The Arduboy FX-C is an excellent time killer you might forget you’re carrying | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyNotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.NotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersArchivesStoreVerge Product UpdatesSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.The Arduboy FX-C is an excellent time killer you might forget you’re carryingNotificationsNotificationsComments DrawerNotificationsCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...TechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechGadgetsCloseGadgetsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GadgetsGamingCloseGamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GamingThe Arduboy FX-C is an excellent time killer you might forget you’re carryingThe latest version of the Arduboy comes with over 300 games in a handheld still small enough to hide in your wallet.The latest version of the Arduboy comes with over 300 games in a handheld still small enough to hide in your wallet.by Andrew LiszewskiCloseAndrew LiszewskiSenior Reporter, NewsPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew LiszewskiMay 30, 2026, 2:00 PM UTCLinkShareIf you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.The Arduboy FX-C squeezes a lot of entertainment into a thin, credit card-sized handheld.Andrew LiszewskiCloseAndrew LiszewskiPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew Liszewski is a senior reporter who’s been covering and reviewing the latest gadgets and tech since 2006, but has loved all things electronic since he was a kid.As handheld consoles continue to grow and push the limits of what you can actually hold in your hands, the Arduboy FX-C comes in a refreshingly pocketable package. It manages to squeeze the best features of past models and some welcome upgrades into a handheld that’s still no larger or thicker than a few credit cards. It’s the best version of the Arduboy so far, particularly for gamers who want to jump into the handheld’s ever-expanding library of games and apps right out of the box, but one of its most compelling upgrades isn’t quite ready for primetime.The original Arduboy was a Tetris-playing business card created by Kevin Bates to show off his electronics skills. It went viral in 2014 prompting Bates to turn the idea into a commercial device a year later that was both a tiny open-source gaming device and a tool that could help would-be developers learn to code.Arduboy FX-C$79$79$79 at Amazon$79 at ArduboyAfter over a decade of minor iterations, the Arduboy FX-C looks very much like the original. The controls are limited to six buttons, four of which function as a D-pad. They have a minimal amount of travel given the device is just 5mm thin, but a satisfying amount of click when pressed. The piezoelectric speaker is high pitched but more than loud enough, and its 1.3-inch, 1-bit OLED screen is bright enough to be playable outdoors.The Arduboy FX-C (right) has a design that’s nearly identical to the original Arduboy (left) but with some added chips to accommodate hundreds of pre-installed games.While the 37-year-old original Game Boy could display four shades of greenish-gray, the Arduboy FX-C’s screen is monochromatic and limited to only white pixels. Developers have to rely on visual tricks like dithering or flickering to create grayscale graphics. Equally limiting is the FX-C’s ATmega32u4 processor that’s paired with just 2.5KB of RAM. Compared to other black-and-white handhelds like the Playdate, the Arduboy FX-C feels primitive but its limitations have forced game developers to get creative and experimental, which is a big part of this platform’s appeal.The original Arduboy features a microUSB port on the bottom, while the FX-C finally gets an upgrade to USB-C without adding any thickness.My biggest frustration with the original Arduboy was its minimal storage that had me regularly connecting the device to my laptop when I wanted to play a different game. In 2020, Bates introduced the Arduboy FX with an extra flash chip on board that could hold 250 games. The FX-C inherits that chip, but a slightly larger version, bumping its included library of games to over 300, while also upgrading the device from microUSB to USB-C.It’d be nice if the FX-C had a color screen, a proper D-pad, dedicated volume buttons, an improved sound chip, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and even a microSD card slot, but none of those upgrades really feel necessary. It’s a handheld that feels pared down to the absolute bare necessities for gaming, but it works.One feature that could use an upgrade is the Arduboy FX-C’s sliding power switch. It’s small and embedded on the top of the handheld, which sometimes makes it difficult to reach.A tiny switch on the top edge of the FX-C powers up the handheld but it can occasionally be a challenge if, like me, your fingernails are short. After a near instant boot up, you’re presented with a simple homescreen and menu system. The bundled games are sorted into several categories including Action, Adventure, Arcade, Runner, Puzzle, and Racing you cycle through by scrolling left and right. Games in each category are instead scrolled vertically by pressing up or down. It’s simple and easy to navigate, however I would like to see one additional category that lists all the games alphabetically.Although not a gaming powerhouse, developers have found clever ways to push the Arduboy FX-C’s capabilities and bring even FPS games to the handheld.You won’t find too many games you recognize in the FX-C’s bundled library, but there are plenty of excellent clones of well-known titles.All of the games that have been developed for the Arduboy are distributed for free, so you’re not going to find any classic 8-bit games you recognize like Super Mario Bros. or Castlevania that Nintendo is still making available on platforms like its Switch. But there are plenty of excellent doppelgängers that are similar enough to scratch a nostalgic itch while also being unique enough to keep lawyers at bay. Surprisingly, despite the FX-C’s limited processing power, there are far more than just side-scrollers and falling block puzzle games included. You’ll also find first-person shooters, dungeon crawlers, and racing games with excellent frame rates.The FX-C’s controls are basic with very little travel given how thin the handheld is, but they have a good tactile response with a very noticeable click when pressed.There’s a lot of fun to be had, but don’t expect games that will take you weeks to finish. The Arduboy FX-C is better suited for quick pick-up-and-play sessions when you’ve got a few minutes to kill.Unfortunately, the feature that convinced me to buy a pair of FX-Cs isn’t quite ready. I haven’t been able to get multiplayer over USB to work, although some users on the Arduboy community forums have been successful. Bates says the feature is still in development. Arduboy multiplayer cleverly takes advantage of the extra conductors on modern USB cables to pass game data back and forth, as Bates explains in a forum post, but it requires a more expensive USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt cable to work. After testing several different USB 3.0 cables from Amazon, I’ve had no success. It’s a feature I know can work and I expect hiccups to be sorted out eventually, but if that’s your only reason for grabbing a pair of FX-Cs, I’d hold off for now.The Arduboy FX-C is still a solid upgrade. The original was one of the last devices I had to keep microUSB cables around for, but the huge collection of bundled games sourced from the Arduboy development community is the real reason to snag one. I’ve barely tried 10 percent of them at this point, and while the quality varies, it’s hard to feel disappointed when you’re not actually paying for them. A console is only as good as its library of games, and over the past decade, the Arduboy has managed to cultivate a devoted community developing hundreds. If you go in with an open mind and don’t worry about what it’s missing, you’ll absolutely enjoy this handheld.Photography by Andrew Liszewski / The VergeFollow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Andrew LiszewskiCloseAndrew LiszewskiSenior Reporter, NewsPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew LiszewskiDealsCloseDealsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All DealsGadgetsCloseGadgetsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GadgetsGamingCloseGamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GamingHands-onCloseHands-onPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All Hands-onReviewsCloseReviewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ReviewsTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechVerge ShoppingCloseVerge ShoppingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All Verge ShoppingMost PopularMost PopularHow Ferrari bungled the design of its first EVThis is MSI’s new Claw 8 EX AI Plus gaming handheldNvidia, Microsoft, and Arm are all teasing Nvidia’s new N1X laptop processorsKia’s flagship EV has a battery problemHundreds of prolific Wikipedia editors are threatening to go on strikeVerge ShoppingSign up to get the best deals on products we’ve found and tested sent to your inbox.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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The Arduboy FX-C is positioned as an excellent time killer, successfully condensing a substantial library of games and applications into a handheld device that is small enough to be easily carried. This iteration builds upon the original Arduboy by retaining a pocketable form factor, maintaining dimensions no larger or thicker than several credit cards, while incorporating upgrades to enhance the user experience for gamers. The device still features the basic control scheme of the original, limited to six buttons, four of which function as a D-pad, and maintains a thin profile of 5mm with minimal travel, though the physical feedback upon pressing is noted as satisfactory.

