buy the Playdate, you must order directly through the Playdate Shop.
The console costs $199 (it was $179 at launch), plus taxes and shipping. The Playdate only ships to certain countries, so check the store to see if it's available for you.
In the box you get the Playdate itself, a small user guide, and a yellow USB-C to A cable to charge the console.
You can also buy a magnetic, folding purple cover for $29. Get this with the console and you save $9.
In the future, you'll be able to buy a Playdate Stereo Dock. This not only holds and charges your Playdate, but it also acts as a Bluetooth speaker and pen holder… and it even comes with a pen! That basically sums up the wackiness of the Playdate.
Currently, Panic is still fulfilling its backlog of Playdate orders, which means yours won't get shipped immediately—you might be waiting months. Instead, your order secures your place in line. So, if you're keen to get your hands on one sooner rather than later, don't delay purchasing.
There Are Plenty of Reasons to Love the Playdate
If you're looking for a fun piece of kit that offers something unique, consider buying a Playdate. It might not revolutionize gaming, but it's bound to bring you joy.
Whether it's the charming look of the console itself, the inventive games, or the bizarre crank, there are plenty of reasons to love the Playdate.