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
- Software
- From the Writers
- RH Games: What We’re Playing This Week
- Is the Panic Playdate Worth it in 2024?
- Did Anbernic Make the BEST Budget Controller? RG P01 Review
- Anbernic RG CubeXX Review: This Actually Makes Sense
- Game Console R46S First Impressions: A Solid 1:1 Budget Contender
- How to Setup Obtainium on Android
- Building a Budget Customized PSP Go ‘BigBoi’
- Retroid Pocket Mini: An Excessively Candid Look
- On the YouTubes
- Looking for Dills?
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.
Anbernic RG406H & Is There an RG ArcXX?
One can’t help but wonder exactly how Anbernic is capable of churning out so many devices all of the time. Obviously recycling the same chip across an entire family of handhelds goes a long way. A leak from Retro Gaming With Deadfred suggests that the Anbernic RG ArcXX will launch before the end of the year.
Not only that, but another leak appeared on the RH Discord showing off what appears to be the RG406H. As you might suspect, there’s a pretty good chance this is basically the RG406V in a horizontal form factor. That means a 4-inch 720p display and a 4:3 aspect ratio.
8BitDo’s Ultimate Mobile Controller Stretches the Limits
8BitDo already makes controllers and peripherals of all shapes and sizes, but it never ventured into telescopic controllers. That’s all changing soon, as you can now pre-order the 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Controller on Amazon. It will only set you back $50 and is slated to arrive on November 29.
8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller
Retroid Pocket 5 Shipping Delayed
An update on the RP5: pic.twitter.com/xz4Ey686ou
— Retroid Pocket Official (@Retroid0fficial) October 27, 2024
With the Retroid Pocket Mini beginning to arrive to more and more people, we were now looking forward to the launch of the Retroid Pocket 5. However, it seems that Retroid ran into a few issues, resulting in the delay in the shipment of retail units.
Ayaneo Explains Why the Pocket DMG Uses a Touchpad
Many of us were drooling over the classic look of the Ayaneo Pocket DMG, but questioned the inclusion of a touchpad. A few months after its initial unveiling, Ayaneo published a video explaining why the Pocket DMG is using a touchpad as opposed to tossing a second joystick on the front.
Other Hardware News
- AYN Odin 2 Portal IGG Is Live
- Is the Retroid Pocket Mini Suffering From Scaling Issues?
- Someone Made a Portable OG Xbox
- Modder turns a PlayStation 4 Slim into a handheld console
- Be wary of potential RP5 scams on AliExpress
- MagicX One32 Details Revealed
- R39S Looks Like a GAMEMT E5 Clone
- RG50XX on AliExpress
- Pex Labs Update
- PocketPlay iPhone Gaming Case
- Three Legion Go Models Leaked
- ASUS ROG Phone 9 Launching in November with Snapdragon 8 Elite
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.
RG CubeXX Gains Custom Firmware
It definitely seems that Anbernic’s RG CubeXX is already a big hit, and we expect that to continue. Especially when you consider that custom firmware options will soon be available for the latest H700 device.
The latest MinUI update includes support for both the RG CubeXX and the TrimUI Brick. Meanwhile, there’s a pre-alpha build available for the CubeXX, and hopefully, we’ll see muOS added to the list.
Copyright Office Deals a Blow to Game Preservation
Last week, the U.S. Copyright Office ruled that it “would not grant a new exemption in support of video game preservation.” This stems following a hearing earlier this year over the matter, in which the Video Game History Foundation stated that “around 87 percent of video games released in the United States before 2010 remain out of print.”
This isn’t even necessarily about emulation and instead is about the increased difficulty in being able to actually preserve physical copies of retro games.
NooDs is a New and Speedy DS Emulator
This is my new favorite way to play DS.
Just last week, we saw Panda3DS finally join the ranks on the Google Play Store. Now, there’s another emulator making waves, as NooDS can finally be downloaded on Android, Windows, Linux, macOS, and other platforms. Along with offering DS emulation, you can also enjoy your favorite GBA games from the same app.
FlyCast Now Supports RetroAchievements
Dreamcast runs pretty well, but this D-Pad makes fighting games hard.
For some, Flycast is the best way to enjoy your favorite Dreamcast and Naomi games. Recently, the emulator was updated with a bunch of bug fixes, while also fixing performance in a variety of games. However, arguably the most important aspect of this update is that RetroAchievements are finally supported within Flycast.
