Welcome to the Retro Handhelds Weekly newsletter! Whether you’re a seasoned modder or just getting started with classic gaming on the go, you’re part of a passionate group that keeps the retro handheld scene vibrant and fun. Dive in for the latest reviews, guides, and community highlights.

‼️Anbernic RG Rotate Pre-orders

• Polar Black: $82.99 ($5 Discount)
• Aurora Silver: $99.99 ($8 Discount)

🎮 The guts behind the glory

• Lao Zhang Teases New Yoo Y1 Handheld, and It’s Looking Ambitious: Lao Zhang, the Chinese handheld designer best known for his work with GKD on the Pixel series and for the inventive LG Wing handheld back in 2022, appears to be working on something new. During a livestream on a popular Chinese social platform hosted on Baidu, Zhang showcased what is currently being called the Yoo Y1, a horizontal Android handheld with a polished look.
• A “Lenovo” Retro Handheld Is Selling on AliExpress, But Is It Actually Real?: A retro gaming handheld bearing the Lenovo name has turned up on AliExpress for $71, and while the branding looks official at first glance, there are enough red flags here to warrant serious caution before anyone gets excited about it.
• Anbernic Releases the RG34XXSP in a New Blue Hue: In a short video that was dropped this morning, Anbernic detailed the release of a RG34XXSP in a brand new color: Metallic Blue. While the RG34XXSP doesn’t hold a special place in my heart (I never owned a Game Boy Advance SP), this is easily my favorite color for this device.

🕹️ Your gateway to pixel-perfect worlds

• Paper Mario Star Nova is a Massive Total Conversion Mod for the N64 Classic: The modding community around Nintendo 64 classics has been productive for years, but total conversions of the scope that Star Nova represents do not come along often. Creator NicTube has released Paper Mario Star Nova, a full-scale mod for Paper Mario 64 that replaces essentially everything that made the original game what it was and builds something new in its place.
• Anbernic RG477V Gets a Massive Update with New Launcher, Control Center, and More: While Anbernic has been busy releasing a new RG34XXSP shell and gearing up for the RG Rotate launch, it’s also been doing some work on older devices. The company just released a new update for the RG477V, but this isn’t just your run-of-the-mill bug fix update.
• The Minish Cap Is Now Playable on PC Thanks to a New Unofficial Port: The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap has a checkered history of availability. The 2004 Game Boy Advance title has never seen an official PC release, and aside from a brief window on the Wii U Virtual Console years ago, Nintendo has made no effort to bring it to modern platforms. Developer MatheoVignaud has taken matters into their own hands, releasing an unofficial native PC port of the game via GitHub.

Emulation Corner

Custom Core

• AURKNIX nightly-20260509
• dARkOS 05082026
• GammaOS Next v1.3.2 for RG Vita and Vita Pro
• pakman v0.24.17
• AYN Odin 3 gains early ROCKNIX in latest nightlies
• Batocera 43 adds support for AYN Thor, RP6, and more

👾 Game of the Month: Mobile May

Game(s) of the Week

RPG of the Quarter (4/1 - 6/30)

✍ Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Write

Anbernic RG Rotate First Impressions: Refreshingly Odd, But Not Perfect | Retro Handhelds

The Anbernic RG Rotate delivers a refreshing twist after the RG Vita, with a fun hinge, pocketable design, and some early concerns.

Retro Handheldsandrew

ROCKNIX On the MiniLoong Pocket 1: Transformative! | Retro Handhelds

The tried-and-true ROCKNIX OS comes to the MiniLoong Pocket 1 in the form of a custom fork. Is this the software experience we have been waiting for, or a bust?

Retro HandheldsJoe White

Epomaker Split70: I’m 50/50 | Retro Handhelds

Rather than go full retro, Epomaker is coming back with another interesting layout in the Split70. Is this ergonomic setup worth the money? Or are we 50/50?

Retro HandheldsBan

The Retro Handheld Accessories I Can’t Live Without | Retro Handhelds

Nick walks through his favorite tools and accessories for keeping your retro handheld collection the best it can be.

Retro HandheldsNick

How to Install Ubuntu on the R36 Ultra | Retro Handhelds

Nick walks you through the steps of installing Ubuntu on the R36 Ultra - if you’re into that sort of thing..…

Retro HandheldsNick

Game Over: Zeebo | Retro Handhelds

Zeebo was a 2009 console by Tectoy and Qualcomm that used 3G to download games, avoiding piracy. Poor pricing, weak mobile hardware, and few games killed it.

Retro HandheldsJim Gray

📺 On the YouTubes

RH Partners

💸 Achievement Unlocked: Big Savings

Deal Highlights:

• DSPico: $14.08 at AliExpress
• GameSir Pocket Taco: $33.49 w/ code SRUS02
• Miyoo Mini Flip: $60.01 w/ code SRUS07
• Miniloong Pocket 1: $71.67 w/ code SRUS07
• Retroid Pocket 5: $207.26 w/ code SRUS25
• AYN Thor: From $312.14 w/ code SRUS38
• Lenovo G02: $66.33 w/ code SRUS07
• RG43H Pro: $68.15 w/ code SRUS07

🗣️ Stay Connected

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