What it does not play well: SNES is slow and often unplayable. Game Boy Advance is out of reach. No 16-bit console emulation beyond what the SNES situation shows.
Game packs: Full game packs for all supported systems are on the SD card. No need to pick and choose.
Why use it: It is the smallest and cheapest of the three, and for pure 8-bit gaming it is surprisingly capable. The Retro-Go firmware is clean, boots fast, and the battery lasts a long time. It is the grab-and-go option when you just want to play some NES or Game Boy games on the couch.
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+The ODROID-GO showing the Retro-Go system selection screen.
The original PocketGo by BittBoy is a handheld in a Game-Boy-Advance-style landscape form factor with a 2.4-inch IPS display at 320x240. It runs on an Allwinner F1C100S chip at 533 to 798 MHz with 32 MB of RAM. The community CFW 1.3 firmware (Miyoo CFW) replaces the stock software with GMenu2X as the frontend, adds support for more emulators, a screen tearing fix, theme customisation and better overall performance. The stock firmware works but is rough around the edges, with an inconsistent button mapping across emulators and a less polished menu. It has D-pad, four face buttons, shoulder buttons, and runs off a 1000 mAh battery.
@@ -24,6 +26,10 @@ parent: "/retro/"What it does not play well: SNES is playable but not perfect, with occasional slowdowns. PlayStation is not an option.
Game packs: Full game packs for all supported systems are on the SD card.
Why use it: It is still pocketable, the IPS screen looks great, and it fills the gap between the ODROID-GO and the RG35XX. If you want Game Boy Advance on the go without carrying something bigger, this is the one. The CFW 1.3 firmware makes a real difference over the stock software.
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+The PocketGo booting into Miyoo CFW 1.3.
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+The system selection screen on the PocketGo.
The RG35XX by Anbernic is the serious handheld of the three. It has a 3.5-inch IPS display at 640x480, an Allwinner H313 quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 chip, and significantly more power than the other two. It runs GarlicOS, a custom firmware by Black Seraph built on RetroArch. GarlicOS replaces the stock firmware with a much cleaner interface, adds a sleep mode that lets you resume exactly where you left off, RTC support, overclocking options, and a wider range of configurable emulators. The stock firmware works but is bare-bones and lacks these quality-of-life features. The build quality is noticeably better than the other two devices, with a sturdier feel and a screen that is both larger and sharper.
@@ -31,6 +37,12 @@ parent: "/retro/"What it does not play well: Nintendo 64 and PSP are hit-or-miss. Dreamcast is mostly too much for it.
Game packs: Only the major platforms have game packs installed. The smaller systems are not pre-loaded.
Why use it: When you want the full experience, including PlayStation and arcade games, or when you want to hook the handheld up to a TV. It is the heaviest and least pocketable of the three, but it covers the widest range of systems.
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+The RG35XX boot screen.
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+GarlicOS version 1.4.9 running on the RG35XX.
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+The system selection screen on the RG35XX.