RetroDotCards Series 1
Initial Release Platform(s): Game Boy Advance (GBA) (e-Reader)
Initial Year of Release: 2025
5/25/2026
The concept of new GBA e-Reader cards in 2025 is a wild thing, and I’m so impressed at how Matt Greer, the primary mastermind behind RetroDotCards, has made a few paper cards come to life on my GBA. RetroDotCards Series 1 was unironically my most anticipated release of the year in 2025, and I wasn’t disappointed when the cards finally arrived on my doorstep.
A RetroDotCards Series 1 pack comes with 9 cards which amount to five games and one achievement tracker. The games themselves aren’t anything you haven’t seen before, but what makes RetroDotCards special is the novel form factor and the presentation that exudes the passion of all who contributed to their creation. The presentation is so so good, between the cards themselves, the games, and the website which has leaderboards for Exo Attack, details about each game and their secrets, and very charming digital manuals.
Back when I played Series 1 upon release, I had so much fun going through every game getting all the achievements, getting high scores on the Exo Attack leaderboard (which have since been overtaken), and discovering various secrets. Given the limitations of the e-Reader, my jaw to this day is still on the floor after witnessing the amount of content and interconnectivity of these games.
Upon reflection on my experience with RetroDotCards Series 1, I'm comfortable calling it the killer app of the device as not even Nintendo themselves released an experience for the e-Reader that's, well... an actual full-fledged gaming experience. I'm not knocking the e-Reader cards of the past, but back in the day if you had an e-Reader you were really just getting some NES games or extra content for GBA or Gamecube games. If you're a GBA e-Reader owner, I highly recommend checking out RetroDotCards Series 1. If you're like I was and have an e-Reader collecting dust, there's no better time to break it back out while RetroDotCards Series 1 is still readily available.
If you've already played Series 1 and are looking for similar indie experiences on the GBA, creator Matt Greer is currently working on Pixel Pup, a full nonogram game for the GBA that's aiming for a mid-2026 release. While that won't be available on e-Reader, developer Sarah Parker can help scratch any e-Reader itch you may have with her new puzzle game Dizzy Sheep Disaster: EX, which released in April 2026 on five fresh e-Reader cards. I haven't played either of those games' demos yet, but I hear they are excellent so I'm looking forward to trying them out soon.
RetroDotCards Series 1 Pack (retrodotcards.com)
ExoAttack Game & Cards (retrodotcards.com)
Scavenger Hunt Achievements (retrodotcards.com)
Solitaire on the e-Reader (retrodotcards.com)
Franny tells you your fortune (retrodotcards.com)
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