PS2 Has Been Shrunken Down To Nintendo Switch-Style Handheld

Hardware enthusiast GingerOfMods has constructed a Nintendo Switch-like portable rendition of the classic PlayStation 2 console. While the defunct PlayStation Vita may be the official Sony portable with power on par with the PS2, the company’s support for retro games on its newer systems is scattershot. The PS Vita could theoretically run almost any game released for the classic system, but only a handful saw release on the Vita’s official digital storefront. As is often the case for consoles of all types, hobbyists and tinkerers can use their skills to create impressive portable renditions of bygone consoles.

Playing games on the go has always been popular, but smartphones somewhat took the wind out of the sails of dedicated gaming hardware in the last decade. Now, thanks to Nintendo’s success with the Switch and the ability to play full console releases anywhere, handheld consoles are once again back in style. Publishers of all sizes seem eager to port their games to Nintendo’s hybrid system, and Valve’s upcoming Steam Deck could further reestablish the handheld space as an important part of the gaming landscape.

While GingerOfMods’ PS2 Eclipse isn’t heading to store shelves like other popular handhelds, the big response to his project shows how receptive the public is to devices like these. In a video detailing the design and construction of the device, GingerOfMods showcases Grand Theft Auto, Kingdom Hearts, and more of the PlayStation 2’s most iconic games running smoothly on the system. The games don’t utilize any sort of emulation, with the device instead utilizing a cut-down motherboard taken from an actual PlayStation 2.

The PS2 Eclipse is one of several portable devices GingerOfMods has completed over the past few years, with others including a Game Boy-styled Wii device and a miniature Wii. While the creator has offered these devices for sale in the past, GingerOfMods states in the video that they will only consider sell these unique handheld consoles on special occasions. While the official website does list a price of $1 million dollars for the Eclipse, it seems unlikely that the creator expects anyone to take them up on that extremely high offer.

Even if gamers everywhere can’t get their hands on a portable PlayStation 2, the fact that a hobbyist was able to create such a system shows just how far technology has evolved since the actual console’s heyday. It’s been just over 20 years since Sony’s second console hit store shelves, and it’s gone from an expensive living room device to something that can be duplicated as a functional handheld. It’s no small effort by any stretch, but it also goes to show how much potential the Switch and Steam Deck form factor has for any kind of player.

Source: GingerOfMods/YouTube

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