Hyperkin is giving one of the grandaddies of the retro handheld market, the SupaBoy, another lease on life, introducing two new versions of its portable Super Nintendo-compatible console. More importantly, 14 years after its initial North-American release the new models will mark the first official release of the SupaBoy in Europe.
Rather than relying on downloaded ROMs or a built-in game library, the SupaBoy takes the old-fashioned approach: stick an actual cartridge in the back and play. The handheld is compatible with original Super Nintendo and Super Famicom cartridges, allowing existing collections to be played on the go.
Two new designs will be available, named Crimson and Prime. Crimson uses the familiar grey and coloured-button styling associated with the European SNES and Japanese Super Famicom, while Prime puts the hardware inside a transparent white shell. Hyperkin says additional colour variants are planned on a yearly basis.
A portable SNES that still takes cartridges
The SupaBoy itself isn’t exactly new. Hyperkin first introduced the handheld back in 2012 and has revised the concept several times since. Its defining feature has remained the same throughout: this is effectively a portable SNES clone built around original cartridges rather than a handheld emulation library.
The latest SupaBoy models feature a 4:3 IPS display and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery rated for up to ten hours of play. The handheld can also double as a home console. Two original-style SNES controller ports are located on the front, while AV output allows the SupaBoy to be connected to a television.
That combination makes it an interesting alternative to the huge number of emulation handhelds currently available. You still need the original game, but you also get to use the cartridge you already own rather than keeping your collection on the shelf while playing a digital copy somewhere else.
Hyperkin product developer Nathan Perez says retaining physical media is very much the point, with the company positioning the SupaBoy towards players who want to maintain ownership of their games without depending on downloads, online services or Wi-Fi.
Finally coming to Europe
Perhaps the most interesting part of the announcement is distribution. Despite the SupaBoy having been around for well over a decade, the new Crimson and Prime versions will be the first to receive an official release in the UK and Europe.
Both models are scheduled to arrive in fall 2026, priced at $129.99 / £119.99 / €129.99.
So, if you still have a stack of SNES or Super Famicom cartridges lying around and always thought they could do with a considerably smaller console attached to them, Hyperkin will finally be offering Europeans an official way to take them on the road.
