Phew, four big videos this week (and still more to come soon!). And somehow amidst all this video-making I found the time to watch Spider-Man (I really liked it).

🎥 Now Playing

Retroid Pocket Nova In-Depth Review

This one took me five solid days to create, I hope you enjoy it. The RP Nova is a watershed moment for 4:3 handheld gaming, and I’m excited to share all the ways I’ve been enjoying this device over the past week and a half.

I expect to do a starter guide in the next couple weeks, where I’ll walk you through some of the more challenging setup configurations for this special little guy.

Anbernic RG SP Review: GBA Perfected

The Anbernic RG SP is an iterative update from its previous clamshells, but better suited for a more genuine GBA experience: 3x integer scale screen, improved controls, and modern conveniences compared to the original GBA SP. I like that Anbernic is taking a more focused approach to their lineup, making a handheld that does one thing (GBA) truly well.

The Cleanest, Simplest eGPU Setup (GPD G2)

GPD's new eGPU dock features cutting-edge connectivity options (MCIO and USB4v2); combined with exceptional build quality, this is the best desktop eGPU I've seen to date. At a time where building a PC is ludicrously expensive, does a “half-measure” like this eGPU dock make more sense than starting from scratch?

8BitDo FlipPad vs GameSir Pocket Taco

Both 8BitDo and GameSir have released vertical phone controllers this year, so let's compare them. I like the simplicity of the 8BitDo, but the versatility of the GameSir might make it a better fit for more people.

Other Russ Sightings:

• Expedition: Handheld - In Entry #23, I answered a flurry of questions about the Anbernic RG SP, and I shared some new thoughts on the Nova; meanwhile, Adam continues to gush about the Neo Geo Pocket Color (and rightfully so).

• The Nerd Nest crew is (partially) back after Bill moved to a new…well, nest. We talked about Steam scams, tech literacy and other heady topics. Check that out here.

• I stopped by Retro Handhelds’ Thursday stream to chat with them and (Anbernic liaison) Wild Lee about the upcoming Anbernic 55G1 handheld, the RG SP, and the company in general.

📰 Power-Up(dates)

• I helped create some earbuds! Well, kinda. While I was in China in June, I talked to Wild Lee (Anbernic liaison and CEO of headphone manufacturer Venture Electronics) and proposed they make a “retro” sounding earbud that terminates in a USB-C connection. They already had most of the pieces in place: they sell a budget 3.5mm earbud (Monk SL) that is surprisingly comfortable, and their entry-level USB-C DAC (Odyssey Retro) is tuned for a warmer 16-bit analog sound; I’ve been using this combo for emulation for the past couple months, and while it sounds very “90s”, the 3.5mm-to-USB-C dongle experience is heavy and left a lot to be desired. Thankfully, Lee thought my proposal was a good idea, and they have now launched their Monk GTR earbuds, also known as “Monk Retro”, which ditches the dongle for a direct USB-C connection using the Odyssey Retro DAC to drive it. I’ve been testing them for the past couple weeks and they are exactly what I’ve been looking for: a simple and short USB-C connection, with a warm 90s analog tuning, and dirt cheap — $11, the same price as their Monk SL earbuds. Check them out on AliExpress (Affiliate / Non-affiliate) or directly on their website, I think they’re going to be a great fit for just about every retro handheld out there, and expect a video about them soon.

• GPD teased the Win Max 3 in a recent tweet, with a prototype making its public debut this weekend at ChinaJoy 2026 (July 31–Aug 3, booth S392). Current speculation points to a 9.06" 165Hz AMOLED display (2400x1504, 313 PPI), AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388/395 processors, Radeon 8060S graphics, up to 128GB LPDDR5X RAM, and a 97Wh battery. Photos have already surfaced on Baidu showing a smaller-screened, thicker-bodied device compared to the Win Max 2, with a detachable battery. No pricing or release date yet, but expect the device to eventually land on GPD's IndieGoGo page.

