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A beginner's guide to the GP2X

Definitely not dead yet

A beginner's guide to the GP2X
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DS + PSP

Those of you devoted enough to visit Pocket Gamer on a regular basis may have read our GP2X-F200 review with interest, and rightly so. This remarkable device offers an almost unparalleled degree of portable functionality, being able to play music, videos and (most importantly) myriad retro games, most of which are emulated superbly by the vast number of programs developed for the console by resourceful bedroom coders the world over.

However, getting into the world of the GP2X isn't anywhere near as straightforward as it is with rival machines; for starters, you'll struggle to locate this particular item of consumer electronics on any shop shelf in the UK. It originates from Korea and although it was distributed in this country by sites like www.gp2x.co.uk, it's no longer manufactured (the Pandora is being touted as the device's successor). That said, your favourite online auction site should be able to come to the rescue.

But getting one is actually the easy part. When the console finally arrives on your doormat there are other befuddling difficulties to contend with. Although it comes pre-loaded with a selection of eminently likeable freeware titles (including a demo of the excellent puzzle title Wind & Water), the GP2X doesn't possess any retail software whatsoever; you must instead download various programs to an SD card in order to run them on the machine.

Add to this the need for rechargeable batteries, a connection to a PC and at least a limited understanding of the peculiarities of ROM ownership, and it's little wonder that this plucky little machine remains a distinctly niche proposition. But, as the saying goes, nothing of any value comes easily.

With this in mind, what follows is the first in what will hopefully be a series of indispensable guides to entering the world of the open-source handheld – a place where effort and determination can lead to fantastic rewards – as well as a fitting 'tribute' to a much-loved portable that isn't about to disappear any time soon.

Step 1: First Things First
Naturally, you have to actually own a GP2X to indulge in the pleasures it so tantalisingly promises. What you need to know is that the device comes in two flavours. The F100 is the original machine and comes in any colour you like, as long as it's black. It has a joystick for control (it's actually a sat-nav stick used for cost-cutting measures, fact fans) and doesn't support touchscreen applications.

The F200 is the more recent machine and comes in pearly white. This edition does away with the questionable stick and employs a D-pad, and although it's not perfect it represents a considerable improvement. The F200 also boasts touchscreen support, which naturally brings it in line with Nintendo's DS, although in all honesty hardly any applications have made effective use of it.

Both machines will play all of the notable emulators so it's really down to personal preference as to which you purchase. The F100 has long been discontinued and the F200 has just ceased production, but there's a pretty healthy market for second-hand consoles so check eBay for the best prices and deals. It's still possible to pick up new F200 units at present.

Step 2: Additional Extras
Just having the machine itself sadly isn't enough. Unless you're content to spend over £100 on a device that only plays the bundled games then you'll want to invest in a Secure Digital (SD) card, which is essential for storing all your media. These are cheap and common, and there's every chance you already own several already – they're often found inside digital cameras. 1GB is probably the bare minimum you'll need and it's worth noting that the F200 supports the new breed of high capacity cards, which means you could conceivably go all the way up to 32GB – but that's probably overkill. A 4GB card should give you more than enough space for all the files you'll need.

Lamentably, the GP2X does not come with a rechargeable power cell so you'll need to purchase some high-capacity rechargeable AA batteries. Aim for around 2500 mAh as these will give you the best performance. You'll also need a good recharger – we use the Energizer Duo, which not only charges quickly via your computer's USB port but also has a handy onscreen display when connected to your PC which shows the time remaining until the batteries are full. Sadly, a pair of traditional alkalines won't be up to the task – the GP2X is a high-drain device and heavy-duty rechargeables are your only option.

Although it's not a necessity we'd also recommend you buy an SD card reader. Although you can copy files directly to the GP2X using the included USB cable, it's an unpredictable and laborious task and when copying files in the opposite direction we've often found that the GP2X crashes.

Step 3: Get Connected
Once you've got all the gear you need, it's time to get something running on the damn thing. We'll be covering this aspect of the machine in subsequent features, but in the meantime you could do a lot worse than pay a visit to www.gp32x.com, which is arguably the net's leading resource when it comes to GP2X news, views and downloads. The site boasts a comprehensive archive of emulators, programs, demos and other interesting files. What's more, it's totally free to use.

As for actually getting things onto the GP2X, it's just a case of placing the program in the right location on your SD card and ensuring you have the necessary files to get the program to run properly. For example, some emulators require BIOS files in order to function correctly and due to legal implications these cannot be supplied with the emulator itself and must therefore be tracked down independently.

All of which leads us nicely onto…

Step 4: Legally Speaking
If you're looking to make the most of the GP2X you can't help but come to the subject of emulation and ROM ownership. Technically speaking, it's illegal to own a ROM (which for the uninitiated is essentially a game in file form) unless you own the original, physical release. However, many of the games emulated by the GP2X can't be purchased these days – at least not brand new – and there's a school of thought that says emulation should be encouraged rather than frowned upon, as it keeps the memory of these classic titles alive. Naturally this is a thorny issue that is made even more delicate by the fact that companies such as Nintendo and Sega are frantically mining their back catalogues for retro titles they can re-package and sell.

We're not going to give addresses to sites that distribute ROMs (so please don't ask) but if you're dedicated enough they should be easy enough to find. However, we do recommend that you at least make an effort to source the original game as well, if only for the sake of your own conscience.

So ends your introduction to the wild and wacky world of the GP2X, a machine whose enthusiastic community will keep alive for a while yet and which retroheads should have in their hands. If that's you, tune in soon when we'll be looking at how to install and run programs on the device.

Damien  McFerran
Damien McFerran
Damien's mum hoped he would grow out of playing silly video games and gain respectable employment. Perhaps become a teacher or a scientist, that kind of thing. Needless to say she now weeps openly whenever anyone asks how her son's getting on these days.