RetroX, the premium Android emulation frontend, received its first update since 2024 with the “Extra Sugar” release on January 16th. The update adds native support for Amstrad CPC emulation alongside several quality-of-life improvements for the $76.99 lifetime subscription service.
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- RetroX
The main new feature is Amstrad CPC support, bringing the colorful 8-bit microcomputer platform into RetroX’s unified interface. Developer Franco’s announcement explains the appeal: “For us, this is quite an interesting platform, because many games that we knew from Spectrum and C64 had a version for the colourful Amstrad, and at the time we only got the chance to see the screenshots on magazines but never played them. Amstrad is also interesting because there are many modern games being developed for it. There is a strong community keeping the system alive, with amazing games, like Operation Alexandra.”
Other changes in the Extra Sugar update include improved search results that now factor in game popularity instead of only matching titles, streamlined permissions handling on Android 10+ devices that only request storage access when necessary, an option to invert OK/Cancel button behavior, and improved fast scrolling performance in theme-based game lists.
RetroX operates on a subscription model following a five-day free trial: one year costs $16.99, two years run $26.99, and lifetime access is priced at $76.99. That lifetime tier puts it significantly above competitors like Emulation Station or LaunchBox, though developer Franco has defended the pricing as necessary to keep the project maintained long-term. Unlike traditional frontends that rely on standalone emulator apps, RetroX bundles modified emulators directly, meaning Google’s file-sharing restrictions between apps don’t affect it, but it also requires extensive maintenance work for each supported system.
RetroX supports over 30 platforms, including arcade systems, home consoles through PlayStation 1, and computers ranging from Commodore 64 to DOS.
Source: RetroX
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