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

• Acer Predator Atlas 8 Announced at Computex 2026, Powered by Intel Arc G3 Extreme: Acer kicked off the wave of x86 handheld announcements at Computex 2026 with the Predator Atlas 8. It will be one of the first to be powered by Intel's Arc G3 platform, while also sporting an 8-inch, 120Hz display.
• MSI Announces Claw 8 EX AI Plus at Computex, and It Looks a Lot More Comfortable Than Its Predecessors: A day after both Acer and OneXPlayer introduced gaming handhelds powered by Intel’s new Arc G3 Extreme chip, MSI is joining in on the fun. It also sports a complete redesign when compared to previous Claw handhelds, seemingly taking inspiration from the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally and Microsoft's Xbox controller.
• Anbernic RG34XXSP Might’ve Been Quietly Downgraded, Again: According to a post over on the r/Anbernic subreddit, the RG34XXSP has been downgraded to include just 512MB of RAM. This is a far cry from the 2GB of RAM that the clamshell handheld was released with just over a year ago (May 2025).

🕹️ Your gateway to pixel-perfect worlds

• Anbernic RG477M/RG477V System Update: A few weeks ago, we saw Anbernic roll out a surprise update for the RG477V, which added the all-new RG Home launcher. Now, that same update is coming to the RG477M, bringing the redesigned interface to Anbernic's horizontal powerhouse.
• The Ghostship 2.0 Update Adds So Many New Features, It’s Mind-Boggling: Ghostship was well-received out of the gate and became the de facto best way to experience Mario 64. It has officially hit its 2.0 version, adding a myriad of new features and optimizing older ones.
• Donkey Kong 64 is Coming to Switch Online: 1999’s Donkey Kong 64 is headed to Nintendo Switch Online on June 4th, 2026! Just in time for the Switch 2’s 1-year anniversary (which is June 5th), the fabled DK64 comes to the N64 Online application in an as-is emulated state with full widescreen support and all the NSO McGuffins like button remapping and save states.

Emulation Corner

👾 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

The Games I’m Actually Playing on My Odin 3: Part II | Retro Handhelds

Six months in, the AYN Odin 3 still shines with modern emulation, FEX-powered PC games, OLED streaming, and enough power to feel future-proof.

Retro HandheldsNick

R36MAX2 Review: Perhaps I’d Judged You Too Harshly | Retro Handhelds

Is the R36MAX2 just another clone, or a budget masterpiece? Nick reviews this RK3326 handheld to see if its impressive 4.5-inch screen is worth the hype.

Retro HandheldsNick

Flydigi Vader 5 Pro vs GameSir Cyclone 2: My Next Daily | Retro Handhelds

The Flydigi Vader 5 Pro is the company’s latest release in a string of high-quality controllers. But how does it stack up, and can it replace my current daily?

Retro HandheldsBan

Anthbot M9 Review: This Robot Lawnmower Gave Me More Time for My Backlog | Retro Handhelds

From retro handhelds to... robot mowers? See why the wire-free ANTHBOT M9 is the ultimate side-quest for gamers who want to reclaim their weekends.

Retro HandheldsZu

📺 On the YouTubes

RH Partners

💸 Achievement Unlocked: Big Savings

The AliExpress Summer Sale will begin on June 1 at 3 AM EST, so with that in mind, the codes and deals below reflect prices that should be available once the sale is live!

Deal Highlights:

• AYANEO Pocket AIR Mini x Arcade Home Limited Edition
  • 2GB/32GB - $129.99
  • 3GB/64GB - $139.99
• DSPico: $12.63 at AliExpress
• Anbernic RG Rotate: $84.56 w/ code RHH14
• GameSir Pocket Taco: $27.17 w/ code RHH3
• Anbernic RG DS: $90.42 w/ code 18RHHSS
• Miyoo Mini Flip: $49.57 w/ code RHH8
• AYN Thor: From $250.61 w/ code RHH40
• RG43H Pro: $55.79 w/ code RHH8
• MagicX One35: $77.60 w/ code RHH8
• Retroid Pocket 5: $200.38 w/ code 29RHHSS

🗣️ Stay Connected

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