Ultimate Gaming Choice: Top 5 Retro Handheld Picks

Emulation has always been a strong suit for PC gamers, and it’s now more accessible than ever thanks to retro handhelds. These affordable and pocket-friendly devices often imitate the style of classic handhelds such as the Game Boy Advance, but they feature a clever twist. Rather than using cartridges for games, they feature emulators that can play games from various consoles.

This includes classics like NES games all the way up to the Nintendo DS. If you’re passionate about gaming and want to get a bite-sized taste of nostalgia, retro handhelds from the likes of Anbernic and Analogue are a must-have. Here’s everything you need to know about these compact gaming devices and why you might want one.

What Is a Retro Handheld?

The handheld above is an excellent example of what we’re talking about in this article. It features an IPS display, 64GB of storage, and the ability to emulate PlayStation 1 games. Once you’re done with the setup process, these handhelds are the best way to experience games from your childhood.

They often feature either a completely custom Linux-based OS or even a version of Android. This allows you to quickly download emulators and games from different console generations. It’s quite similar to downloadingemulators on Android , with the only difference being that you get dedicated buttons and a better form factor.

1. Retro Handhelds Can Emulate a Huge Number of Games

The main reason why you should care about retro handhelds is the emulation aspect. Emulation capabilities vary from model to model, but most devices can handle older consoles just fine. Some even feature built-in visual enhancements that make your older games look even better. If you know what you’re doing, you can evenuse a frontend like RetroArch to add cheats .

If you’re interested in buying a handheld, make sure to check for reviews on YouTube, as it has a very niche but active community covering almost every popular handheld. You can easily find reviews for most handhelds, and they’ll tell you which consoles certain handhelds can emulate.

2. Cloud Gaming Makes Handhelds More Exciting

Since a lot of these retro handhelds are running on Android, cloud gaming is another aspect that makes the value even better. If you buy an Android handheld, you can try your hand at Xbox Cloud Gaming, Steam Link, GeForce Now, and more. Since cloud gaming relies on your internet connection, the specs for your handheld don’t matter at all

Of course, it’s up for debatewhether cloud gaming is ready to go mainstream or not . Internet speeds, subscription costs, and titles being removed from platforms are all valid concerns. However, you can get a decent experience if you live in a region that supports these services and have a decent internet connection.

3. Retro Handhelds Have Great Battery Life

The average retro handheld can last anywhere from two to four hours without recharging, depending on how graphically intensive of a game you’re playing. That may not sound like a lot, but considering these are more casual gaming devices, it’s more than enough. Rather than sitting around aimlessly on your commute, you could spend an hour playing something like Metroid.

If you want even better battery life, you can go for the larger handhelds that are less pocket-friendly. These can still easily fit into your bag, making them easy enough to carry around while traveling. Just remember that factors like processing power and screen resolution also heavily impact battery life.

4. Newer Handhelds Have Better Displays

If reading about retro handhelds excites you, it’s likely that you were once attached to gaming handhelds like the Game Boy Advance or Nintendo DS. While those consoles were excellent at the time, the screens certainly have not aged well at all. This statement becomes especially true when you pick up an older Game Boy.

Fortunately, LCD panels have come a long way since then. Most of these retro handhelds feature sharp IPS screens that are miles ahead of older handhelds. These vivid and high-contrast screens breathe new life into classic games. It works especially well for games from the SNES and Game Boy eras.

5. Handhelds Are Better Than Mobile Gaming

Retro handhelds are the definitive way to experience classic games on the go. The ability to quickly install emulators/games while having dedicated buttons for a comfortable gaming experience makes them better than mobile gaming. Sure, you could easily download emulators on your PC or phone, but the experience just isn’t the same.

Gaming sessions on your phone can get interrupted by calls, random notifications, alarms, and more. You don’t experience any of that with retro handhelds as they are designed to just play games. Other than that, you’ll likely have a better time playing some old classics rather than being bogged down by microtransactions all the time.

How the Steam Deck Plays Into This

Valve’s Steam Deck is incredibly interesting because it sort of blurs the line between console and PC gaming. It runs on a custom operating system known as SteamOS which will be familiar to many gamers. The design is similar to the Steam Store on Windows, and this allows you to access your entire Steam library and quickly download games on the go.

That alone is impressive, but the fact that you can download emulators and play retro games makes it an even better value. By switching to the Linux desktop mode, you can install a custom frontend and load your favorite emulators and games on there. Valve has massively expanded the competition for retro handhelds, and that means we’ll get even better handhelds in the future.

Retro Handhelds Are Pretty Great

Even if you put the nostalgia factor to the side, retro handhelds are undeniably incredible. You have access to a gigantic library of games, loads of customization, great portability, sharp screens, and more. The community has been vocal but niche for a while now, and the Steam Deck is only going to improve things solely with its existence.

With that said, the only downside is that not everyone will be willing to go through the hassle of setting up emulators or playing around with settings. Many would just rather have a simpler gaming experience. Fortunately, there are always alternatives to playing classics on the go and the Nintendo Switch is a great example.

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