Reviews
Check out our thoughts on the latest retro handhelds, and retrospectives on ones we still can’t put down.
The Latest
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...
ZPG A1 Unicorn: An Unhinged Take
“The more I learn about Retro Handhelds, the less I know about myself” - Lao Tzu, probably What's good fellow Sonic Adventure 2: Battle!: Chao Garden enjoyers? Our supreme leader Stubbs has granted me much-needed internet access to the locked room in his basement. And...
OBSBot Meet 2: A Quick Look
When the world moved into a “work from home” style of life, a lot of people needed something to help fulfill their constant meetings throughout the day. You know. Those where half the time they aren’t even listening and are just scrolling their phones because the...
CRKD Neo S Review: Hitting the Mark
Hot off their success with the Nitro Deck, CRKD is back with a new collection of controller offerings. The Neo S POPeArt series was released in April 2024 and hopes to stand out from the pack with their unique design in the modern space, and a variety of art designs...
ZPG A1 Unicorn Review: So Clicky, So Good
Ever since the RGB30 hit the scene, there's been a random smattering of 1:1 handhelds arriving. The latest of which is the ZPG A1 Unicorn, a retro handheld that we first saw late last year. However, after the Unicorn landed earlier this year, it might have just become...
8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Review: This is the One
Normally when we go into retro gaming we think of our handhelds, maybe our Sega Genesis or the Nintendo 64 controller everyone loved to use. But unless you’re a MS-DOS nerd you might not have thought about the keyboard you use for retro gaming. When 8Bitdo released...
Kinhank K36 Review: Good Bones, Shaky Software
Unlike most of the folks here at RH, I don't need Ban to convince me to jump at potential e-waste budget handhelds. I possess that instinct (curse) all on my own. So when I found out that Kinhank was making their own clone of my beloved R36S, I was on board...
ASUS ROG Ally X Review: The Best Handheld, For Now
For reasons I can't quite explain, I was surprisingly excited about the release of the ASUS ROG Ally X. It's not like I don't have enough handhelds to play around with, as I own the Steam Deck OLED, Lenovo Legion Go, and MSI Claw. And that's not counting the Android...
Abathor: A Solid Classic Experience
I’ve said it before I’ll say it again, I have a handheld problem. I also have a controller problem. But one thing I haven’t mentioned is my steadily growing game problem. In Steam alone I’ve managed to pick up 540 or so games and still counting. While I may have...
In Defense of the Nintendo 64 Controller
Nintendo for Nintendo, 64 for the bits. “It had more bits than the PS1, therefore betterer” – Lance Barr, probably. The N64 was Nintendo’s first two-feet-in foray into a fully 3D capable machine, and quickly became the go-to for parents to buy for their children to distract them from their impending divorce with hits like Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time, Donkey Kong 64, and South Park 64. My parents are still together, so I never had an N64 growing up, but I was always captivated by the uniqueness of it’s the design: the old aspect of using cartridges while playing fully 3D games, the gargantuan amount of money needed to buy games and accessories, and most iconic of all: The N64 Controller.
EA Sports College Football 25 Review: TD or Fumble?
I loved the NCAA games so much as a kid. My friends and I used to play them to death. I talk about that here. Picking a bad team (Let’s Go Hoosiers!) and making them a powerhouse while competing for recruits. With the news of college football video games coming back,...
8BitDo Retro 18 Mechanical Numpad Review
I got a little carried away on Prime Day and ended up getting the new 8BitDo Mechanical 18 Numpad to go with my 8BitDo C64 keyboard. It was the one item that I regretted checking out with even tried canceling it to no avail. At first glance, it seemed silly for the...
Anbernic RG40XX H Review: The Final H700
Anbernic has a problem. As I sit down to write this RG40XX H review, I'm honestly shocked that there isn't already another Anbernic handheld on the way. About a month passed between the release of the RG Cube and the RG40XX H. That pace is just too rapid, especially...
GuliKit KK3 Pro Controller Review: Nearly There
While handhelds are primarily my biggest source of financial ruin, I too have a second issue that plagues my wallets. Controllers. It doesn’t seem as bad as handhelds because I don’t have all of my controllers on display. Just in the drawer below my TV, and in the...
