We will forever thank Japan for giving us our all-time favorite video games. Despite the fact that vintage gaming systems are still out there for purchase, we'll never be able to truly relive the greatness that was the Nintendo era. It's hard to deny that video game systems have tremendously changed. They're fancy, powerful boxes, PCs, and laptops now, and they cost hundreds of dollars. Another thing that has changed is the fact that we don't just game on big systems anymore. Heck, our fingers don't even have to touch actual buttons. Why? Because of the almighty smartphone. Our modern day, busy lifestyles have forced us to game on-the-go. But as far as those classic games we love so much, we're still waiting for a comeback.

Japan has come out with something special to give gamers the nostalgic feeling of vintage gaming. Pico Cassette, from Japanese startup Beatrobo, is a cute little game cartridge that plugs into your smartphone's headphone jack, doubling as a virtual content keeper, and adorable prize piece. Company CEO Hiroshi Asaeda told The Verge that although Pico Cassette doesn't actually store games, it works as an authentication key to interact with Beatrobo's servers to store game saves in the cloud. Each Pico Cassette is your own personal save file. You can even play your games on multiple mobile devices and save at the same spot on each.

The idea is pretty cute (it doesn't hurt that these look like mini Nintendo Famicom carts). It creates a sense of ownership that smartphones just don't provide, while “acting as an intermediary between you and the content”, says Slash Gear. Beatrobo is working on a crowdfunding campaign in hopes of getting Pico out of its developmental phase, and into the hands of fun-loving Nintendo lovers. So what if it's not a real game cartridge, at least the idea is still alive somewhere.