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Check out our thoughts on the latest retro handhelds, and retrospectives on ones we still can’t put down.
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Retro Handhelds Deals of the Week
Are you tired of searching for the best deals on retro handhelds? Well, you've come to the right place. We'll be rounding up a few of our favorite deals every week, and today, we hope your wallets are ready. Magic X XU Mini After being announced back in April, we kind...
Is The Original…Better? GBA SP vs. RG35XXSP
This is a “Flipping” or “Hinge” joke safe zone. Prepared by Joe Howdy neighbor, I'm just sitting on the can in my morning meeting pondering retro handhelds and their OEM brand counterparts, the real stuff ya know? We've been lost in the pocketable/hand feel/button...
NetPass for the 3DS: StreetPass is Alive!
I never had a 3DS (or even a DS) during the peak of their release. Really, I never even had one until Walmart had that $99 N2DSXL with Mario Kart 7 deal. Something else though, I also love a weird Nintendo gimmick, so I was sad to never experience StreetPass. With...
The Cost of Rising Prices: Android Devices
What’s the most you’ll spend on a handheld? $60? $100? $350? As Much as it takes? Maybe I can get specific. Is the amount you’ll spend on a Linux handheld different than what you’ll spend on an Android handheld or even a Windows handheld? Maybe at a certain point, you...
How to Install Balatro on Android and iOS
Balatro has already become one of this year’s most cherished indie games within the short span of time that it's been released. Originally released in February 2024, it has seen releases for PC, Mac, PS4 and 5, Xbox One and Series, and the Nintendo Switch. The...
Controller Showdown 3: JoyClones
It was unavoidable to write this article series and not touch on what is probably the hottest thing in the bootleg controller game; fake Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons. Last time round, we concentrated on the off-brand recreations of the Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers and...
8BitDo Retro 18 Mechanical Numpad Review
I got a little carried away on Prime Day and ended up getting the new 8BitDo Mechanical 18 Numpad to go with my 8BitDo C64 keyboard. It was the one item that I regretted checking out with even tried canceling it to no avail. At first glance, it seemed silly for the...
ASUS ROG Ally X First Impressions: Leaving a Mark
Sometimes, it's nice to take a break from the breakneck pace of retro handhelds to enjoy the larger devices. Of course, this time around, I'm taking a look at the ROG Ally X. However, if you're looking for our full review, I ask that you wait just a little bit longer...
Retro Handhelds Weekly: Knulli Gets an Update, RGB20 Pro Colors, and More!
Welcome to the Fifth Edition of Retro Handhelds Weekly. There wasn't all that much in the way of new hardware, but it definitely wasn't a slow week for news. Some of the highlights include a massive update for Knulli, Powkiddy's next handheld gets new colors, and a...
Anbernic RG40XX H Review: The Final H700
Anbernic has a problem. As I sit down to write this RG40XX H review, I'm honestly shocked that there isn't already another Anbernic handheld on the way. About a month passed between the release of the RG Cube and the RG40XX H. That pace is just too rapid, especially...
How to Play PICO-8 on Android Handhelds
It would appear that the market is shifting towards more devices with a 1:1 aspect ratio. While the RGB30 and RGB20SX are still running Linux firmware, the RG Cube and ZPG A1 Unicorn provide an Android-based experience. The problem with this is that there hasn't been...
GuliKit KK3 Pro Controller Review: Nearly There
While handhelds are primarily my biggest source of financial ruin, I too have a second issue that plagues my wallets. Controllers. It doesn’t seem as bad as handhelds because I don’t have all of my controllers on display. Just in the drawer below my TV, and in the...
Powkiddy V10 Review: 2020 Meets 2024
Powkiddy went from the most famously infamous competitor in the scene, consistently putting out the lowest end, Value City-esque, poor build quality devices that feel like off-brand versions of off-brand products, to the same thing but with pretty good consoles this...
Making Batocera (& Knulli) Better: Customize Hotkey Shortcuts
When you’re the sort of retro gamer who uses Batocera as the preferred Retro Handheld operating system of choice, every year begins with the traditional silent prayer of the underdog: “Maybe this year will be our year” For Batocera though, there’s actually a chance...
Odin 2 Mini Setup Guide
After the Odin 2 captured the hearts of many retro handheld enthusiasts, we wondered about what AYN could possibly follow it up with. The answer came in May 2024, as the Odin 2 Mini was first teased before it was officially unveiled. A few of us here at RH...