• GammaOS Nano v1.4 has rolled out, bringing a major overhaul across Anbernic devices. The RG DS got it first (Patreon-exclusive for now), followed two days later by the RG Rotate and some others. Both releases add three full home screen themes (DSi System Menu, PS3 XMB, and Minima), DraStic-Nano for faster DS emulation (with Softcore RetroAchievements support!), custom and video wallpapers, improved sleep mode, and a built-in media browser. The RG Rotate version adds Full and Lite install options (with/without Google Play Services) and can now boot Linux from an SD card via an unofficial ROCKNIX build.

• PS5 emulator KyTyPS5 has hit a new milestone, running Turok 2: Seeds of Evil, Terminator 2D: No Fate, and Marvel Cosmic Invasion with no major visual issues in a video shared by YouTuber BrutalSam. It's the second PS5 emulator making headlines this month alongside SharpEmu, which can currently launch Demon's Souls Remake into character creation but still crashes before actual gameplay. I’m not a fan of emulating current consoles, but given Sony’s stance on erasing physical media from the PlayStation brand, preservation efforts of any sort are appreciated.

• There is a new mod that turns Pokémon Red and Blue into a 3D voxel diorama, which transforms the flat overworld into scenes with real depth, cast shadows, and multiple camera angles. The new setup gives towns, routes, and interiors compact voxel scenes that look a little like interactive tabletop models. The actual characters stay as flat 2D sprites tilted to match the camera, which helps keep the original Game Boy charm intact. Battles now play out at 60 fps with widescreen support, ambient occlusion, and dynamic shadows, taking place in 2.5D directly on the game world's terrain rather than a blank white background. The mod is still a work in progress, with the developer flagging some visual glitches and missing sprite colors, but reports say the game can be played beginning to end.

• A new PCSX2 fork called PCSX2x6 brings dedicated emulation for Namco's PS2-based System 246 and 256 arcade platforms, covering titles like Time Crisis 3, Wangan Midnight, multiple Gundam and Zoids games, Taiko no Tatsujin entries, a Space Adventure Cobra light gun shooter, and the elusive Samurai Surf X, many of which never saw console ports; while Teknoparrot and Play! have offered partial support for these systems previously, PCSX2x6 aims to be more polished and broadly compatible, with roughly 40% of its tracked arcade library currently playable, plus PCSX2's usual perks like upscaling and a refined UI. Setup still requires manual config tweaks and assembling BIOS files, but I expect the process will become easier soon.

• Finally, Nintendo is bringing two previously cancelled Virtual Boy titles, Zero Racers and D-Hopper, to the Nintendo Classics service on August 4, following their revival announcement back in January. Zero Racers is considered a “lost” spinoff of their F-Zero series, originally planned for release in 1996 before being cancelled following Virtual Boy’s descent into relative obscurity.

❤️ Currently Grinding

Retro Game: Shadow of the Colossus

I really like the look of Team ICO games, but I’ve always struggled to actually play them due to their somewhat underbaked controls and easily breakable game mechanics. I made it through ICO when it first released in 2001, and really loved the companion-based gameplay, but that’s the last title of theirs I’ve completed. Shadow of the Colossus (2005) came at a time when I was deploying a lot, so it sorta flew under my radar. Since getting into emulation I’ve started it up several times, this week included. It’s a joy to play on the RP Nova (minus those cheap-shot controls, ugh!), so I might stick with it. I beat the first boss pretty quickly, which was an assuring sign. Maybe once I’m done with this game I can finally address that Last Guardian installation that’s been sitting on my PS5 for the past five years.

Modern Game: Halo: Campaign Evolved

I’ve mentioned Halo several times in this newsletter, and my final rank in the Navy before retiring was Master Chief, so of course I picked up the new Halo: Campaign Evolved on release day. The game feels great - it’s the same original Halo engine running underneath a shiny Unreal Engine 5 coat of paint - but it’s also surprisingly demanding on PCs. I installed it on my Steam Machine and it’s the first game I’ve encountered that truly struggles on the hardware. I’m playing it at 1440p low settings, FSR high, and getting an average frame rate of about 45fps. It’s actually one of the first games I’ve tried where using frame generation to reach 60fps feels like a fair compromise, with no noticeable added input lag. I’m currently on the third mission, and while I’m having a good time, I am not sure it was a necessary day-one purchase. It might be better to wait for a holiday sale; by then, maybe some additional optimizations will make the game run a bit better.

