My Favorite Handhelds for Each Retro System

Let's break down my favorite handheld to use when emulating (or streaming) ever major console release.
Items featured in this video:
Steam Deck OLED: • OLED Steam Deck Review...
FPGBC: • FPGBC Review: My Favor...
Analogue Pocket: • The Analogue Pocket is...
PowKiddy RGB20SX: • PowKiddy RGB20SX: A Li...
Anbernic RG351P: • RG351P In-Depth Review
Anbernic RG552: • This is still my FAVOR...
TrimUI Smart Pro: • TrimUI Smart Pro: Anot...
PowKiddy RGB30: • $90 and Amazing for Re...
EZ Flash Parallel NDS flash cart: www.us.senkogames.com/product...
AYN Odin 2: • Why the Odin 2 is STIL...
AYANEO Flip DS: • AYANEO Flip DS: The Ul...
Logitech G Cloud: • Logitech G Cloud: One ...
Retroid Pocket 3 Plus: • Retroid Pocket 3+ Revi...
Retroid Pocket Flip: • I Can't Stop Playing t...
Retroid Pocket 4: • Retroid Pocket 4: The ...
Anbernic RG35XX H: • Anbernic RG35XX H/Plus...
Anbernic RG ARC D: • Anbernic RG ARC: Great...
Anbernic RG405M: • Anbernic RG405M Review...
Retroid Pocket 2S: • Retroid Pocket 2S: The...
AYANEO Kun: • The (Mostly) Ultimate ...
ASUS ROG Ally: • The ROG Ally is Still ...
GameSir G8: • FINALLY, a SUPERB Phon...
PS Portal: • Some Thoughts on the P...
Ways to support this channel:
YT channel membership: / @retrogamecorps
Patreon: / retrogamecorps
Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/retrogamecorps
Timestamps:
00:00 introduction
00:51 some ground rules
02:29 Game Boy and Game Boy Color
04:35 Game Boy Advance
06:50 Nintendo DS and 3DS
10:12 Sony PSP and PS Vita
14:04 NES and SNES
16:56 Sega Genesis, CD, 32X
18:10 Sega Saturn
19:20 PS1, N64, Dreamcast
22:34 GameCube, PS2, Xbox
26:34 Nintendo Wii U
27:55 PS3 and Xbox 360
29:50 Nintendo Switch
31:42 streaming (Xbox and PS5)
33:55 summary and conclusion
Find me on Discord! / discord
Theme song written by Jim Gray of Our Ghosts:
ourghosts.bandcamp.com/track/...
More music here: / posts
Keyboard shown in my videos: bit.ly/RGCnuphy
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This video is for entertainment and educational purposes only.
#emulation #retrohandheld #SteamDeck #odin2 #handheldpc

[@RetroGameCorps]

Aw crap I forgot to add Nintendo Wii to my spreadsheet. It would have had Steam Deck as my #1 choice because there are a lot of things you can do with Steam Input and gyro to (almost) replicate the original experience.

[@mechanicalmonk2020]

Or just ignore the original experience and use the track pads instead 😁

[@father042]

Playing most Wii games without the Wiimote just doesn't make sense tbh

[@babybolt]

@@father042 Yah, it was weird replaying Harvest Moon Animal Parade without swinging my farming equipment with my character haha

[@Cooperage911]

@@father042 You can map original wiimote to Dolphin emulator. I'm using a battery powered lightbar but you can use two candle or led light or anithing....

[@father042]

@@Cooperage911 Yeah that's what I have been doing with the Dolphin Bar

[@EdgarBot]

Retro Game Corps is my comfort content. ❤

[@mxm7175]

This. Retro game corps and thefineprint. Top notch.

[@avxcyn]

I AGREE WITH THIS! SO TRUE, I really do sit down with a snack and a drink and enjoy these. Banger videos, Russ is just always awesome. I could watch this man forever

[@jweezie5181]

Put it better than I could’ve.

[@mvanalst2003]

Dude. Me too!

[@nike77155]

Well said. I’m probably not gonna buy any of these handhelds but I just enjoy the content, haha

[@tayjn]

DSi XL is my personal favourite to play DS games. Large 4.2" screens, better ergonomics due to the larger size, better battery life, and guaranteed dual-IPS panels as all units were produced with them

[@hellspawn32x66]

Yeah the battery life on the XL is NUTS

[@lizardrain]

I don't know why he picked the tiny as heck original DS. The XL is great.

