Laser Smart Gaming Projector - Recapturing Old School Fun

Right, this is going to age me. Dramatically.

I still remember the first video gaming console my family ever owned.

I can't tell you the year. I can't tell you how old I was. I can't even tell you what make it was - if indeed it had a brand.

And yet I can still clearly remember the weird, boxy controllers with the chrome joysticks and the hours I spent playing the games that were hardwired in - all slightly different variations on the original "Pong".

You could move a line around the screen to hit a "ball" over the net (a long line) to another line, who would try and hit it back. That was tennis, apparently.

Or you could hit it against a wall. Squash, obviously.

Anyway, you get the idea.

I didn't just spend hours doing this. I spent days. Perhaps even months. You know; gaming.

So what if you could recreate that experience for your kids?...

I think that's kind of what the Laser Smart Gaming Projector is all about.

To start with, I was very impressed with how much stuff was in the box. Not just the projector itself but a remote control, two wireless controllers and a large fabric screen, complete with stick-up hooks and a couple of lengths of rope to allow you to hang it up pretty much anywhere.

All that for under NZ$400 - not bad.

The second thing to impress me was how simple the plug-and-play setup was. All I had to do was insert batteries into the remote and controllers, plug the projector in and switch it on. I was surprised to see the projector find the screen and automatically adjust keystone perfectly with no input from me, other than to finetune the focus using the physical ring around the lens.

Although the device does take a minute or two to boot up, once it does, you're presented with a simple - yet functional - home screen, similar to what you might find on any basic Android TV streaming device. Tiles for Netflix and YouTube take front and centre, although you can install any other streaming app from the Google Play Store, once you've connected to Wi-Fi via the settings menu.

I really wasn't expecting this to be a fully functional streaming device and while the resolution is only 720p, it's definitely sufficient for a family movie night - the fabric screen is a lot larger than your average telly.

Just like a movie theatre, you will need to turn the lights off though - this is not a high-end multimedia projector, capable of the extreme brightness and contrast required for acceptable daytime viewing. 

There's a reasonably powerful built-in speaker, which won't set the world on fire in terms of audio quality - but there are both HDMI and AUX outputs, or the option of bluetooth, so you can easily attach an external sound system if you want.

That might be a good idea because there's no escaping the fact that the fan on this thing is super loud, so whatever you're watching or playing will need to be super-er louder to drown it out.

There are 80 "Classic Retro" games pre-installed on this device, taking up next to no space on the included 64GB microSD card. These are accessed via the GAME BOX app on the home screen and then the built-in emulator takes care of the rest. Laser claims you can download your own ROM games to add to this library, being careful to save them in the right format and folder as per the instruction guide included in the box.

I haven't tried this as I've been entertained enough by the library of 80 pre-installs so far. It's honestly like being back in an amusement arcade in the 80s. Some games are two-player, some are not. Most of them look pretty pixelated - especially if you've zoomed the projection out past 100-inches. The pixelation and midi-based soundtracks are all part of the retro charm, of course - but if you want to, there is a way to smooth things out a little.

The first time I fired the Gaming Projector up and started playing Street Racer, I was having a great time getting used to how touchy the controls were but wanted to try out a few other games before dinner. Trouble was, I couldn't figure out how to exit the game. I spent ages pushing buttons on both the controllers to no avail and ended up pressing the home button on the remote - only to discover when I selected GAME BOX again, Street Racer was still running! Eventually, I resorted to turning the whole projector off.

When all else fails, read the instructions. The next day I found the crucial line, "To exit a game or the games app altogether, press the SELECT and START buttons at the same time." Sure enough, that paused the game and not only gave me the option to save it or exit it but to adjust the resolution too. On some games you can add 3x the pixels and there are others where you can improve it 4x. This makes a huge difference and changes things like cars from abstract blobs to blobs with wheels that might actually be cars.

Just like the arcades of old, some games get repetitive as you go on, while others are a bit better thought out. The pre-installed selection covers a lot of bases though - from racing, to fighting, to sport and platform games.

Needless to say, I've already wasted a lot of time carrying out the appropriate research to write this review. It's been a blast. If you've got a favourite Mega Drive, SEGA Genesis, N64, Game Boy or Atari game from decades ago, now's your chance to boot it up on a virtual screen as big as your wall.

And retro gaming is definitely what this device is best at. Although you can watch Netflix or Disney+, it's worth remembering the whole operation is running on Android 13, which is getting on a bit now and I've noticed some compatibility issues with some of the more modern apps. Netflix plays fine - but good luck navigating the app when there's no way to scroll down the home screen. (NB: I got around this by simply searching for the show I wanted to continue watching)

But quite honestly, if you're looking for hours and hours of simple fun in a box, this is a package that's hard to go past. There's virtually no setup required and everything you need is in the box, including two pre-paired, wireless controllers.

I think this is fantastic value, especially given the inclusion of the large, cloth screen and I reckon it'd make the perfect family gift come Christmas time.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Laser Smart Gaming Projector.