Gaming consoles are on every single guy’s wish list, whether it’s a PS, Xbox, Nintendo or etc. And thankfully for them, the design industry comes up with innovative and super cool gaming consoles…all the time! Some turn out to be complete hits, while some are booed away to glory. Everyone has their own personal opinion when a gaming console is in question, casual debates are a norm, and sometimes these debates can get pretty heated up. However, despite contrasting opinions on them, gaming consoles always capture everyone’s attention. You definitely cannot ignore them! So, we’ve curated a collection of unique and entertaining gaming consoles that we’re sure you’d love to get your hands on!
Inspired by PlayStation’s minimal look, the PSR was designed to keep and enhance the geo silhouettes using a simple circular shape and a stripe line. The disc-like projector unit can be rotated freely and depending on the angle it will form interesting geometric silhouettes – circle, rectangular, and cross. The console has a refined and modern aesthetic complimented by the Dualshock Duo controllers. The pressure-sensitive analog stick adds to the tactile input feeling that makes it different from its predecessors. It features magnetic pads that connect it so it can be charged together using the USB-C speed charge or the Chargestation Pro Dock if you have another set of controllers. The linear ergonomic design makes it look like a blend between a joystick and a traditional controller.
The Flex comes with a few very welcome updates. The bigger screen on a device that’s the same handy size (albeit thinner). The screen’s also mildly curved, giving you a slightly panoramic experience and adding just a tiny couple of more display inches into the same framework. The Flex retains the same keys and controls, but gives them a makeover too, opting for flushed surfaces rather than the original GameBoy’s chunky keys that stood out from the surface. There’s even a contrast slider on the side of the Flex. The Flex’s biggest overhaul, however, is the change in Nintendo’s cartridge system. Flex ditches the large squarish cartridges for something much sleeker and thinner, looking almost like a stylus.
Slated for a debut at CES2020, this is the Odyssey G9, an ultra-wide QLED gaming screen with a 49-inch diagonal and a mind-bending 1000R curvature. Launched under Samsung’s Odyssey tag, the G9 is targeted towards gamers, with a ridiculous 32:9 aspect ratio, 5120×1440 resolution, ultra-fast 240Hz refresh rate, and 1ms response time. While it isn’t really 4K, the G9 is the world’s first Dual Quad High-Definition monitor (basically the equivalent of eight 720p screens arranged in 4*2).
Inspired by the Nintendo tabletop arcade machines of the ’80s, Rubio wanted to bring back the style of some of the older video games. However, he wanted to create a design that would withstand the passage of time and could be easily maintained and repaired. Machine CNC-milled wood was his choice of material. Boasting a strong wooden structure, the console features bright red arcade-style buttons and a traditional joystick that evokes nostalgia! However, the red buttons are neutralized by the matte black and warm wood elements, creating a design that could double up as a decorative piece in your home.
Designed to be at the very center of your life at home, the Project Oris lets you play games, listen to music, and even watch media. You could hook it to a screen, or you could just point it at a blank wall and let its in-built projector broadcast an 8K HDR display. For music and gaming, the display is complemented by the console’s in-built 5 audio drivers that deliver rich bass as well as crisp highs in all directions. The speakers even come with 4 omnidirectional microphones that pick up voice commands, because the console has a voice assistant built right into it. Tied probably to Microsoft’s services, the Project Oris runs Cortana, allowing you to set up gaming match reminders, as well as other functions, like dimming the lights or playing your favorite tracks.
An homage to retro gaming machines and furniture enthusiasts, this coffee table is one of its kind. Swedish designer Love Hulten has created a slim slide-out console with 2-player arcade joysticks & push-button gaming controls. It is inspired by the old-school gaming arcades and includes the big buttons as well as a joystick that is also a knob for the coffee table. The custom-crafted table features a wireless gaming system that connects with your smart TV for modern yet classic home gaming. With a classic American walnut and brass aesthetic, the table’s form will appeal to most and allow it to blend in any interior style.
Sleek, simple, with arcade-style controls, the R-Kaid-R SK-4’s looks may have a vintage appeal but its functionality is deeply rooted within the 21stcentury with its ability to store 10,000 emulated games! Accompanied by its own screen and a built-in speaker, the console closes up like a briefcase, providing us with a ‘playful’ travel-sized sidekick wherever we go! Add your favorite games through a USB, and you can hit the play button anytime anywhere, giving you access to your very own personal game library. A piece of good news for all gaming connoisseurs; you can go on playing for 10 hours straight before the R-Kaid-R SK-4 finally gets exhausted!
Sony’s DualSense controller feels a lot like an evolution of an Xbox controller, rather than a direct progression of its own design heritage, and that isn’t sitting well with Yonghwan Kim, who prefers Sony retain its brand DNA. In fact, he’s even designed his own console and controller combo to show Sony the path forward. Let’s ignore the fact that the top-view of the conceptual PS5 console looks like one of Buzzfeed Tasty’s induction cooktops and move onto its monolithic design that actually follows the architecture that Microsoft set with its 2020 Xbox. The vertical pillar-shaped design is optimized for air-flow, pulling wind from the bottom and pushing it out the back. The design even features a rounded-hexagon top that extrudes upwards to reveal a CD tray, and a host of ports on the back, from the standard Power Delivery port to an HDMI, LAN, and USB ports. It seems like there’s a 3.5mm jack too for an aux out.
The Playdate is Gameboy-esque, with its bright yellow hue and pocketable avatar. It comes with a b/w screen, controls, an A/B button, a pause button, and (wait for it) a crank!! The crank, folded into the side of the controller, can be flipped outwards and used as an actual control, giving Playdate’s native games a different UX altogether, and bringing a literally revolutionary new interaction and dimension to games. The device will come with games developed by Panic, along with other reputed designers like Bennet Foddy, and new games will be delivered over the air to each device, every week for 12 weeks.
Following the trends of today in regard to retro aesthetics and gameplay mobility, Tsai reimagined Nintendo’s virtual reality experience with Nintendo Switch Joy-Glasses. Tsai recognized Nintendo Switch’s hybridity that allows it to transform from a handheld gaming tablet to a plugged-in video game console for the television. This gives Nintendo Switch players the option of bringing a gaming console with them anywhere, making Nintendo Switch a mobile gaming device. This mobile hybridity gives the Switch a leg-up, and with today’s gamers being so nostalgic, it’s no wonder VR games like Pokémon Go are such global successes. Further, on the game’s market triumph, Tsai writes, “Successfully tapping into 1990s nostalgia, [Pokémon Go] is attracting millions of Millennials…Taking advantage of this retro hype, it’s about time to refashion existing technology and create something unique to connect with more recent generations.” And so his Joy-Glasses were born.