This week’s release of the hotly anticipated Anbernic RG Rotate has me contemplating some things. Never ones to do what anyone else might find logical, Anbernic matched the RG Rotate’s “unique rotating design” with the T618 processor. The T618 sits in something of a performance limbo. It’s overqualified for the majority of the Rotate’s D-pad workload, but isn’t quite powerful enough to run the full suite of games in the PS2/GC era.
The user is left with a bit of a predicament: we have this beautiful 1:1 display and a chipset that’s capable of running titles that the device simply lacks the analog sticks to control. Rather than looking at this as a limitation, though, I think it offers an opportunity to look into some hidden gems of the early-3D era.
The RG Rotate has something of a sweet spot of games where its control limitations actually line up with the overqualified internals. Games that were born of the 3D era, but are best controlled with the classic D-pad input. We already know that the RG Rotate will make for an excellent experience on systems like Game Boy Color and Game Gear, but that’s not what we’re here for.
To make this list, I thought a title should meet two standards: The game should run well on the T618 (apologies to Klonoa 2 fans), and it should control best with the setup on offer with the RG Rotate. We’re not just looking for games that can translate analog controls well, but titles that feel like they were secretly intended for the RG Rotate all along.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Hardware | |
| CPU | Unisoc T618 |
| GPU | Mali-G52 MP2 |
| RAM | 3GB |
| Display | |
| Screen Size | 3.5-inch |
| Resolution | 720 x 720 |
| Aspect Ratio | 1:1 |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
| PPI | 290.92 |
| Storage | |
| Internal Storage | 32GB |
| External Storage | microSD |
| Battery | |
| Battery Capacity | 2000mAh |
| Est. Battery Life | 5 Hours |
| Connectivity | |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Ports | USB-C |
| Controls | |
| Triggers | Analog |
| Shoulder Layout | Shelf |
| D-Pad | Top Left |
| Audio | |
| Speakers | Mono |
| Speaker Location | Rear-facing |
| Audio Notes | USB-C Audio |
| Physical | |
| Dimensions | 80 x 80 x 21mm |
| Weight | 167g (Polar Black) | 204g (Aurora Silver) |
| Form Factor | Vertical |
| Software | |
| Operating System | Android |
The Precision Pad Elite
Marvel v Capcom 2 (PS2/Dreamcast)
Marvel v Capcom 2: As someone whose fighting game tastes were born out of arcades during the Street Fighter II invasion and the subsequent years of me-too releases, Marvel v Capcom 2 is the culmination of everything that was done right in the fighting genre up until that point.
The game’s precision controls, deep roster, and stunning 2D sprite-based animation make it a must-include title for just about any new device’s ROM collection. The fact that it’s included in most stockOS collections is a testament to how perfectly it fits on almost any device, but it feels especially at home here on the Rotate.
Guardian Heroes (Sega Saturn)
Dubbed one of the first “fighting RPG” games, Guardian Heroes took the classic Sega beat ’em up brawler formula of arcade stalwarts like Golden Axe and added an XP mechanic that allows players to customize their character’s abilities and play style.
A stunning 2D animation graphical style meets deep design, where various branching paths come together to form a much deeper experience than you might expect. The game’s foreground/background mechanic adds a layer of 3D that perfectly aligns Guardian Heroes with some of the other games on this list. Do this game a favor by not lumping it in with similar-looking, but simpler titles of the time. It’s a must-play.
Show Some Grid
Fire Pro Wrestling Returns (PS2)
The wrestling games of the N64 era defined analog-based grapple combat and controls. Fire Pro Wrestling Returns made the bold (at the time) decision to buck the trend and stick with the D-pad-based controls, centering around the timing and precision that defined the series in its 16-bit heyday.
An astonishing roster of wrestlers meets nearly limitless customization options in this clever isometric ode to the squared circle that feels right at home on the RG Rotate.
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (Gamecube)
This one is a bit of a personal assignment. I’ve been meaning to find a reason to get into the Fire Emblem series for years now. Fire Emblem has always been something of a blind spot in my RPG knowledge, and the RG Rotate feels like it could be uniquely suited to dive into the series’ tactical grid DNA.
2.5D is Enough Dimensions
Odin Sphere (PS2)
I mentioned Klonoa 2 earlier because it seems like the perfect fit for the types of games appearing on the list, but unfortunately, the game’s heavy post-processing needs make it a notoriously hungry title to try and emulate. Trust me, I tried.
Thankfully, Atlus’ 2007 title, Odin Sphere, brings all the visual wow, with gameplay that runs like a dream on the Rotate’s T618 hardware. This hand-drawn animation beat-’em-up does a beautiful job of blending 2D art with 3D flourish.
Nights Into Dreams (Sega Saturn)
If you weren’t around in the 90’s when the leap to 3D was happening, Nights may just look like another early title in the genre. Nights was Sega’s answer to Mario 64 and Crash Bandicoot, popping up under its competitors.
The game was never really 3D, at least not in what was the new sense of the word in gaming. Nights is a mostly 2D platformer that leans heavily into 3D effects and presentation. This means it controls perfectly without an analog stick, and makes it just the type of game for the RG Rotate.
Viewtiful Joe (Nintendo GameCube)
Thoughtfully included with the pack-in SD card on the RG Rotate, Viewtiful Joe defines much of what this list is all about. The game blurs the line between classic and modern in both presentation and gameplay, making it the perfect fit for an emulation handheld with a bit of a confused identity.
If you’ve never had the pleasure, do yourself a favor; this is one of the best titles of the GameCube generation.
Closing Thoughts
The Anbernic RG Rotate is a pretty apt analogy for Anbernic the company. The device is confusingly capable in areas that you might not have expected, and lacking features (like analog sticks) that have become standard on other handhelds. It’s these contradictions that make it the perfect device for exploring some outlier titles in my emulation backlog.
It isn’t that I lacked the ability to play these games before, but rather that they feel so at home on the RG Rotate that it makes me understand some of Anbernic’s questionable choices. When you’re releasing a new SKU almost every month, it’s OK to throw a curve and challenge what hobbyists might be expecting. These games may not have been the secret intention of Anbernic’s latest effort, but it may just be one of the best ways to play them.
Are there titles that you think are uniquely suited to the RG Rotate? Let us know in the comments or chat with us in the RH Discord!
