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, and catch up on what’s happened this week in the world of Retro Handhelds.
Table of Contents
Hardware
If there’s one thing we know about retro handhelds, it’s that there is always something new around the corner. Seriously, it’s “worse” than smartphones, as some companies release new handhelds every other week. On the bright side, at least there’s no shortage of options.
AYN Odin 2 Portal Full Specs and Price Revealed
Indigo is added to the mix
Bright and early on a Monday morning, AYN shared almost everything else there is to know about the upcoming Odin 2 Portal. This includes the two different Early Bird IGG pricing tiers, along with the retail price for the various models.
AYN Odin 2 Portal at Indiegogo
Anbernic RG CubeXX Pre-Orders Start on October 22
D-Pads
Anbernic’s latest handheld is almost here as the RG CubeXX is set to go up for pre-order starting on October 22. Although it retails for $70, you’ll be able to save $7 for the first 72 hours. After that, the price will go back up on the RG CubeXX, at least until the next AliExpress sale lands.
Retroid Pocket Mini Production Error
Retroid had a production error for the first batch of Orange RP Mini units where the grey glass from the 16bit was applied instead of the planned white color.
Retroid admits they missed the mark, but it’s a real bummer to not get the configuration you paid for. The good news is… pic.twitter.com/VPFT76prnL
— RetroHandhelds.gg (@RetroHandhelds) October 18, 2024
There’s a lot of excitement about the Retroid Pocket Mini and what it has to offer. However, if you ordered one in the Orange colorway, you might be a bit surprised. Instead of the white front glass panel that’s been advertised, it seems that a production error resulted in the Gray glass panel being used instead. If you have an affected unit, you can either keep it and Retroid will give you $15 back, or you can get a replacement.
TrimUI Brick Gets New Colors and Shown Off on Video
One of the more exciting handhelds that we’re expecting is the TrimUI Brick. This handheld will hopefully be arriving in our hands soon, but TheGammaSqueeze received an early unit. So if you want to see what it looks like in person, check out the video above.
That’s not all though, as it appears that TrimUI will be adding two new colors. In addition to the Black and White models, we’ll also be getting a Red and Purple version. We just wish these were made available for pre-order before now, as that Purple colorway is just calling my name.
SF3000 Appears Out of Thin Air
If there’s one company you probably forgot about this year, it’s Data Frog. The SF2000 was the talk of the town for a few weeks last year but has been hanging around. However, Stubbs noticed that the SF3000 is now available on AliExpress, looking to offer much more than its predecessor.
Other Hardware News
- Don’t Expect the Steam Deck 2 Anytime Soon
- The N64 Returns with the Analogue 3D
- Nintendo Could Bring Back the GameCube Controller
- New Xbox Series X|S Consoles Now Available
- Analogue Removes Mention of DAC From Website
- Ayaneo KUN 8840U and 2S 8840U Are Now Available
- Someone Managed to Install Windows 95 on a 3DS
- More Nintendo Switch 2 Rumors
- ExtremeRate Steam Deck OLED Shells and Buttons
- Ayaneo 3 Teased: What We Know So Far
Software and Custom Firmware
Don’t get me wrong, hardware is definitely fun and exciting to talk about. But what good is an awesome handheld if it doesn’t even work? That’s where software and custom firmware come into play, so here’s everything you might’ve missed this week.
Nintendo Caught Using Emulators
@BobWulff pic.twitter.com/6HjWqN4DRH
— Chris (@ChrisMack32) October 14, 2024
You really can’t make this up. Nintendo has been on a tear in 2024, taking down the two most popular Switch emulators, along with an array of forked versions. However, it turns out that while Nintendo might be publicly against emulation, the company has no choice but to rely on emulators. Recently, a video surfaced on Twitter suggesting that a Windows machine running an emulator is powering games at the Nintendo Museum in Kyoto, Japan.
Panda3DS Comes to Android
First official Panda3DS Android builds are now up for download at https://t.co/vNmPgxpsKj !
Give them a try if you’d like! Do note that some jank and/or brokage is still to be expected. pic.twitter.com/2cY3ok9uZ8
— Panda3DS (@Panda3DS_emu) October 20, 2024
Last week, Lime3DS made it onto the Play Store, and now, we have another 3DS emulator to choose from on Android. Panda3DS has been around for a while now, but it was only available on Windows, macOS, and Linux. That’s no longer the case as there’s now an Android build available. However, because it’s still early, don’t expect this to work as well as Lime3DS or other Citra forks.
