At the beginning of 2024, I treated myself to one of the many handheld consoles that have been popping up on the internet lately. These consoles can emulate dozens of systems, and I went with the Miyoo Mini Plus.
I first heard about this console from an internet friend who did a small review of it on a forum we’ve been hanging out on for over 20 years now!
I had never really paid much attention to these new handheld consoles, but as a retrogaming enthusiast, I was immediately drawn to what this little device had to offer. A design that brings back memories of the good old Game Boy, with a high-quality build, a beautiful backlit screen, and the ability to emulate tons of systems from my youth—all for around 50 euros.
I was sold. So, I placed my order, and a few days later, I had the pleasure of receiving a small package containing my new handheld console.
Note that the Miyoo Mini Plus comes with two noname Micro SD cards, which are recommended to be replaced with more reliable ones (and with more storage capacity, if needed). The console has two Micro SD card slots: one for the OS card, and the other for storing ROMs (the video game files).
Setting up the console is pretty straightforward, and there are plenty of tutorials available online (such as this video guide by Retro Game Corps). Basically, you have two options: either you stick with the original OS and the thousands of preloaded games, or you start from scratch by installing one of the alternative OS options and building your own game library. I chose the second option and decided to install Onion, one of the most popular alternative OS, on a brand-new Micro SD card.
After selecting a few dozen games from various systems, and spending about half an hour on installation and configuration, I was finally ready to try out my new console.
I tried several games on different systems, and I found that the Miyoo Mini Plus is simply perfect for reliving the pleasure of playing the original Game Boy. Back then, its games were designed and programmed specifically for small screens. The level of detail and sprite size are therefore perfectly suited to this device, with the added bonus of a high-resolution, backlit screen that makes them look even better.
This observation holds true for other handheld consoles, but it’s clearly the original Game Boy that I spend the most time on and enjoy playing the most.
I played through many Game Boy games, revisiting some timeless classics, but also rediscovering smaller, lesser-known titles, and even uncovering two hidden gems I had never heard of before!
The Timeless Classics
The title says it all: classics among the classics. I have never forgotten those games and I played them a few times since they came out. Except for Gargoyle’s Quest that I finished for the first time on this new console—what a game!
Tetris
Tetris was the first game I ever played on this console—just like almost everyone who owned a Game Boy in the ’90s. It’s the timeless classic among classics. It hasn’t aged a day, and it’s still as fun to play as ever.
Super Mario Land
Super Mario Land is probably the second most-played game on the console. It’s a bit different from the other Mario games we were used to at the time. While it’s relatively easy, it still offers a fun challenge, and it’s quick to finish.
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
My favorite game in the SML series on the Game Boy. Graphically, it was impressive for its time, with much larger and more detailed sprites compared to the first game. The game is vast, with various environments to explore and an awesome soundtrack.
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
The third game in the SML series lets you play as the villain, Wario, the final boss from the previous game. It’s a great game with interesting mechanics. The more I played as Wario, the more likable he became.
Gargoyle’s Quest
Gargoyle’s Quest is an action-adventure platformer with a touch of RPG. I remember being fascinated by the cover art as a kid. Back then, I struggled to get past the first 10 or 15 minutes, since I didn’t speak English and got lost in the menus and top-down sections. But it’s never too late! I finally beat it on the Miyoo Mini Plus. The platforming parts are my favorite, and the music is fantastic.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
Probably my favorite game on the Game Boy. The story, characters, gameplay, graphics, and music—everything is so well crafted. A big adventure where you’re the hero, all fitting right in your pocket. It’s a real pleasure to replay this legendary game on a gorgeous backlit screen.
The Smaller, Lesser-Knowns Titles
These are all games I used to play on a bootleg cartridge called Super 82 in 1, which, as the name suggests, contained 82 games in one cartridge. It was brought back from Asia by a relative in the mid-90s. I hadn’t played these games for almost 30 years, so it’s been fun rediscovering them. They are mostly puzzle games, except for Motocross Maniacs, which is like a more enjoyable and challenging version of the NES Excitebike for the Game Boy. That makes them perfect for quick gaming sessions. My favorite is probably Solomon’s Club, which I find more enjoyable than the NES version.
The Two Gems
These two games were totally unknown to me. They are excellent, each in their genre.
Mole Mania is a cute and addictive puzzle game in which you play as a mole named Muddy. The goal is to move from a room to another, and to do so you have to move a black ball to a gate at the end of the screen on each room. Muddy can push/pull/throw the ball and he can dig to find underground paths to avoid obstacles.
Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru (officially translated as The Frog For Whom the Bell Tolls) is an action RPG developed by Nintendo that never made it outside Japan, though fans have since translated it into several languages. It’s like a prototype of Link’s Awakening, with its own unique mechanics, story, and characters—some of whom even make a cameo in Link’s Awakening! You play as Prince Sable, who can transform into a frog or snake, adding fun puzzle-solving elements to an already charming game.
Seeing all these game boxes, with their fun and colorful illustrations and the bold Game Boy logo on the side... it just feels good and comforting.
Once Again, Playing with Portable Power
The Miyoo Mini Plus has become the perfect companion for my regular train rides and other trips. It has great battery life, and I found that it fits perfectly in an old external hard drive pouch, so I can toss it in my backpack without worrying about damaging it.
If you own such a handheld console and didn’t know about any of the games listed in this post, I strongly recommend giving them a try! And even if you don’t have one, you can still play them on your computer—though it won’t have the same charm as holding a portable console in your hands. For example, on macOS, I’d recommend OpenEmu, a great multi-system emulator with a gorgeous user interface.
If the kid I was in the early ’90s could have imagined that one day he’d be holding a console with such a gorgeous backlit screen capable of displaying so many colors, and filled with all his favorite games, he would have been both amazed and unable to believe it.
Want to know more about the Miyoo Mini Plus? Here is a great video review by Retro Game Corps: Miyoo Mini Plus In-Depth Review
Vous jouez où avec le vôtre ?
As a bonus, here is a famous commercial that was broadcast in France in 1990 for the launch of the Game Boy. It was part of a massive media campaign whose slogan was “Vous jouez où avec le vôtre ?” which can be translated as “Where do you play with yours?”
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