[@sly3759]

Also better scaling on the larger screen. 3ds has an integer scaling option built in but it makes the screen considerably smaller so dsi is the best

[@slothrop42069]

the ips panel's on the dsi xl are also insanely good for when they came out I cannot play ds games on anything else now

[@Junier-Hussein]

Agreed 💯 The DSi XL is amazing

[@GameTechTalk]

That really has inspired me to take my DS's and 3DS's out of retirement, haven't played with them in quite a while.

[@mccoxster]

yeah same, I modded my 2ds xl with such a huge library and have a pirate 2ds card with hundreds of games on it. I really have to charge it up again. Love that system.

[@LYK1003]

And then we have the virtual boy emulator "Red Viper" on 3DS. Not only does it run well, but it also support 3D effect so that you can play those games with 3D effect with naked eyes :3

[@stremixx7176]

I was literally thanking the same watching the video and then I see your comment lol, what a coincidence

[@GameTechTalk]

@@LYK1003 Ohh I didn't know such an emulator existed, I need to check that one out, thanks @LYK1003

[@LYK1003]

@@GameTechTalk It's awesome and you have to see it for yourself if you are interested. I was legit blown away when I saw those virtual boy games in 3D effect with naked eyes and it's basically a perfect way to experience the virtual boy library. And you can choose any other color you want if the original red color irritates you :3

[@acollectedmess]

Nothing pleases me more than a Lazy Sunday Retro Game Corp vid to enjoy with coffee.

[@sandplasma]

I've been waiting for a video like this for a year. Some people don't want to play everything in one device. I personally been hunting for the best way to play GBA outside of a regular GBA and this really helped. Thanks!

[@skycloud4802]

Or have an entire collection of handhelds dedicated to per system.

[@BigBossBernie]

I'm in that group - while having the ability "to play every system pre x360/ PS3" sounds nice, I found that playing PS2 and Gamecube still feeld best for me on a PC with the appropriate screen size. Since Handheld means ultimately "smaller screen" I rarely play anything beyond PS1/ N64 on my RP4pro...

[@joelgrebinsilvestri]

Abernick RG35XX PLUS/ H amazing for GBA

[@CrimsonDawn2025]

So very happy to see the G Cloud get a little love it’s such an awesome handheld.

[@zanzabar7878]

I'm new to your whole scene but I gotta say, the effort you put into your videos is amazing. Detailed and nuanced with high production quality to boot. Thank you

[@RetroGameCorps]

Thanks for watching!

[@MrAwesomeGuy91]

Hi Russ,I cannot thank you for getting me into this hobby. I just got my Miyoo Mini plus and RG35XX H. Setup both with Onion OS and Batocera with your guides. Playing Pokemon red on my miyoo mini plus with the colour scheme of Gameboy Pocket almost brought me to tears cos of the nostalgia and memories. I remember working at a local Food Centre washing dishes at 10 years old to save up to get the GB pocket and Pokémon red. That GB pocket and Pokémon cartridge got me through some really tough times growing up the years after. Love you Russ for showing me a way to reconnect to those memories ❤ Cheers! P.s. I find the miyoo mini plus the perfect handheld to emulate Gameboy pocket😁

[@joelgrebinsilvestri]

I have the RG35XX PLUS and i think its the same as good

[@Man_of_Oil]

Honestly did not expect the RP2S to get a mention here but I'm so glad it did. I think that device is killer for Dreamcast and N64. I also really enjoy it for GB/GBC/GBA, once you get the right combination of video filters and shaders it looks spectacular and is roughly the same size as the original hardware.

[@muddcakelover]

Let's go rp2s!!!

[@eldercristian7329]

The intro is like a retro hug. Always so cozy... The older intro was sugar on steroids haha Another hit from Russ! Thanks for the awesome content

[@joles-gaming]

Thanks Russ, have been waiting for a well needed guide for each system. So this is spot on!

[@YamiMilo]

Seeing this video pop as soon as I open YT and its been up for 9 seconds, must be a sign, have a good day Russ !

[@christianmercado5510]

Are wee the same person?

[@thefoxhouse]

Another great video! Thank you Small note - I think Celeste was mislabeled in the Switch segment

[@WickedRibbon]

Thanks for making such a comprehensive video. If I go retro handheld shopping in the future, this is gonna be my reference point :)

[@raliger]

Perfect timing! I was literally looking for this info!

[@arty8478]

How do you keep delivering such entertaining high quality content 😍 really impressed with your consistency!

