I love owning a physical media collection, especially for games. The thing is, though, it takes up a lot of space. There's only so much an IKEA Billy bookcase can handle, and only so much patience before my girlfriend says, "It's a mess." What I can just about manage is my workspace, which isn't quite as cluttered, between various handhelds sitting in docking stations and seemingly endless The Matrix memorabilia. For those of you who want to display your prized possessions, like a pristine Game Boy Color or rare Pokémon cards, Gamenook appears to be cracking the code for keeping things tidy.
You may have seen Gamenook's two products, The Throne and The Barrier, on YouTube and TikTok in recent months. Last year, Retro Dodo's Brandon Saltalamacchia revealed the brand, explaining that he'd "been wanting to build a gaming accessory brand for a couple of years." The initial concept in 2024 combined wood and acrylic, but was scrapped in favor of an eco-friendly alternative. Across both of Gamenook's lineup, you'll find that they're made from 100% recycled materials.
Whether it's plastic bottle caps or even discarded fishing equipment in the ocean, Gamenook's manufacturing process statement iterates that "every purchase simultaneously supports environmental restoration while safeguarding your most prized gaming assets." More products are in the works, but for now, the focus is on keeping your prized Pokémon cards safe and flexing your retro handhelds. For the latter, The Throne is a display stand that comes in two colorways: cluster and coastal. I'm quite fond of the cluster version, personally.
It can hold up to four Game Boy games and AA batteries. Right now, Gamenook lists the following as compatible consoles that can sit on The Throne:
- Nintendo Game Boy DMG
- Nintendo Game Boy Pocket
- Nintendo Game Boy Color
- Nintendo Game Boy Advance
- Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP
- Nintendo Game Boy Micro
- Nintendo DS
- Sony PlayStation Portable
- ModRetro Chromatic
- Analogue Pocket
While it doesn't list any of the best gaming phones, I reckon your iPhone or Android device will be just fine, even if you're using accessories like the Gamesir Pocket Taco. Elsewhere, The Barrier is for your PSA Graded Pokémon cards. It comes in two parts that form a tight clasp, giving your cards, you guessed it, a protective barrier. There are far more color choices for The Barrier, whether you're a Fire Pokémon fanatic or a Water Pokémon lover.
What are some of your favorite gaming possessions? When you're not checking out Gamenook, let us know over in the Pocket Tactics Discord server.