News
Everything that’s happening in the retro handheld gaming world.
The Latest
GAMEMT E3 Vigor Pre-Orders Open, Starting at Just $45
Almost three months later, the GAMEMT E3 Vigor is now available for pre-order. It’s just the latest 1:1 handheld to arrive, but priced affordably.
JarPlay Brings J2ME Emulation to the iPhone and iPad
JarPlay brings J2ME emulation to iOS, letting users run lost early-2000s mobile games via .jar files, marking another small but real win for game preservation.
AYANEO Releases Screen Details and a Kickstarter Page for the Pocket Play
AYANEO shares additional details concerning the screen that is being used in the upcoming Pocket Play, along with a landing page for the Kickstarter campaign.
Lost NES RPG Resurfaces In Seven Minute Video
Gameplay footage of a near-complete 1993 Japanese NES RPG thought lost has surfaced, alongside plans for a book of unreleased materials with dev approval.
Dolphin Release 2512 Brings Latency Improvements, Better Frame Pacing, and More
Dolphin Emu has one last trick up their sleeve just before the holiday season comes to a close! And we have improved input latency, frame stability, and more!
OneXSugar Wallet is First Android Handheld with a Foldable Screen
OneXSugar, makers of the quirky Sugar1, have released details on its upcoming OneXSugar Wallet, a clamshell device with a single, foldable screen.
Retro Handhelds Weekly: Retroid Pocket 6, KTR2, Xbox FSE on Legion Go 2, and Much More
Catch up on the week’s biggest retro handheld headlines: KTR2 shakeup, Pocket Vert details, Pocket 6 photos, plus fresh emulator and software updates.
![[UPDATE: Pre-Sales Open] KTR2 Could Shake Up the $100 to $200 Handheld Market](https://rh-handhelds-content.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/2025/12/KTR1-S-Real-Image-1080x675.jpeg)
[UPDATE: Pre-Sales Open] KTR2 Could Shake Up the $100 to $200 Handheld Market
KTR2 enters the hot $100–$200 bracket with aggressive pricing and higher-end materials. Can KT Pocket carve out space against Retroid, MANGMI, and AYANEO?
![[UPDATE] AYANEO Unveils Details on the Pocket Vert](https://rh-handhelds-content.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/2025/12/AYANEO-Pocket-Vert-Feature-1080x675.jpeg)
[UPDATE] AYANEO Unveils Details on the Pocket Vert
AYANEO unveils the full specifications and details for their upcoming Pocket Vert, along with a campaign landing page on IndieGoGo.
Retroid Pocket 6: Real Pics Arrive as First Batch Nears Shipping
New Pocket 6 photos give the best look yet at Retroid’s upcoming flagship, including a peek at the Light Purple colorway and a surprisingly tempting Orange.
MANGMI’s Pocket Max is Powered by a Rather Familiar Processor
MANGMI confirms Snapdragon 865 for the Pocket Max, signaling strong performance while RAM, storage, and pricing details remain uncertain ahead of launch.
Retro Handhelds Weekly: Anbernic RG477V, ModRetro, Steam Winter Sale Highlights, and Much More
Retro Handhelds Weekly is back covering RG477V deals, Steam Deck LCD news, Pocket Max reveals, and the week’s top hardware and software updates.
Anbernic RG477V Pre-orders Now Open, Starts at Just $199
Pre-orders for the Anbernic RG477V are officially live! For the first 72 hours, you can grab this brand new handheld for just under $200.
RIP The Steam Deck (LCD), Long Live the Steam Deck (OLED)
It’s been almost four years since the first Steam Deck arrived, but Valve finally decided enough was enough and has officially discontinued the Steam Deck LCD for good. This move leaves just the two Steam Deck OLED models available, potentially shaking things up a bit.
Here’s a Better Look at the MANGMI Pocket Max and Possible Colorways
Rather than deciding internally, MANGMI has turned to its Discord community to help choose how the Pocket Max will look at launch, but you can see for yourself.
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.
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.​
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.