Zuru Max Retro Collection - Retro Gameboy Console Review

 Ever since I first came across the Lego Game Boy set, I became somewhat obsessed with finding a worthy alternative to scratch that nostalgic itch. Since I grew up with the Game Boy Color, I wasn’t exactly eager to spend 80 bucks on a brick-built replica of the original Game Boy. Eventually, though, I stumbled upon something that perfectly matched what I was looking for.

Enter Zuru Max Retro, a premium Western blind-box brick model line featuring semi-premium builds based on classic electronic gadgets from the ’80s and ’90s. One of the models in the lineup happens to be a retro handheld console clearly inspired by the Game Boy.

For its price point, this Zuru retro game console exceeded my expectations, and without a doubt, it’s the best entry among the Zuru Retro variants I’ve seen so far. The model includes a detachable game cartridge, essentially a parody of Tetris. While the gimmicks aren’t nearly as elaborate as the Lego Game Boy, they’re still surprisingly solid considering the lower cost.

Interestingly, the design of this Zuru handheld actually resembles the Ambernic RG35XX series more closely than the classic Game Boy itself. It’s also roughly comparable in size to the R36S, another popular budget handheld emulator with a Game Boy-inspired design. Since this brick model ended up surpassing my expectations, I honestly wouldn’t mind picking up another set from the Zuru Retro line, especially the retro arcade machine, which already caught my attention.