The Verge's Sean Hollister reviews the Epilogue Operator range, USB-C devices that let real Nintendo cartridges be read, backed up and played on modern computers and handhelds. The gadgets matter because ageing cartridges often rely on watch batteries that eventually fail, wiping decades-old save data; the Operators let owners back up saves before they're lost and even play the original cartridges directly through emulation on devices such as a Steam Deck, Xbox Ally or MacBook.

The $50 GB Operator supports Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance cartridges, while the new $60 SN Operator covers Super Nintendo and Japanese Super Famicom titles, with an N64 version reportedly in development. The devices contain no original Nintendo chips, instead reading the cartridge's ROM and running it through emulator software that mimics playing on real hardware, automatically writing save data back to the cartridge. The reviewer notes some downsides, including finicky cartridge detection with dirty or damaged carts, but praises the ability to carry saves between a PC, handheld and original Nintendo hardware.