Powkiddy V10 Review: 2020 Meets 2024
Powkiddy went from the most famously infamous competitor in the scene, consistently putting out the lowest end, Value City-esque, poor build quality devices that feel like off-brand versions of off-brand products, to the same thing but with pretty good consoles this...
AYN Odin 2 Mini Review: Vita Who?
When I first saw AYN showcase the Odin 2 Mini, I scoffed at the idea. Why release a smaller Odin 2 with less battery and around the same cost? Next, I preordered it so fast that I got the $30 off coupon. I ordered the base model as I had no issues with the base Odin...
GameMT E6 Plus First Look: The Good, Bad, & Ugly
Greetings friends and fellow enthusiasts! This is Mikhailov from Team Retrogue, where we like retro games and the devices that bring them to us. In the last article, we looked at the Ayaneo Flip DS, aka the "Hand Warmer." This week, it's time to take a first look at...
Anbernic RG Cube Review: Is This the 1(by 1)?
Coming into the second half of the year, I’d say the release schedule of Anbernic has been; high-paced and H700-based. Continuing their pattern of “one handheld a month or so” we’ve seen 5 H700 handhelds, and 1 using the T820. At least until now. For the next 3 weeks,...
This Mini Bluetooth Controller Has a Secret
I, dear readers, have a controller problem. I have but one set of hands and an insatiable desire to fill them with new handheld devices and controllers. The AliExpress marketplace is always pushing out something new or quirky at price points that exploit my total...
Anbernic RG35XX SP Review: It’s the One
For someone who already has a bunch of handhelds, there was one thing missing — a clamshell. I don't have the same attachment to the Game Boy Advance SP as others, but that didn't stop me from buying one from a buddy last year. I even went so far as to grab a...
Unhinged: Zelda II Deserved Better
Copium Inbound Prepared by Joe The year is 1986, and the resounding success of Nintendo's own Legend of Zelda left fans of the newly christened series going “Okay but if Zelda was so good where is Zelda II?”. 1987 answered that question in the form of Zelda II: The...
D-R35Plus Hands On: A Lesson in Deception
The more I've spent time here at RH writing about, well, retro handhelds, the more I realize that I'm carving out a niche for myself as the guy who writes about the clones. The cheap entries with price points are low enough to say "screw it" when buying something else...
Anbernic RG28XX Review: Is It Worth It?
The RG28XX is the newest handheld from Anbernic. My first impression is that I did not expect it to be as small as it is. At a size of 12cm X 5cm or 5in X 2in and a weight of 127 grams or .280 lbs. I am going to agree with Andrew that it isn’t for people with meaty...
RG35XX 2024 Review: Makes No Sense
Hello everyone! I hope you join me on this adventure as I tackle my first review for Retro Handhelds with the Anbernic RG35XX 2024. Without burying the lede, I wish something else had come out for me to review instead. The handheld market is starting to heat up, as...
Anbernic RG Arc: 6 Months Later
Over the past six months, we have seen so many different handhelds announced and released. Today, Ban takes a step back and gives his thoughts on the RG Arc.
Unhinged: Joe Reviews The Legend of Zelda
It deserves better and you should apologize to Miyamoto Prepared by Joe The Game is 40 Years Old…Why? The Legend of Zelda series is one of the defining trademarks of action-adventure gaming. It has stood the test of time as some of the most well-aged, seasoned, and...
MSI Claw – Can Intel Compete With AMD?
Are you intrigued by what the MSI Claw could potentially offer in an ever-growing market? Sit back, relax, and as Team Retrogue shares his MSI Claw review.
Funkey SP: Is Bigger Better?
Now I don’t know if you’ve heard of it, but the Funkey S was a tiny clamshell handheld that, for $70 in 2020, you’d get “up to” PS1 in the palm of your hand! For 2020 that was pretty impressive, and I don’t know if it was the size or the sleeping upon closing feature,...
Is the Ayaneo Next Lite Worth $300?
Greetings friends and fellow enthusiasts! This is Mikhailov from Team Retrogue, where we like retro games and the devices that bring them to us. In this article, we are taking a look at the Ayaneo Next Lite. This is a budget Windows Handheld that runs a lower-powered...
Skull & Co. Jumpgate Dock Review
When Nintendo debuted the Switch in 2017, there was still a lot of hesitation after their misfire with the WiiU. Given the Switch's 100+ million console sales and ubiquity around the world, it's difficult to remember that people were once unsure about whether this...