The Oregon Trail handheld game is a really fun nostalgia gadget
In late February, Target quietly began selling a portable version of The Oregon Trail
for $24.99. Now, I’ve spent $25 on much dumber things than this in my
time. You probably have, too. So I went right out to my local store and
bought the handheld game once it was in stock. (Initially it was only
available in stores, but now you can order on the web.) Target is the exclusive retailer, and it also sells a card game, though can’t imagine that would scratch my nostalgia itch to the same satisfying degree as this miniature Apple II gadget.
Target and Big Fun, the actual manufacturer of this
handheld, definitely get points for presentation. The beige unit is
chunky but light and comfortable to hold. And for something that costs
$24.99, the color screen on here is about all you could ask for. The
protruding floppy disk is the game’s power button, and there’s also a
speaker to its right that barks out eight-bit audio just fine. The rest
of the layout is pretty simple, with buttons for enter, yes / no,
volume, and a wagon key that you’ll use whenever you want to stop to
rest, hunt, trade, or learn about each historical stop along the way.
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