For a long time, I’ve wanted to buy a Nintendo Switch so I could play my favorite indie games anywhere. But recently, I had a small realization that changed my perspective: before buying a new console, I should take a closer look at what I already have.

To be honest, I can’t afford a Nintendo Switch right now. That’s simply my reality, and instead of forcing it, I’ve had to adapt. For a while, I’ve been relying on my old MacBook to play indie games—and it actually does the job quite well.

But then it hit me: I’ve had a portable gaming device in my pocket this entire time without fully appreciating it. When I discovered that many of my favorite indie games are available on Android, I decided to start using my smartphone as a gaming console.

Now, I’m even saving up to buy a new phone—one that I plan to use not just for social media, but also as my main platform for indie gaming. In a couple of weeks, I should have it in my hands, and I’m genuinely excited to start exploring premium indie titles I can fall in love with.

Personally, I think modern smartphones are incredibly underrated as gaming devices. Many of them are powerful, efficient, and more than capable of running demanding games smoothly. In fact, some high-end phones can rival—or even outperform—the hardware of a Nintendo Switch in certain scenarios. That alone makes them worth considering as a serious alternative.

At the moment, I’ve been playing Bully: Anniversary Edition, a port of the classic PlayStation 2 game available on the Play Store, and I’ve been enjoying it a lot. There’s something special about being able to play a full PS2 experience on a device that fits in your pocket—without lag or performance issues.

I strongly prefer buying games from the “Premium” section of the Play Store. I’d much rather pay once and enjoy a complete experience than deal with pay-to-win mechanics or intrusive microtransactions. The challenge, however, is that finding quality indie games on mobile can be difficult. It takes a bit of research and patience to uncover the real gems.

Still, if you’re willing to look, you might realize—like I did—that you already own a perfectly capable portable gaming system.