WonderSwan Anybody out there with a WonderSwan?

[TamagotchiTamaHero24's icon TamagotchiTamaHero24 TamagotchiTamaHero24]

As somebody outside Japan, the WonderSwan is a system I’ve only managed to find thanks to the legacy of Gun Pey and the exclusive Klonoa title it had. I know it’s much more than that though, so I have to know people’s firsthand experiences with either the system or its games.


Please note before emulating, if that’s the route you take, that it’s a handheld from the late 90’s. Go in with GBC expectations, and you’ll be impressed.

 

[Eclipse14]

It's closer to the GBA than the GBC. Final Fantasy I, II, and IV getting on there will attest to that (all three had their GBA ports be based on them. The graphics are the exact same.).

Another major oddity people don't notice is that the WonderSwan's got an unusual refresh rate. Typically, it would be 60 Hz as the standard (50 for PAL, but by the time the WS got out, 60 Hz options were becoming more common there). The WonderSwan's 75 Hz, meaning emulation often isn't correct on purpose (specifically, by default, Mednafen's core sets it to 60 and cuts every fifth frame. Turning it to 75 without a screen that can handle the refresh rate? Get ready for a lot of screen tearing).

Personal favorite game on the system would be Dicing Knight, something I'd like to talk about in something down the road. It's a weird but awesome rougelike game.

 

[twistedbee]

always wanted one but alas it has yet to be. I remember hearing about them during their prime but being from middle of nowhere USA in the late 90s we had only just gotten internet let alone any way to get one. I've played a few titles on emulator and it definitely had potential. my favorite part of them was the buttons and screen situated so it could be played horizontal or vertical based on the game. I think if it had gotten a bit more interest it could have given Gameboy a real run for its money.
And like you said with its legacy, The Man, The Legend himself Gunpei Yokoi created both the gameboy and Wonderswan and if any system had a chance it was Wonderswan.

 

[Glossy Cat]

I have a Swan Crystal with Final Fantasy and an Inuyasha game. I enjoy the little handheld very much.

 

[Required Username]

The WonderSwan is awesome but I'd recommend anyone with one to install a backlight kit in it. It makes so much difference it's insane.

Also, this is one system where emulation is a pain just because of the unique button layout and vertical orientation of some games.

 

[aquova]

I have a WonderSwan Color that I bought within the last year. The default screen reminds me a lot of a Game Boy Color's. After a few months I did cave and bought the backlit IPS screen kit, which has been a massive improvement.

Overall, I really like the device. It's got some neat ideas like being able to support both vertical and horizontal games. I have a few games for it, some less expensive originals, but also some reproductions of English translations or of more expensive games like Klonoa, Cardinal Sins, Mr. Driller, etc. I'm a sucker for lesser known systems and this is right up my alley -- successful enough to have some gems available on it, but obscure enough to still feel exciting. I will say it can be a bit cumbersome to hold though, only requiring a single AA battery is nice, but it does make for an awkward handhold.

 

[Don Patch]

When I modded my 3DS I kinda became obsessed with the WonderSwan.
It emulates well on there and the games are rad.

The megaman.exe title is a hoot.
There's a recently translated SaGa game that was a blast.
Dicing Knight, of course, is a gem.
The puzzle game Gunpey is also really solid
I've wanted to dig into the Digimon games but am waiting on translations to come through.

NGL, this is a sexy beast of a handheld.

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

I remember playing a Digimon Tamers game on it through emulation and being blown away by how good it was, specially when compared to the GBC/GBA -- bright, vibrant, colorful.

 

[nobitakun]

I have a blue one. This is the exact model:

I just bought it like 10 years ago, tested it, bubble wrapped the box and never touched it again. I wanted to have it because I had bought some games and I just wanted to test them. It's not a device I fancy but I am very interested in its 2 player at once gaming mode :)

 

[aquova]

I have this model.
(I kinda regret it though, there are so many great translucent WonderSwans, but instead I went with an opaque one because it was cheaper on ebay... alas)

 

[Required Username]

I have this model.
(I kinda regret it though, there are so many great translucent WonderSwans, but instead I went with an opaque one because it was cheaper on ebay... alas)

Nah, that still looks sick as hell.

 

[iplaygames42069]

Kinda same story as you

I did "curate" the WS and WSC library for my Launchbox. I have played exactly ONE game on the system (thru emulation) and that was GunPey EX. Had heard someone mention it a long time ago and the name stuck. Pretty fun game, went almost two hours. Read about it afterwards and how the creator of the game said WSC was the best version. Would be pretty neat to see a revival on Steam or something, it is indeed a unique and great puzzle game.

There's also a shmup called Judgement Silversword and it has a demo/alternate/blacklabel version on this site. Seems to me it's the most famous on the system.

 

[aquova]

There's also a shmup called Judgement Silversword and it has a demo/alternate/blacklabel version on this site. Seems to me it's the most famous on the system.

It's a fun game, and it's also on Steam

 

[iplaygames42069]

It's a fun game, and it's also on Steam

Holy cow. It's funny, I already have Eschatos on Steam and I didn't even know this.

 

[Goblin Slayer]

I actually had a Wonderswan, a blue one. Sadly, it's long dead.
I stored it away and forgot to take the batteries out of it. You know what 10 years and old batteries do.
I tried my damnedest to fix it. Sadly, the main PCB board was fully corroded and the traces long eaten through.

That's not the point. I had one, and it was a great little handheld. I've been meaning to buy one again, but I don't really need another.
I can emulate it on, hell, a wristwatch. But my times and memories of the little system were fun, and I fondly remember it. So no, I don't technically have a WS anymore I do have it, but as I stated, it's long dead with very little chance of repair.

But it's a great little handheld from the time period it was relevant.

...goblins...

 

[DEH]

I've heard of this device but never got one. You can't always have everything.

 

[iamthemilkman]

I bought a Wonderswan and NGPC around the same time. I also have a copy of Dicing Knight which I paid $400 10+ years ago. The game is worth thousands nowadays which is crazy to me.