Reviews
Check out our thoughts on the latest retro handhelds, and retrospectives on ones we still can’t put down.
The Latest
Ayaneo Pocket DMG Review: How Much Game Boy do you Need?
When you’re spending a lot of money on a handheld, I really recommend trying to get something that fits your needs and does most, if not everything, you’re looking for in that category. You wouldn’t want to buy more than one $500 handheld, right? Uh, right? So when...
Furious X SU-10: Gone too Far
Usually, when I talk about handhelds here, I have at least something good to say. And I’m going to try that here too. But if you’re looking for true e-waste you can usually find those articles from Nick, like his cheap controller roundups. But when I saw this big...
Anbernic RG34XX Review: The Ultimate GBA
Anbernic has been making so many nostalgic Nintendo-looking devices that may as well steal Sega's old slogan of, "Anbernic does what Nintendon't" while they're at it. When the announcement of the Anbernic RG34XX was made, every kid that had a GBA audibly sighed,...
Fantech EOS Pro Review: Worth Exploring
If you had asked me about Fantech towards the beginning of the year, I would have known them for their mice, but not much else. The Helios Go XD5 and the Aria are two mice that seemed to get a lot of positive reception from smaller brand mice makers. But fast forward...
Ayn Odin 2: One Year Later
In a hobby where the hottest newly hyped device is always around the corner, sometimes it's easy to get caught up with what's coming next. Incremental improvements and hardware changes are all well and good, but I think we could use a reminder that these devices...
Analogue Pocket Worth It? 2024 Re-Review
Hey, remember when I talked a ton of smack about the Analogue Pocket and made some people mad in Ban's article here? To summarize my thoughts, I had a Pocket from the first batch released and after a year was annoyed with it. The things that bugged me were the lack of...
Ayaneo Pocket Micro Review: The Best 3:2 Handheld?
One of my first handhelds was a Game Boy Advance SP. A small clamshell that played some of my favorite games from the time, as well as some of my least. I’m looking at you Kong. But with that in mind, I’ve always been on the hunt for a handheld that plays GBA in my...
Beitong Zeus 2 Elite Review: Worth the ‘Elite’ Tax?
When I think of pro controllers, my mind almost immediately goes to things like the Xbox Elite Series 2, the SCUF controller lineup, or more recently the DualSense Edge. And if you pull back a little on the features, you can drop to something like the Xbox Elite Core...
Game Console R36MAX Hands-On: No Goal!
The new Game Console R36MAX is a fairly unremarkable device. It's another clone - this time with a tall 1:1 form factor and a curvaceous rear end. In an apparent attempt to stand out from the crowd, its designers have given the latest RK3326 on the block some boldly...
TrimUI Brick Review: A Rock Solid Upgrade
If there were ever handhelds that could be considered the gateway drug to the handheld emulation hobby, it would likely be either the Miyoo Mini+ or the Anbernic RG35XX. These small form-factor Game Boy clones have remained popular since their releases in the early...
GKD Bubble: The Good, The Bad, the Basic
In the past, when you think of handhelds modeled after something else you think of Anbernic. The RG353P is modeled after an SNES controller, and the RG-Arc is modeled after a Sega 6-button controller. But what about a handheld modeled after a handheld? No. Not the...
XGB36 First Impressions: Throw Another Clone on the Fire
As someone who was around when most of these games we're emulating were originally released, I find myself drawn more to the devices that are doing more-with-less than I am to the next technological behemoth. When I first tried the Game Console R36S, I was blown away...
Retroid Pocket 5 Review: Is This the Perfect Handheld?
Before we get too into the weeds with the Retroid Pocket 5 review, there's something that you should probably know about me. I have a tendency to be a bit of a "snob" when it comes to the devices I purchase, always looking to get the best. This applies to everything...
TrimUI Brick First Impressions: SOLID
TrimUI is one of those companies that haven’t released a mountain of products. With that, they’re similar in vein to companies like Retroid and AYN. However, where they focus on Android at higher prices, the TrimUI brand lands on the lower end of the market. Following...
Anbernic RG406H Review: Everything Rolled Into One
Anbernic is back with all brand-new variations. What happens when you take a RG406 V and cross it with a RG Cube? Well, you get something much like the new RG406H. You can check out Andrew's first impressions here and also the video Stubbs did below. Anbernic RG406H:...
