This week was all about the Retroid Pocket 6. After some production-related hiccups, the company finally started shipping out retail units, and so far early customers are happy with their purchase. I also released my own in-depth review video yesterday!

I spent most of this week conducting in-depth RP6 testing (mostly to assess battery life and emulation performance); I rarely talk about how much work goes into each of these reviews, but a fair guess would be that 10 hours of emulation testing and filming results in about five minutes of actual content. Spending the whole day testing might sound like a drag, but it's actually a great way for me to relax and enjoy some classic retro gaming (and sometimes sneak in a movie or album in the background, too).

🎥 Now Playing

Here are the videos I released this week:

Retroid Pocket 6 In-Depth Review

The Retroid Pocket 6 is another stellar handheld with an excellent price-to-performance ratio. In this video I build upon my initial impressions, go over all of its features, and discuss why this ~$250 device may or may not be worth picking up for you.

MagicX One35 Review

The MagicX One35 is a sub-$100 handheld that provides an excellent mix of performance, screen, controls, and price. It also looks like the type of handheld that you'd see in 2022, which makes it that much more special in 2026. If you are on a budget and looking for that "classic" handheld experience (with a unique twist), it's one of the better retro handhelds you can buy today.

📰 Loading...The Latest News

Each week I will compile some of the most important news from the retro gaming universe. Whether it's software updates, shipping delays, handheld announcements, or juicy gossip, I got you covered.

• Yesterday I wrote a post on my  YouTube Community Tab  detailing my approach to future AYANEO review videos. Long story short: I'm changing the way I approach reviews from this company. I will be reviewing fewer AYANEO products, and will only review early units if I think it provides critical information that will benefit buyers. Otherwise I will purchase the device myself (anonymously if possible) and review the retail unit after pre-orders have concluded. I'll be relying on your feedback as my audience to determine which handhelds warrant an early look, a review of the retail experience, or no review at all -- so please keep your feedback coming.

• Likely due to the ongoing RAM shortage, Anbernic have reduced the RAM in their 34XXSP clamshell from 2GB to 1GB. While this likely won't have an effect on emulation performance, it makes the handheld a lot less attractive for PortMaster. To be fair, the vast majority of H700 ("XX") Anbernic devices also only have 1GB, but the 2GB originally found in the RG34XXSP was a standout feature. Check out the hubbub on Reddit  here.

• One of my favorite games during console generation six (PS2/GameCube) was Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. Ubisoft has been developing a remake of this beloved action-platformer since 2020, but this week they announced that development has stopped, as part of a larger shakeup within the company. Thankfully, Beyond Good & Evil 2 didn't also get the axe. Source:  Game Informer​

• In other Anbernic news, their upcoming "RG G01" controller looks to be a clone of another similar controller (the Manba One), but Anbernic's offering tracks your heart rate, because why not? It's even got a heart rate alarm on it, sheesh. Read more about it over at  Retro Handhelds.​

• IGN reviewed the AYN Thor, and  gave it a 9/10! It looks like they can actually count higher than 7.

• I've been working on a secret new handheld-related project with my friends at PCWorld for a while now.  Check out our teaser trailer here!

❤️ Currently Grinding

R.C. Pro-Am

My retro game of the week is R.C. Pro-Am, one of the first NES titles made by Rare. This game was unique because it showed the track and cars in an overhead isometric perspective, back when most games were oriented from the driver's perspective or immediately behind the car. I loved this game as a kid because the power-ups you collected would give your car a nice boost mid-race, and they could be used to level up your car in between races. It's still tough as nails but definitely worth firing up.

Dispatch

My modern game this week is Dispatch. This is an episodic adventure game developed by AdHoc Studio, and features some veterans of Telltale Games. It's a superhero workplace comedy where you manage a dysfunctional team of heroes, and strategize who to dispatch (get it?) to emergencies around the city. Each of its eight episodes take about an hour to complete, and I had a great time playing it over the holidays -- it truly feels like you are in control of a TV show. The decisions you make have consequences throughout the story, and I'm looking forward to playing it again but with different choices. It's also not a demanding game, so it runs like butter on most handheld PCs.

Andrew Bird - My Finest Work Yet

Andrew Bird's twelfth album, My Finest Work Yet, is aptly named. It isn't my favorite record he's made, but I do think it is indeed his finest. I'd describe his music as orchestral indie rock with a healthy dose of (exceptionally talented) whistling -- on paper it sounds kinda dumb but it actually works! This 2019 record is grand and timeless, it's the type of album I could play for my parents during dinner, or blast in my car with the windows down. Give it a spin on a breezy Sunday afternoon; you'll be hooked by the third song.

💰 Bargain Bin

One of my favorite pastimes is to hunt for good deals, so I plan on sharing some of my results each week! Here is a real banger:

• AliExpress is currently running their "Local Frenzy Sale" (they'll just come up with any name, huh) for the next week. The best way to check for discounts in your local area is to head to the AliExpress frontpage for your region, and the codes should be posted there. For US-based customers, you can use these codes:

  • USLS16 = $16 off orders $139+

  • USLS25 = $25 off orders $209+

  • USLS36 = $36 off order $299+

• The Miyoo Mini Flip is finally up for sale on Amazon. It's a little pricier than what you can find on their official AliExpress store ($70 vs $67 before coupons), but you'll get reliable shipping and easy returns if you get sent a dud. I still carry mine around every day, and it's loaded up with just 10 games total so that I have a more focused experience (I recently made a video about my setup).

  • Amazon: Affiliate / Non-affiliate​

  • AliExpress: Affiliate / Non-affiliate​

• Square Enix is hosting a Steam Winter Sale, with some steep discounts on their franchises. This might be a great way to fill out your RPG back catalog: NieR Automata ($16), FF7 Rebirth ($35), FF7 Remake ($20), FFXVI ($25), FF Pixel Remasters ($40), Octopath Traveler 1+2 bundle ($44), and more

• If you are an Amazon Prime member, they will often have free games that you can redeem on Epic Game Store, GOG, or on their own service. They're only available for a limited time so it's worth checking their website periodically. Here are some highlights available right now:

  • GOG: Fallout 1/2, Gunslugs 1/2, Harold Halibut, D&D DeathKeep, Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus

  • Epic Game Store: Civilization VI, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, LEGO 2K Drive, New Tales from the Borderlands

⏪ Previously on Retro Game Corps

SyncThing Guide

Play smarter, not harder. Syncthing is a powerful app that lets you sync various files across multiple devices. For the purposes of retro gaming, it's an easy way to sync save files across multiple handhelds. Because it works on Windows, Mac, Android, and Linux, there are dozens of handhelds you can sync up at once! This guide (both written and in video format) can help you get started with the process.

Five Games That Taught Me About Gaming (And Life)

Any time I get a bit burnt out from making review videos or guides, I tend to become self-reflective. This happened to me during the Spring of last year; so I decided to make a video talking about the five games that shaped the way I approach gaming, and life in general. It was a great way to just chat about games and jump back on the saddle with my next review.

🎬 Behind The Scenes

Creating thumbnails is one of my favorite aspects of the channel. I like staging the handheld, figuring out what I'm going to display on the screen, then editing the photo afterwards. The process takes me a while -- about an hour per thumbnail -- mostly because I like to go back and re-take the shot to get it just right. This was the same process I used back when I was a cookbook author, just with an entirely different subject:

That’s it for now, see you next week!
Russ