Book: Children Of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky

This week I finished the first book in this acclaimed sci-fi series, and it was a fun (albeit slightly meandering) read. I think the joy of this story is in blindly reading the details as they unfold, so no spoilers here. But I’ll say this: it’s a fascinating look at the question, “what if evolution into sentience and global dominance happened with an Earth species other than humans?”

The story itself deals with several lengthy time jumps, which can be disorienting, but is also necessary to understand how this species evolved the way it did. I’m currently about 10% through the second (of four) books now, and I’m thinking I’ll make it through all four.

💰 Bargain Bin

• The wired GameSir Tegenaria controller is on sale for TEN BUCKS on Walmart’s website. For the price you can do a lot worse, and it’s cheap enough to be a “just-in-case” purchase. Check it out here (non-affiliate).

• The Silicon Power 1TB microSD is down to $150 on Amazon again, matching its most recent low. I miss the days when these were $75, but this is better than most prices right now. Affiliate / Non-affiliate

• Anbernic is hosting a "Home Gaming Sale" this week. Most of their newer products are at typical price points, but their older stock is nicely discounted -- for example, just $44 for the classic RG351P, which was the handheld that helped kickstart this channel (and it cost about $120 at launch!). Affiliate link / Non-affiliate

  • Note that these prices don't include shipping, which will vary by location (and be ridiculously high on some items, like their controllers). Here are just a few of the available discounts, priced low to high:

    • RG28XX ($33)

    • RG35XXSP ($55)

    • RG34XXSP ($64)

    • RG Rotate ($89)

    • RG DS ($92)

    • RG476H ($155)

    • RG477M ($268)

    • WIN600 ($325)

  • Ironically, the WIN600 might be at its best value right now, simply because the 1TB 2242 SSD included in the device is worth about $200 in today's prices, plus it has a 16GB DDR4 3200 RAM stick inside (worth about $100). An additional $25 for a handheld PC (albeit underpowered) is kind of crazy.

• The latest AliExpress codes are here, and they’re running a sale from now until August 7th. As always, I only have access to US-based codes; you'll need to go to your home country's main page to get other regional codes.

  • YUSAF2 or YRGC2: $2 off orders of $18+

  • YUSAF5 or YRGC5: $5 off orders of $35+

  • YUSAF10 or YRGC10: $10 off orders of $69+

  • YUSAF16 or YRGC16: $16 off orders of $109+

  • YUSAF23 or YRGC23: $23 off orders of $169+

  • YUSAF35 or YRGC35: $35 off orders of $239+

  • YUSAF55 or YRGC55: $55 off orders of $379+

  • YUSAF70 or YRGC70: $70 off orders of $499+

• There are a few solid deals to find too, depending on what you’re looking for. Some of the Anbernic prices are actually below the “sale” prices on their own website. Check out a selection below:

  • Anbernic RG Cube XX, $57 after coupon:

    • Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • Anbernic RG Slide, $105 after coupon:

    • Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • Retroid Pocket 5, $166 after coupon:

    • Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • Retroid Pocket Flip 2, $184 after coupon:

    • Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • Anbernic RG557, $212 after coupon:

    • Affiliate / Non-affiliate

⏪ Previously on Retro Game Corps

PowKiddy X17 Review: 7 Inches of Meh

Android handhelds have come so far in so little time, but occasionally the only way to truly appreciate what you have is to be reminded of how bad the options once were. Let’s take a look back at a device time (rightfully) forgot. Enjoy the vintage Chicken appearance in the intro.

🎬 Behind The Scenes

Here’s a look at the clutter I create for myself before every podcast appearance - I try to guess what devices I’ll need to show during the recording, and I often have WAY more than I actually need. So when you see the simple, clean shot of me standing in my room, I often have these teetering stacks of handhelds all around me, with a cup of water right in the center of it all — it’s a miracle I haven’t had a disastrous on-camera spill! (knock on wood)

Enjoy the rest of your weekend,
Russ