retro

I’m old enough I got the DMG gameboy for xmas when it came out…. I got bit by the retro bug last summer when I started modding the SNES we own (which I’ve since sold for a super famicom version).  For Christmas last year I bought and redid (new shells buttons and screens) gameboys for the whole family.  A DMG for me, pocket for the wife, and 2 colors for the kids.  I already had a GBA, micro, DS, 3DS XL etc but I’ve since added a vita, PSP go, n3DS LL and a GBA SP age 101…. I have an EZ flash omega and Jr and the 3DSs (we have 3) are all modded with CFW as is the vita and go.  Mini wise we have the NES, SNES, Genesis and playstation.

On to my retro handhelds…

Retroid Pocket 2/RG351p

I bought a RP2 last Summer.  Hated the OS and the feel of it.  I ended up selling it shortly after and ordering the RG351p.  It shipped with a bad screen so I returned it as well.  That turned me off of emulators last summer and pushed me towards the OEM hardware mods.  Now I’m wanting to play more with ONE system -vs- having a ton of systems to choose from.  Plus I LOVE old school SNES/genesis games which the handhelds don’t have covered completely.  I find myself playing the gameboy color more than anything else.

RG300

So I ordered an RG300 from amazon thinking it might be the solution.  Gameboy color size fish and plays 16 bit games and arcade/PSX )at least a bit).  It shipped with a 2.8” screen even though it was listed as having a 3” (there are 4 vendors with them on amazon, 2 say it’s 3”, one says it’s 2.8”, the last says 4.5” in the upper bullet points but 2.8” in the lower specs).  Not the end of the world but I wanted a larger screen -vs- my gameboy color.  The menus are pretty terrible as well and even though I have simple menu installed it won’t load emulators correctly (I’m working on it).  The biggest thing that made me shelve the RG300 is the creaking battery cover…. The damn thing drives me crazy when I’m sitting quietly waiting for a kid and playing a quick game…

Games beaton on the RG300:

  • super mario land (gameboy)
  • super mario bros (NES)
  • metal slug 1 (neogeo)

RG351v  

I’ve had it for a few weeks now and it’s pretty amazing.  4:3 is pretty awesome for most of what I play.  I’m excited to play with OSs but I’m currently waiting on new/good SD cards.  BoR has been awesome.  I’ve played through a few arcade games already.  This has me thinking though I need 1~2 more devices so I can multiplayer with the kids… 

Games beaten on the RG351v

  • Final Fight
  • Ninja Baseball Bat Man

Playgo/new pocket V2

Ordered one November 1, arrived November 14th.  Loving the 3.5″ 4:3 screen.  I’ve got adam image on it and it’s working very well.  Need to sort out a few issues (MKII arcade not working?).

Powkiddy GRB10 pro

It has a 3:2 screen (so most of what I’d play would have bars).  It would have slightly more vertical space -vs- the RG300 but less than the 3.5” 4:3 screen options.  But it’s the most pocketable RK3326 option.  I don’t need 2 sticks so it’s layout looks pretty good for me. We’ll see how the 3:2 screen fairs and if I’ll stretch older ratios or use black bars.  Between this, the RG300 and the playgo one will be my ultimate pocket setup to take everywhere while waiting for kids etc. 

Will be selling on ebay, the system is too small for me and especially the screen at 3:2 and only 3″.

RG351MP

So I’ve always wanted one of the higher end premium emulators.  I was tempted to wait but I found a good deal on the 351mp and snagged it.  It’ll be interesting to see if it’s small enough to potentially be my go anywhere option.  It’s got the same screen I enjoy in the 351v in a horizontal layout so we’ll see how it feels to me.

RG552

The next generation is potentially coming 11/11/2021!  We’ll see what this is.  I was tempted to order the powkiddy RGB10 max as a 5″ screen even at 16:9 would offer me more vertical space than anything else.  But the fact it’s 16:9 and uses the same RK3326 as the 351v and MP is a bummer because that means it can’t actually run ANY games that are meant to be the ratio of it’s screen (it can’t really run PSP well which is the lowest tear emulator than needs 16:9).  Essentially you’re carrying a larger device around all the time with no way to use it’s full screen potential.  It would offer more vertical space for 4:3 games so it’s tempting but it seems like the 351MP and V are better options there…  So the 552 will have a slightly more square format (between 3:2 and 16:9) and a bigger size at 5.5″ that will make it the biggest screen option yet.  But with a new chip that will hopefully allow it to run DC PSP and N64 perfectly and hopefully pick up NAOMI, Saturn and 3DS. 

Games I want to beat:

  • TMNT
  • TMNT II
  • Donkey Kong (GB version)
  • Double Dragon
  • Alien vs. Predator
  • Cadillacs vs Dinosaurs
  • Final Fight 3 SNES
  • Super Mario Bros 2
  • Super Mario Bros 3
  • Mario Land II
  • Wario series
  • The Legend of Zelda
  • Zelda Link’s awakening
  • Zelda Oracle of Ages & Seasons
  • Minish Cap
  • Mario 64
  • Ocarina of time 
  • Kirby NES/GB/SNES/GBA
  • Luigi’s Mansion 3ds
  • Advance Wars
  • Sonic 1 2 & 3
  • Pokemon (GBA?)
  • Zelda Link Between Worlds (3DS)
  • Metal gear solid (GB, NES, PSX)
  • GTA: Vice city stories PSP
  • Streets of rage 1~4
  • Shovel Knight
  • Metroid (GBA? 3Ds metroid II remake)
  • pocky and rocky SNES