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
- RP5 and RP Mini: Batocera and ROCKNIX Linux Install Guide
- Launchbox for Android: The Best-Kept Secret in Retro Gaming?
- Anbernic “XX” Handheld Starter Guide
- It’s Almost 2025 and I’m Collecting Pokemon Cards Again
- GotX: Never Nominated November Games Arrive!
- How to Use ROM Hacks
- The Games I Actually Play: PortMaster
- Buying Guide: Anbernic RG Cube vs. RG CubeXX?
- 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 & P Leaks Reveal Familiar Controls
For the past few months, we’ve heard rumblings about a potential release of the Anbernic RG406P. It all started after a patent filing was discovered, revealing the design and RG406P naming scheme. It appears that Anbernic is pivoting a bit, as the RG406P is now expected to arrive as the Anbernic RG406H.
OneXFly Pro Unveiled with 144Hz OLED, Ryzen Power, and ‘Zero Drift’ Sticks
OneXPlayer has announced its latest Windows handheld with the OneXFly F1 Pro. The company published its first trailer video on YouTube, revealing the design, in addition to a few other details.
Someone Managed to Get DOOM Running on the Nintendo Alarmo
After my last post, it was pretty clear what everyone wanted to see on the Alarmo. So, here it is – Doom running on the Nintendo Alarmo! pic.twitter.com/WimckYPnXZ
— Gary (@GaryOderNichts) November 2, 2024
While we’re still waiting for the Switch 2 to be announced, the Nintendo Alarmo was released. With it recently beginning to arrive, it didn’t take long for someone to get Doom running on the Alarmo. Pretty darn funny, if you ask me.
GPD Pocket 4 Announced
GPD Pocket 4, The AI PC in your pocket pic.twitter.com/Ik24J6VpkO
— GPD Game Consoles (@softwincn) October 30, 2024
The GPD Pocket lineup remains one of the more unique “handhelds” on the market, and the GPD Pocket 4 was just announced. It features an 8.8-inch 2.5K display, complete with a 144Hz refresh rate, while being powered by the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor. There’s no mention of pricing, but this little beast of a machine looks absolutely incredible.
‘DeckSight’ OLED Mod for Original Steam Deck LCD
Are you perfectly content with your Steam Deck LCD but really want to upgrade to an OLED display? DeckSight might be the answer to your problems, as it’s an upcoming mod that does just that. This is done using a 7-inch 1080p AMOLED panel and is expected to be available with either a Matte or Glossy finish.
Other Hardware News
- Playdate Stereo Dock Might Not Be Coming
- Ayaneo 3 – Code: REVO
- Lenovo Quietly Launches Charging Connector for Legion Go Controllers
- Macho Nacho Builds the “PlayStation Phantom”
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.
ROCKNIX Now Supports RP Mini, XU Mini M, RGB10X, and RGB20 Pro
Did you already get your Retroid Pocket Mini but aren’t a huge fan of using Android? Have no fear! ROCKNIX is here! There’s a build of ROCKNIX available now for the Pocket Mini, which not only brings with it official PortMaster support but also allows you to fire up some original Xbox games.
Retroid Shows Off Its Upcoming Launcher
One of the reasons why the Retroid Pocket 5 was delayed was due to the software upgrade to Android 13. While working on that, Retroid is also set to release a new launcher for its handhelds. Although it’s not available just yet, Retroid did publish a video that shows it off.
PabloMK7 Merges with Lime3DS
My fork of Citra has just ceased development. Resources will now be put into a new, more serious continuation project. Stay tuned for updates! pic.twitter.com/iv79fSilwr
— PabloMK7 (@Pablomf6) October 29, 2024
In what came as a bit of a shock, it was announced that the PabloMK7 Citra fork was going to be shut down. However, we don’t have Nintendo to blame for this one, as a new merged project between PabloMK7 and Lime3DS is in the works. Details are scarce, but we couldn’t be more hyped.
Ryujinx Development is Picked Up by “GreemDev”
Just when you thought that Switch emulation was done for, someone sneaks under the radar to surprise us all. That’s exactly what’s happened with Ryujinx, as there’s a new fork from “GreemDev.” Not only that, but development seems pretty active, as more than 25 updates have been released since last month.
