Well, well, well. Retroid not only graced us with a new iteration of the Pocket Flip, but it also released the company’s first vertical since the original Retroid Pocket. A lot has changed since then, so if yours just arrived and you aren’t sure where to start, here’s our Retroid Pocket Classic Setup Guide.

Table of Contents

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• Where to Buy
• Retroid Pocket Classic Specs
• Recommended Accessories
• Apps and Utilities
• Third-Party Launchers
• Android Game Compatibility
• Emulation
  • Where to Put BIOS and ROM Files?
  • Recommended or Required BIOS Files
  • Recommended Emulators
  • Shaders
• More Retroid Pocket Classic From RH
  • Website
  • YouTube

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Where to Buy

• Retroid Direct

Retroid Pocket Classic Specs

****	Spec
Screen Size	3.92″
Aspect Ratio	31:27
Resolution	1240 x 1080
Screen Type	AMOLED
Form Factor	Vertical
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon G1 Gen 2
GPU	Adreno A12
RAM	4GB/6GB LPDDR4X
Active Cooling	✅
Internal Storage	64GB/128GB eMMC 5.1
External Storage	1x MicroSD Up To 2TB
Battery	5,000mAh
Charging	27W (5V/9V)
Vibration	✅
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 5
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.1
Audio Jack	✅
Speakers	1x Front-Firing
Ports	1x USB-C (top), 1x 3.5mm Audio Jack (top), 1x MicroSD Card Slot (top)
Video Out	✅
Controls / Buttons	D-Pad, ABXY, ABXYCZ (Classic 6) Start, Select, Home/Back, L1/R1, L2/R2, L3/R3, Volume, Power
Extras	Retroid Launcher
Dimensions	138 x 89.8 x 26mm
Weight	223 Grams
Colors	Classic 6, Retro, Berry, Kiwi, Teal, PKM Yellow, Atomic Purple
Operating System	Android 14
Release	2025-04
Retail Price	$119.99 / $129.99

Recommended Accessories

Apps and Utilities We Recommend

Utility	Description	Download
Artemis	An open source client for Apollo/Sunshine.	GitHub
Chdman	A chdman port for Android. Heavily work-in-progress.	GitHub
Epic Games Store	Mobile marketplace where you can find, purchase, download and play new games and apps	Direct
es-de-android-custom-systems	This is a set of xml enabling custom systems like Switch, hacks of gb,gbc,gba,nes, snes and gen	GitHub
MiXplorer	Fast, smooth, beautiful, reliable and full-featured Android file manager with a simple and intuitive user interface.	GitHub
Moonlight	NVIDIA GameStream client for Android	GitHub
Obtainium	Get Android app updates straight from the source.	GitHub
RHCompletion	An Android app for RetroHandhelds GotX completion.	GitHub
Steam Link	Stream games from your computer.	Direct
Syncthing-Fork	A Syncthing Wrapper for Android.	GitHub
UniPatcher	An app for patching ROMs or game files.	GitHub
Wallpaper Engine	Transfer your live wallpapers from Windows to Android using Wallpaper Engine!	Google Play

Third-Party Launchers

Launcher	Download
Beacon	Google Play
Console Launcher	GitHub
Daijisho	Google / GitHub
ES-DE	Patreon
Gamedeck	Google Play
Launchbox	Direct
RESET Collection	Google Play

Android Game Compatibility

Sure, the Pocket Classic is a great modern take on the Game Boy, but since it runs Android, this opens up the doors to everything the Play Store has to offer. The problem is that not all of the games can actually be played, whether it be due to the built-in controls or the new Snapdragon chipset.

That being said, the community did what it does best, and came together to create a Compatibility List for the Pocket Classic. Currently, the list has more than 700 entries, so you’re bound to find the game you’re looking for.

Android Game Compatibility List

Emulation

While there are hundreds of fantastic Android games to enjoy, that’s not the only thing the Pocket Classic offers. This handheld is a beast when it comes to emulation, especially considering what you get for the price. With that being said, let’s jump into getting emulation set up on your shiny, new Retroid Pocket Classic.

Where to Put BIOS and ROM files?

Unlike handhelds like the RG40XXV or R36S, the Retroid Pocket Classic is powered by Android. This means that there is a bit more configuration that needs to be done before you can jump into Game of the Month. And it all starts with getting your BIOS and ROM files situated.

