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
Check Out Handheld.Deals 2.0
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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 RG477M Launch
We’ve been hearing rumblings about Anbernic potentially releasing a new metal handheld for the better part of the past two months. The wait for a proper RG405M successor is over, as the Anbernic RG477M is now available from either Anbernic directly or AliExpress.
Anbernic RG477M (Direct) Anbernic RG477M (AliExpress)
Retroid Offering Free Flip 2 Replacements Over Hinge Issues
Retroid is offering full replacements of the Flip 2 for users who may have experienced hinge cracking on their devices. With Retroid making assumed changes to the hinge in the Flip 2, the issue should be remedied internally. However, Retroid has yet to clarify what changes have been made, but with the offer of a free replacement, any users facing the problem should email the company as soon as they can.
Retroid Adjusts Shipping for Dual Screen Accessory, Offers Coupon
Retroid Pocket 5 with Dual Screen Add-On
Team Retroid has released an update on the shipping timeline of the RP Additional Dual Screen accessory, acknowledging the complexity in manufacturing a second screen while maintaining a commitment to quality. The original goal was to ship all orders by August 5th. Instead, they’ll be moving to a staggered shipping schedule beginning on August 5th, with the intention of fulfilling all pre-orders by August 15th.
[Update] XU Retro XU20 V32 Is Cheaper Than Expected and Coming Soon
Some additional details concerning the XU Retro XU20 V32, including early bird pricing and some potential color options, have been released by Redditor u/N4riN4ri in a couple of Reddit posts.
The first 600 units are subject to a very tantalizing early-bird price of $48. Multiple details of the handled were also shared in the post, which can be found below:
- Display: 3.2″ 1024×768 resolution touchscreen
- Processor: Allwinner A133P @ 1.8GHZ
- GPU: PowerVR GE8300
- RAM: 2GB DDR4
- Storage: Supports microSD card expansion up to 512GB
- Battery: 3200mAh Li-Po
- Connectivity: 2.4GHZ WiFi
- Software: Android 10 with a modified Dawn Launcher (Dawn Fork)
- Audio: Stereo Speakers, 3.5mm Audio Jack
- Extras: Vibration motor
MagicX Teases PS Vita on Upcoming Touch One 35
Hot off the heels of the MagicX XU40, MagicX are teasing the community with a short clip of the upcoming Touch One 35 running some PS Vita games at full speed. The clip shows promise, hinting at a strong pocketable device in the (presumably) budget market. That said, the games shown in the video aren’t particularly difficult to run, and PS Vita emulation is still in its infancy, so we still don’t suggest buying this device primarily for the system.
Other Hardware News
- A New Wave of E-Waste Flows In:
- ASUS ROG Xbox Ally Could Launch During Gamescom
- 8BitDo 64 Controller Begins Shipping Ahead of Analogue 3D Launch
- [Update: Specs] AYANEO Announce Three Android Devices (And A Controller)
- AYANEO Details Upcoming Slate of x86 Products
- AYANEO Launches Konkr: A New Lineup of “Budget” Handhelds
- Nintendo Switch Pricing Update
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.
Epic Games Store Coming Soon to Play Store
In a saga that has been taking place for almost two years, Epic Games won a decisive court battle against Google regarding whether the Play Store was an illegal monopoly. As a result, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney tweeted that the “Epic Games Store for Android will be coming to the Google Play Store!” Until now, the only way to access EGS on Android was to sideload it, and while that will continue to be an option, seeing it come to the Play Store will be huge.
Yaba Sanshiro RetroAchievements
This one was a long time coming, but Yaba Sanshiro, the popular Sega Saturn emulator, now features RetroAchievements support! The only caveat, at least for now, is that the only way you can earn your cheevos is through the Android version as the Windows and iOS builds “currently do NOT support RetroAchievements, but it is planned.”
play! progress report (02/08/2025)
While much attention has been paid to PCSX2 and NetherSX2, Play! has been making steady progress on improving game compatibility for PS2 emulation. In the latest “Progress Report,” the developer revealed that the following games are now classified as “verified playable”:
- Shadow Hearts
- Shadow Hearts: Covenant
- Ultraman: Fighting Evolution 2
- Ultraman: Fighting Evolution 3
Retrom Adds Cloud Save Management and Playing Games in Your Browser
Retrom is one of those apps that has been around for what feels like forever, but it’s still getting some pretty awesome updates. The latest of which includes the ability to manage your saves and save states, allowing you to back them up to the cloud, as opposed to just locally on your device. The other major update is “In-browser emulation via EmulatorJS.” Once set up, you’ll be able to play games from any of the compatible EmulatorJS cores in a browser, with Retrom operating as the storage/database for your ROMs.
RetroAssembly Can Now Be Self-Hosted
Speaking of playing retro games in your browser, RetroAssembly has also recently been updated with a much-requested feature. With the latest release, you can now host the app yourself, removing the reliance on uploading games and files to someone else’s server just to play games.
More Software News
- Nintendo Hikes Switch Prices and Hosts a Partner Showcase
- Magicx Mini Zero 28 Dawn 1.11
- Altered beast 2 – The Seven Depths of Hell(W.I.P) – Sega Megadrive/Genesis
- CTGP 7 has anti piracy now
- Proton 10.0-2 Beta
- Marathon Recomp
- Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops & Plus
- DuckStation May Remove Linux Support
- RPCS3 Windows Builds Have Been Broken Since July 24
- Switch 2 SNES Games Get CRT Filter
Custom Firmware Updates
Emulation 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.
GotX Gets a Little Weird with Abnormal August
Games are weird, aren’t they? Well, so are the people who play them. GotX is the Retro Handhelds Discord‘s version of a book club, though more than one book is available and nobody is happy with any of them. For the month of August, Retro Handhelds is getting a little weird and playing games with unique or strange imagery and themes.
Figuring Out Ozzy’s Game Addiction
Now is a time to relive his myriad of hilarious out-of-context clips online, his music, his life, and perhaps even…his gaming habits? In my own nostalgic reminiscence of Ozzy’s life, I uncovered a fun gaming-related mystery from 2009, and I’m pretty sure we actually solved it.
INNOCN 25G2S Gaming Monitor Review: Good, Cheap, Worth It?
I haven’t gotten to experience the full transition of screen capabilities like I’m sure many people have. My household has held CRTs, Plasma, IPS, and, more recently, OLED TVs. But when it comes to monitors, I’ve been content with 1080p, IPS, or VA technology paired with a 60-75Hz display.
Game Console R36T Review
In a sea of clone consoles, it just sort of was. Neither rising above the fray to the surface, nor sinking to the depths. The R36T certainly attempts to rectify the K36’s lack of ability to stand out from the masses. If the K36 was just another generic device, the R36T proudly separates itself from the pack, refusing to be ignored.
Five Classic Arcade Brawlers You Might Have Missed
Beat ’em ups are back in full force, and thanks to developers like DotEmu, it seems that they may be here to stay. Today, we revisit five oddities of varying obscurity that you can play on your retro handheld right now. From gritty detective stories to steampunk adventures and mech mayhem, these games offer tons of quarter-munching action with their own distinct twists.
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.
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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