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A pocket game console

Play games. Make games.

Berglet is a handheld game console you can make your own games for. Make your first one in an evening, right from your browser. Then send it to a friend's console across the room.

  1. 1Play.
  2. 2Make.
  3. 3Learn.
  4. 4Go deeper.
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Drag to turn it · click, then play with the arrow keys

1 Play

Turn it on. Pick a game. Play.

No account, no store, no waiting for updates. Your games live on a memory card. Put it down mid-level and it picks up right where you left off.

Play games made for Berglet, including the ones you and your friends make. It also plays your own game files for a long list of classic systems and fantasy consoles.

  • games made for Berglet
  • classic home consoles
  • classic handhelds
  • PICO-8 carts
  • TIC-80
  • WASM-4
  • Arduboy
  • Doom WADs
  • CHIP-8

Games for other systems are not included. Bring your own game files, or make your own game. Everything it plays.

2 Make

Your first game, in an evening.

Nothing to install, no cables, no setup. Berglet hands your browser an editor over Wi-Fi. Type a line, press save, and the game in your hand changes while you play it.

  1. Choose “Edit on a computer”.

    Berglet shows a QR code.

  2. Scan it.

    The editor opens in your browser: laptop, tablet or Chromebook.

  3. Type, save, keep playing.

    Your change lands in the running game. No restart.

a whole first game
-- The first game: a ship that moves when you hold left or right.
ship = sprite(images.ship)
ship.x = 140
ship.y = 200

function update()                 -- 60 times a second
  if held(buttons.left) then ship.x = ship.x -  end
  if held(buttons.right) then ship.x = ship.x +  end
  if pressed(buttons.a) then play(sounds.laser) end

  clear(colors.)              -- then the picture
  ship:draw()
end
# The first game: a ship that moves when you hold left or right.
ship = sprite(images.ship)
ship.x = 140
ship.y = 200


def update():                     # 60 times a second
    if held(buttons.left):
        ship.x -= 2
    if held(buttons.right):
        ship.x += 2
    if pressed(buttons.a):
        play(sounds.laser)

    clear(colors.navy)            # then the picture
    ship.draw()
The starter game that comes with Berglet, as it is. Change a yellow value and watch the console on this page.
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3 Learn

Programming you can hold.

A variable is where the ship is. A condition is whether you caught the star. A function is what happens sixty times a second. Your first lesson ends with a game in your hand that wasn't there an hour ago.

Your first game
Nine small steps to a game where a ship collects stars. Each step shows the whole file and explains the new lines.
Friendly mistakes
“There is no picture called shipp. Did you mean images.ship?” Errors are written for the person who made them.
“How do I…”
38 short recipes: jump, keep score, a camera that follows, two players. Ordinary code you can read and change.
Show it off
Send your game to a friend's console nearby, and play it together.

4 Go deeper

Curious? It goes all the way down.

You never have to look under the hood. You're always allowed to.

  • Write in C or WebAssembly when you want every last bit of speed.
  • Games from other machines are translated as they play, so classic handheld games run at full speed on a chip that was never meant to run them.
  • Every kind of game it plays is a file on the card. Add one and a new shelf appears in your library.
  • Signed updates, so your console only runs system software from people you trust.

+ What you get

Small console. Lots to do.

  • A real game console

    A bright colour screen, a D-pad, four face buttons, two shoulder buttons and a speaker. Small enough for a pocket or a keyring.

  • Your library, your way

    Games live on a microSD card, with covers, favourites and play time. Plug it into a computer and drag games into one folder.

  • Pick up where you left off

    Save any time from the quick menu. Quit a game and it waits for you, at the very same moment.

  • An editor in your browser

    Berglet Studio opens on any laptop, tablet or Chromebook on your Wi-Fi. Drag in your own pictures and sounds.

  • Share with friends nearby

    Send a game to the console next to you, or play together over a direct link. No router needed.

  • Updates you can trust

    Signed system updates over Wi-Fi or from the card. If one is interrupted, your console keeps the version that worked.

? Questions

Short answers.

What is Berglet?

A handheld game console that fits in your palm, with a colour screen, a D-pad and real clicky buttons. You can play on it, and you can make your own games for it from any browser.

What can I play on it?

Games made for Berglet, the games you and your friends make, and your own game files for many classic consoles, handhelds and fantasy consoles. Games for other systems are not included. Everything it plays.

Do I need to know how to program?

No. You can just play. If you want to make a game, the editor has a step-by-step first game that ends with a ship collecting stars on the console in your hand. How learning works.

Which programming languages can I use?

Lua and Python, with the same simple commands in both. Experienced programmers can also write games in C or anything that compiles to WebAssembly. More about making.

Do I need to install anything?

No. The console serves its own editor over your Wi-Fi. Scan the code on its screen and the editor opens in your browser.

Can I share my games?

Yes. Send a game straight to a console nearby, or share the game file however you like.

How much is it, and when can I get one?

Price and availability haven't been announced yet. Join the list to hear first.

Want one?

Price and availability are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first.