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.

🎮 The guts behind the glory

• GameMT’s Pocket Super Knob 5000 is the Weirdest Android Handheld Yet: GameMT has apparently decided subtlety is dead, because its next Android handheld is called the Pocket Super Knob 5000 (either separate from the previously announced EX5, or a rebrand with a better chip) and it’s launching this April.
• Lenovo and ASUS Reportedly Dropping Driver Support for Ryzen Z1 Extreme: Out of nowhere, a Reddit thread surfaced revealing messages from Lenovo's Korean support staff stating that "there are no more plans to update the drivers for the current Legion Go model." This is in reference to the original Legion Go from 2023, but the message also suggests that AMD itself might be dropping support for the Z1 Extreme entirely.
• ROG Xbox Ally Sales Have Reportedly "Stalled": There might be a good reason why the ROG Xbox Ally keeps going on sale, and according to one analyst, it's because ASUS isn't selling enough. Despite previous claims that ASUS and Microsoft were finally "making a dent" in the Steam Deck's market share, this might not actually be the case, except for when "it had a nice month one."

🗓️ Upcoming Releases

• MANGMI Pocket Max - February 24
• Anbernic RG Vita and RG Vita Pro - TBD
• KinHank K59 - February 28

🕹️ Your gateway to pixel-perfect worlds

• izzy2lost Aims xemu at Android for Original Xbox Emulation: An Android‑native Xbox emulator just dropped on GitHub, and it’s from exactly the kind of chaos agent you’d expect: izzy2lost, the dev behind PSX2 and those infamous decompiled Android N64 ports. This new project is a mobile fork of xemu aimed at playing legally obtained backups of Xbox games on modern Android hardware, with the usual warning label attached: it’s early, it’s heavy, and it is hungry for resources.
• You Can Play Dreamcast in Your Browser?!?: This one popped up on my radar just last night, but apparently it's now possible to play Dreamcast games right from your browser. This is made possible thanks to a Flycast WASM core that was built for EmulatorJS. Before you get too excited, the creator says, "It's not going to replace native Flycast, but it proves the concept and the groundwork is there for optimization."
• Our Handhelds and Tariffs: An Optimistic Future?: After nearly a year of sweeping tariffs and ongoing “trade wars” between the United States and foreign economic powers, we might be seeing what we might assume to be the “Light at the end of the tunnel.” The tariffs levied last year were deemed illegal by the Supreme Court.
• We might one day be able to play Xbox, PS3, and Wii U via RetroArch Cores: It would appear that a developer is actively working on some new RetroArch cores that would bring Xbox, PS3, and Wii U emulation to the platform. As you might suspect, these are listed as "Alpha," with one Reddit comment going so far as to say that they're "more preliminary/proof-of-concept."

👾 Game of the Month: FebZuary Hands the Reins to Zu

Game(s) of the Week

🕹️#205 (2/21 - 2/28) - Chex Quest

🕹️#204 (2/14 - 2/21) - Two Crude

🕹️ #203 (2/7 - 2/14) - Star Fox 2

🕹️ #202 (1/31 - 2/7) - Metroid Prime Pinball

RPG of the Quarter (1/1 - 3/31)

✍ Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Write, Watch

The Legend of Zelda Series Turns 40! - Retro Handhelds

The Legend of Zelda hits its 40th anniversary, highlighting the series’ lasting influence on adventure games, RPGs, and modern open-world design.

Retro HandheldsJoe White

Hyper Street Kart is the Mashup I Want in a ROM Hack - Retro Handhelds

Tired of choice paralysis? Dust off that handheld and discover Hyper Street Kart, a brilliant ROM hack that mashes up the best of Street Fighter and Mario Kart.

Retro HandheldsNick

KONKR Pocket Fit Review: The Value Choice - Retro Handhelds

AYANEO’s first swing at a value handheld brings the KONKR Pocket Fit. With as much power as they can ship at the moment, is it worth the cost?

Retro HandheldsBan

Dolphin Guide: How to Use Texture Packs on Android - Retro Handhelds

Make GameCube classics look modern on your Android handheld. Learn how Dolphin textures work, where to place them, and which settings matter most.

Retro HandheldsJoe White

Rewind Roundup #2: Sony’s Big Week - Retro Handhelds

Metal Gear Solid 4 finally leaves PS3, Rayman gets a five-version anniversary package, God of War trilogy remake confirmed, and Black Flag leaks continue.

Retro HandheldsJim Gray

The Asus ROG Xbox Ally Needs More Sleep - Retro Handhelds

Love the hardware, hate the “always on” Windows behavior? This guide walks through disabling sleep RGB and switching the Ally’s power button to Hibernate.

Retro HandheldsNick

Hacking The Mainframe #2: Re-hacking The Past - Retro Handhelds

This week’s hacks include a 700-track Mario Kart Wii mod, Sonic Megamix Mania v1.0, Gordon Freeman in Jak & Daxter, and a Castlevania overhaul with new levels.

Retro HandheldsJim Gray

Homebrew Side Quests #2: Sentient Inhalers - Retro Handhelds

This week’s homebrew brings arcade-perfect Ghosts’n Goblins to Amiga AGA, Super Pang to Genesis, and a Game Boy platformer starring an inhaler named Pumpy.

Retro HandheldsJim Gray

Next Level #2: Screw Indiana Jones - Retro Handhelds

This level’s slate includes artifact-reclaiming heists, cooking rhythm RPGs, Edmund McMillen’s cat-breeding sim, punk band management, and Y2K golf vibes.

Retro HandheldsJim Gray

📺 On the YouTubes

💸 Achievement Unlocked: Big Savings

• AliExpress Spring Sale (Until 2/24 at 2:59 AM EST)
• Anbernic Spring Festival Sale (Until 2/25)
• AYN Portal Event (Until 2/25)

🗣️ Stay Connected

Want more classic gaming goodness? Join the Discord, or follow us on YouTube for live podcasts and reviews every Monday at 6pm Pacific. Your feedback, mods, and stories make this community what it is, so keep sharing!