Years ago we have seen many proposals that have sought to carry, in the best possible way, the idea of converting a table console into one with a portable format. The Playstation 2 has been no exception, but this version of ps2 portable is the best to date. So much so that I wish it had been a real model officially released by Sony and not the work of a modder.
The portable Playstation 2 you'll want
Carrying out modifications of certain devices to adapt them to a specific idea is nothing new. Modding has been around for years and during all that time we have seen how numerous users created all kinds of devices, although those works where they converted tabletop consoles into portable models always drew a lot of attention.
Thus we have seen a Nintendo 64, Wii or many others as portable consoles in the style of the popular Nintendo DS or PSP. Well, with that PSP or Nintendo Switch-type form factor, there were also proposals that made models as popular as the Playstation 2, but we don't remember one as interesting as the one created by GingerOfOz.
This modder transformed a PlayStation 2 is a portable model with a quality finish that frankly could pass for an official Sony model. Because it could be said that despite the licenses that have been taken, it would have been the portable version that anyone who had the PS2 would like to have had at that time to play their favorite titles (which were many who saw the light of day on the second console). from Sony) wherever they went.
PS2 Eclipse
The portable version created by this modder is called PS2 Eclipse and the truth is that it suits it well, because the design and finish eclipse any other previous version that could have been made. Because transforming a Playstation 2 into a portable model is nothing new, there have already been and will surely continue to be new versions in the future.
However, as we say, the detail of this modification is extremely good. And as he tells in the video, it is a project that dates back to 2018, when he acquired a PS2 Slim that serves as the basis for this modification. Something that was not easy because of how I had to cut the base plate to be able to adapt it to the desired size. The video above explains it all.
Regarding the technical details, you will already know the PS2 hardware and what GingerOfOz did was adapt elements from other consoles to build this one. Thus, for example, the casing printed with a 3D printer is designed to later make use of the buttons of a PlayStation Vita. So everything is much more aesthetic.
Then it has a 5 inch that has a resolution of 480p, more than enough for the games of the time that were not at all designed for high-resolution monitors as is the case today.
Otherwise, of course, there is no disc drive here, so the games are transferred to the console via a USB connector. The downside is that load times seem to be slower than they would be with the original discs. But it's the same, who wouldn't want to have this PS2 Eclipse in their possession?
Why not use an emulator?
You may be wondering why not use an emulator better, because the video itself explains it. The reason for making this modification, in addition to the challenge and personal satisfaction of achieving it, the main idea is that the hardware runs the titles natively, so everything runs as it should.
So yes, there are plenty of additional ways to achieve a portable PS2, but again none like this PS2 Eclipse. But if you want to enjoy classic titles from one of the most popular consoles in history, you can turn to the PlayStation emulators.