TinyCircuits has taken the Nintendo Game Boy Advance and shrunk it down to an impressively small size with their new device, the Thumby Color. This GBA clone measures just two inches but still manages to include a directional pad, shoulder buttons, a rumble motor, and a 16-bit color screen. It also supports multiplayer gaming by linking two devices via a USB-C cable.

However, unlike other GBA clones from companies like Anbernic, the Thumby Color is not an emulator. It lacks the processing power and storage capacity to run classic GBA games, sporting only a 150MHz Raspberry Pi RP2350 processor and 16MB of storage. The 0.85-inch LCD screen has a resolution of 128 x 128 pixels, making it less than ideal for retro gaming.

Instead, games for the Thumby Color are coded in MicroPython. The device comes preloaded with six open-source titles, including a first-person shooter called Monstra and a dungeon crawler named Thumbgeon 2. It also features all the monochrome games from the original Thumby, TinyCircuits' earlier tiny Game Boy clone from 2021.

The Thumby Color isn't designed for long gaming sessions, but it’s small enough to bring anywhere without drawing attention, unlike larger handhelds like the Steam Deck. It also provides an opportunity to learn programming, with free tutorials and guides available on TinyCircuits' website.

Available in various colors, including transparent options, the Thumby Color is currently offered through a Kickstarter campaign. The base price is $49 for the purple version, with shipping expected in November. Clear or transparent purple models are priced at $55, and a Kickstarter-exclusive black version is available for $75.

While TinyCircuits has a track record of successfully delivering Kickstarter products, there’s always a risk with crowdfunded items that they may not meet expectations or face delays.