[@sendoh873]

This might be my favorite video that you have made Russ. This was a great idea and topic to cover. I haven't seen much vids done about this so I thank you for covering this. I have quite a few handhelds myself: Steam Deck LCD model, Switch OLED, Powkiddy RGB 10 Max vers 1 & 2, Miyoo Mini & Miyoo Mini Plus, Anbernic RG353P, modded Vita 2000 model, new edition 3DS LL (XL), DS Lite, og non modded GBC & og non modded GBA. I found that the RG353P is my favorite to use to play anything from NES to Sega 32x/TurboGrafx CD and MAME (also GBA) because of the ergonomics and Super Nintendo style controls even tho I'm not a fan of the small 480p screen. GB & GBC, I actually like the Miyoo Mini Plus because playing on a vertical handheld just feels nostalgic (also having small hands like me makes the Plus ergonomics much more tolerable). Vita, PSP & PS1 (PSP eboot versions) games, I play on my modded Vita. 3DS & DS, I play them on my new edition 3DS LL/XL for obvious reasons. While I love the Steam Deck, I'm just not a fan of using that dpad for retro games. If the dpad was better (I heard the OLED model has an improved dpad so maybe if I get that in the distant future I'll change my opinion on that), I would play more retro games from 8 bit to 16/32 bit era on it. Dreamcast, N64, GameCube, PS2, & Wii U I love playing on the Steam Deck. Xbox emulation & PS3 emulation, I'm not going to spend so much money on a handheld just to play those systems, not worth it. Switch games, as much as we can emulate Switch on the Steam Deck, even though I hate the official Nintendo joy cons, I just use the Switch since I already physically own most of the Switch games I want to play. But for games like Breath of the Wild & Tears of the Kingdom, I use my Binbok RGB Slim joy cons. For Smash Bros, I use a Mayflash GameCube controller adapter that can be used with the Switch and I just use my og Gamecube controller.

[@lucifuru2390]

Why did you forget the Wii ? I'm playing a lot of Wii games on my Odin 2 like Mario Galaxy 2, Fragile Dreams, The Last Story, Kirby Epic Yarn, and Wario Land The Shake Dimension, they all work very well.

[@washuai]

No one talks about Atari, which makes me really curious, but he left it out. I've been thinking about some Wii games in particular, like Endless Ocean, but a more shocking miss. The one time the WiiU gets recognition, while the Wii is forgotten

[@StiggyAzalea]

​@@washuaithe best way to play Atari games is to imagine it in your head because actually playing them is miserable

[@RetroGameCorps]

I left a pinned comment, I forgot to add it to my spreadsheet so when I was recording my voiceover I blanked on it! Odin 2 is great for it but like with GameCube I prefer the Steam Deck, especially because of the trackpads and Steam Input options.

[@ekinteko]

Here is a text summary! Atari VCS 2600: Panic PlayDate Gameboy: PowKiddy RGB-20SX NES: Anbernic RGB-35XX-H GBC: Analogue Pocket GameGear: Trimui Smart Pro Genesis: PowKiddy A20 SNES: Anbernic RG-353-PS GBA: Miyoo Mini+ 32X-CD: Anbernic RG-ARC-D Arcades: Anbernic RG-552 Saturn: Anbernic Win-600 PS1: Retroid Pocket 2S N64: Anbernic RG-405M NDS: PowKiddy RGB30 Dreamcast: PowKiddy 10Max3 PSP: Retroid Pocket Flip PS2: Anbernic RG-556 3DS: Ayaneo Flip DS GameCube: Retroid Pocket 4Pro Wii: Refurbished SteamDeck Xbox: MSi Claw PS Vita: AYN Odin2 Xbox 360: GPD Win-Max-3 PS3: Ayaneo Kun WiiU: Valve SteamDeck OLED NSwitch: ASUS ROG Ally XB1: Logitech G-Cloud (X-R-Play) PS4: PS Play (stream to phone) PS5: PS Portal (local stream) XSX: xCloud (stream to tablet)

[@worstJago]

Appreciate your content dood. Always great to see a new video drop.

[@mohawho8251]

incredibly great idea for a video tbch, was looking for something like this actually

[@niklasjuchem]

I would really love a video about your favorite games on these consoles 🤔 as a newcomer to this im always looking for recommendations. Thanks for all the great work 😘

[@BaleshNTP]

I didn't know I needed this video! Great job

[@Brizizaz]

Awesome video lol, watched on a slow day at work. You rock man!!!

