This Metal Case Turns a Tiny Android Phone Into a Solid Retro Gaming Handheld
If only we had something like this for iPhones.
Smartphone cases are getting a lot more inspired these days.
Sugar Cubes, a relatively new player in the gaming handheld arena, teased its latest design that isn’t exactly a handheld. Instead, it’s a metal case that transforms the tiny Unihertz Jelly Star smartphone (a very, very small Android phone) into a dedicated gaming handheld. You just slide the mini smartphone into the Jelly case, either vertically or horizontally, and now you have something that looks a lot more like it’s meant for retro gaming.
Sugar Cubes could offer the Jelly case in several colorful options.
Of course, this is a unique product that’s only compatible with a very niche smartphone, but the design definitely captures the attention.
Time For Another Playthrough
According to RetroDodo, Sugar Cubes is working on two models, one that you vertically slide the Jelly Star smartphone into, and one that works horizontally. Either way, the metal case provides you with a D-pad, joystick, and your typical gaming handheld buttons and triggers.
Inside the case, you’re running a Jelly Star smartphone that we already know the specs of. The “world’s smallest Android 13 smartphone,” as it’s been dubbed, has a three-inch display with an 854 x 480 resolution. It may be tiny, but it still has decent specs thanks to its MediaTek Helio G99 processor, 8GB of memory, 256GB of storage, and a 2,000 mAh battery. That means you should be able to emulate older games from Game Boy, Nintendo 64, PlayStation, and Dreamcast, but could run into trouble with PS2 or GameCube titles. Thanks to the smartphone’s OS, it should be able to run any compatible Android games, too.
You can’t even tell there’s a smartphone inside with the metal Jelly case.
Perfect for Jelly Star Owners
Sugar Cubes hasn’t mentioned anything about the Jelly case’s price or release details, but RetroDodo says the company is planning several releases this year. At the very least, you’ll have to buy the prerequisite Jelly Star smartphone which starts at around $210.
Considering this metal case is more of an accessory than a piece of hardware, we’re not expecting a high price tag from Sugar Cubes. If you don’t already own the Jelly Star smartphone, there are plenty of other options in the tiny handheld form factor, including the Miyoo Mini Plus or the Anbernic RG35XX Plus. Even Sugar Cubes is making its own Game Boy-esque handheld that comes with a rotating screen.
