The Sega Game Gear is perhaps the classic console that best represents why I love emulation and the retro handheld hobby. I had a Game Gear as a kid. It was the only console where my parents ever finally gave in and made one magically appear under the tree. To say that I had a connection with my Game Gear as a kid would be an understatement. It was the gaming world that I knew best and one that I could finally call my own.
So, when I was in my early 30s and began the trek of tracking down pieces of my childhood, Game Gear was one of the first things on my mind. What I came to find in collecting, though, was that finding a Game Gear wasn’t too hard, but finding one in the wild with a working screen was HARD.
Some contenders with everyone’s fav
Time hasn’t been kind to the Game Gear hardware, and most of the systems I came across in my travels needed a recapping or more. No small job for your everyday enthusiast. Enter the emergence of Retro Handhelds over the pandemic, and you can see where I’m going with all of this. These handhelds offer a direct link to recreating an experience from my childhood without heavy investment of time or money for me – the nostalgia hungry consumer.
But in a sea of choices, what’s the best way to enjoy the Game Gear and its largely unique lineup in 2025? Without further ado, here are my personal favorite ways to experience the Game Gear library on modern emulation hardware.
Original Specs
The Game Gear had the distinct marketing advantage over Nintendo’s Game Boy in one key place – a color screen. The Game Gear’s screen was both its selling point and its eventual hardware Achilles heel, and modern retro handhelds make this console shine in a way that it never could with the display technology limitations of the day.
- Processor: 8-bit Zilog Z80 processor, 3.58 MHz
- Memory: 8 KB RAM, 16 KB VRAM
- Display: 3.2-inch TFT color LCD, 160×240 pixels, 4096 colors
- Sound: 1-channel mono speaker, compatible with FM synthesis
- Graphics: Sega Master System-compatible graphics, 32 sprites on screen
- Battery Life: 5-6 hours on 6 AA batteries. Anyone who had one of these as a kid had parents who hated it because of its ability to chew through batteries.
- Dimensions: 5.5 x 3.1 x 1.7 inches (140 x 80 x 43 mm)
- Weight: 10.7 oz (305 g)
- Colors: Available in several colors, including black, blue, and red
- Release Date: October 1990 (Japan), April 1991 (North America)
- Price: $149.99 (launch price)
The Obvious Choice: GKD Bubble
So, full disclosure, I do not currently own a GKD Bubble. I have used one and think it’s a great product, but for whatever reason it’s one of the releases that has slipped through my fingers. I’m placing the Bubble front and center here because it’s impossible to have an emulation conversation about the Game Gear without the Bubble warranting a mention. It’s very clear with its design that it is here to be your Game Gear go-to.
While I once may have thought I was on the retro handheld collection journey looking for the perfect device for everything, as time goes on I find more and more that I enjoy finding what each device is best at and letting them shine. Consoles were different, and we should celebrate what made them unique rather than trying to create a one-size-fits-all experience painting with the broadest brush.
The Sleek Square: Anbernic RG Cube/RG CubeXX
Game Gear in 10:9 is glorious
When looking around at my collection and trying handhelds out for this article, the RG Cube was the first device to jump off of the shelf at me. Now, since the Game Gear isn’t exactly demanding when it comes to emulating its hardware, there isn’t really any benefit to the increased horsepower of the original Cube in this application.
If you’d like the option of playing more demanding systems on a similarly styled device it’s certainly nice, but for our purposes with Game Gear, the RG CubeXX provides just as rock solid a recreation as its more expensive counterpart.
The 1:1 aspect ratio screens on the Cube devices are not a direct translation of the original Game Gear, but the 4:3 screen on the original Sega hardware was actually stretching a 10:9 aspect ratio, so the 1:1 displays on a device like the Cube or RGB30 actually suit the system incredibly well. Here with the cube, you have the option of choice is how you’d like your games displayed, but with the bonus of a rocker d-pad for Game Gear authenticity.
Anbernic RG CubeXX at AliExpressAnbernic RG Cube at AliExpress
The Scrappy New Contender: BatleXP G350
It didn’t look this good when I was a kid
Admittedly, our time with the BatleXP G350 so far has been short, but I’ve yet to talk to the retro enthusiast whose tried one out and walked away less than impressed at what’s on offer here for $35 or less. The G350 has effectively usurped the reign of the Game Console R36S as budget king within weeks of its release. Reports that the G350 may be made by a familiar face on the scene (Anbernic) add up when you consider the quality on offer here at such a low price. The G350 was made by folks who know what they’re doing when creating a retro emulation machine, and it shows.
The G350 is a great Game Gear device for the same reasons that it’s a great all-around device — quality at an extremely affordable price point. Perhaps this isn’t the most true to form representation of Game Gear, but it’ll still reconnect you with the console library with a rewarding and fufilling play experience. The BatleXP G350 has become my go-to grab when plopping down on the couch, and Shinobi is just one of the amazing Game Gear experiences I’ve already enjoyed reliving on the device.
The Sega Purist: The RG Arc D/S
If the GKD Bubble is clearly the emulation handheld that takes the most direct inspiration from the Game Gear, the Arc series from Anbernic is its Nomad big brother. Everything about the Arc screams classic Sega, from the pivoting D-pad to the 6-button layout. This is a device made with intent for Sega fans, so what better place to enjoy some of the company’s best portable games? If you’re looking for something that’s great for Game Gear, but not primarily just for playing Game Gear, then the Arc’s are a solid choice.
Anbernic RG Arc-D or Arc-S (Direct)
The Enemy:Â Anbernic RG34XX
It’s just as great for Game Gear!
This pick may get some eyes rolling for obvious reasons, and rightfully so, but hear me out. Even though the Anbernic RG34XX is a clear ode to the original Game Boy Advance, I’ve found that its size and design make it feel right at home playing Game Gear titles. Like the GKD Bubble above, the RG34XX sneaks in a couple extra buttons above the A&B of the classic offerings, but it still feels like a machine dedicated to a time when we only needed two buttons.
It may feel wrong for those of us who grew up in the console war arguments on the playground, but this tribute to the legacy of Nintendo does just as great a job with classic Sega as it does with favorites from the Big N.
Anbernic RG34XX at AliExpressAnbernic RG34XX (Direct)
Conclusion
So that’s it. Those are the devices that I reach for when I want to scratch that Game Gear itch and feel like I’m 9 again. While it’s a lot of fun to look forward to the next powerhouse coming soon, it’s nice to look back at how far we’ve already come in this hobby and see all the options available.
Systems like Game Gear may not need a lot of computing power to recreate, but these systems truly bring out the best of these old titles in a way that the original hardware never could. It’s a great time to rediscover some handheld 8bit wonder.
What are your favorite ways to play the Game Gear? Let us know in the comments below, and chat with us in our Discord!
This page may contain affiliate links, by purchasing something through a link, Retro Handhelds may earn a small commission on the sale at no additional cost to you.