GamePark Holdings handhelds

[Tupin]

I've always found these handhelds interesting, what with their strange mix of open-source emulation encouragement and retail games. I know the company released the Caanoo but then decided to quit the handheld business due to competition. Anyone here ever use a GP32 or GP2X? Is the retail library on the GP32 worth trying to find a system?

As for the the GP2X Wiz and the Caanoo, what are your experiences with them?

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I've only ever used the Caanoo and while it seemed to be a more than competent emulation portable, I absolutely LOATHED the control pad.

http://www.8-bitcentral.com/images/gph/caanoo/joystickSide.jpg

One of those spring-back analogs with an atrocious rubber nub that my thumb never felt comfortable on. Points for trying something different but either give me a stick-analog like a Dual Shock or 360 controller -OR- a raised or recessed cross d-pad any day of the week over that thing.

I disliked that pad so much that I passed on buying one at a bargain price.

[kedawa]

The GP32 and GP2X were pretty cool at the time, but Caannnooooo and Wiz were just weird. They always seemed like a missed opportunity to me. After the GP32, the company split up and neither faction was willing to actually listen to what the community wanted in a followup handheld. What we got was series of botched products that couldn't keep up with similar Chinese systems that cost less and do more.

[slapdash]

Are there any sources for the retail games on cartridge/card for some of these systems?