[@ComposerSyterious]

Your videos are great even if I don’t need any more “upgrades” for my handhelds for a long time. I have a steam deck and rg35xx h now and they are perfect for what I need. In a way, the steam deck would be all I need for all options (I love playing docked on all my games, and it was a dream of mine to play handheld games on the tv), but I do find comfort in playing my games I grew up with handheld on something similar to a GBA. I don’t need anything else atm, but I love seeing these videos is nice to see and I enjoy Russ’s content a lot. The energy and vibe is just great to watch and seeing what the community is up to. Thank you!

[@nickoldschoolrules52]

Having watched the whole thing its a great video. Very helpful, well done.

[@jwithington]

I have to admit: I got my Odin 2 Pro to play Dreamcast (especially) and GameCube with no fuss…but the thing I do the most is Game Pass! So much so that I got an Xbox for my birthday, and now use the Odin for remote play a lot as well. Great video! You always inspire me to play instead of just mucking about with emulators and setting up systems. ☺️

[@vexorian]

My surprising winner for GBA is my Note 9 phone with my Gamesir controller. Really any Flag ship phone from the last 5 years would do. Wide screen, but the trick is the really high resolution, surpassing just about any handheld resolution, which allows for pixel scaling without losing real state. And it's OLED, so in addition to the integer scaling , it looks amazing.

[@YamiMilo]

I just got a G8 myself to use with my iPhone 15 Plus and its been a total blast to use. Delta emulator is great and so is the xbox/ps streaming experience. That controller really feels amazing.

[@overdriver99]

I agree.. my OLED Samsung galaxy S21+ with side controller is WAY WAY brighter and greater than any other handheld for playing GBA game.

[@JV-tk9yn]

I literally just ordered a Gamesir G8 for my recently retired Note 9! $59 off ebay new was the steal of the century especially compared to the backbone (still can't figure out how they charge a hundred bucks for that thing). Looking forward to turning that into my first ever retro game setup. I'm mainly interested in NES/SNES/N64/GB/GBC/GBA & PS1/PSP. Hopefully they all can run well on Android!

[@FeelinFlurgyy]

@@JV-tk9yn I've been playing Paper Mario on my phone, tablet, and PC and use SyncThing to keep my saves up to date. Retroarch has a nasty bug where it crashes if you minimize the app, though. So be careful with that!

[@cheeeeezewizzz]

Try a z fold. The nearly 4:3 screen makes any old retro game look stunning. It is like holding a mini CRT in your hands.

[@gdot1803]

In the context of which handheld, besides the original hardware itself, is the best "controlling device" for Wii and DS, Steam Deck is the winner, thanks to its trackpads and Steam Input's vast configurations and gyro options. Wulff Den did a great video covering the trackpads and their use in Wii and DS games, if anyone wants to check that out. Steam Deck has also been an amazing way to re-experience Dreamcast shooter games, because you can easily remap shooter controls to be much more intuitive. DC lacked 2 analog sticks, typically the face buttons would be for movement while the analog stick would be for aiming, which was awkward. But on Deck, you can instead map the Deck's left stick to act as the DC's face buttons for movement and the Deck's right stick as the DC's left stick for aiming. But here's where things get wild and what sets the Steam Deck above the other handhelds... You can then do gyro aiming in Dreamcast games! So that when the right stick or right trackpad is merely being touched (as in the gyro is only activated when they're touched and isn't active all the time), the gyro can act as the Dreamcast's left stick, so you now have full on gyro aiming acting as the left stick in Dreamcast shooters. Or you can map the right trackpad to emulate the Dreamcast's left stick, and have trackpad + gyro aiming, which feels even more accurate. And speaking of the trackpad - on rail shooters for Dreamcast and Wii feel insanely good to play using the Steam Deck's trackpad and way more intuitive and faster than using an analog stick.

[@lerrymaine]

I really love the Trimui Smart Pro for gba too. Ive been playing it nonstop and really feels great. Love how easy it is to save state and the screen looks awesome.

[@mr.n476]

here's mine: ps2/psp/switch: Odin 2 ps1/gba/gbc/nes/snes/pico-8: MM+ or RGB30 pico-8/nintendo ds: RGB30

[@DocBrewskie]

Great video idea. I have been on the fence about getting a handheld.

[@thenateyoulove]

I've been waiting for this for sooooooo long!!!

[@petermarin]

You should also do Part 2!! My favourite games/ franchises for each retro system

[@PongbyAtari]

Interesting seeing your take per system I agree with most of your choices fun video overall.

[@OriginalSithMonkey]

Thanks for not forgetting the g cloud. I still love mine for retro gaming. The feel and the screen are amazing. I really hope they do another and fix their few mistakes and get a better starting price. I have steam deck, rp4, Odin 2,and others and I still pick this up more often just for random retro games and any given time.

