The playdate is not meant to replace an emulator and buckets of roms. It’s its own game console with lots of great new games made by passionate devs.
I’ve played more of the 24 pack-in games than I’ve ever spent time actually playing with the multiple emulator station consoles I’ve set up over the years. I love seeing what new games devs put out on the catalog, too. No in-app-purchases or any such BS, so devs just have to try and make a game that’s worth your couple bucks up front.
The creative constraints of the 1-bit color and limited inputs push games in fun directions too. The crank is amazing as an analog rotation input, which has been missing from game consoles since the early 80s. Steering and aiming with the crank is so fluid and intuitive that it really adds to immersion.
It’s not the kind of thing everyone’s going to get $200 of value out of, but if it happens to be up your alley its truly incredible.