FlashBack Pocket: Retro Gaming in Your Palm

You could start off a review like this with the phrase “retro gaming has never been so popular!” but of course that’s nonsense. Retro gaming was popular before it was retro.

Whatever your thoughts on this, the fact remains that playing old games and revisiting the classic “feelz” is an increasingly popular pastime.

Best Value

Retroid Pocket 3+

Provides a superb retro console gaming experience.

9/ 10

With a Retroid Pocket 3+ you can enjoy several decades of retro gaming covering almost any platform you can imagine. From the Atari 2600 all the way up to the Nintendo Wii, the Retroid Pocket 3+ can comfortably run the required emulators.

If you’re looking for a powerful but small retro gaming system that covers all bases, the Retroid Pocket 3+ is perfect.

Power Source

USB Type-C, battery

What’s Included

Retroid Pocket 3+, carry case

Brand

Retroid

Screen

4.7-inch

Game support

Most titles from 1978 to 2008

Processing Power

2xA75@2.0GHz & 6xA55@2.0GHz CPU

Storage

128GB eMMC

CPU

Mali G52 MC2 @ 850MHz

Battery

4500mAh

Connectivity

Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5

Ports

Micro HDMI, USB Type-C, 3.5mm audio, microSD

Dimensions

184.7 x 81.4 x 24.2mm

Weight

235 grams (8.3oz)

Audio

Dual speakers, Bluetooth audio supported

RAM

4GB LPDDR4x

Charging Time

3 hours

Screen Resolution

750x1334@60fp

Pros

• Compact and light enough to take anywhere
• Plays most games released between 1978-2008
• RetroidLauncher offers a slick interface
• Supports USB and Bluetooth controllers
• Supports game streaming services
• Runs on Android 11, Google Play Store preinstalled

Cons

• Setting up ROMs can be fiddly and time consuming
• Twin speakers are terrible
• Some combination button presses open Android menus

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One way to satiate the desire for “old skool” gaming is with a pocket-sized emulation console. The Retroid Pocket 3+ claims to fulfill this need—but does it?

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What Is a Retroid Pocket 3+?

Playing old video games is as easy or as difficult as you want it to be. You could opt for a shrunk-down classic console like the NES Mini, or the curated cartridge collections of theEvercade consoles .

Or you can get a bit more hands-on, select the ROMs you want to run, find the right emulator, and game like it’s 1989.

While a flexible piece of kit, the Retroid Pocket 3+ encourages the latter approach. It’s the third generation of the Retroid Pocket series, supporting 8-, 16-, and 32-bit console systems. You’re not limited to games from the 1980s and early 1990s with this device. Some serious retro gaming is possible, with support for emulation of games first seen on Sony PlayStation 1, Sega Saturn and Dreamcast, and Nintendo 64.

There’s even Nintendo GameCube and Wii support.

What Console Platforms Does the Retroid Pocket 3+ Support?

Owning a Retroid Pocket 3+ opens the door to a world of portable gaming thanks to emulation of the following platforms:

• Nintendo NES/Famicom

• Nintendo SNES/Super Famicom

• Nintendo Game Boy/Game Boy Color

• Nintendo Game Boy Advance

• Nintendo VirtualBoy

• Nintendo DS/3DS

• Nintendo 64

• Nintendo GameCube

• Nintendo Wii

• Sega Master System

• Sega SG-1000

• Sega Genesis/Mega Drive (including CD and 32x)

• Sega Game Gear

• Sega Saturn

• Sega Dreamcast

• PC Engine

• Neo Geo

• Neo Geo Pocket/Color

• Wonderswan/Wonderswan Color

• Atari 2600

• Atari 7800

• Atari Lynx

• MSX

• Sony PlayStation

• Sony PlayStation 2

• Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP)

• 3DO

• Arcade titles via MAME, CPS (1, 2, and 3) and Final Burn Alpha

Further emulation is possible across a wider selection of classic platforms (mostly computers) which rely on the touchscreen for keyboard access. Access to these is via RetroArch. The experience typically isn’t great here, especially when compared todevices like the A500 Mini , but it’s good enough.

The Retroid Pocket 3+ also includes Steam Link and GameStream for streaming games from a suitably equipped PC, ScummVM for classic point-and-click adventure titles, and much more to help you enjoy games anywhere.

Emulation of these platforms is available via the RetroidLauncher interface, which appears upon first launch. The Retroid community maintains anonline spreadsheet of tested games .

Console Design and Specification

Lightweight (235 grams) and easily pocketed at 184.7 x 81.4 x 24.2mm, the Retroid Pocket 3+ is smaller than a Nintendo Switch, and squatter than an Evercade EXP.

It comes in a number of different colors and shell types. We reviewed the “clear blue” option.

Behind the 4.7-inch touchscreen display (750x1334@60fp , maximum 450 nits) is the Unisoc Tiger T618 processor, with 2xA75@2.0GHz and 6xA55@2.0GHz CPU. The GPU is the Mali G52 MC2, clocked at 850MHz, and the system relies on 4GB LPDDR4x RAM (3733Mbps). Storage is courtesy of a built-in 128GB eMMC 5.1 chip, but you can expand this via the microSD slot.