[@JohnnyFiction]

Great video. I love that you included a lot of fun smaller indie handhelds for retro systems, but in the end, even they look way way way better on a steamdeck oled. It's kinda ll you need

[@cheeeeezewizzz]

Waaay too big for anyone planning to take a gaming device on the go. Sold mine and never looked back.

[@JohnnyFiction]

@@cheeeeezewizzz nope, always worth it, form factor, games, ease of use, experience and there’s a reason why RGC has it as the #1 spot. I’d rather carry a case for it than settle for an inferior gaming experience

[@rafauwaxc2871]

Heck yeah bro let's go! Love your videos!

[@PretendingToBeAHuman]

My top three systems for playing retro games are: -3DS for 3DS and DS games. DS games take a bit of fiddling with homebrew to look decent on the smaller systems (on the bigger versions, you can just hold select while lunching and it'll display in native resolution and still be big enough to see comfortably). Really, the EZ Paralllel is probably the best way to play good-looking DS games on a 3DS as it has some kind of built in upscaling that looks way better than any of the current homebrew filters. The downside is the EZ Parallel's formware is still not fully functional compared to other R4 cards, and quite a few games will fail to load when the card is played on a 3DS and an anti-anti piracy patch is enabled. The 3DS can also play GBA games natively with some homebrew, though they will appear blurry. -PS Vita for Vita and PSP games. While PSP games won’t look quite as sharp as they do on the retroid pocket 4, there’s still pretty dang good filters in Adrenaline, and the compatibility is MUCH better; almost 100%. Whereas I've run into quite a few PSP games that won’t run on a retroid. -Retroid Pocket 4 Pro for everything else. After being burned by the RP2+, I've been very pleasantly surprised at how well the 4 Pro handles WII, GCN, and some PS2 games, plus N64, GBC, and GBA games look great on it. I can’t afford any of the higher end emulation handhelds, but this one is a beast for the price, and I also like that it’s small enough to be comfortable in my tiny hands.

[@pobbityboppity1110]

Killer video. Amazing stuff

[@gamevideos7670]

The Anbernic RG405M for life! 4:3 content just looks amazing and I love its form factor oh so much.

[@spidercolt]

Great video as always Russ! I’ve always wondered what your favorite consoles and handhelds are to use so this was awesome. I mainly use the Odin 2 right now for everything but the lack of fast forward on GameCube is annoying.

[@gagemontalvo8731]

I hope the other handheld KZbinrs do a video like this! I want to start collecting but I want to collect certain handhelds starting off but I’d love to see the other content creators make a video like this so I could narrow a lot down!

[@markkilborn512]

You’ve got way more picks than I do, but I tend to think about things the same way: which machine for which retro platforms. I play a lot of adventure and RPG games, so where possible I like to play systems that are dockable to a TV. My picks are: DS/3DS/Virtual Boy - modded New 2DS XL or 3DS XL (some games benefit from 3D, most I don’t care and use 2D which has a better screen imo) Everything up through 16-bit - Analogue Pocket PS1 - Powkiddy RGB30 Saturn/N64 to modern systems - Steam Deck I also use a MiSTer quite a bit, but that’s more for playing games that aren’t long. Arcade, action, puzzle, etc.

[@hotdawgz]

Another great video, thank you, and thank you for putting the name of the games in the video too - added a lot to my Favourites list on my Miyoo Mini + from you videos. FYI: For the Switch section, you have labelled Celeste as A Short Hike. Thank you.

[@jonathannicholson7815]

Great video. I use an Anbernic RG505 exclusively for PSP, and it seems perfect for it.

[@MelonGearSolid]

Fantastic timing as I'm looking for my first handheld emulator!

[@the_swest]

For your first one, immediately get the miyoo mini plus. Easy UI, helped me learn the ropes, pocketable and easily fits in a pocket

[@toycoma98]

Miyoo mini plus onion os. 3d printed grip.