1. Open the Files app on your Retroid Pocket Classic.
2. Navigate to either the Root storage of your handheld or your microSD card.
3. In the top left corner, tap the three vertical dots and select New folder.
4. Name the folder BIOS and tap Done.
5. Repeat the steps for the second folder, naming it ROMs.

Of course, all of this can also be done using your computer, which is probably where your BIOS and ROM files reside anyway. But the steps above are for those who want or need to do everything from the Pocket Classic directly.

After you’ve created and named the folders, you’ll want to figure out what systems you plan on emulating using the Pocket Classic. Then, I’d recommend creating folders for each system in the BIOS folder for the sake of organization, but it’s not an absolute necessity.

However, it’s a different story when it comes to ROM files, as directories are necessary for some emulators and pretty much any frontend/launcher you can think of. With that in mind, go ahead and create the folders for each system within the ROMs folder. So your directory will look something like this:

Once that’s done, get those BIOS and ROMs transferred over (or downloaded to) the Pocket Classic! This will probably take a while, depending on how many games you’re transferring and for what systems. Oh, and if you aren’t sure what consoles need BIOS files, you’ve come to the right place.

Recommended or Required BIOS Files

Recommended Emulators

Emulator	Console(s)	Download
RetroArch (Nightly)	Multi-system	Direct
Dolphin (Dev)	GameCube & Wii	Direct
Dolphin MMJR VBI	GameCube & Wii	GitHub
Azahar	Nintendo 3DS	GitHub
Borked3DS	Nintendo 3DS	GitHub
Citra MMJ	Nintendo 3DS	GitHub
DraStic	Nintendo DS & DSi	Archive.org
melonDS	Nintendo DS & DSi	GitHub
Mupen64Plus FZ	Nintendo 64	Free / Pro
Eden	Nintendo Switch	Git
Citron	Nintendo Switch	Git
Sudachi	Nintendo Switch	GitHub
Skyline Edge	Nintendo Switch	Archive.org
Uzuy MMJR	Nintendo Switch	Archive.org
Yuzu	Nintendo Switch	Archive.org
PPSSPP	PSP	Free / Gold
DuckStation	PlayStation 1	Google Play
NetherSX2 (3668)	PlayStation 2	GitHub
RPCSX	PlayStation 3	GitHub
Vita3K	PlayStation Vita	GitHub
Redream	Sega Dreamcast	Google Play
Yaba Sanshiro 2	Sega Saturn	Free / Pro
Cemu	Wii U	GitHub
Pluvia	Windows	GitHub
ScummVM	Windows / DOS	Direct
Winlator	Windows	GitHub
Winlator Bionic	Windows	GitHub

Shaders

Given the community’s apparent desire to have a perfect shader experiment on Retroid handhelds, I’ve decided to include this section. Part of these steps have been borrowed from our friend, Mr. Retro Game Corps, so head over if you want a full guide to shaders and overlays.

In the meantime, here’s how you can use shaders with RetroArch on the Retroid Pocket Classic:

1. Open the RetroArch app on your Retroid Pocket Classic.
2. Highlight and select Settings.
3. Select Video > Output.
4. Select Video.
5. Change the driver to Vulkan.
6. Go back to the main RetroArch screen.
7. Highlight and select Configuration File.
8. Select Save Current Configuration.
9. Close out of the app by swiping up and then swiping the app upwards.
10. Re-open it.
11. From the Main Menu, open the Online Updater.
12. Scroll to the bottom and select Update Slang Shaders.

With the proper settings changed and shaders downloaded, here’s how you can use a different shader.

1. Open RetroArch and load a game that you want to use different shaders with.
2. After the game has started, open the RetroArch Quick Menu.
3. Scroll to the bottom and open Shaders.
4. Select Load.
5. Open the shaders_slang folder.
6. Go through the various folders and try out different shaders to find one that you like.
7. After you find one, go back to the Shaders menu and select Save to “save the current shader preset.”

Mr. Corps went through all of the available shader presets in RetroArch to find which ones worked the best. The list you see below is a result of his research:

Skywalker541 – RP Classic Overlays

More Retroid Pocket Classic From RH

Website

• Retroid Pocket Classic First Impressions: Vertical Champ
• There’s a Six Button Retroid Pocket Classic
• Bad News for US Retroid Classic Orders
• Retroid Pocket Classic Unveiled: A Return to Form (UPDATED)

YouTube

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