Okay, I released FIVE videos this week. I think that might be a channel record! Thankfully, several of these videos were short previews/showcases, which are much easier to produce than a long-form review or guide (although we had some of those this week, too).

🎥 Now Playing

GPD Win Max 3 Review: Tiny Laptop, Massive Power

My big review of the week is the GPD Win Max 3, a laptop/handheld hybrid device that I’ve been testing for the past month. It’s got lots of power in a compact package, but it’s really only a good match for those who want a laptop AND and handheld in one device.

Some Thoughts on the Anbernic RG DDS

Anbernic is already promoting their next handheld, a 3DS-centric device called the RG DDS. It’s got 3x integer-scaled screens for 3DS gameplay, and a lot of power (it looks to be their most powerful Android device to date).

This Tiny E-Reader is My Other “Handheld”

Itty bitty e-readers have become really popular, and for good reason -- they are so small and convenient that you can take them everywhere. Here's a look at my experience with the XTEINK X4 Pro and other similar devices.

A Perfect Match of Software and Hardware

A new bespoke frontend for the Anbernic RG SP really transforms this handheld into a 2026 version of the GBA SP; it's a perfect software fit for excellent hardware.

Steam Machine Emulation Guide

Setting up emulation on the Steam Machine (or any PC running SteamOS) is a lot of fun, but a little tricky -- here is a comprehensive guide to get you up and running.

Other Russ Sightings:

WULFF DEN Podcast - I was honored to chat it up with Bob earlier this week. The last time I was on his podcast was waaaay back in 2021, so it was kind of cool to come back and catch up about our favorite handhelds.

Expedition: Handheld - In Entry #33, Adam and I cover FSR 4 coming to handhelds, that fancy RG SP Slot firmware, and the Evercade Nexus launch. I’m super impressed he was able to sit on the floor for 90 minutes! My butt would be so sore.

The Bryant Review - “Wild” Lee and I chatted with Dash over at The Bryant Review about our collaboration in making the Monk GTR earbuds. The article highlights the story behind the earbuds, Lee’s CRT collecting, some backstory on Venture Electronics, and a Creative Nomad Jukebox 3 namedrop, too.

📰 Power-Up(dates)

• Modder Nick Bild has built a handheld Atari 2600 that plays real cartridges on real hardware, and it even has a real CRT. Called the µTari Go (micro-Tari), it uses the original 6507 processor with zero FPGA and packs in a 4" CRT screen, built-in controls, speakers, and a cartridge slot, all housed in a 3D-printed case. Bild previously shrank the Atari 2600 down to a board roughly three times smaller than the original. Power comes from an external 12V jack, so you can run it off a portable power pack and get some really weird looks on the subway.

• Miyoo appears to be working on two refreshes. According to messages from Miyoo's AliExpress store, the Miyoo Flip V3 will bump up to 2GB of RAM and add transparent shell options, with a release expected within about two months. A Miyoo Mini Plus "V2" is also reportedly coming no earlier than the end of October, swapping the aging SigmaStar SSD202D for the faster RK3562. As with any rumor, details are thin and nothing is confirmed yet.

• LaunchBox for Android v1.2.3 is out, and it's a loaded one. The headline addition is dual-screen support, including dedicated Game Details pages (Overview, Achievements, Artwork, Video) on the second screen and an in-game companion screen showing session stats, earned achievements, and animated artwork. The update also adds a long list of new emulators and platforms, improves startup speed for large libraries, and fixes a long list of crashes, controller navigation issues, and other bugs. The free version is limited to 100 games, with paid tiers at $15 for a year of updates or $40 (ouch) for a lifetime license.

• Did my XTEINK video this week get you thinking about micro e-readers? Good. But what if you don’t want to go the easy route and buy one that’s already manufactured? Well you’re in luck, because silkscreen is a neat DIY project that lets you create your own mini e-reader that runs on the beloved CrossPoint firmware. It’s definitely a fun-looking project that is currently in open beta. The site allows you to design your own board (adding and removing functionality as desired), and then you can buy and assemble the rest of the components from there.

• ArmadaOS, the SteamOS-like distro for ARM handhelds, has come full circle with its latest release: it can now run Android apps. Yes, the irony is not lost on me. Through a compatibility layer, Android apps launch right from Game Mode, with Aurora Store integration in the Armada Store, controller and touch support, file system integration, and dual-screen support for Android recomps. The update also adds a nested Plasma desktop in Game Mode and selectable Turnip graphics drivers that can be set globally or per game. Other changes include reworked controller calibration, HDR support for several AYN, AYANEO, and Retroid devices, sleep and battery drain fixes for the AYN Odin 2 and Odin 3, and AYANEO Pocket Micro 2 support. Check it out on their GitHub.

❤️ Currently Grinding

Retro Game: Castlevania - Aria of Sorrow

I’ve been on a real GBA kick lately, mostly because of all the great GBA devices and GBA-friendly launchers we’ve seen this year. Case in point: I’ve fallen back in love with the Anbernic RG SP, thanks to the Slot firmware that I made a video about this past week. My game of choice has been Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, and after a few longish sessions with the game, I’ve come to appreciate it a lot more. It certainly shares some DNA with fan-favorite (and Russ-favorite) Symphony of the Night, but I appreciate that it’s been developed with a handheld screen in mind, giving you some nice chunky sprites and a pick-up-and-play map design. I also feel that, unlike SOTN, its map and progression layout are a bit more refined and intuitive, as I’ve spent a lot less time getting lost compared to the PS1 classic.

