Welcome to the latest edition of Retro Handhelds Weekly. This week saw a bunch of news in both the world of hardware and software, our writing team continues to be on an absolute tear, and there’s even a surprise or two sprinkled in! So sit back, grab a cup of coffee, and catch up on what’s happened this week in the world of Retro Handhelds.
Hardware
If there’s one thing we know about retro handhelds, it’s that there is always something new around the corner. Seriously, it’s “worse” than smartphones, as some companies release new handhelds every other week. On the bright side, at least there’s no shortage of options.
Powkiddy RGB20 Pro Now Available for Pre-order
The RGB20 Pro can be pre-ordered directly from Powkiddy’s website with a starting price of $69.99. With this, you’ll get a 16GB microSD card in the TF1 slot, providing you with an OS out of the box. From there, pricing goes all the way up to $89.99, if you want to pair the RGB20 Pro with a 128GB microSD card slot in the TF2 slot. However, if you use code RH at checkout, you can save 5%, knocking a couple of bucks off of the price.
Pre-order the Powkiddy RGB20 Pro
PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection
Shortly after announcing the PS5 Pro, Sony came back and surprised everyone by announcing the “PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection.” The collection consists of the PS5 Pro, PS5 Digital Edition, PlayStation Portal, DualSense Edge Wireless Controller, and DualSense Wireless Controller. Pre-orders begin on September 26 for everything except for the PS5 Digital Edition, which can be pre-ordered starting on October 10.
Switch 2 (rumored) Factory Prototypes Leaked
via u/MisterSheeple
We expected the Switch 2 to already be announced this year, but that just has yet to come to fruition. Surprisingly, there haven’t even been very many leaks about what the Switch 2 will look like, but it appears that the cat’s out of the bag. Thanks to a series of leaks on Reddit, Nintendo’s next console is set to feature an 8-inch display and dual USB-C ports, and it appears that the Joy-Cons will attach magnetically to the console.
GKD Bubble is launching soon
Z-Pocket Game announced this morning on Twitter/X that the GKD Bubble will go on sale in China this Wednesday, September 15. An International sales date has yet to be announced.
Other Hardware News
- Anbernic is making controllers now?
- R46S (RG Cube/Unicorn Clone) Launches on AliExpress
- GPD Duo
- Taki SUPER5 OLED Pre-orders
Software and Custom Firmware
Don’t get me wrong, hardware is definitely fun and exciting to talk about. But what good is an awesome handheld if it doesn’t even work? That’s where software and custom firmware come into play, so here’s everything you might’ve missed this week.
Nintendo sues Palworld
Because of course they are https://t.co/JkXTEtwhUr
— Retro Handhelds (@RetroHandhelds) September 19, 2024
It was only a matter of time, and we’re surprised that it took the company this long, but Nintendo is now suing the creators of Palworld. However, the lawsuit isn’t over copyright, but instead this is a “patent infringement lawsuit.” What patent(s) does Palworld supposedly infringe upon? Well, we don’t know for sure, but it could be related to the mechanism used to capture different Palworld characters.
RPCS3 Adds Online Support
The most recent update to RPCS3 arrived last week, offering a few of the regular bug fixes that you’d expect to see. However, the reason why this one is such a big deal is that RPCN v1.3 adds “only support for many games on franchises.” This includes the likes of Gran Turismo, Street Fighter, Tekken, “and many more!” Oh, and if you missed it, be sure to check out Rob the Retro Tech Dad’s latest video, showcasing 100 games being played through RPCS3 on the ROG Ally X.
GammaOS Core Beta
GammaOS, an Android custom firmware for retro handhelds, has released its first beta for devices using the RK3566. The beta version of the new GammaOS Core can be obtained directly from the GammaOS Patreon page.
GTA5 on Android
via u/KyleCrane
If you’ve been paying attention to the r/EmulationOnAndroid subreddit lately, you’ve probably noticed the onslaught of posts showcasing PC games running on Android. This is being done through the magic of the Winlator emulator, paired with various drivers and tweaks. One person was even able to get GTA V running on an Android phone with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, stating the game “gets 40-100+ fps.”