PlumOS is Already Available for the GKD Bubble
PlumOS is fantastic! Also, got a Bubble in. Unboxing tonight on stream! https://t.co/qDkgCffpDb
— RetroHandhelds.gg (@RetroHandhelds) October 21, 2024
One could argue that PlumOS single-handedly saved the MagicX XU Mini M, and with the GKD Bubble beginning to arrive for some, we’ve got some good news. The popular custom firmware is already available for the Bubble, and v0.2 is set to bring along quite a few sound improvements, along with enabling “the equalizer function.”
Discord Fights Back Against DMCA Request
While Nintendo is doing everything it can to take down content about emulating its games and consoles, other game publishers have taken notice. Nexon, a Korean game publisher, filed a DMCA subpoena against Discord about a year ago, in order to find those who “allegedly shared pirated content.”
Although Discord eventually complied with the initial request, Nexon later filed another DMCA subpoena in a related matter. However, according to TorrentFreak, Discord “has no intention of cooperating with the latest request, describing it as improper.”
Microsoft Testing “Gamepad Keyboard Layout” for Windows
One of the biggest frustrations with Windows handhelds is trying to use the on-screen keyboard paired with the built-in controls. Thankfully, Microsoft is looking to make the experience better, as there’s a new “Gamepad” keyboard layout available with Dev Build 26120.2130. As you might have hoped, this makes it so you can use a controller to enter text, as opposed to tapping on the screen. Hopefully, this makes its way to the stable build of Windows sooner rather than later.
Other Software News
- Cemu for Android Updated With Better Performance
- Internet Archive Hacked Again
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Coming to Game Pass on Day One
- A New Trailer Shows Off Hades II – The Olympic Update
- Spider-Man 2 Coming to PC in January 2025
- Bazzite Now Supports OneXPlayer Handhelds
- Valve Wants to Make It Easier for Linux Gamers
From the Writers
While there’s always a lot of news to cover and talk about, we also try to take a step back and give everyone something a bit different to enjoy. These are the more editorial-styled articles and reviews that you might have missed over the course of this week.
RH Games: What We’re Playing This Week
I am still playing Silent Hill 4 slowly. I have docked my Odin 2 Mini, but I can only play when my wife isn’t home because she doesn’t like spooky or the 2004 bedazzled jean-looking protagonist. I have also been dealing with Customer Support for Analogue and Valve instead of playing much.
Anbernic RG CubeXX: First Impressions
Anbernic is filling the market with H700 handhelds to the point where all you need to do is pick a form factor. For verticals, the answer is basically RG40XXV or RG35XX SP if you need a clamshell. The verticals did come down to size, but with the introduction of the RG CubeXX, you also need to ask if you need that vertical screen real estate.
TrimUI Smart Pro Setup Guide
So you’ve shopped around and wisely decided that the TrimUI Smart Pro is the budget device for you, now what? The Smart Pro arrived in 2022 and has maintained a loyal fan base ever since. Multiple CFW options along with some very nice hardware and design choices make this an attractive bargain that can regularly be had for $50 or less.
Memo S3 Tablet Controller: A Brief Review
Telescopic controllers didn’t used to be a thing I’d be too interested in. I didn’t want my phone to give notifications that would distract me from the game. But I also didn’t want to turn on Do Not Disturb and miss an important call. However, when I got an Alldocube iPlay Mini Pro 50, I realized I could use a completely separate device for this large-screen gaming. Skip forward a few months, and today I’m taking a look at the Memo S3 Tablet Edition.
My Pocketable Handhelds and How I Keep Them Safe
While crowning the original Miyoo Mini as the best handheld of 2022, Bob Wulff told his audience that “the best emulator is the one you have on you right now.” While that quote didn’t totally revolutionize the way I thought about handhelds, it did contribute to me stopping trying to conceal my favorite handhelds about my person. These would usually be the medium-sized ones with protruding analog sticks – which would both ruin my trouser line and probably do no favors to stick drift prevention.
Frightful Five: The Scariest Nintendo DS Games to Play This Halloween
The DS relied on gimmicks sometimes and some of the games were very kid-like, and also for adults with their cooking games and puzzles. Horror games on the DS sounded kind of funny to me, so I decided it would be a fun article to research.
On the YouTubes
Don’t think that the writers are the only ones getting things done. Stubbs and Zu are constantly working on new videos, and now’s the best time to subscribe. This week, there’s a whole a lot of CubeXX, AR glasses powered by a Ryzen processor, and so much more.
Looking for Deals?
Another week, another set of deals to be had. We’re still coming down from the latest Amazon Prime Day event, but there are still plenty of great deals on storage, and a couple of awesome ways to save when pre-ordering some upcoming handhelds.
Retro Handhelds Deals of the Week
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