If you are a 90s kid, then you don’t need an introduction to this product. But to give it a few cents, it’s not only a handheld game console, but it’s also a time machine! We’ve been using it for a month, and this ToyTonic Retro Handheld Gaming Console Review is all you need.
Even if you are not into gaming yourself, but have kids glued to an iPhone or an iPad? ToyTonic could be a gift this holiday season to break the addiction.
This exact model is known as the G7 Game Player. That features 666 retro games on your hands without the need for WI-FI connectivity or mobile data to play games. Just turn on and you are in!
To begin with, this is a time machine that will take you to the 90s or early 2000s, where you spent hours and hours playing Super Mario, Contra, Adventure Island, and so much more!
So in this ToyTonic 666 in 1 review, you will get to know the pros and cons, features, build quality, looks, display quality, button controls, and other recommendations based on usage.
With that said, welcome to PadhkeDekho, and let’s begin the ToyTonic wireless gaming console review!
Pros and Cons
PROS
- Good built quality
- Lightweight and compact
- Most of the childhood games are present
- Good battery backup
- Buttons & D-pad are of good quality
- AV cable is supplied to pair with a TV
CONS
- No Storage to Save High Score
- On each reload, the volume resets to max
ToyTonic Retro Handheld Gaming Console Built Quality (4/5)
In one word, good for the price. The moment you take this baby out, it’s lightweight and handy, with a big display. The overall construction is plastic, which is to be expected. However, the frame is robust, feeling like a good-quality gaming handheld on a budget.
The buttons are quite good too. They have that textile feel. I have been playing for more than a month, and the buttons are good. Not bad at all!
On the left is the volume slider, which is slightly harder to press, so you would need to put a little hard press.
The screen quality is also good. Even though it’s not a touch screen, you can tap, and it doesn’t feel cheap.
In terms of build quality, it’s a well-built handheld and better compared to the generic ones available in the 599 or 699 price range.
Looks (5/5)
The ToyTonic Retro Gaming handheld comes in three colours; however, the choice is based on availability. I was hoping to receive the grey with blue combination, and thankfully got one! Let’s talk about the looks.
On the front, you have a 3.5-inch screen with a slightly smaller frame compared to the 444-in-1 model. The buttons have a light blue color with proper markings of left, right, top, bottom, START, Reload, SELECT, Y, X, A, and B.
Also, on the front, you will see a big speaker grill, which is very loud. There’s also a texture on the front and back of the Game Boy. On the bottom, you have the micro USB charging port, input or GL port, and the top holds the on-off switch.
To sum up, it’s a premium-looking handheld for a price of 1000 Rs, making it a perfect option.
ToyTonic Retro Handheld Gaming Console Screen/Display (4.5/5)
The only reason for ditching the 444 in 1 was the tiny display. We bought and didn’t enjoy it much. It’s more generic, and finding the good one is very hard. We picked ToyTonic G7 because of the bigger and wider 3.5-inch display.
The display has a slightly higher contrast, but the overall experience is good. I did try playing indoors, outdoors, under direct sunlight, even in the darkest of night, and the display is good.
The viewing angles are also nice. My niece and I share the screen while playing Super Mario, and it’s good. The only con here is the lack of brightness adjustments. Full brightness can be a little problematic at night, ig you like low brightness.
Don’t get me wrong, the brightness is very good and stays consistent throughout. To sum up, the display/screen gets a 4.5/5.
Features (4/5)
ToyTonic 666 features a 3.5-inch display, a rechargeable battery, a TV display port, and a charging cable. The features are very generic, as you can expect from a budget gaming handheld.
The G7 model comes with 666 retro games, including Super Mario, Contra, Snow Bros, F1 Race, Dr. Mario, Ninja Turtle 1, Turtle Fighter, Contra Force, Robocop, Road Fighter, Spider Man, Adventure Island, Aladdin 3, and so many more. You will certainly feel the nostalgia, and a few tears will come.
The sound of the gaming console attracts a lot, and your kid will certainly leave the phone. Since it’s an offline device, there is no unwanted attention distractions, or ads. The kid will play around or press the buttons while listening to the sound effects!
Do you wish to watch the game on a TV? You can do that with the supplied cable in the box! Mind you, there’s no remote with this. The handheld becomes the remote, and the display turns off.
At 180 grams, it is quite lightweight, and you will be able to play games for hours. It was the immediate thing I noticed. I have spent about 40 minutes on a go.
For the price, we are getting quite a money’s worth. So, for features, we would give it 4/5.
ToyTonic Retro Handheld Gaming Console User Experience (4/5)
After using it for a month, there are a lot of things to talk about. Let’s start with the positives.
The UI is good, quick, and lag-free. The games start instantly, and you are in action. Via the volume rockers, you can control the volume. By default, it is 100%, which is a little too much.
You will eventually lower it down. The screen’s refresh rate is decent, and the overall viewing experience is good.
The controls, including the D-pad, are of good quality. The buttons have a nice tactile feel, and you will get used to them in a few days and continue playing as a pro like you did in your childhood.
The handheld has 3 languages: Espanol/Spanish, Chinese, and English. You will need to choose one (always) whenever you reload the game.
Let’s talk about some cons!
The handheld doesn’t remember your preferred audio setting on restart; it enters the default volume, which is loud and can be a problem if you play at night.
Second, I would have loved to see a brightness control as well as a 3.5mm jack for a more personal experience. Why? Because both the screen and volume are quite bright & loud.
There is no memory either, hence it will save the high scores until you restart to play another game.
So with a month’s use, I do not mind having a fun evening with this! There are no major negatives or issues that I have gone through. Hopefully, it will stay like this.
To sum up the user experience, it’s a good one and I can confidently recommend it for the said price of 1000 Rs or lower.
Battery Backup & Charging (4.5/5)
One thing not mentioned in this product listing is the battery capacity, although long hours of playtime is mentioned. This doesn’t add up without giving battery backup figures.
So, how would you know that it needs charging?
First, there is no battery indicator, and no warning notification for a low battery. It will simply start to behave weirdly, like the display will flicker, and also delay in turning on the handheld. In short, if something is not working normally, then just put it to charge and it will be normal.
Since I have been using it for over a month now and I have some good news to share.
The battery backup is very strong. You can use this for more than 3 hours on a single use. If you are a person who would call it a day after 30-odd minutes of playing, you would need to charge it twice in a whole month!
Note: For charging, avoid using high-capacity chargers, as they can damage this tiny machine. The instruction manual states 5 watts, 2 amps charging means find the old chargers you might have with a micro USB slot.
The charging time can vary based on the input provided. Since I have an exact 5-watt 2 amp charger, it takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes to charge. Keep an eye on the LED; if it’s red “glowing,” let it charge as your charger is slow.
Should You Buy ToyTonic 666-in-1?
Over the last few months, I was looking for budget handheld devices and tested some generic ones, including the “444-in-1” and many more. And this was certainly the best choice. When I bought it, there were hardly any ratings for this device.
And now it’s the #1 bestseller in the handheld gaming section of Amazon. This certainly means it’s a good product that has quite a few returns.
So to sum up, it’s a budget-centric retro games handheld that can help you relive the old memories of the late 90s and early 20’s, where gaming was more about fun than graphics.
Wrapping up!
This is a ToyTonic Retro Handheld Gaming Console Review after 1 month of use. If you have any questions or queries, DM us directly on Instagram or any of the given social accounts below. We would love to help you!
I am mostly online on Instagram with the username padhkedekho. Drop a dm and I will help you with your tech queries.