I’ve been trying to get into playing some old games I’ve either missed out on or have completely forgot I’ve even played. I now find myself wanting to play games from SNES and the Gameboy line and can’t settle down on which handheld to play all these games on.
I have my old 3DS handhelds, and XL and non-XL version (proprietary charging), Analogue Pocket (no SNES save states), Miyoo Mini + (currently shipping), a Switch, and a Steam Deck (too heavy for long playthroughs). I find myself constantly switching between them all and can’t settle down to actually play a game.
Anyone have any opinions on what’s the best handheld experience?
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IMO Steam Deck is the best overall option, as it’s beefy enough to run PS3 or even Switch games.
If it’s too heavy, the Retroid Pocket 3+ is a decent emulation competitor with a lighter, smaller form factor.
I find myself constantly switching between them all and can’t settle down to actually play a game.
This sounds like one of those problems where buying more hardware doesn’t help. Ruminating about the “best” handheld choice is an easy way to forget about playing the games themselves. I’ve been there. The solution is to just pick a device at random, and go outside to play it. There will be pros and cons, but if you’re not even getting to the point where you can actually play the game, then the pros and cons don’t matter either.
Yep, steamdeck here, and once it’s fully set up it’s a great machine for emulation. I honestly don’t notice that it’s too heavy. Just re-adjust how you’re sitting or laying down or whatever I guess? Maybe put a pillow on your lap to give your arms some support? Not sure what the answer is there, but steamdeck is a great route to go.
Honestly depends on whether you want power or portability. If I were you I’d probably play retro games on the Miyoo Mini, and use the Steam Deck for more demanding stuff.
Personaly I’m using my miyoo mini + for lite gameplay session like 32bits and under era, and I’m using my Odin lite for android, psp, n64 games.
My current handhelds:
- Miyoo Mini for NES/SNES/Gameboy and some PS1 games (no joystick)
- DSi XL for DS games
- new 3DS (non-XL) for 3DS games
- Steam Deck for emulation from N64/GCN up to Switch/Playstation 1-2-3 and modern games
Miyoo Mini / Mini+ & Steam Deck is the best combo imho, both DS are for nostalgia and ease of use with the native dual screen setup.
Otherwise, I can’t vouch for any other handhelds since I don’t own them but RP3+ and RG35XX seems like great options too.
RG35XX
I love my modded 3DS. For me, it’s definitely the best decision for Gameboy games and DS games in general. I don’t play SNES games much, so I’m not sure how well it’d work for you, but the Gameboy experience on 3DS (vs anything else I’ve tried) can’t be beat imo.
PlayStation Vita is fantastic for handheld retro gaming, it has Retro Arch and can handle pretty much anything up to GBA. It also runs PS1 and PSP games almost perfectly.
Plus the slim model has Micro USB charging
I’ve heard vita has slowdown on some GBA, SNES games, do you experience that?
From what I’ve tried last time, mGBA was running pretty bad on it while playing FFVI. But I plan to buy steam deck or some alt if there’s anything nice with OLED display instead as I love the OLEDs in my PS Vita and Switch.
For GBA emulation I only played Metroid which worked perfectly good, and ever tried emulating SNES
PS1 emulation, PSP in Adrenaline, and 3D Space Cadet Pinball worked superb for me. To be fair I only got rid of Vita cause I didn’t have a use case for it that Steam Deck couldn’t do, and I don’t really mind its weight
I’m running RetroArch on a hacked Wii U. I got out running on a PSP and ps3 too, but that was different work. You can emulate on Android but it’s not fun without an external controller.
I have an Anbernic 35xx, that I use a lot. I bought it mostly for playing Gameboy/SNES games. Form factor is pretty close to the OG Gameboy, price is low enough that I chuck it in backpacks and pockets without a worry, and it plays 16 bit game systems nearly perfectly w/GarlicOS.
The only thing I don’t like is the L/R buttons. They are loose and rattle if you shake the device, and make a loud click when you use them.
I really like my homebrew PS Vita for retro games. I’m sure there are better handhelds for the job, but if you have an old Vita laying around it’s free and relatively easy to jailbreak.
I switch between a few systems I’ve modded. I love Pokémon Red, Gold and Crystal on my GBC with IPS screen and it’s fun seeing my 5 year old enjoying it so much. The Slate GBA SP is amazing, and with an Everdrive cart I have so many great games including the NES library. I have a New 2ds LL that’s been region changed and modded with the HShop. If I could only have one system, it would be this. It can play everything my other systems can. I still enjoy switching though.
I think the switch for 16 bit with some ergonomic controller joycons is my preferred one. It is still very light, has good battery life, and can pivot to playing switch games when you want. I like the miyoo+, and my rg552 but the value of a hacked switch is hard to beat.
Personally, I think the Anbernic handhelds are the sweet spot if you don’t have a Steam Deck.
I’m sure there are better options, but I always come back to my modded PSP. Having PSP, PS1, SNES, GB, GBA, and most Genesis games available is more than I’ll ever need. The slim size/decent battery life means I’m always ready to grab it when taking a trip, and it doesn’t hurt that I love the feel of the buttons.
The Odroid-Go series is pretty nifty. I liked the Advance better because it came as a DIY kit, but the Super adds the second analog stick and a bigger screen. Sort of fun to be able to SSH into your handheld if you need to. I suspect it’s more of a known platform in terms of custom software than your random AliExpress device.
