Inventor’s Nephew Unveils GamerCard: A Compact Raspberry Pi Console with 4-Inch IPS Display and Arcade Classics

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I gotta tell you, retro gaming is really having a moment, isn’t it? Seriously, everywhere you turn, there’s another throwback gadget popping up—like mushrooms after the rain. I mean, who knew people would go nuts over gaming devices that look like they fell out of the ’80s? Anyway, here’s the latest oddity: A handheld device from this guy Grant Sinclair. And, get this—it’s the same size as a retail gift card. Kind of wild, right?

So, about Grant Sinclair. For those who need a bit of backstory, he’s the nephew of Sir Clive Sinclair. Remember him? He made that ZX Spectrum computer that basically launched a thousand coders back in the day. It’s kinda funny when you think about it—a nephew still riffing on the old family legacy. Anyway, back to this GamerCard thingy.

Here we have a gaming handheld with a Raspberry Pi jammed inside it. It’s got this 4″ IPS screen which, frankly, looks pretty slick with 254 PPI. Then there are these circular pads—like mini UFOs on the front—that let you mash eight buttons to your heart’s delight. And, boom! It’s pre-loaded with arcade games. Grab-and-go arcade action, folks!

It doesn’t just stop there, though. The software’s got a custom launcher that’s all big icons—games, emulators, your morning coffee (kidding about that last one). You can play PICO-8 titles and even code your heart out with languages like MicroPython and C++. If you’re into that sort of thing, anyway.

Speaking of games, they even ported over a couple of indies like Bloo Kid 2 and AstroBlaze DX—both used to be all exclusive on the Nintendo Switch. Bloo Kid’s like jumping around in pixel-art goodness, and AstroBlaze DX? It’s a space shooter. Can’t go wrong with that.

Now, I gotta mention how thin this thing is—just 6.5 mm and weighs basically nothing at 100 grams. It’s so small it hangs on racks at registers like a gift card (I’m not even making this up). They ditched the usual casing, so you’re literally holding raw circuitry. Thrifty or risky? You decide.

Here’s where it gets interesting: beyond the gaming, it doubles as a mini-PC. That’s right, with its Raspberry Pi Zero 2W guts and all, plus HDMI and USB-C ports. Though, turning it into your main computer setup? Probably gonna cost ya.

The price? £125, which is about $170 in the US. Maybe it’s just me, but when you compare that to other options out there—like the Pocket 4 Pro or some nifty Anbernic gadgets—it feels like you’re paying for the zing factor more than anything else.

But, hey, I’m not trying to rain on anyone’s parade here. If retro’s your jam, and you love quirky tech (or gift cards?), the GamerCard’s got creativity in spades. Is it practical? Maybe not. But, who’s really buying these things for practicality, anyway?