Welcome to the latest edition of Retro Handhelds Weekly. This week, we saw a bunch of news in 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.
It’s Time to Stock Up on Some Cheap Retro Handhelds
In an unsurprising turn of events, the days of truly cheap e-waste appear to be coming to an end. An executive order has been signed that aims to close the de minimis trade exemption. Originally, this was expected to happen back in February but was “paused” in order for proper guidelines and plans to be in place for U.S. Customs.
So what does this mean for you? As I explained earlier this year, if you’re ordering devices or products that total $800 or more, then you likely won’t notice anything different. However, when it comes to anything under the $800 threshold, that $20 R36S will now cost closer to $30.
Nintendo Switch 2 Announced
It’s been one of the most highly anticipated devices, and the Nintendo Switch 2 was officially unveiled during the latest Direct. Pricing starts at $449, while a bundle with Mario Kart World will set you back another $50. Pre-orders in the rest of the world will commence on April 9, but those of us in the U.S. will have to wait a bit longer due to the recent tariff situation.
The H36S is an Unbranded Horizontal that May Be Promising
The H36S, based on the renders shown, looks to have a more unbody and sleek design when compared to its counterparts, but as with most things at this price point, an argument can be made that the device will have uneven and cheaper plastics in reality.
A few days after first appearing on Alibaba, the H36S landed on AliExpress and is now available from a few different sellers. Prices range between $44 and $50, and you can order one now!
Someone Made a “Single Screen NDSL With DSi XL Screen”
Image: r/nds
When you think about modding a broken Nintendo DS, chances are that you’re looking at turning a DS Lite into the “Game Boy Macro.” However, someone over on the r/nds subreddit opted for a different approach, as it not only ditches one of the screens but also features a slot for your Game Boy Advance games. All the while still retaining the DS cartridge slot on the bottom. Unfortunately, it seems that this mod isn’t for everyone, as it’s quite a bit more involved than if you were to opt for the Game Boy Macro route.
You Can Make Your RGB20SX Look Like an Analogue Pocket
Image: r/SBCGaming
Ever since it was released, the Powkiddy RGB20SX has just kind of flown under the radar, despite offering everything that the RGB30 does, just in a vertical form factor. Nevertheless, it’s turning heads again, as someone over on the r/SBCGaming subreddit modded theirs to look like an Analogue Pocket. If you don’t have a 3D printer, the creator has shared the necessary files via PCBWay, making it easier to get the shell and buttons printed. However, if you do have a printer at home, just download the included files and try this for yourself!
Other Hardware News
- The GKD Little Could Pack a Relatively Big Punch
- Rumored Xbox handheld might’ve appeared during an interview
- Super Pocket Neo Geo Edition and Neo Geo Arcade 1 announced
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.”
ES-DE 3.2.0 / 3.2.0-45
It’s been three months since the last major update was released for EmulationStation, but now, ES-DE 3.2 and 3.2.0-45 are rolling out. The list of new features is about a mile long, with much of the focus being on bringing “support for themeable system status indicators.” Plus, ES-DE now supports even more emulators, including those that have grown in popularity since the last release.
BlueStacks Returns to macOS
While there’s no shortage of options when it comes to emulating Android on Windows, the same can’t be said for macOS. Thankfully, after a rather lengthy hiatus, BlueStacks is back on the Mac and is now being called “BlueStacks Air.” With this release, the Android emulator now supports the entire lineup of Apple Silicon chips, including the latest M4 variant. Best of all, BlueStacks Air is free to download, and you can grab it via the link below.
Bleem.net – The Ultimate Retro Platform
If the name “Bleem” sounds familiar, it’s probably because it’s the company that went to court with Sony after being sued for making a PlayStation emulator for Windows and the Sega Dreamcast. More than 25 years later, Bleem is back again, but this time, it’s attempting to become “The Ultimate Retro Platform.” Essentially, Bleem wants to be your one-stop shop for DRM-free games and content while also offering “physical video games” through its online storefront. In order to achieve its goals, there’s a new Kickstarter campaign that has been setup, offering a variety of rewards for backers.
