This week had some highs and lows — an exciting new app that could potentially transform the way we play PC games on Android, but then also a couple ho-hum reviews.

🎥 Now Playing

SteamOS is Now an Android App

One of the more exciting moments of this week was when I discovered DroidDeck, a new app that brings a SteamOS experience to Android. It takes a little bit of setup (you have to enable some developer options to allow the backend stuff to work properly), but after that it’s sort of amazing - you just pop open the app and start navigating Steam Big Picture mode. The app is still in its early stages of development but it shows a lot of potential.

Retroid Pocket Duo Lite In-Depth Review

Starting at $150, The Retroid Pocket Duo Lite is meant to be their entry level dual-screen clamshell. And while its build quality punches above its weight class, the overall experience falls short of expectations due to software and performance limitations.

Why I’m Returning The Steam Frame

The Steam Frame is finally here, and I've decided that it isn't a good fit for me. Here are my impressions of its strengths and weaknesses, and whether it might be a better choice for you. For me, there were some genuine moments of fun in the week I tested the device, but not enough to justify this painful price point.

(Fun fact: the price text covering my eyes was a last-minute addition, mostly to block all the crazy reflections in the headset — I was worried that people would nitpick my messy studio!)

Other Russ Sightings:

Expedition: Handheld - In Entry #32, The Phawx takes Adam’s place on the left side of the screen and we talk about the Retroid Pocket Duo Lite and what’s in our pockets (mostly a GPD Win Max 3, which doesn’t actually fit in our pockets).

NerdNest - This week featured Bill, Rich, and me, and we talked about some fun stuff like the potential Steam Deck 2 processor, Xbox not being for sale, and the games we’ve been playing (including some more of my thoughts on 007: First Light).

📰 Power-Up(dates)

• After weeks of me annoyingly teasing it in my dual-screen videos, the latest version of SeedlessDS is finally here. This clone of DraStic brings some much-needed improvements to NDS gameplay on low-powered handhelds, including 4x resolution upscaling, RetroAchievements (softcore only for now), and a beautiful UI. But perhaps most importantly, this 1.0.0 release also includes public source code for the very first time. The developer told me they used Ghidra to reverse-engineer the Android version of Drastic, then resolved the remaining functions from their assembly code. The project took nearly nine months to complete, but hopefully this ushers in a new era of low-powered NDS gameplay.

• Retro Song Bird is an upcoming device that turns any Game Boy cartridge into a music player: just plug a cart in and it reads the ROM, runs an emulation of the Game Boy's sound engine, and plays back the full soundtrack and sound effects, with stereo line out and support for over 1,900 games. Beyond playback, it has features for archiving (backing up saves and ROMs, flashing writable carts, exporting soundtracks as WAV) and chiptune production. It also doubles as a quirky USB webcam when a Game Boy Camera is plugged in, offers an alarm mode, mixtape building onto writable carts, and over-the-air updates. It's a solo project from Bird Cartel, built, in the creator's words, to add some joy and whimsy to the world.

• RetroAchievements have always been tied to emulators, but a new tool called xeRAbora brings achievements to real PS2 hardware for the first time. It works alongside Open PS2 Loader: the PS2 plays the game as normal while a companion PC client watches the game's memory over the network, tracking unlocks and flashing the TV gold whenever an achievement pops. Setup is not for the faint of heart, as it involves running a modified OPL-RA.ELF on the console and the xeRAbora client on a PC, Mac, or Linux machine, which logs into RetroAchievements once and then checks game support, connection, and achievement progress from in-game menus. It's still in Alpha, but it's a novel way to experience RetroAchievements on original discs and hardware rather than an emulator.