PS4 Emulation Is Heating Up
We’ve been keeping an eye on the PS4 emulation scene for a few months now, ever since shadPS4 burst onto the scene. Just last week, version 0.4.0 “codename divicius” was released, including a swathe of changes, updates, and bug fixes.
However, the RPCS3 team doesn’t want to be left in the dust, as it’s working on a PS4 emulator of its own, called RPCSX. With the latest update, the devs were able to get Bloodborne to boot, which is huge. But you still can’t actually play the game, so instead, it’s just something to monitor.
Other Software News
- The Nintendo Music App Lets You Stream Legendary Soundtracks from Mario to Zelda
- Goodboy Galaxy Is Now on Steam
- PPSSPP Updated to Version 1.18
- Super Mario Bros. Game Boy Color Port
- Bazzite Updated to Fedora 41
- Simple Launcher Updated With New Tools to Create Batch Files
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 know what you are saying, “Weren’t you playing Metaphor last week? That game is so long, how did you beat it?!”. The answer is yes, and I am still playing it. Heck, I am at 25 hours already, which is a lot for me and it is just so good. I wanted to include another game I am playing too though so I wasn’t keeping it stale.
The Games I Actually Play: PortMaster
You’ve got your PortMaster handheld. You’ve got it all set up with your favorite OS. Whether that’s ArkOS, Crossmix, or Rocknix; it’s running and you can get your game fix in now. But when you boot up PortMaster and look through games you realize there’s a lot that need game files you simply don’t have. You could put on the pirate hat, or you could delve into a number of the great ready-to-play games.
RP5 and RP Mini: Batocera and ROCKNIX Linux Install Guide
ROCKNIX Running on a Retroid Pocket 5 (Photo Courtesy of Retro Game Corps).
The Retroid Pocket Mini is here, and the Retroid Pocket 5 is on the horizon. While these Snapdragon devices run Android, they also bring support for both ROCKNIX and BATOCERA.
LaunchBox for Android: The Best-Kept Secret in Retro Gaming?
Recently, a friend gifted me an Android lifetime license for the software, so I thought it was only fair to give an overview of my impressions and determine whether LaunchBox is a good solution for organizing and launching your retro emulation collections in 2024.
Anbernic “XX” Handheld Starter Guide
I’m a fan of Anbernic’s “XX” family of devices. The devices receive some amazing support from community developers and there is a design option for pretty much anyone who wants to experience the nostalgia of playing these old games.
It’s Almost 2025 and I’m Collecting Pokemon Cards Again
Not to be confused with “Pokemon TCG Live,” Pokemon TCG Pocket seems to put collecting cards first, with the added bonus of being able to create decks and battle. Getting everything ready to go is as simple as tapping a bunch of buttons on the screen, choosing a username, linking an account for syncing purposes, and then you’re in. Well, mostly.
GotX: Never Nominated November Games Arrive!
Never Nominated was the theme voted for by our Champions Lounge. The games that were nominated had to have never been nominated in GotM before! If you want to know more about our GotX program and how to participate, check out my article about that here!
Buying Guide: Anbernic RG Cube vs. RG CubeXX?
I really enjoyed the RG Cube when I got it. It was my first 1×1 screen and I enjoyed my time with it. I was excited to also try out the new RG CubeXX as well because I agree, to take advantage of that screen, you don’t need all that extra power. Though stretching some GameCube games was an interesting experience. Which one is the more for you?
How to Use ROM Hacks
A good portion of ROM hacks are made using tools made by other retro community members. These tools aim to simplify the process involved in editing palettes, changing text, or simply moving things around. These tools are making it easier for your average person to create hacks of their own while having either no or very little development knowledge. Which is great — everyone gets to express their creativity in a new medium.
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, with November officially underway, it’s that time of the year when you can save a boatload of money thanks to different promotions. That includes the AliExpress Choice Day sale, which got started on November 1 and runs until November 8. Along with the various discounts already available, you can save even more when using one of the codes below!
- RHH9: $9 off $30
- RHH15: $15 off $60
- RHH25: $25 off $100
- RHH60: $60 off $200
Retro Handhelds Deals of the Week
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