Other Software News
- RGC Shows Off Batocera and ROCKNIX on the RP Mini
- Playdate Update Showcase and Catalog Sale Coming on October 31
- SteamOS 3.6.19 is an important update
- Archive.org is Intermittently Back Online
- Mario and Luigi Brothership Leaks Ahead of Release
- Vampire Survivors: Ode to Castlevania Coming to Xbox
- Windblown is a new game from the creator of Dead Cells; Available on Steam via Early Access
- plumOS v0.2 for GKD Bubble
- XWine1 Teaser
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 abandoned trying to run Metaphor on my Steam Deck and it is working flawlessly on the Rog Ally X. This game rocks. I never liked the Persona games because of the whole social life and being in high school aspect of the game. This game? It gets rid of that. There are still some social links, but I am not dating anyone so that is great.
Is the Panic Playdate Worth it in 2024?
I had a day of “I need to downsize my collection!” and the device that kept nagging in my brain to sell was my Playdate. I haven’t touched it in months and figured someone would give it a good home. I heard there were some new announcements from Panic coming this week as well, so as I took pictures for my listing, I decided to charge it and play it one more time.
Did Anbernic Make the BEST Budget Controller? RG P01 Review
Anbernic winded up and threw a curveball with one of their recent announcements. They decided to get into the controller game. As a company that makes many, many handhelds, it only makes sense. I mean, they are already making handheld controls, now they don’t have to worry about a screen and all that other stuff that comes along with it.
Anbernic RG CubeXX Review: This Actually Makes Sense
How do you start reviewing something that’s basically the same as everything else a company has released, just in a different form factor? Frankly, I couldn’t tell ya. I’m just rambling a bit, waiting for the writer’s block to pass. Actually, hang on a second. let me see if I can beat Ban’s Celeste scoring using the RG CubeXX.
Game Console R46S First Impressions: A Solid 1:1 Budget Contender
Anbernic gave us the RG Cube earlier in the year, followed by last week’s reveal of the Cube XX. The ZPG A1 Unicorn flew under a lot of people’s radars, but it certainly still has its fans. It was really only a matter of time before the budget masters behind the R36S decided they wanted a piece of the square action too. To be fair, they tried this once already earlier in the year with the R40S, which as you can read in Ban’s overview, was a spectacular disaster. So has Game Console righted the 1:1 ship?
How to Setup Obtainium on Android
Obtainium is an app that allows users to update and track apps distributed via GitHub, official websites, and other non-Play Store locations. This is an incredibly useful tool for retro handhelds running Android since a good portion of suggested apps and emulators are only distributed via GitHub and remain unseen on the Play Store.
Building a Budget Customized PSP Go ‘BigBoi’
When I first discovered Retro Handhelds, one of the first questions I ever asked was “Can I play Final Fantasy Tactics: The Lions War on a pocket-sized handheld”. Considering this was back in the days of the RG351P, the answer always came back, “Just Buy a PSP Go”.
So I did.
Retroid Pocket Mini: An Excessively Candid Look
It’s that time of the year again. Retroid has once again bequeathed to us, from underneath a pile of H700 devices and putrid e-waste, a shining beacon of hope to the future of this niche within a niche in the form of a true successor to the original Retroid Pocket series: The Retroid Pocket Mini.
On the YouTubes
Don’t think that the writers are the only ones getting things done. the RH video team is constantly working on new videos, and now’s the best time to subscribe. This week, there’s a whole lot of CubeXX, meanwhile, Zu gives us his take on the RetroRealms game for the Steam Deck.
Looking for Deals?
Another week, another set of deals to be had. However, as October comes to a close, the 2024 holiday shopping season has practically arrived. The AliExpress Choice Day Sales kick off on November 1, but on October 31, Anbernic is hosting its Halloween sale. Here are a few of the highlights:
| Name | Retail Price | Deal Price |
|---|---|---|
| RG406V | $164.99 | $138.49 |
| RG40XXV | $66.99 | $54.31 |
| RG35XX SP | $64.99 | $47.19 |
| RG Cube | $169.99 | $142.99 |
| RG40XXH | $69.99 | $57.19 |
| RG556 | $184.99 | $156.49 |
| RG28XX | $47.99 | $27.91 |
Retro Handhelds Deals of the Week
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