Ayaneo is calling its latest Game Boy-inspired handheld 'the world's first AI gaming handheld'

Ayaneo has taken the wraps off its next retro gaming handheld, with a design that draws heavily from Nintendo's original Game Boy. Called the Kronkr Pocket Block, the handheld feels like yet another Game Boy-inspired device, but this time Ayaneo is leaning into AI so hard that it's calling it the "world's first AI gaming handheld."

Ayaneo debuted the Kronkr Pocket Block during one of its streaming sessions, where CEO Arthur Zhang showed how much smaller it is compared to previous devices like the Pocket Vert and Pocket DMG. The reveal was light on details, with two color options and a design that blends retro aesthetics with a cyber-inspired look.

On the AI front, Ayaneo states that the Kronkr Pocket Block will provide a smarter, more engaging gaming experience while maintaining the feel of portable gaming. Despite Zhang showing off a working unit, the company offered no specifics on what these AI features actually are or what makes it the world's first AI handheld. Since there is no mention of the actual hardware inside the Pocket Block, it's hard to even guess what those AI features might be related to.

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Integrating AI-driven concepts and features, Pocket Block is an all-new vertical Android gaming handheld and a highly personalized portable gaming device designed for self-expression. Carrying forward the spirit of classic vertical handhelds, Pocket Block combines retro aesthetics with cyber-inspired design language, recreating the pure joy of handheld gaming within an exceptionally compact and lightweight form factor.

Setting aside the AI claims, the Kronkr Pocket Block is an attractively designed handheld. The front includes a D-Pad, A-B-X-Y buttons, Start, Select, and a few other controls. The back features four shoulder buttons and triggers, L1, L2, R1, and R2. At the bottom are left and right speakers, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a USB-C port for charging and data transfer. It runs Android out of the box with Ayaneo's custom UI and is expected to include the emulator that debuted on the Pocket Air Mini Arcade Home Limited Edition.

No price has been confirmed yet, but since the Kronkr Pocket Block falls under Ayaneo's budget sub-brand Kronkr, it should come in below the Pocket Vert's $269 starting price.