Features
Check out our thoughts on the latest retro handhelds, and retrospectives on ones we still can’t put down.
The Latest
New Anbernic RG35XXSP: Is It Different?!
The RG35XXSP was probably the best-selling handheld that Anbernic has ever had. Why not keep capitalizing on that with new colors? That’s exactly what it did with the new transparent white, red, and green. With the popularity also came the criticisms as well. Did...
Replacing the Loki Max? A OneXFly Comparison
X86 handhelds are expensive, and you shouldn’t really own more than one. The issue with that statement comes from not knowing which one is best for you. Maybe you wanted a smaller screen. But now that you have your Legion Go outside its return window, you don’t want...
M21 Hands On: Copycat With Some Fun Additions
SJGAM seems to be a company whose ambitions to break away from the shackles of e-waste are matched only by their reluctance to shed what has to be the worst electronics company name in history. Every time I find myself writing about one of their devices, I have to go...
Retro Handhelds Weekly: RGB20 Pro, Switch 2, RPCS3, and Much More!
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,...
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...
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...
Anbernic RG406V First Impressions: Well Hello There
With all of the handhelds that have come across my desk over the past year, there's been something missing. Well, that is, until now. I have plenty of options to play everything and anything that I can think of, but something I struggled to find was a vertical...
GammaOS Core First Look: RGB30 Renewed!
Greetings friends and fellow enthusiasts! This is Mikhailov from Team Retrogue, where we like retro games and the devices that bring them to us. The Gamma Squeeze released a beta of GammaOS Core for several RockChip devices this week, and is available via his Patreon...
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...
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...
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...
Retro Handhelds Weekly: Get BRICKED, Anbernic RG406V, GammeOS Core, and Much More!
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,...
Using a Game Boy DMG in 2024
I love the Game Boy. I grew up with the Game Boy Color and I have so much nostalgia for those games. Those sprites from that era just do something for me. I just missed the cutoff for having the good ole' DMG though. I decided this year that if I saw a beaten-up one,...
TrimUI Announces the TrimUI Brick
The company behind the TrimUI Smart Pro has revealed its next handheld, the TrimUI Brick. The Brick visually looks to borrow a lot of its design and influence from the Analogue Pocket but with some noticeable contrasts. Where the Analogue Pocket would be left empty,...
Anbernic RG40XXV Review: So Much to Love
While I agree with many who feel a bit fatigued with the number of handhelds being released, I have to commend Anbernic. Despite being the source of much of that fatigue, the company is doing something completely different, as evidenced by the RG40XXV. Instead of...
How To Backup Cartridge Saves on an Analogue Pocket
One of the best-unmarketed features of the Analogue Pocket is that it can back up save files from cartridges. You don't need any additional hardware, nor do you have to do anything all too involved, it's simply a feature of the Pocket that is unmarketed, unadvertised,...
ZPG A1 Unicorn: An Unhinged Take
“The more I learn about Retro Handhelds, the less I know about myself” - Lao Tzu, probably What's good fellow Sonic Adventure 2: Battle!: Chao Garden enjoyers? Our supreme leader Stubbs has granted me much-needed internet access to the locked room in his basement. And...
OBSBot Meet 2: A Quick Look
When the world moved into a “work from home” style of life, a lot of people needed something to help fulfill their constant meetings throughout the day. You know. Those where half the time they aren’t even listening and are just scrolling their phones because the...
CRKD Neo S Review: Hitting the Mark
Hot off their success with the Nitro Deck, CRKD is back with a new collection of controller offerings. The Neo S POPeArt series was released in April 2024 and hopes to stand out from the pack with their unique design in the modern space, and a variety of art designs...
Retro Handhelds Weekly: Retroid Pocket 5, Cemu for Android, and Much More!
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,...
Using the ROG Ally X as a PC
I have never had a PC in my adult age. We had one when I was a kid that I would play Putt-Putt on, but I never got into it much beyond that. I had a Macbook in college and gaming in 2010 on that was not really an option. When I got the Steam Deck, that was the closest...
ZPG A1 Unicorn Review: So Clicky, So Good
Ever since the RGB30 hit the scene, there's been a random smattering of 1:1 handhelds arriving. The latest of which is the ZPG A1 Unicorn, a retro handheld that we first saw late last year. However, after the Unicorn landed earlier this year, it might have just become...
RetroArch Setup Guide for iOS Devices
Greetings friends and fellow enthusiasts! This is Mikhailov from Team Retrogue, where we like retro games and the devices that bring them to us. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbPgbh5kRxY&t=4s RetroArch became available on iOS devices through the Apple App Store...
8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Review: This is the One
Normally when we go into retro gaming we think of our handhelds, maybe our Sega Genesis or the Nintendo 64 controller everyone loved to use. But unless you’re a MS-DOS nerd you might not have thought about the keyboard you use for retro gaming. When 8Bitdo released...
Retro Handhelds Weekly: Retroid Pocket 5, MagicX Processor Saga, and Much More!
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,...
5 Games With Jobs to Play on Labor Day
Labor Day is a holiday in the USA that celebrates the economic achievements of workers. I thought it could be fun to discuss some retro games that have gameplay of you doing jobs in it. There are so many great options, so join me while I highlight 5 of my favorites....
GotX: Serene September Games Announced!
Greetings friends and fellow enthusiasts! This is Mikhailov from Team Retrogue. With the dawn of a new month comes new games for GotX. This month, the pleasure of delivering the news of this month's games falls to me. The theme is Serene September. The weather is...
Pokemon Unbound: The Very Best ROM hack
Pokémon Unbound is regarded as one of the best ROM hacks currently available for the entire Pokemon franchise. It has a new original story, new region, custom assets, redesigned UX, and a ton of other quality-of-life features that set it apart from all of its peers....
How to Change Boot Video on Steam Deck
Despite our primary focus being on retro handhelds from the likes of Anbernic, Miyoo, and others, there's no denying that the Steam Deck holds a special place in our hearts. This is simply because it really offers the best "all-in-one" solution for gaming on the go....
Mikhailov & Nefarious Go to Retro World Expo
Greetings friends and fellow enthusiasts! This is Mikhailov from Team Retrogue, where we like retro games and the devices that bring them to us. This past weekend, my friend Nefarious Ways and I put down our emulation devices and went for the real deal. We embraced...