Technically, the FX-C features a 1.3-inch, 1-bit OLED screen, which, while bright enough for outdoor play, is monochromatic, relying on visual techniques like dithering or flickering to simulate grayscale graphics. The underlying hardware is defined by the ATmega32u4 processor paired with only 2.5 kilobytes of RAM, which, compared to other black-and-white handhelds, results in a primitive feel. This limitation, however, has spurred developers to be creative, compelling them to develop experimental graphics and game mechanics that appeal to the platform's unique constraints. A significant hardware upgrade is the transition from a microUSB port to USB-C, achieved without increasing the device's thickness.

The storage capacity represents a key evolutionary step; the FX-C incorporates an expanded flash chip to accommodate over 300 pre-installed games, building upon the original concept. While the device is streamlined, critics note that several desirable features remain absent, such as a full-color screen, a conventional D-pad, dedicated volume buttons, an improved sound chip, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a microSD card slot. Despite these missing components, the device is assessed as meeting the absolute necessities for gaming. Navigation is managed through simple categorization (Action, Adventure, Arcade, Runner, Puzzle, and Racing), with games within each category accessed via vertical scrolling.

The game library is substantial, drawing heavily from a free distribution model among developers, which allows for the inclusion of numerous game genres, including first-person shooters, dungeon crawlers, and racing games, despite the limited processing power. While familiar 8-bit classics are not present, the collection includes excellent clones and doppelgängers that satisfy nostalgic desires. The experience is best suited for quick pick-up-and-play sessions rather than extended play sessions. A point of ongoing development concerns multiplayer functionality over USB, which, while theoretically possible by utilizing conductors in modern USB cables, has not been fully realized or tested by the developer. Ultimately, the enduring appeal of the Arduboy FX-C stems less from its high-end specifications and more from the robust community that has cultivated a large library of content.