• Long-running website Sega-16 recently sat down with Doug Glen, a former Sega of America Group VP, who arrived at the company right as the Genesis was taking off. Mr. Glen was integral in launching the Sega Channel, a cable-delivered game service that let subscribers choose from roughly 50 rotating Genesis titles years before Xbox Live or PSN existed. In the interview, he also touches on the ad campaigns that fueled the "Genesis does what Nintendon't" era, why a Genesis Star Wars game never happened (despite his Lucasfilm Games background), and why Sega of Japan showed little interest in the Sega Channel beyond its effect on the stock price. It’s an interesting read if you have any nostalgia for the era, or interest in retro gaming history.

• Speaking of Sega, the legendary company is releasing "Infinite Blue," a porcelain Sonic statue made by Japanese brand YOYOYO to mark the series' 35th anniversary. Only 50 will be made, each priced at ¥1 million (about $6,330), crafted using gosu cobalt pigment by two kilns tracing their lineage to Arita, the birthplace of Japanese porcelain. It launches October 9 via a lottery sale, with five units also sold in person at the Sonic the Exhibition pop-up in Ikebukuro. Still no word on my review unit.

• Finally, modder Joshua-1248 has released a new version of GoldenEye 007 Plus (a project built on the decompiled N64 source) that adds a fully-featured third-person mode. The camera is adjustable to fit different play styles, including customizable crosshair settings and weapons have been specifically fixed to work with the new view. Now projectiles, beams, and tracers will line up correctly to the camera (with special support for the Moonraker Laser). Beyond the camera mode, GoldenEye 007 Plus adds four-player campaign co-op, expanded multiplayer options, faster loading, new menus, and an in-progress built-in map maker. It's available now on GitHub, and you'll need to supply your own ROM to get it running.

❤️ Currently Grinding

Retro Game: Pokemon HeartGold

While doing some long-term testing on the Retroid Pocket Duo Lite over this past week, I decided to focus on one specific game to check stability. It’s been forever since I made any actual progress on a Pokemon game, so I thought heck with it, let’s try Pokemon HeartGold. Funny enough, I hadn’t put two and two together that this game is a remake of classic GBC games Pokemon Gold and Silver, which is especially ironic considering the last Pokemon game I actually beat was Pokemon Silver back in 2000.

I honestly think the game has aged pretty well - it’s a bit slow-moving, but fast-forward hotkeys can really help in that regard. I put in about four hours of gameplay, dominated that first gym, and had a nice look around region. I am not sure if I’ll keep going; I’m thinking about diving into 3DS game Pokemon UltraSun next, to test the Retroid Pocket Duo (whenever that arrives).

Modern Game: Well Dweller

Based on a recommendation from Rich (Fan the Deck), I picked up Well Dweller when it released a couple weeks ago. This is a somewhat dark Metroidvania that has hand-drawn graphics; it reminds me a bit of Child of Light in overall look and fairytale narrative. The gameplay itself is action-based but not too difficult, it is similar to the Blasphemous games without their ultra-grim and foreboding atmosphere. Thankfully, your character has a slide mechanic (like in Blasphemous) that makes you invulnerable as you execute the move, which helps with more challenging moments. I don’t expect to dive too deeply into this game, I’m still mostly playing 007: First Light at the moment, but this is an excellent addition to my back catalog. BTW, all four of the games mentioned in this section are on sale during Steam’s current Autumn Sale (more on that later).

Album: Mines by Menomena

Portland band Menomena (yep, a Muppets reference) was amazing in the most wonderfully galling way. The trio featured some of the most inventive and talented musicians I’ve had the pleasure to see live, and they truly made rock music on their own terms: for their debut album, band member Brent Knopf created his own loop recording software (as if there weren’t enough music recording software options out there already). Their songwriting process was also super unique; one member would record an initial loop, then pass the song to the next member who would record a part, then pass to the next, and so on. After they had dozens (if not hundreds) of ideas catalogued, they would begin the painstaking process of tearing the songs apart and rebuilding them into a final product. (Rumor has it that this grueling writing/recording process contributed to the band splintering and eventually calling it quits in 2012.)

