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.
The AYANEO Classic Drops the Joysticks from the Pocket Micro
Last year was a banner year for AYANEO, as the company announced and released an onslaught of handhelds for both Windows and Android gaming enthusiasts. One such handheld was the Pocket Micro, which sparked joy with its bezel-less display capable of playing Game Boy Advance games at pixel-perfect 4x scaling. However, it seems that we’re in store for a new iteration of the Micro, as the company has started teasing the “AYANEO Classic.”
Retroid Drops a Teaser Video for the Pocket Flip 2
Retroid has released a promo video showing off some of the device’s prominent features. Of note, it is confirmed to have an OLED screen and a reinforced hinge but check the video out below to get the full scoop on what’s coming.
E Ink Meets Gaming with the Ink Console
A new company is here to add another innovation to the reader and E ink space. Ink Console is an entirely E ink handheld that also switches up the visual novel genre, by definition. What sets the handheld apart from anything else we’ve seen released in the past is mostly found in what it aims to do.
The company is poised to release the Ink Console with its own set of games, called Gamebooks. Each Gamebook splits the screen between novel text, and a visual component that can be assumed to be the details of the game itself, with more customization depending on how you choose to proceed in the adventure.
Helegaly兀
Helegaly isn’t quite a household name, even in the retro handheld community, but that might soon change. Apparently, the company is gearing up to release a new handheld named the “Helegaly兀.” According to AeolusUX in the RH Discord, the Helegaly兀 will be powered by the Allwinner A527. It’s said to feature 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, runs Linux, and “looks like the K56 but with a 4-inch screen.” We’re expecting more information to arrive any day now.
Other Hardware News
Apps and Software
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.
Latest Anbernic Update Contains Controversial Piracy App
Alongside these is the default Anbernic stock OS. Anbernic recently released an update for the stock firmware, and it contains a new app that is seemingly solely used for downloading games for a variety of different consoles with little to no hassle. In the app, users can sort games by app-based recommendations, top downloads, or emulators. They can also search for a title and simply hit a download button and have it properly configured inside of the handheld’s game selection screen.
By having an app like this pre-installed on their devices going forward, Anbernic introduces a hurdle that the retro community has been dealing with since its inception. The hobby isn’t primarily built around the idea of piracy, and many content creators (RH included) strongly advise against it.
aPS3e Is, or Was, a New PS3 Emulator for Android
With RPCS3 opting against bringing its PS3 emulator to Android, many have wondered whether proper PS3 emulation would ever come to Android. aPS3e arrived out of left field, seemingly answering our wishes, however, it wasn’t long before the cracks started to show. For one, aPS3e is essentially a wrapper for the arm64 version of RPCS3, which isn’t that big of a deal. The bigger problem was that the developer claimed that it would only release the full source code after a pseudo-crowd-funding goal was reached. This is a direct violation of the GPLv3 license, resulting in pressure from the community before aPS3e was pulled from GitHub.
The project still lives on but is no longer available to download from GitHub. Shortly after aPS3e was deleted from GitHub, Jarrod Norwell of Sudachi fame, introduced rpcs3droid. However, given that it’s quite early in the process, we don’t expect any major progress to be made for qu
There’s Already a New Version of Console Launcher
Games view with SteamDB-style tiles
If you’re a fan of Console Launcher, then we have good news for you. Just last week, we saw v2.0.0-alpha20.1 released, and now the developer is back with v2.0.0-alpha21. With this latest update, there are no longer two separate builds, as the Samsung DeX feature has been merged with the “regular” version. In total, v2.0.0-alpha21 includes five new features, almost 20 “improvements,” and a few bug fixes.
Console Launcher v2.0.0-alpha21
Apple appears to be blocking JIT with iOS 18.4
PSA: Early report shows that in iOS 18.4, Apple may have blocked JIT enablement through get-task-allow, the technique used by AltJIT, SideJIT, Jitterbug, and similar solutions. Avoid updating to iOS 18.4 until there is more information. https://t.co/k4Fy5gQ0Uo
— UTM (@UTMapp) February 23, 2025
When iOS 18 was introduced, nobody expected Apple to open the floodgates to allow for emulation on the iPhone and iPad. However, there was a catch in doing so, as the emulators do not have access to the “Just-in-Time” compilation that provides better performance.
There were workarounds for this, with solutions such as AltJIT and SideJIT, which are tedious but are the only way to emulate newer consoles. This week, Apple released the first iOS 18.4 Developer Beta, and it appears that Apple has “blocked JIT enablement.” Needless to say, you might want to avoid installing this update for the time being.
Other Software News
- plumOS Comes to the GKD Pixel 2
- K11MCH1 Drops new Patched Qualcomm Driver for Android
- Nintendo Ending Gold Points, Clarifying Game Vouchers
- DC: Dark Legion Pre-Registration Open for iOS and Android
- Next Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Remake is Coming on 3/4
- ShaderGlass Applies Retro Shaders Over Any App
- Amazon App Store on Android will be discontinued on 8/20
Emulator Updates
- WinDurango Alpha 2 and 3 Released; Can Now Play Minecraft: Xbox One Edition
- Sudachi Developer Starts Work on Rpcs3droid
- Citron Updated to v0.5
- Tanuki3DS Updated to v0.2.1, and is now on Windows
- Simple64 retired in favor of gopher64
- KeatonTheBot/Ryujinx – Build 7CF322E
- Deecy v0.4.0
- CitraMMJ – Build 68DD55E
- PyBoy v2.5.1
- CODE-DMG v1.0.0
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.
Games From My Childhood: Game Boy Edition
The Game Boy Color came out when I was in 1st grade. Growing up we had an NES and SNES as well, but those technically belonged to my sister. The Game Boy Color was the first console that was mine and shaped my gaming tastes. Here are the 5 games I remember the most from that handheld and how they hold up today.
MagicX Mini Zero 28 Setup Guide
The MagicX Mini Zero 28 brings us a good amount of A133P power in a small package. You can harness that power with the OS and firmware experience you prefer by installing any of the below-listed options (this article will be updated as additional CFW is released).
AceMagic Vista V1 Review: Budget Batocera Box?
A while back, I took a look at the Ayaneo AM01, a mini PC powered by a Ryzen 3 3200U, and put into the conversation whether or not it would make for a good Bazzite machine. And if you were looking for PC indies, I definitely felt like you were on the right path. But what if you were looking for something less powerful? Just for your retro games the TV. AceMagic sent over its Vista V1, a mini PC powered by the Intel N150. And now’s the chance whether it’s worth grabbing for a budget Batocera box.
Why the RG556 Is the Best Device for Game Streaming Under $200
I recently got an Anbernic RG556 as part of a trade. While it has a number of strengths – that screen for example – it didn’t end up being my first choice for any retro gaming system. In almost every case, despite having exactly the same games loaded, I would pick up my Odin 2 instead.
RH Games: What We’re Playing This Week
Spring Training is here, and I’m getting in the swing of things with Bad Hop Baseball on Steam. A bargain at $1.99, the game takes baseball and infuses it into the world of pachinko. Think baseball-themed Peggle and you get the idea. Players control the strength of their swing and leave the rest to chaos. Fun Stuff.
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, the guys had Baldly Rudy on as a guest, while Zu explained tariffs, and Stubbs reviewed the new Claw 7 AI+.
Looking for Deals?
Another week, another set of deals to be had. Time’s running out if you want to save a few bucks during the latest Spring Sales events from both AliExpress and Anbernic. Hit the button below to check out our favorite deals of the week.
Retro Handhelds Deals of the Week
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