RH Picks: Best Prime Day Deals of 2024
As another year brings us Amazon's Black Friday in July, the RH deal gnomes have been hard at work scouring the depths for the best Prime Day deals on handhelds, accessories, and various doodads that we, the tinkering folk, enjoy. So come show your appreciation for...
AYN Odin 2 Mini Review: Vita Who?
When I first saw AYN showcase the Odin 2 Mini, I scoffed at the idea. Why release a smaller Odin 2 with less battery and around the same cost? Next, I preordered it so fast that I got the $30 off coupon. I ordered the base model as I had no issues with the base Odin...
Retro Handhelds Weekly: RG40XX H, PCSX2 2.0, and More!
It's the Fourth Edition of Retro Handhelds Weekly, meaning that it's already been a month since we started! A lot has happened in the past month, and it doesn't seem to be slowing down. In the past week, Anbernic launched pre-orders for another new handheld, PCSX2 2.0...
Metroid on July’s Handheld of the Month
Greetings friends and fellow enthusiasts! This is Mikhailov from Team Retrogue, where we like retro games and the devices that bring them to us. Last week, we looked at the Legion Space Update for the Lenovo Legion Go. This week, it’s time to take a look at July’s...
Analogue Announces Aluminum Editions of the Pocket
Analogue has announced yet another limited edition version of the Pocket. The company had previously released glow-in-the-dark, transparent, and solid-color editions of their console. Announced via Twitter, Analogue is launching an aluminum version of the Pocket. It...
Anbernic RG40XX H First Impressions
Anbernic has no chill. They just can't stop releasing handhelds. They get their hands on a chip and they are just going to keep pumping out as many options as they can. This may be good in the sense that they make something for everyone or it is frustrating for...
Odin 2 Mini First Impressions: Simply Divine
As I sit here and try to collect my Odin 2 Mini first impressions, I can't help but think about how wild the Android retro handheld space has become. In the past year, we've seen the Odin 2, Ayaneo Pocket Air, Pocket S, Retroid Pocket 4, Anbernic RG556, and so many...
Ayaneo Pocket EVO sets its sights on Odin 2
At this point, I think the only company that can attempt to keep up with Anbernic's crazy release schedule is Ayaneo. Last week, the company began teasing another new handheld, dubbed the Ayaneo Pocket EVO. Besides a darkened silhouette, Ayaneo didn't offer much in...
From the Depths: Ban’s Bins 2
Yeah, it’s time for another look into the abyss that is my neverending collection of handhelds. Last time it was a fairly standard affair. A DS, a Retroid device, a Powkiddy, and then something odd like the portal. Today though I spun the wheel and landed what I’d...
Avoid Getting Burned: Handheld Safety PSA
Even if you aren't walking around every day with a pocketable handheld by your side, chances are you still have a combustible rectangle somewhere on your person at any given time. Lithium-ion battery-powered devices have become so entrenched into our everyday lives...
5 Cozy Games to Relax With
I love a cozy game. I remember as a kid everyone would laugh at me playing Animal Crossing on the GameCube, but it was such a delight for me. With the Steam Summer Sale dwindling down, let's look at some of my favorite cozy games that I enjoy playing. Maybe there will...
Retro Handhelds Weekly: Ayaneo Pocket EVO, Anbernic Goes 64-bit, and More!
The Third Edition of Retro Handhelds Weekly has landed. Unlike the previous issue, there have been so many different announcements and news pieces that it's made our collective heads spin. Not only did Ayaneo announce another Android handheld, but the Miyoo A30 gets a...
MinUI on Miyoo A30: Setup Guide
Ever since the Miyoo A30 was released, we've been hoping to see custom firmware options made available. It's immediately apparent that Miyoo has a lot of work to do on the software side of things, as it's just an underwhelming out-of-box experience....
Major Legion Space Update Comes to Lenovo Legion Go
Greetings friends and fellow enthusiasts! This is Mikhailov from Team Retrogue, where we like retro games and the devices that bring them to us. When last I graced the pages of the Retro Handhelds website, we looked at the GameMT E6 Plus. This week, it's time to...
A Hinged Review of The Zelda: Game & Watch
The 80s were wild, not only because when most Gen Xers are asked about it they’ll tell you “Man, the 80s were wild”, but also because we had 3 groundbreaking and innovative action-adventure titles that came out ready to rearrange the insides of the genre: The Legend...