



Until now, there have been very few handheld platforms for independent developers to play around with. Between the approval processes and purchasing of dev kits, there are too many barriers for a large segment of programmers that are either unwilling or unable to invest up front to get their games out on Nintendo, Sony, or mobile platforms. Sure, there are homebrew workarounds, but that requires a level of knowledge that deters many out of fear of bricking their hardware, no matter how small the risk of that actually happening is. The PC is a fine place to share your games, but being able to carry around a device with your own creation in your pocket, ready to share at a moment's notice, has undeniable appeal. When someone in the waiting room or subway asks you what you're playing, you can respond with a cool "Oh, this game? Just something I threw together."

The Gamebuino is a handheld based on the open-source Arduino platform which aims to remove the barriers between independent developers and the portable gaming space, and it has buttons! There's no getting around learning to code, but the included C++ libraries make it a much less daunting task than starting from scratch. By default it's a bare-bones kit to give the most people the opportunity to get on board, but it's unique in that it supports any 12C module, making accelerometers, gyroscopes, and wireless communicators a few examples of possible augmentations. It also features a 24-hour battery life and a backlight which adjusts based on lighting conditions, but by far the most impressive feature is the ability to daisy chain up to 128 of the devices together for multiplayer.

Gamebuino is a project based in France and has already been funded four times over on IndieGoGo with 20 days still remaining on the campaign. For 35 euros (~$50) they promise a Gamebuino in your hands for July of this year. Those willing to wait can get one for a cheaper price once the project is officially launched and mass-produced.