Arduview: the first clear console with a see-through screen
Oct 13Clear tech from the 90s and 2000s is back. Meet the world's first keychain console with a see-through screen.
Meet Arduview, the retro game console where everything is clear.
- Clear shell, clear circuit board, world’s first clear screen on a handheld.
- 50 g and 13 mm, w/ a keychain. Play anywhere, show it off.
- Turn it on, instantly play a collection of community-loved retro games.
- Open source: load new games or make your own with vast community support.
Bringing back the clear tech era.
Modern electronics have lost all creativity, and any modern “clear” handheld only has a clear shell: there’s always a black board, front glass, or metal shield blocking the device’s internals. That’s not what 2000s tech was about.
Clear screens have been tech demos for years, but we put one into a console you can hold. These advances in display hardware let us take the 2000s clear tech era into something wild-looking.
What the press is saying
“it isn't just another clear-shell console or handheld; the makers of this device have fully embraced the latest in transparent electronics.”
“That transparency extends to the display, which is pretty wild… so it is like viewing glowing blue pixels on a clear piece of glass. Even the PCB inside the enclosure is transparent”
“A clear circuit board exposes the routing and components… solder joints, chips, connectors and display wiring become part of the product's appearance. That approach can make assembly and quality control more demanding than a conventional handheld design.”
News.LavX.hu
A pocketful of indie games.
Since 2015, the Arduboy community has been collaborating and sharing retro games. They give access to everyone, with no ads and no in-app purchases. They were made to be played, not sold. Arduview comes preloaded with a curated selection of community favorites.
400 games are already on it.
Want more? Hundreds are free to browse, and play right in your browser, at arduboy.ried.cl.
Retro gaming, anywhere.
Arduview provides a one-of-a-kind gaming experience: the game seemingly floats over the real-life background in midair.
It’s small enough to take anywhere, so you can clear a dungeon on the bus or beat a boss between classes.
Clip it on your keys and you won't have to remember to bring it. It's 50g and 13mm so you won't notice it's there. Until you want to… Train's late? Waiting for class to start? Take a crack at that level you've been trying to beat!
Fully programmable
Being able to make your own games is one of the coolest things about these handhelds.
It's fully compatible with Arduboy, an open-source platform. The code library, the tools, and most of the games are free and public at arduboy.com.
This is one of the easiest places there is to make your first game. There's no engine to learn and nothing to install but the free Arduino editor. A whole game can be a hundred lines.
Start from zero. Crait's seven-part "Make Your Own Arduboy Game" series on the Arduboy forum begins with setting up your computer and ends with you building Pong. No experience needed. community.arduboy.com, under Lessons.
Learn from the games you love. Most games are open source. Open one up and see how it works.
Load it in a minute.
Plug in over USB-C, open the Arduboy Web Flasher in Chrome, drop the file. Your game is now on your keys.
- 1Plug in over USB-C
- 2Write your game
- 3Drop it into the Arduino flasher
- 4Your game, on your keys
What’s inside
Arduview is built in three clear layers: a clear resin shell, a transparent circuit board, and a transparent OLED screen.
Unlit pixels stay clear, creating the “floating pixels” effect.
Clear, sturdy enclosure to show the internals.
The open hardware running your games. Carries the chip and memory, with every trace and solder joint on show over translucent plastic.
Specs
- Size
- 85 × 43 × 13 mm
- Weight
- ~50 g
- Screen
- 2.42" transparent OLED, 128 × 64
- Games
- 400 preloaded
- Processor
- ATmega32U4
- Storage
- 16 MB flash
- Port
- USB-C, charging and game loading
- Battery
- 130 mAh · ~50 min charge
- Shell
- clear eco-friendly resin
- Platform
- Arduboy, runs the Arduboy library
- Connectivity
- No Wi-Fi, no app store, no account
If you missed out on a clear console as a 2000s kid, here's your chance to own one, with the clear screen that didn't exist back then.
Oct 13Questions
Does it play Game Boy games or run emulators?
No. It plays Arduboy games instead: 400 games already on it, plus hundreds more free from the Arduboy community.
Is this made by Arduboy?
No. Arduview is independent. It's compatible with Arduboy's open-source platform, so the whole community library runs on it.
Does dirt get trapped under the plastic? Will it yellow?
We've owned enough clear consoles to know the risks: trapped dirt, yellowing, cracks. Clear isn't weaker, it's just hard to mold without defects, which is why most brands skip it. Our eco-friendly resin is being extensively tested in the last stages of production.
Can I see the screen in daylight? In the dark?
Yes to both. It's an OLED, so every pixel makes its own light.
Is it distracting to see the room behind the game?
No. The games are pure 8-bit: big, chunky pixels that are either fully lit or fully clear, nothing in between. It’s extremely high contrast when lit, so the game stays crisp in front and the room stays soft behind it.
Do finished units exist?
Yes. Early-access units shipped to buyers in September 2026.
When will it ship, and what if it's late?
Backer units ship in November 2026. The public gets access 2027. If anything moves, you'll hear it from us first.
What if mine arrives broken?
Tell us and we'll make it right. You’ll get a free replacement within 30 days of delivery.
Where does my $5 go?
Straight toward your Arduview. It locks in the $73 founder price, and when we launch on Kickstarter it counts toward your pledge. Fully refundable until your unit ships.
Can I get my $5 back?
Yes. Your deposit is fully refundable any time before your unit ships. Email louis@arduview.net and we'll refund it, no questions.
Oct 13