Playdate’s first Catalog game drop has solitaire, FMV, and a Crankulator

A wild new batch of games just hit the Playdate Catalog

The Playdate Catalog store is getting a drop of games today. Five new games are dropping onto the crank-controlled handheld today, ranging from spaceship deliveries to an actual talking calculator.

Five new games are part of the first-ever Playdate Catalog drop. As a reminder, these are joining Panic’s new storefront for selling Playdate games on the handheld. Some of these have been on the Itch store before (and are still available there), but now, they also join the lineup in Playdate’s official Catalog. Where, yes, you can crank to buy.

Today’s drop kicks off with Sparrow Solitaire, a tile puzzle game classic reimagined for the Playdate. This seems like a solid fit for the handheld, as a game you could pick up and put down pretty easily.

Life is Too Short, meanwhile, puts you in the role of a lil’ ghost solving a problem between two vampires. Meet characters, solve problems, and enjoy the spooky vibes.

✨ Oh!! Our first-ever Catalog drop has landed!!

There are five new titles to grab, including the Survivors-like game Core Fault, the beautiful Sparrow Solitaire, a talking calculator…?!, and more.

Check Catalog on your Playdate, or visit https://t.co/di58Ue9TgD today! pic.twitter.com/UR6nnOARtt

— Playdate (@playdate) April 11, 2023

Don’t get cranky

The winner for my favorite game name, Crankulator, features a digital talking calculator. Crank in numbers and fractions, then use the D-pad to apply functions. My friendship with the TI-83 is over; now, it’s just me and Crankulator.

Gravity Express already had my attention with its Asteroids-esque ship movement, as the spaceship darts and dives through corridors. Then, a full-on FMV cutscene appeared, and it had my interest. It’s really cool to see what developers are managing to do, not just with the Playdate’s crank, but also with its general art style.

Lastly, Core Fault seems like a no-brainer for fan of Vampire Survivors or other survival games. Operate a remote mining droid and collect cores, while fending off the inhabitants of this planet who don’t like their cores being taken.

All five of these are available now, alongside other previously released games, on the Playdate Catalog. Though a price bump recently went into effect, I’m hopeful this is a sign that Panic will keep a good cadence of games and developers putting neat stuff onto the Playdate.

Eric Van Allen

Senior News Reporter