Retroid Pocket 5 First Impressions: Oh My
It's wild to think that in a year dominated by Anbernic handhelds of all shapes and sizes, Retroid releases one device that trumps them all. That's exactly what it looks like so far with the Retroid Pocket 5. Thanks to Stubbs, I've been able to spend a bit of time...
Anbernic RG406H First Impressions: A Wider Cube
We knew that Anbernic had at least one more device to release this year. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw at least one or two more before the calendar flips to 2025. What did surprise me was seeing the RG406H actually see the light of day, seemingly meant to take on...
Retroid Pocket Mini: A Linux Review
It’s not often Retroid releases a handheld, usually landing at least 4 months before releases. Ignore the 3 and 3+, please. Since 2020 Anbernic has released 30+ handhelds including their variants. At that same time? Retroid has officially announced 11. So each time...
Is the Panic Playdate Worth it in 2024?
I was so excited to buy the Panic Playdate. It was a device that I really looked at with such envy when someone posted it. The innovative crank, the indie games, the bright yellow color, this device had it all. After taking the plunge on one, did it hold the test of...
Did Anbernic Make the BEST Budget Controller? RG P01 Review
Anbernic winded up and threw a curveball with one of their recent announcements. They decided to get into the controller game. As a company that makes many, many handhelds, it only makes sense. I mean, they are already making handheld controls, now they don't have to...
Anbernic RG CubeXX Review: This Actually Makes Sense
How do you start reviewing something that's basically the same as everything else a company has released, just in a different form factor? Frankly, I couldn't tell ya. I'm just rambling a bit, waiting for the writer's block to pass. Actually, hang on a second. let me...
Game Console R46S First Impressions: A Solid 1:1 Budget Contender
The Powkiddy RGB30 showed us all how much fun a budget 1:1 device could be. It offered up a great experience to enjoy emulation systems that serve up alternate aspect adventures. Most users agreed that while the system was undoubtedly imperfect (I'll never know how...
First Impressions: The Anbernic RG CubeXX
If you’re like many normal folks, the fatigue of Anbernic releasing handheld after handheld with the same chip might have set in already. However, if you’ve got problems like me, you’ve been sitting through the slog of waiting for the best H700 handheld. The 1:1. ...
Memo S3 Tablet Controller: A Brief Review
Telescopic controllers didn’t used to be a thing I’d be too interested in. I didn’t want my phone to give notifications that would distract me from the game. But I also didn’t want to turn on Do Not Disturb and miss an important call. However, when I got an Alldocube...
Powkiddy RGB10X Review: A Solid Handheld for Beginners
On one end of the spectrum, we have Anbernic, who publicizes every new device with a bunch of teaser videos ahead of a handheld launch. The same rings true for Retroid and others, albeit at a much slower pace. On the other side, there's Powkiddy. There's no YouTube...
GameSir Nova Lite Review: Fixing My Android Woes for Just $25
I've been very frustrated with the Android docking experience, for the most part. But sometimes, duty calls - and that duty might just look like your mate asking you to hook him up with a retro gaming setup for his 21st birthday party. And so, I delved into the world...
M21 Hands On: Copycat With Some Fun Additions
SJGAM seems to be a company whose ambitions to break away from the shackles of e-waste are matched only by their reluctance to shed what has to be the worst electronics company name in history. Every time I find myself writing about one of their devices, I have to go...
Anbernic RG406V Review: The Best Vertical?
Anbernic is back, yet again, with another handheld! This is another crack at the verticals, and since I had so much praise for the RG40XXV, I was excited to try this one out. As someone who had their RG351V as my first retro handheld, I was interested in this one. I...
CB408 Hands-on: Trick? Or a Tinkerer’s treat?
Time for another mystery device pulled from trolling along the waters of AliExpress. This new independent handheld dubbed the CB408, is from Smart Pocket Max, a relative unknown in the arena for now. With its release totally overshadowed by the constant flood of...
Anbernic RG40XXV Review: So Much to Love
While I agree with many who feel a bit fatigued with the number of handhelds being released, I have to commend Anbernic. Despite being the source of much of that fatigue, the company is doing something completely different, as evidenced by the RG40XXV. Instead of...