Other Software News
- PICO-8 on Android
- Cemu for Android Continues to Improve
- GBA Jam 2024
- Rockstar breaks GTA V on Steam Deck (Linux); Valve issues refunds
- Valve testing ARM64 and Android support for Steam on Linux
From the Writers
While there’s always a lot of news to cover and talk about, we also try to take a step back and give everyone something a bit different to enjoy. These are the more editorial-styled articles and reviews that you might have missed over the course of this week.
RH Games: What We’re Playing This Week
This week I have been cursed by choice paralysis. I have tried and uninstalled so many games. This new game, The Plucky Squire, just came out and looked interesting. It is pretty good so far. It has you playing as The Plucky Squire as you travel through a storybook. You can even travel off the pages to change the story too. It does hold your hand a lot though and explains what to do a bit too much.
Anbernic RG406V Review: The Best Vertical?
Anbernic is back, yet again, with another handheld! This is another crack at the verticals, and since I had so much praise for the RG40XXV, I was excited to try this one out. As someone who had their RG351V as my first retro handheld, I was interested in this one. I never had the newer RG405V and this looks to be an improvement on that.
How to Play PICO-8 on Android Handhelds
It’s been almost 10 years since PICO-8 was released to the world. Despite the growing popularity in the retro handheld scene, there has yet to be an easy way to enjoy those games on Android phones and handhelds. That is, until fairly recently, as there’s a new app on the Play Store called P8GO: Pixel Games.
Anbernic RG406V First Impressions: Well Hello There
I have a few other projects in the backlog that need to be written, so I won’t be able to spend too much time with the RG406V for now. However, I already know that every chance I get to use it, I’m going to be grabbing it for the foreseeable future. I’m not sure if there’s another vertical handheld that can dethrone the RG406V for me. The only potential exception would be the Ayaneo Pocket DMG, but we still don’t have an official release date for that just yet.
GammaOS Core First Look: RGB30 Renewed!
The Gamma Squeeze released a beta of GammaOS Core for several RockChip devices this week, and is available via his Patreon page. I took the liberty of installing the beta on my Powkiddy RGB30 in order to give some initial impressions. I have to admit, the beta has completely changed and reinvigorated the RGB30 for me, and I find myself using the device a lot more.
How-to Fix ‘This Device Isn’t Play Protect Certified’ Message
So you just got your brand new Android handheld and you’re ready to get it set up. You go through the initial setup process, open the Google Play Store, and are met with a message saying “This device isn’t Play Protect certified.” Well, that’s strange, because it’s running Android, so it should be able to download apps from the Play Store, right?
The Android Games I ACTUALLY Play
Every time you boot up your Android handheld, you’re usually either getting yourself right into a front end so you can boot up Mojo! for PS2 or you’re launching Moonlight, Geforce Now, or something else to stream your games. But what about playing your “new” games natively?
CB408 Hands-on: Trick? Or a Tinkerer’s treat?
Time for another mystery device pulled from trolling along the waters of AliExpress. This new independent handheld dubbed the CB408, is from Smart Pocket Max, a relative unknown in the arena for now. With its release totally overshadowed by the constant flood of releases from major players in the space, the CB408 could easily be written off as another e-waste clone device, but it may do things well enough, and with just enough panache (check that metal shell!), to earn serious consideration for your stretched entertainment dollar.
On the YouTubes
Don’t think that the writers are the only ones getting things done. Over the past week, there’s been almost one video per day for you to sit back and enjoy. The YouTube crew has everything from restoring an original Game Boy to an in-depth review of a couple of new handhelds. Plus, there’s a new edition of Ban’s Hands to enjoy.
Looking for Deals?
Another week, another set of deals to be had. Although there have been a couple of “quick sales” here and there, the next big set of deals probably won’t arrive until the beginning of October. That doesn’t mean that you should wait, as there are still ways to save a few bucks if you want a new retro handheld.
- RG40XXV: $68 w/ code GREG9
- RG35XX SP: $51
- RGB10X: $36 w/ code GREG9
- Powkiddy V10: $31 w/ code GREG9
- A30: $34
- CB408: $75 w/ code TALK9
- GameSir Galileo G8 Plus: $59 w/ code GREG9
- BSP D8Pro: $25 w/ code GREG9
- 8BitDo Zero 2: $18
- TEAMGROUP A2 Pro Plus 128GB microSD Card (5-pack):
$64.99$48.99 - UGREEN NEXODE 130W (20000mAh):
$99.99$69.99 - Logitech G Cloud: Save $30
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