While the machinery behind their songwriting is fascinating on its own, the tunes themselves are also great. Because each of the three band members are accomplished songwriters in their own right, they traded off singing duties, often with a distinct style depending on who is up front. Justin Harris (bass, guitar, and sax) sings most of the time, and brings a driving, shouty dynamic to their tracks. Brent Knopf (keyboards, guitar) has a smoother, more floaty and delicate style, but only sings on a couple tracks per record. My personal favorite songs are those from drummer Danny Seim, which tend to be more grooving and reflective (and it was breathtaking to watch him sing and drum at the same time live).

Anyway, enough gushing - let’s talk about this week’s featured record, Mines. This was their fourth album, and probably their most celebrated work. It came out in 2010, and I saw them live in D.C. while they were touring in support of it. The songs are eclectic and focused, relentlessly complex without sounding complicated. It was also the last album they recorded as a trio: Brent Knopf left in 2011 to pursue his solo project Ramona Falls (also very good), and the other two carried on with one last album (entitled Mothers) in 2012 before hanging up their hats. Mines sees the band at their peak, both in terms of production value (recorded and mixed by the band themselves, of course), and inspirational songwriting. Even after spending three paragraphs describing them, it’s hard to actually pinpoint the sound of this band, but I’d say they are sort of along the same vein of Radiohead or Arcade Fire (in their collaborative and layered styles) but a bit less morose and self-serious. Just try it out!

💰 Bargain Bin

• microSD card prices are not getting any better, but it is rare that you see 1TB Sandisk cards tracking lower than their competitors. Thanks to some old inventory, though, that is exactly what is happening. At $169, they still sting the wallet, but for the Sandisk devotees, you are not likely to find a better price anywhere else, and this old inventory is not going to last long.

  • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-affiliate

• Retroid’s older handhelds are discounted on Amazon, bringing them closer in price to their AliExpress counterparts. While you are definitely paying the Amazon tax, you get Amazon’s fast shipping and easy return process. All with a much lower likelihood of an empty box than if you buy them through official channels.

  • Retroid Pocket Classic (4-Button), $145 (normally $179)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • Retroid Pocket Classic (6-Button), $145 (normally $179)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • Retroid Pocket 5, $219 (normally $269)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • Retroid Pocket Flip 2, $229 (normally $269)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-affiliate

• It’s been a while since I plugged the Retro Game Corps Merch Store. If you’re looking for some holiday gifts for the retro gaming nerds in your life (or yourself) and want to support the channel, head on over. There are multiple designs ranging from the classic logo to riffs on the Black Flag bars. Keep in mind that while the front page shows only t-shirts, you can click on any of those designs and find all sorts of stuff: magnets, stickers, mugs, and so on.

• AliExpress is running another sale this week, which they are calling a "Halloween Sale". Here are the codes and some deals I found. Please bear in mind that next month is their annual 11/11 "Singles Day" sale, which will potentially have steeper discounts.
  
  These codes are for US AliExpress, to see the codes in your region I recommend going to your home AliExpress page and checking the sale banner. To find the coupons for your region, you should see them automatically on your country's AliExpress home page after logging in:

  • VSRGC2 or USAFF2 = $2 off orders $18+

  • VSRGC5 or USAFF5 = $5 off orders $39+

  • VSRGC10 or USAFF10 = $10 off orders $69+

  • VSRGC20 or USAFF20 = $20 off orders $139+

  • VSRGC23 or USAFF23 = $23 off orders $169+

  • VSRGC35 or USAFF35 = $35 off orders $249+

  • VSRGC55 or USAFF55 = $55 off orders $379+

  Here are some deals I found, note that prices can vary by region:

  • Monk GTR retro earbuds ($8.50 + shipping after coupon)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • Anbernic RG351P ($40 after coupon)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • Anbernic RG 35 / BATLEXP G350 ($44 after coupon)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • Anbernic RG35XXSP ($49 after coupon)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • Miyoo Mini Flip ($53 after coupon)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • TrimUI Brick ($56 after coupon)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • Anbernic RG40XXV ($57 after coupon)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • Miyoo Mini Plus ($58 after coupon)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • Anbernic RG Cube XX ($60 after coupon)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • Miniloong Pocket 1 ($64 after coupon)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • Anbernic RG SP ($66 after coupon)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • Anbernic RG Rotate ($72/$90 after coupon)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • TrimUI Brick Pro ($75 after coupon)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • TrimUI Brick Hammer ($90 after coupon)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-affiliate

  • Anbernic RG DS Plus ($94 after coupon)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-affiliate

• Steam’s Autumn Sale is currently running (through October 8th), with a ton of discounts. Quick tip: use SteamDB to browse the sale. Navigate to their Sales page, then apply filters like discount amount and add a minimum number of reviews to focus just on more popular titles (for example, my favorite filter combo is 500+ reviews and 80% discount). It will also color-code the discounts to let you know if the game is at a new historical low. Even better, if you link the SteamDB site with your Steam account, you can filter out games you already own.

• Green Man Gaming is having a “Golden Week” sale (Affiliate / Non-affiliate) and there are a ton of Steam Deck-verified games discounted. I’ve listed some highlights below:

  • Days Gone, $16 (normally $40)

  • Death Stranding Director's Cut, $8 (normally $40)

  • Esoteric Ebb, $16 (normally $25)

  • Hogwarts Legacy: Deluxe Edition, $6 (normally $70)

  • Marvel's Midnight Suns Legendary Edition, $18 (normally $100)

  • Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, $20 (normally $50)

  • Middle-earth: Shadow of War, $4 (normally $50)

  • Middle-earth: Shadow of War Definitive Edition, $5 (normally $60)

  • PEAK, $4 (normally $8)

  • The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series, $9 (normally $50)

  • Wreckfest, $8 (normally $30)

• Lastly, Fanatical is having a PlayStation publisher sale right now with all their titles getting a discount. Below are some of the highlights, check out the full sale here. It’s really a shame that titles like Wolverine and Ghost of Yotei aren’t coming to PC.

  • Days Gone, $15 (normally $40)

  • Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, $51 (normally $70)

  • Ghost of Tsushima, $33 (normally $60)

  • God of War, $18 (normally $50)

  • God of War Ragnarök, $37 (normally $60)

  • Helldivers: Digital Deluxe Edition, $7 (normally $40)

  • Helldivers II, $27 (normally $40)

  • Horizon Forbidden West, $27 (normally $60)

  • Horizon Zero Dawn, $27 (normally $50)

  • Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered, $22 (normally $60)

  • Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, $18 (normally $50)

  • Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Digital Deluxe Edition, $41 (normally $70)

  • Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, $22 (normally $60)

  • Returnal, $18 (normally $60)

  • Sackboy: A Big Adventure, $18 (normally $60)

  • Stellar Blade, $37 (normally $60)

  • The Last of Us Part I, $27 (normally $60)

  • The Last of Us Part II Remastered, $30 (normally $50)

  • Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, $15 (normally $50)

  • Until Dawn, $27 (normally $60)

⏪ Previously on Retro Game Corps

These Earbuds Were Designed For Retro Gaming

This one is a recent entry, but I’m still very proud of this project. I had an opportunity to give some creative input for the design of Venture Electronics’ Monk GTR ("Monk Retro") earbuds; they provide a warm, vintage analog sound that's a great match for retro handheld gaming. Best of all, they're currently on sale for $8.50 (Affiliate / Non-affiliate).

🎬 Behind The Scenes

My retail KONKR Pocket Advance finally showed up, this is the “Coral” (orangey) color. It looks nice, and the buttons on this retail aren’t as weak and spongy as my initial review unit. I’m keeping this model and sending the “Navy” (bluey) review unit to Adam so we can talk about it more on Expedition:Handheld. I’m hoping he doesn’t care as much about buttons as I do!

See you next week,
Russ