[@the_swest]

@@toycoma98 literally my setup I couldn’t agree more

[@jeremy__hopkins]

9:14 - One other option not mentioned would be a larger Samsung tablet like an S8-S9. Those have stylus support, AMOLED screen and there's lots of room for both screens. Though, not the most pocketable choice so credit still goes to original hardware. 13:03 - It might be difficult to find now and RP4 is a great overall choice but if anyone can get a Pocket Air for a decent price, that's the one I'd recommend for PSP. It's amazing how nice the games look on modern AMOLED displays and then having the additional upscale to smooth out aliasing is icing on the cake. Really, it's the handheld Sony should've made for nostalgia. 28:57 - This is massive for home use but thinking back to Ben Heck and how he'd mod systems for military, this seems like such a better option for downtime. Curious about your thoughts on that Russ. This video is an insane amount of work and thanks for effort. Lots of choices and hope everyone can find solution for their needs. Steam Deck 2 will hopefully refine what is currently offered with x86 handhelds and deliver something really special. 14:38 - As a side note, one oddball system I was surprised by the look was the QLED PiMax Portal. It's such a beautiful screen with options for 4k at 5.5 inches surprisingly, the pixel density makes a difference with classic games. Granted, the original bluetooth only, weird tear drop shaped dpad really kills any sort of precision. Even with a replacement BSP D8 tablet controller and better dpad, it's filled with bizarre quirks so it's more of a novelty and maybe glimpse into the future for screen tech. Maybe future magnet tech with the Super Switch.

[@jonathonearl482]

My number one pick for Game Boy / Game Boy Color / Game Gear is now my PowKiddy B20SX! The display is on point.

[@lliixzllii1794]

I have a little over 20 handhelds including a steamdeck and Odin 2 pro but I play my ps portal more than any of the others. It's the perfect handheld for my use case. Thanks Russ another great video.

[@TomaszBrodecki]

Love the channel and appreciate what you do, just please start uploading your files in 2160p (even if you record and edit in 1080p, just render upscaled), it makes a huge difference on KZbin. After KZbin's recompression, 1080p ends up mushy and soft, which is especially annoying when watching on larger screens.

[@pedroferreira8623]

This is a video I wanted you to do for a loooong time! Loved it! However, I was a bit sad you didn't factor in portability for most of these choices, since it's something I value a lot (e.g I would have taken the MM+ over the fgpc because of portability alone)

[@Cooperage911]

I'm using 3 handhelds_ Thanks for this detailed video! RG35XX DMG gray (I love the gameboy form factor) using it for GB, GBC, GBA, NES, SNES, SEGA MD, Commodore games, and some DOS games. (pocketable with a 3D printed cover) Retroid Pocket 3+ using it for PSP, NDS, Gamecube, DOS games mostly but some 3DS and wii games runs well. Gamepas, PS remote play, and steam remote play also comes handy. I really love this handheld. Steamdeck for retro games what I can reach in steam, and other steam games. (Using for emulators and puting file on the deck is pain in my a.... )

[@3up3rn0va]

Been watching your videos since I got a Steamdeck a year or so ago and it’s been great! I should have never gone down the emulation rabbit hole but I have been playing through so many games! I also got anbernic RG35XX device since I don’t have a gameboy anymore and that has been fun as well. I would love another handheld for more emulation that’s smaller. But the Steamdeck is still my go to. 💪 I also got an and modded a 3DS xl with my bro and I have my personal modded 3DS and I can play dual screen games on there. It brought life back into my life 3DS which is cool.

[@Furygun81]

26:34 If you wanna go really over the top too, you can connect the Steam Deck to an external display, and then in desktop mode have it set up for dual monitors - for the super authentic Wii U experience.

[@ElementalTJ]

Very thoughtful. Thanks!

[@wsslstckfsch]

Awesome stuff! Would you ever consider making a video on how to set up retro gaming for handheld and PC while sharing games and save files between devices? 🙏🙏

[@Alex-oy6wb]

Glad your channel is thriving. Used to follow you more frequently. Always remember you were a service member. Hope you’re doing well.

[@Tugennov]

Awesome video! Great work!

[@Diggy22]

I have a Miyoo Mini Plus and a TrimUI Smart Pro. I will say that from my own experience, the Miyoo Mini Plus is great for the portable consoles like Game Boy/Game Boy color, Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket/Color, and GBA. It’s also solid for SNES and Genesis (especially for RPGs), and playing PS1 games has been a great experience on it. I’m also binging Turbo Grafix 16 games on it, and I’m having an awesome time. As for the TrimUI Smart Pro, it’s ideal for 80’s and 90’s arcade games, especially using Final Burn Neo, and ESPECIALLY for fighting games. I’ve played every popular an obscure arcade fighting game on it, and the d-pad has allowed for some great playing experiences. PS1 games handle extremely well on the TrimUI Smart Pro. I found myself playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 on it, and I found myself breezing through levels on it. Part of it was muscle memory, but I have to compliment the buttons and d-pad on the TrimUI Smart Pro on their comfort and responsiveness.

[@jed1nat]

Very clever of you to agree with me on the GB/GBC/GBA picks.