AzaharPlus is a Fork of Azahar That Brings Back Some Features
Since it’s release last month, there has been quite a bit of praise for how impressive Azahar has been when it comes to 3DS emulation. However, while innovative, there were a few changes made that shook things up a bit. Namely, Azahar does not recognize .3ds files, instead, favoring files using the .cci extension. Coming as little surprise, there’s now a new fork of the 3DS emulator, simply named AzaharPlus. According to the repo, “each version is the same as the corresponding version of Azahar except for these features:”
- Support of 3DS files. If a file works with earlier Citra forks, it works with AzaharPlus.
- Ability to download system files from official servers. No need for an actual 3DS.
So if you fall into either of those categories, head over to the GitHub repo and take AzaharPlus for a spin.
Ship of Harkinian – Blair Alfa 9.0.0 Released
Can you believe it’s been almost a year since the last update for Ship of Harkinian was released? That’s not because the project was abandoned, and if you need evidence of that, head over and check out the changelog for the latest version, Blair Alfa 9.0.0. There are so many new features and changes that it’s enough to make your head spin, starting with the introduction of “full NTSC support,” which includes both GameCube and N64 versions of the game.
More Software News
Emulator Updates
- RPCS3-Android Is Now RPCSX-UI-Android
- Delta officially rolls out RA support
- RPCS3 Build Archive
- SameBoy v1.0.1
- Sonic Unleashed Recomp v1.0.3
- MegaBoy v1.1.0
- Infinity Blade v1.0.4
- MAME4droid Current (0.276)
- Play! PS2 Progress Report – April 2025
- GBE+ 1.9
- Picodrive v2.04
- MiceWine v0.3.0
- XWine1 Ported to Xbox One
- Gopher64 v1.0.15
- psOff 2025Mar31
- Xemu v0.8.47
- DuckStation Rolling Release Includes Massive Number of Fixes
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.
GotX: GotX Goes Into Space with Astro April
Each month’s Game of the Month selection follows a selected theme. This month the theme was Astro April – essentially games that either involve space travel or aliens. As such, the three games that were select are Star Fox (aka Star Wing), Pikmin, and Beyond Good & Evil.
Miyoo Flip Setup Guide
If you’re one of the lucky few who have already managed to get one in your hands but don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right place. So, without further ado, let’s jump into the Miyoo Flip setup guide to get you up and running.
Enhancing Accessibility: Steam Deck and Beyond
I’m not a horizontal handheld gamer unless it has detachable controllers like the Nintendo Switch or the Legion Go, or it’s small enough to play with one hand. I woke up to some exciting news during GDC week that made me jealous of Steam Deck owners like my friend Glitched Vision. For adaptive controller enthusiasts like myself, Byowave’s Proteus controller will be compatible in the next Steam Deck update, SteamOS 3.7.0!
Retroidspectives: The Retroid Pocket 1
In today’s day and age, we’ve all fallen victim to the sickness of buying more and more handhelds than we really need. Whether that’s buying it because “it’ll be the one” or because “one more couldn’t hurt,” we find ourselves building up a stack of e-waste that will rarely get touched. And I’m definitely not free from that.
Powkiddy RGB30 Setup Guide
The Powkiddy RGB30
I don’t think I’m alone when I say that when the Powkiddy RGB30 first came along in 2023, I was skeptical of the idea that I needed a 1:1 emulation handheld. After you first handle the device, you might comment to yourself about how unremarkable it is.
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, Stubbs makes the N64 handheld of our dreams, and Zu embraces the x86 lifestyle with the Legion Go S.
Looking for Deals?
Another week, another set of deals to be had. Although the last AliExpress deal just came to an end, we suspect that there will be another one right around the corner. Plus, you can save on Retroid’s latest handhelds and so much more. Hit the button below to check out our favorite deals of the week.
Retro Handhelds Deals of the Week
What did you think of this article? Let us know in the comments below, and chat with us in our Discord!
This page may contain affiliate links, by purchasing something through a link, Retro Handhelds may earn a small commission on the sale at no additional cost to you.