The short answer: on a mini console, the number printed on the box often adds up two different things. On one side, licensed games, named, for which the manufacturer states it has an agreement with the rights holder (Tetris, Data East, Atari, SNK…). On the other, bonus games, which the manufacturer describes as "retro-style" without publishing the list. A "308 games" console can therefore contain 8 Data East games and 300 bonus games. Before you buy, look at the number of named games, not the total.
Article updated on 11 September 2026.
Breaking down the number on the box
Here is what the manufacturers advertise for the mini consoles in our range. The figures are the manufacturers' own, edition by edition.
| Console | Total on the box | Named licensed games | Bonus games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pixel Pocket Tetris | 11 | 1 (Tetris) | 10 |
| Go Gamer Tetris | 301 | 1 (Tetris) | 300 |
| Pocket Player, Data East edition | 308 | 8 (Data East) | 300 |
| Nano Player Data East Hits | 208 | 8 (Data East) | 200 |
| Micro Player, All-Star Arena edition | 307 | 7 (Jaleco) | 300 |
| Super Micro | 1 to 3 | 1 to 3 (Data East, Taito or Atari) | None |
| Super Pocket Evercade | 14 to 50 | All, depending on the edition | None |
| Neo Geo Mini | 40 | 40 (SNK) | None |
| MVS Mini | 45 | 45 (SNK) | None |
| Astro City Mini V | 22 | 22 | None |
Two families emerge. The "big number" consoles top up a handful of licensed games with hundreds of bonus games. The "small number" consoles contain only named games, often listed one by one on the box or the product page.
What a licensed game is
A licensed game is a game for which the console manufacturer states it has obtained the rights from the publisher or rights holder: the game's name, and often the publisher's logo, appear on the box. That's the case for Tetris on My Arcade consoles, SNK games on the Neo Geo Mini, or Atari games on the Atari Gamestation Pro. These are the games you know, in their original version or in an adaptation advertised as such.
What a bonus game is
Bonus games are games added by the manufacturer on top of the licensed games. On the My Arcade models in our range, the manufacturer describes them as "retro-style" games and does not publish the list. In practice, this means:
- They are not games from the licence: the 300 bonus games on a Data East Pocket Player are not Data East games.
- You don't know in advance what they contain: with no published list, there's no way to judge them before you have the console in your hands.
- They can't be removed: the game list is fixed, like the rest of the console.
Bonus games are declared by the manufacturer, who is responsible for them. On each product page, we state how many games are licensed and how many are bonus games, so you can buy with full knowledge of the facts.
What a big number doesn't tell you
- It says nothing about quality: 8 arcade games you know can keep you busy longer than 300 games whose names you've never heard of.
- It says nothing about the licence: only the named games are advertised as licensed.
- It doesn't let you compare two consoles: a Neo Geo Mini with 40 SNK games isn't "less well stocked" than a keychain with 300 games.
What about "10,000 games" consoles?
That's a different category. Some consoles sold online advertise thousands of games, with names and visuals from well-known brands, without any licence being mentioned. Nothing on the box then lets you check that the rights have been acquired. Fun-Esports doesn't sell this type of console: our emulation consoles are supplied without any games, and our mini consoles contain only what the manufacturer declares. To spot the other traps on the market, read the six traps of the retro console market.
Reading a box in four questions
- How many games are named? That's the real licensed content.
- Does the word "bonus" appear? If so, the difference from the total is made up of those games.
- Does the manufacturer publish the full list? If it does, you know what you're buying. If not, only count the named games.
- Are the games you want in the edition you've chosen? On ranges with multiple editions (Pocket Player Pro, Super Pocket, Micro Player), each edition has its own list.
Which one to choose for your profile
You want one specific game
Pick the edition that names it, and ignore the total. For Tetris alone, a Pixel Pocket Tetris is enough.
You want a publisher's entire catalogue
Go for consoles without bonus games: Neo Geo Mini or MVS Mini for SNK, Super Pocket for Taito, Atari or Data East. Our Neo Geo Mini or MVS Mini comparison details both SNK lists.
You want to be able to add official games
Choose a cartridge console: the Evercade range, compared in EXP-R, VS-R or Super Pocket.
Frequently asked questions
What is a bonus game on a mini console?
A game added by the manufacturer on top of the licensed games named on the box. On My Arcade models, the manufacturer describes them as "retro-style" games and doesn't publish the list.
Are bonus games part of the licence?
No. On a 308-game Data East Pocket Player, only 8 games are Data East games; the other 300 are bonus games.
How can you tell how many games are licensed?
Count the games named on the box or the product page. On our product pages, we list the number of licensed games and the number of bonus games separately.
Can bonus games be deleted or replaced?
No. On these mini consoles, the game list is fixed: no adding, no deleting, no cartridges.
Which mini consoles have no bonus games?
In our range: the Neo Geo Mini, the MVS Mini, the Astro City Mini V, the Super Micro consoles and the Super Pocket Evercade consoles. All their games are named.
Conclusion
A number on a box comes in two parts: the named, licensed games, and the bonus games, whose list isn't published. Buy for the former. All our mini consoles spell out this split, in our licensed handheld consoles and mini arcade cabinets sections. For other ways to play legally, see our page where to play your retro games legally.