[@WilliamShinal]

The R4i Gold is what I use for normal DS games, but I jailbreaked my DSi to play DSiWare games as well.

[@danandtab7463]

I absolutely love that two of the three systems I owned were chosen here, SNES on RGB30 and N64 for Pocket 2S. And I agree.

[@VideoAL935]

Its cool that you are essentially creating somewhat of a historical video.

[@SergioSergio12345]

A thing to mention about Wii U is that if you connect the Steam Deck to a monitor you can perfectly use the Deck itself as the Wii U gamepad.

[@stephenking5370]

man you have a lot of toys. thanks for the video as always

[@zuko9085]

Wow, yesterday I commented on a video suggesting something like this. And today, here it is! Talk about a quick turnaround.

[@elmosbongwater5009]

What an amazing video, thank you!

[@hetoriaansverbond5944]

Thx, Russ! Great video

[@mattb6522]

Awesome video! I pretty much use my Steam Deck for anything and everything. It just allows you to play many systems really well. The Steam Deck has run everything I have thrown at it even dozens of PC fangames only using Proton compatibility! It is a great all-in-one solution for gaming once you get it up and running! However, I am 100% in agreement with Russ on using original hardware for DS and 3DS games. Many of those games were built with dual screen/touch-screen in mind, so the DS/3DS just feel more natural on the native handhelds compared to other handheld options via emulation.

[@TheGreatTave]

Man I love this KZbin channel.

[@marksapollo]

The 35XX-H is just an amazing little device. Cheap, small, but runs quite a few old games and some PSP. And has analogue sticks.

[@nathaniles5456]

I just ordered one from AliExpress as my first every retro handheld after lurking around this channel for a few weeks. So stoked to play it! Any reccs on what OS to install on it?

[@marksapollo]

@@nathaniles5456 Sorry no, some have said custom firmware is good, but others have said the very latest update to the built in OS performs brilliantly. I guess if you are new try the stock firmware first to find your feet and go from there.

[@lostworldvideogames]

This is not the video we wanted, this is the video we NEEDED! Thank you sir!

[@ncotton100]

Great video, thank you.

[@vitormfj]

3ds games with citra on a galaxy fold in portrait + a telescopic Bluetooth controller has been fantastic. It's a really good match in terms of screen size, not to mention what a fantastic screen it is.

[@sunspot-vertex]

Loved it. I did want to provide some feedback- I really enjoy your videos, but I actually grew up with dos games. I would love it if you did a video on best handheld for dosbox/scummvm, and included SCUMMVM in videos. I use my steam deck for adventure games, but I’d be curious if there was something better out there (maybe something with a keyboard?) Anyway, love the videos and keep it up!

[@M4ttNet]

Great breakdown. In the end though for me I just use a Steam OLED for everything. A buy once and play nearly everything on this list well. For most people (who don't run tech youtube channels) I don't see much purpose in getting multiple form factors, except maybe the DS and 3DS for the reasons you pointed out. I mean for me why would I not just play SNES, NES, Gameboy all on my steamdeck and then not have to buy and manage multiple devices. Then I can still play most of my steam catalogue too. That OLED screen really makes those retro games pop too.

[@m4dp4ck3t]

Agreed. It's the overall best device bar none. However, systems like the RGB30 really do have a place, and then the 35XX H is so portable you'll end up playing it on the go.

[@M4ttNet]

@@m4dp4ck3t Yeah, I can them from both a portability perspective and affordability perspective. They do seem like great devices.

[@bar7381]

18:30 I also feel the Steam Deck has the look and feel of a sega handheld

[@mayamanign]

Anbernic RG ARC D Saturn handheld is the best thing I've bought in a long time. Use it more than my Steam Deck. Make sure to change your UI in the menu to retro 3. Love this thing, the 6 buttons are ❤

[@skycloud4802]

That Sega inspired button and d-pad layout almost made me get one.

[@mayamanign]

@@skycloud4802 you're missing out.

[@bad1082]

Are you using the vanilla or custom firmware?

[@sahabatgamerID]

@@skycloud4802 So get one already. You will not be disappointed.

[@mjdf122]

This was a good video Retro Russ

[@wozzawarren]

The logitech G cloud with psp is amazing like you said! I love n64 games on the g cloud as well!

[@kulilin3104]

I find it incredibly interesting how mobile processors, like the snapdragon, are getting to the point where they match certain PC CPUs in performance per watt. It would be cool to see how the performance of snapdragons are scaling over time.