Other ports include a 720p micro HDMI port, 3.5mm audio port, and a USB Type C port for charging and data. Powering the Retroid Pocket 3+ on the go is a 4500mAh battery, and the device is built into a metal frame for robustness and passive heat dissipation.

The device also has Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0 and can receive OTA updates to the Android 11 OS.

How Long Does the Battery Last?

The 4500mAh battery takes a few hours to charge, probably 2-3 for a full 0-100% recharge. Once powered up, you can expect to get at least 4 hours out of it, potentially up to 8 hours.

I pushed it to 7 hours after disabling Wi-Fi (the Google Play Store is especially data-hungry), and I suspect playing lower-spec games (such as 8-bit Atari, Nintendo, and Sega titles) will have a noticeable effect on the battery.

Of course, the attraction of the Retroid Pocket 3+ is that the console runs several 16-bit and 32-bit platforms, so your mileage will vary depending on the emulation you’re looking for.

Using the Retroid Pocket 3+ Controls

The handheld emulator has controls to suit all arcade gaming scenarios, equipped with a D-pad, dual clickable thumb sticks, ABXY buttons, left and right triggers, and left and right shoulder buttons.

The volume buttons are occasionally called into action—perhaps to add credits or start a game—but usually are limited to their main function.

I also noticed that the Retroid Pocket 3+ tends to misinterpret certain button presses as Android menu commands. So far, I haven’t been able to find a workaround or tweak the mapping to prevent this.

You won’t get an arcade-realistic experience with these controls simply because the form factor is completely different. But they do give you the best way to play most of the retro games in your library. On the other hand, anything requiring a trackball or paddles will remain a challenge (hello, Marble Madness and Arkanoid).

Getting Games onto the Retroid Pocket 3+

For the complete ROM-focused option (your legally-acquired disk images of classic game cartridges or disks) should be copied to the device over USB cable. The best option is to use a microSD card, although note this is best formatted in “Portable” mode. If you use the alternative, it cannot be accessed either via USB or by ejecting and inserting in your PC.

Once formatted, the microSD card can be configured with the necessary directories (this takes a single tap), then you can copy your ROMs copied to the platform-specific directory.

You’re not done yet, though, as the individual emulator cores also need installing. This is done in the RetroArch software, which is a lot less attractive than the RetroidLauncher. Once done, however, you specify the ROM file path (required on the first use only), then launch your favorite retro games.

All sounds like a bit of a chore? Well, the Retroid Pocket 3+ also makes a great Android gaming device. As it has Google Play pre-installed, you can easily find games to play on the device, using the touch screen or (preferably) the controllers.

If you’re coming to the Retroid Pocket platform for the first time and want to play old games as quickly as possible, the Android app library is a good option. Various retro classics are available, from key entries in the Sega arcade pantheon to BANDAI NAMCO and Atari classics.

Failing that, it also comes with Steam Link installed, for playing games over your network from a nearby PC. It’s almost as good as having aSteam Deck (but not quite).

Retro Gaming and Gameplay on the Retroid Pocket 3+

An emulation system like the Retroid Pocket 3+ has everything you need to start gaming right away—except the ROMs. While the odd emulator or virtual machine system might have a game built in, it won’t be anything remarkable.

In short, you have to do the hard work of finding ROMs and transferring them to the console yourself. This, of course, is the ultimate legal get-out for the manufacturer. They don’t distribute ROMs, so they’re not at risk of prosecution for distributing copyrighted games without a license.

Rather, the onus is on you, with your completely legitimate collection of self-ripped ROMs (or whatever).

Booting into the RetroidLauncher and playing a game is a refreshing experience, although not without the occasional issue. Unlike, say, Evercade, games and emulators aren’t completely tailored for the hardware. There is an element of risk to choosing a game ROM, loading it up, and hoping it will play well. Invariably they do, but occasionally things go wrong.

Meanwhile, you can bang your gaming onto a big-screen TV with the micro HDMI port. The 3.5mm audio port lets you enjoy private gaming soundtracks on the go, too. I also hooked up my Sony Bluetooth earbuds to the Retroid Pocket 3+, a far superior option to the console’s built-in speakers.

The USB-C port has all the usual controller support, and even supports keyboards if required.

Retroid Pocket 3+ Delivers the Ultimate Portable Retro Gaming Experience

I was staggered by the range of emulation platforms available on this console. I had expected late Sega consoles, but I was unprepared for the possibility of PSP and Wii support. (In fact, I’ve heard that some Switch games will also run, but we need to keep quiet about that.)

The release of the Retroid Pocket 3+ has proved somewhat controversial in the retro gaming handheld emulation community. To all intents and purposes, it is a Retroid Pocket 3, but with more processing and RAM, and a higher price to match, represents a notable upgrade.

But if you’ve already bought the earlier model, upgrading seems unnecessary unless you want better performance from the 32-bit generation emulators. Conversely, if you’re new to pocket emulation, the Retroid Pocket 3+ is an excellent console to start with.

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