Modern Game: Gears of War - E-Day

This week’s big release came at a busy time for me, but I was able to knock out the first couple hours of this bloody (and surprisingly spooky) third-person shooter. I haven’t played through a Gears game since the first one back in 2006, but it only took me a few minutes to get re-immersed in its heavy, cover-fire gameplay. Narratively, this is probably the most interesting title I’ve seen from the series, because one of my major questions while playing the debut game was, “where the heck did these bad guys come from?!”. I’m hoping that E-Day will answer those questions in a satisfactory manner, and I’m thinking about booting up last year’s Gears of War: Reloaded (a remaster of Gears 1) next to get the full story experience. I’m not sure if Gears of War E-Day commands its full $70 retail price, but it’s certainly worth firing up if you have Xbox GamePass Ultimate.

Album: Weezer (Green Album) by Weezer

Weezer’s 2001 third release (commonly referred to as The Green Album) came at the exact right time for me. I was a big fan of their self-titled (“Blue Album”) debut, but I actually skipped their follow-up Pinkerton when it came out in 1996. At the time, I was deeply entrenched in punk rock and Weezer seemed really uncool to this teenage wannabe rebel. By 1998, I was ready to move beyond punk rock, and that’s when I discovered the angsty, confessional beauty of Pinkerton and it basically locked me in for the next three years. I figured it was their final album, since it wasn’t a commercial success, and how does a band bounce back from such a personal record like that?

Turns out, a return to form is exactly what the doctor ordered. Sonically, it’s close to The Blue Album, but doesn’t hit quite as hard. But I’ve always really loved The Green Album, despite not being a big critical success. It has some cringey moments (the lyrics to “Hash Pipe”, yikes), and it doesn’t have the same sort of earworm nostalgia, nor the raw emotion, of Pinkerton. Instead, I think of this album as a good hearty stew — probably not something to write about in your diary, but you walk away satisfied nonetheless.

So yeah, I listened to The Green Album for a lot of 2001. And as flawed as it was, I don’t think the band ever reached these heights again (I’ve got some strong emotions about their later work, but nothing like Leslie Jones). Another great Green Album memory: I happened to be home in Seattle in late 2001, having just graduated from military language school, and I caught Weezer live when they were touring for this album. Tenacious D and Jimmy Eat World opened for them (what a lineup). It was awesome.

💰 Bargain Bin

• 128GB PNY Elite-X A2 microSD cards (the cards recommended for running firmware like GammaOS Nano) are down to $30, even lower than Amazon’s own brand of cards.

  • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-Affiliate

• Also on Amazon, a smattering of Switch 2 games are discounted. There doesn’t seem to be a theme for the sale, but there are a couple of big ticket items on here for those looking to beef up their Switch 2 backlog. Double-check to see whether they are Game-Key Cards if that’s important to you!

  • Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, $25 (normally $40)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-Affiliate

  • Persona 3 Reload, $30 (normally $60)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-Affiliate

  • EA Sports Madden NFL 27, $43 (normally $70)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-Affiliate

  • Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, $44 (normally $70)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-Affiliate

  • Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, $45 (normally $60)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-Affiliate

  • Pokemon Legends: Z-A, $50 (normally $70)

    • Buy it here: Affiliate / Non-Affiliate

• Best Buy is having their big “TechTober” sale which includes dozens of deals on everything from games to controllers to headsets and beyond. Check it out here: Affiliate / Non-Affiliate

• Humble is having a sale on “Action Adventure Hero” games, which is a pretty broad and vague descriptor. Nonetheless, it is a good sale with a ton of good deals. I’ve listed some of the highlights below. Check it out here: Affiliate / Non-Affiliate

  • Devil May Cry 5 + Vergil, $7 (normally $30)

  • Monster Hunter Rise, $4 (normally $40)

  • Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, $6 (normally $40)

  • Monster Hunter Wilds, $30 (normally $40)

  • Monster Hunter: World, $8 (normally $30)

  • Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, $6 (normally $40)

  • Resident Evil 2, $8 (normally $40)

  • Resident Evil 3, $5 (normally $10)

  • Resident Evil 4 Remake, $10 (normally $40)

  • Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, $8 (normally $20)

  • Resident Evil Remake Trilogy, $29 (normally $70)

  • Resident Evil Requiem, $49 (normally $70)

  • Resident Evil Village, $10 (normally $40)

⏪ Previously on Retro Game Corps

Evercade EXP In-Depth Review

As you’ll see below, a review of Evercade’s new handheld is all but imminent. In the meantime, check out this review I did of their last flagship, the EXP. Things have changed a lot in the nearly four years since making this video, and it’s sort of crazy to see how similar my review process is today compared to the early days of my channel. In fact, this video has an early version of my Street Fighter d-pad test.

🎬 Behind The Scenes

As you saw above, I got the Evercade Nexus in the mail this week, and I’m looking forward to giving it a test spin. I really appreciate the lengths that this company goes to in preserving classic games, and the analog-like cartridge feel of their ecosystem. Also, kudos to them for maintaining compatibility across all their myriad handhelds and consoles over the years — those who have invested in the Evercade platform keep getting rewarded with new cartridges and gadgets to play them. Okay, enough about that, I feel like this paragraph is almost turning into a review on its own.

See you next week,
Russ