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.
You Can Finally Pre-order the RG34XXSP
RG34XXSP pre-orders are now live! You can grab it from either Anbernic directly or AliExpress, and we’re being told that the company has stock available for those of us who live in the US. Plus, there’s still time to save a few bucks and get the RG34XXSP for under $60.
Powkiddy V90S Now Available for Pre-order
Right as we get the Anbernic RG34XXSP, the PowKiddy V90S is finally available for pre-order over at the company’s official site. It’s currently priced at $44.99, but if you use “V90SGOOD” at checkout, the price gets knocked down to $39.99. And we won’t have too much longer to wait, as Powkiddy says it will begin shipping out pre-orders on May 31.
Miyoo Mini Flip Combines the FunKey SP and Miyoo Mini v4
By many accounts, the Miyoo Flip hasn’t been quite as successful as Miyoo had hoped. That isn’t stopping the company from trying new things, as pictures recently surfaced of a retro handheld that’s even smaller. We’re affectionately calling it the Miyoo Mini Flip, and for good reason, as it’s even smaller than the Miyoo Mini when closed.
Could Anbernic Really Be Working on a Modern PSP Go?
Sometimes you see a leaked picture or two of a handheld and don’t think twice about it. Other times, you take one look and immediately want to will it into existence, or get Zu to make it for the masses. Such is the case with a mysterious “Anbernic RG Slide,” as there are two images making their way through the RH Discord.
Other Hardware News
- MSI Claw 7 A2HM Spotted on MSI’s Website
- Zotac Zone 2 at Computex 2025
- Retro Fighters Defender Pro Series
- New PlayStation Portable is coming around PS6 launch
- Bitfunx PS2 Translucent Shells Coming
- Helegaly Action Pi Colors
- MagicX Pocket Series Teased
- AYANEO Flip 1S
- 8BitMods VMU Pro
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.”
ROCKNIX Officially Arrives for RG34XXSP, Retroid Pocket Flip 2, Odin 2 Portal, and Others
ROCKNIX is now officially available for a myriad of higher-end devices, including the Retroid Pocket Flip 2, AYN Odin 2, Odin 2 Mini, and Odin 2 Portal. Oh, and you can even use it with the upcoming Anbernic RG34XXSP, which is pretty darn awesome.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Updated to 64-Bit, Improving Emulation Performance
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, one of Nintendo Switch’s most popular racing games, has recently been updated to fully support 64-bit architecture. This upgrade brings significant improvements for both official Switch hardware and emulators, enhancing gameplay performance and stability.
You Can Now Play Metal Gear on the Sega Genesis
A fan-made project has revived the original Metal Gear for the Sega Genesis, giving the 1987 stealth-action game a fresh home on one of gaming’s most beloved 16-bit consoles. Developed by h0ffman, this port builds upon his earlier Metal Gear conversion for the Amiga, preserving the same attention to detail and deep respect for the original title.
More Software News
- Winlator Development Begins Picking Up Again
- Mario Kart World Courses Are Being Recreated in Mario Kart Wii
- Driving Strikers Recreated for Nintendo 64
- Pokemon Gamma Emerald Demo Released
- All Dashboards Work Within Xenia Canary Builds
- Doom8088: Atari ST Edition
Emulator Updates
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.
Anbernic RG34XXSP First Impressions: Big Forehead, Bigger Potential
Despite the RG35XXSP being so popular that Anbernic released more colors for it, the company still felt the need to respond to the arrival of the Miyoo Flip. As such, we started hearing about a new clamshell back in January, and it’s finally here, giving me a nice surprise to kick off my weekend. That being said, these are just my first impressions, so stay tuned as we’ll have more RG34XXSP coverage in the coming days.
Late to the Party with the Anbernic RG40XXV
The Anbernic 40XXV
The retro-handhelds landscape we’ve all come to know is in something of a limbo at the moment. Tariffs and trade debacles have complicated the cheap access to capable handhelds, and while we all hope for an eventual return to some semblance of the landscape we knew, perhaps there are opportunities to explore the devices that may have passed you by initially.
That’s what happened to me with the Anbernic RG40XXV; a device that I always thought looked very nice, but I questioned my need to own it when I already had similar devices such as my beloved Game Console R36S, or the more recent BatleXP (Anbernic) G350.
GameSir Super Nova Review: For Membrane Lovers
When it comes to my time looking into controllers, there’s been one constant. Always releasing more and more and more controllers into the market to the point you worry about overlap. And that’s GameSir. From the T4 and T7 to the G8 and Cyclone lines, they’re trying to fill every need you could ask for. And this time around, it’s the highest point in their Nova line, the GameSir Super Nova.
Anbernic RG557 Follow-up Impressions: A More Rounded Experience
I came away from my initial impressions of the Anbernic RG557 with the same questions as a lot of other folks in the space. This handheld was certainly nice, but not necessarily the update that the community had hoped for. The sticks were new, sure, but surely not the size and design most people had been thinking of, and the Mali GPU lacks some of the driver support of SnapDragon cousins. What were they shooting for here?
Retroid Pocket Flip 2 Setup Guide
Ever since it was announced, the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 has been one of the most popular handhelds that we’ve seen hit the market. Some of that has to do with the fact that Retroid took everything that was great about the Pocket 5 and tossed it into a clamshell design.
This includes things like the AMOLED display and Snapdragon 865 chipset, making it one of the more powerful “retro” handhelds out there. Whether you’re waiting for yours to arrive or it just landed on the doorstep, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know in this Retroid Pocket Flip 2 Setup Guide.
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, Zu shows off how the RG557 performs following a recent update, while Ban unboxes the R36 MyMini!
Looking for Deals?
Another week, another set of deals to be had. Hit the button below to check out our favorite deals of the week. We know how much everyone loves a good deal, so we’ve been cooking up something to help you get the best deal possible.
Retro Handhelds Deals of the WeekHandheld.Deals
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