[@junosmith8099]

its like you read my mind, ive been thinking abt this exact topic

[@3rdAnd4thRetroGames]

Dude! Such a solid video! Definitely made a list of handhelds I wanted. I'm am surprised the GPD Win 4 didn't make an appearance. Would love to know your thoughts on that.

[@Baumie11]

For DS emulation I’ve started using an iPad with a controller. When you have the controller connected the Delta app will automatically make both screens fill the screen and it looks great when you prop the iPad up on a stand.

[@KevinAdams06]

I have done this too, and it is a great solution. Hard to call it handheld however. Just using an iPhone is also a great experience (even sans controller).

[@crystal_is_cozy]

Great video, as always. I love playing DS games on my DS lite

[@soutadeu]

What a fun video to watch!

[@TheCoolDave]

ok, SHORT AND SWEET FOR ME.... I use the Steam Deck for most emulation. I just picked up (would love to see a final review of this one), the KT-R1. This thing is great. Now I can have PS2 and GameCube in my pocket, with an awesome 4:3 screen. My OG Miyoo Mini, My RG-353M and the R36s, I think I am going to sell off... I think I have what I need till a SteamDeck 2 comes out...

[@chrisharrison3374]

The ARC-D is a gem which has already largely been forgotten (and sadly lacking in much in the way of CFW) but it's SO SO comfy, one of the best 4:3 devices out there.

[@sahabatgamerID]

Agreed. It's a rare ocassion Anbernic release something truly different.

[@morterox2]

Happy Sunday!

[@Sleth0theoriginal0]

Will buy an Odin 2 this year. Thanks Russ!

[@DanSkoglund91]

I have the Odin 2 and Retroid Pocket Flip but the RG35XX-H is my go-to for Dreamcast emulation.

[@XX-vg6pk]

With some many games to play would be nice to see a video of the games youre currently playing 😊

[@AlexDenton0451]

For me the RP4 Pro has been my choice for PS2 games lately. I am pretty active and running around all the time, so a pocketable handheld is a must. It just barely fits the bill for pocketability, but it worked out in the end.

[@kalvin.]

What games do you normally play for PS2? Have you found its performance to have improved since some of the early reviews?

[@AlexDenton0451]

@@kalvin. Armored Core games are always in my rotation, Persona 3 FES lately, Character Action games like DMC, a good bit of Shadow of the Colossus too. Performance, while not phenomenal is perfectly playable if you don't try to crank the resolution too high.

[@kalvin.]

@@AlexDenton0451 thanks! I think I’ll just save up for Odin 2, as PS2 is the biggest draw for me beyond basic GBA emulation so I want plenty of headroom, and I’m not as interested in modern AAA titles as it feels too much of a graphic specs arms race to want to shell out for a handheld PC or build one. I do hope Xbox/360 finally gets emulators in the future also.

[@doc8125]

I've personally settled on using steam deck oled for literally everything (with PS3 I stream from desktop) as my life really cannot fit faffing around with switching handhelds all the time. The oled + a 16:10 aspect ratio really is the perfect middle ground between 4:3 and 16:9 systems as thanks to the large screen you'll get a nice big screen with minimal black bars on both, and the black bars will not light up thanks to the oled screen. It has enough power for basically everything (though won't lie, battery life could be better), the controls are both quite ergonomic both for dual stick and button + dpad and are very flexible for werid controll setups thanks to the very large amount of extra, trackpads and touch screen. It also having access to a giant PC library is also freaking awesome, and leaves a lot of PS3 and beyond emulation obselete since I can just run the games nativly, especailly so with modern indie games Only thing I could see is me getting a smaller more portable and battery life oriented device for when the steam deck is too large to bring, because oh boy is it a big one, and then I'd likely go with stuff that's lower end of emulation than N64, so GBA/SNES and below with maybe ligher ps1/saturn games. Think that would round out the steam deck quite nicely

[@sandpingu]

I have a bunch of these and what I would love to have is one that made playing old PC games, specially graphic adventures, comfortable and easy

[@matts1978]

This is seriously legendary

[@NorthGameGod]

This video is pure gold.

[@speedywolfe]

My favorite device to play DS games has been the surface duo. The dual 5.3 inch OLED displays, each with a 4:3 aspect ratio make the games huge and gorgeous. I combine mine with a telescopic controller (Gamesir X2 ) and a surface pen, making the experience basically just like using a DS, just bigger. I also occasionally use it for 3DS and when folded over to one screen, a variety of other 4:3 systems.

[@baltimorebigman5999]

My favorite videos from my favorite video game guy👍🏽👾