RetroGaming

Rediscovering Text Adventures with the Ink Console

A new handheld gaming system, Ink Console, aims to bring back the magic of '80s text adventures. Developed by Daniel "Dana" Puchau from Shanghai, this device features a 7.5-inch e-ink screen capable of displaying an 800 x 480 black & white resolution.

Specifications:*

• Microprocessor: ESP32-D0WDQ6 (dual-core 32-bit)
• Flash Memory: 4MB
• PSRAM: 8 MB
• SRAM: 520 KB
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.2 and Wi-Fi 4
• Built-in SD card reader for additional games

Three initial titles are in development:

1. Toto Umbrella
2. The Visit
3. Breath

With the potential to develop more through its SDK in future. The developer says they intend to release the SDK and open-source the project upon completion of crowd-funding campaign.

Puchau remarks:

The idea for Ink Console came from a desire to bring the magic of text adventures, like the 1980s classic Zork I, to a new audience unfamiliar with these games. We also were very inspired by the beloved Choose Your Own Adventure series of books. Our hope is that this interactive format makes reading feel like an adventure and helps instill a love for books in young readers.

There's a link in the original article to the Crowdsupply campaign.

What are your favourite text adventure memories?