News
Everything that’s happening in the retro handheld gaming world.
The Latest
Sony Says FUDGE Age Restrictions With New AI Censorship Patent
Sony patented AI that can detect and sanitize violent, sexual, or profane content in games in real time, letting parents set rules and profiles across devices
Playtiles Begins Shipping To Backers
Playtiles turns your phone into a pocket retro handheld, working with Delta, GB Studio games, and open-source-friendly, movable on-screen button emulators.​
Anbernic RG477V Pre-Orders Begin on December 20, Starting at $199
Anbernic’s final handheld of the year will be here soon, as pre-orders for the Anbernic RG477V will begin on December 20, with a starting price of $199 during the Early Bird phase.
PortMaster Roundup: November 16th – December 15th
Because Jim can’t read a calendar, today’s PortMaster roundup is for a full month’s worth of games and apps, and it is a stacked one!
Over 100 Lost Sega Genesis ROMs Recovered by VGHF
The Video Game History Foundation recovered 144 Sega Channel ROMs from 1994-1998, including lost exclusives and prototypes, preserving the service’s history.
AYN Delays Odin 3 ‘Ultra’ Pre-Orders, Offers Alternative Solutions
Bad news for Odin 3 Ultra buyers. AYN has officially delayed remaining orders until mid-January 2026, citing surging memory costs. Buyers can either switch to the Odin 3 Max or hold their place in line.
Retro Handhelds Weekly: KTR1 S, AYANEO, Mangmi, GammaOS, and Much More
New handhelds appeared, software drama erupted, and several standout reviews dropped. If you missed anything this week in retro handhelds, this is the recap you’ll need to stay up to date.
KTR1 S Revealed In New Photos
The KTR1 S swaps the Helio G99 for a Dimensity 7300, adds magnesium shell option, three color options, and two stick layouts. Pre-orders coming soon.
The GameMT EX5 is Coming Soon, Complete With a Performance Dial
GameMT’s latest teaser shows off the EX5: an Android handheld with a 1080p screen, single thumbstick design, and a unique “kitchen timer” style performance switch.
Mangmi Pocket Max Could Be a Bigger, More Powerful Air X
After the success of the Air X, Mangmi appears ready for round two. The Pocket Max is already generating buzz thanks to rumored specs and early benchmarks.
Long-Lost NES Game Xcavator Announced At Day Of The Devs
iam8bit is releasing Xcavator, a finished version of a lost NES game, for $100, with all profits funding the Video Game History Foundation.
AYANEO Pocket Play Revealed: A Modern Twist on the Xperia Play
It looks like the dream of a modern Xperia Play is finally coming true. AYANEO has unveiled the Pocket Play, a gaming-focused smartphone that tucks its controller away when you don’t need it.
Oblast Elevates Classic Blasto Gameplay on Commodore 64
Oblast is a new Commodore 64 remake of 1978’s Blasto arcade game, featuring 384 procedural levels, advanced SID audio, and screen-shake explosions.
CATii Frontend Announced, Immediately Declares War On iiSU
CATii aims to be a new all-in-one Android emulator app for dual-screen handhelds. It runs multiple emulator cores in one process with cloud sync for settings.
GammaOS Next Comes to Anbernic RG476H, RG Slide, and Others
From the RG406V to the RG Slide, GammaOS Next brings scoped storage, button remapping, and more to Anbernic’s lineup. See the full device list here.
Abxylute E1 Is a $69 Handheld That Looks Suspiciously Familiar
With its RK3566 chip, 3.5-inch screen, and Android + Linux support, the Abxylute E1 promises flexibility. Its looks, though? Practically an upgraded RX6H.
Retro Handhelds Weekly: Anbernic RG477, GammaOS on RG DS, New Android Launchers, and More
Another wild week in the world of retro handhelds. Anbernic dropped a new RG477V teaser, AYANEO refreshed the Pocket DMG with a sleek new finish, and OneXPlayer quietly leaked Panther Lake benchmarks. On the software side, GammaOS Next landed, Lair Launcher shared its roadmap, and Anbernic finally patched the RG DS.
Anbernic RG DS Gets First Official Update Addressing Major Bugs
The RG DS’s rocky launch may be getting a smoother landing thanks to firmware 1.4, which fixes the top-screen performance bug and optimizes Nintendo DS game handling.
Anbernic RG DS Gets Massive Overhaul with GammaOS Next
The Anbernic RG DS is getting a massive upgrade thanks to GammaOS Next. This build tackles everything from shader consistency and reduced latency to fixing the annoying 40Hz screen bug and improving Drastic performance.
LEGO Is Releasing Another Buildable Retro Handheld!
LEGO is releasing another buildable Retro Handheld and it’s…exactly what you’re expecting. BUT what about the impact on your wallet over the $60 LEGO GameBoy?
Anbernic RG477V Confirmed in New Teaser Video
Anbernic is back at it again with another end-of-year handheld tease. The RG477V looks like a modernized RG406V with a premium design, huge display, and likely using the same internals as the RG477M.
Retro Handhelds Weekly: ModRetro M64, Anbernic and AYANEO Handhelds, Launcher Drama, and Much More!
New handheld announcements, iiSU launcher drama, fresh firmware builds, and standout community reviews made this a wild week in retro gaming, here’s the full recap.
AYANEO Releases Additional Details Concerning the Next 2
AYANEO has released a product showcase on their upcoming Next 2, detailing additional specifications on their new Windows handheld.
The ModRetro M64 Looks Incredible and Now There’s a Waitlist
ModRetro, the team behind the ModRetro Chromatic handheld, has opened a waitlist for its upcoming N64 FPGA-based console, the ModRetro M64.
![[UPDATE] iiSU – A Frontend Full of Promises](https://rh-handhelds-content.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/2025/11/Feature-1080x675.png)
[UPDATE] iiSU – A Frontend Full of Promises
iiSU, a frontend that evokes the feeling of the PSP and 3DS console home menus, has released a presentation detailing some additional details concerning iiSU.
Anbernic RG477V Announcement Seems Imminent
Is the Anbernic RG477V set to be the strongest vertical Android handheld? Early leaks point to impressive specs and a premium build, but when will it arrive?
Retro Handhelds Weekly: AYN Thor, RG DS, Analogue 3D, and Much More!
Catch up on the biggest retro handheld news of the week with new hardware drama, software updates, reviews, mods, and deals in Retro Handhelds Weekly.
Dolphin For Android Updated With RetroAchievements
RetroAchievements arrives in Dolphin’s Android dev builds, enabling GameCube cheevos now and Wii support soon. Download v2509-503+ or join the Play Store beta.
Redditor Creates A GBA For The End Of Days
A modder fused a GBA SP with a massive DeWalt drill battery, creating a rugged handheld with absurd, multi-day runtime and unapologetically industrial flair.
AYN Thor Update Fixes a Bevy of Issues
A new update is now available for the AYN Thor that aims to fix some of the biggest complaints, while also adding a few other features designed to take better advantage of the dual-screen layout.