RGC #42: Five Videos, No Fluff
Mr. Sujano would be proud.
Heavy production week for me: five new videos! Several of them are shorter (under 20 mins), which cuts down on my recording/editing requirements. I’ve got a few impressions and reviews in the works for the coming weeks, which will likely slow down production to my usual thrice-a-week release schedule.
🎥 Now Playing
BIG Driver Updates for the Retroid Pocket Duo
There have been a couple significant emulation updates for the Retroid Pocket Duo since my review a couple weeks back, so here is an updated look at the sort of performance you can get right now -- with big gains in 3DS and PS2 emulation specifically.
How to Make an Indie and Retro Game Console
Here is how to set up a simple home console system running SteamOS. It'll be a great fit for lightweight PC games and retro emulation.
Original Xbox on Android is REALLY Good Now
Recent updates to the HakuX Xbox emulator have made some incredible advancements, to the point that original Xbox emulation feels almost like a solved problem. Here is how to set it up yourself.
You Can Now Play Xbox Game Pass Anywhere
New apps now allow us to install and play Xbox Game Pass games directly on Linux and Android devices. Here's how to set it up.
Check Out My Super Slim Retroid Pocket Nova
This simple 3D-printed mod deletes the Retroid Pocket Nova triggers for an ultra slim and pocketable alternative (that still has L2/R2 functionality).
Other Russ Sightings:
Expedition: Handheld - In Entry #36 Adam and I provide our initial thoughts on the Predator Atlas 8, dive into more RP Duo testing, and ponder on how the Superstation Pocket can disrupt the market. I also found a nice Halloween-themed striped shirt to wear!
📰 Power-Up(dates)
Anbernic has released a new showcase video for the RG DDS, its next dual-screen handheld, even showing off PS4 via the Bachata S4 emulator. The video also demonstrates Nintendo 3DS emulation (more on that in a second), DisplayPort output at 1080p over USB-C, support for AR glasses with native stereoscopic 3D, and 3DS wireless multiplayer. The emulation showcase is also drawing controversy, as 3DS emulator Azahar has said it won’t officially support the RG DDS, claiming Anbernic is using an “unofficial piracy-focused fork” (Azahar Plus) in its demos. The RG DDS is available to pre-order, with expected shipping in December:
Anbernic direct: Affiliate / Non-affiliate
AliExpress: Affiliate / Non-affiliateAYANEO has unveiled AYASpace 2, a full overhaul of the built-in launcher on its Android handhelds that displays your retro library as 3D boxes and cartridges. Games are recognized from their file contents rather than their filenames, so renamed files still get matched, and the emulator is built in with no separate install. For now, AYASpace 2 is limited to three handhelds: KONKR Pocket Block and Pocket Advance, and AYANEO Pocket Micro 2, and as of now only seems to support GBA games.
A developer known as Will Faust has shown Mario Kart World running on an iPhone 18 Pro and a Mac, using a private fork of NXNative, an open command-line tool that recompiles original game files and prod.key into installable apps for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. The demonstration follows a Switch 2 exploit discovered over the past month, which has also let the community dump Switch 2 games and files. Faust says the game should just barely run on 8GB phones like the iPhone 16, with the 12GB iPhone 18 Pro better equipped to handle it. The original videos were pulled after a copyright claim, and the fork remains a “personal” project for now.
The Arduview, a credit card-sized handheld built on the open-source Arduboy platform, has reached its Kickstarter goal with 38 days left in the campaign. Its selling point is a screen that’s transparent when switched off and glows cyan where pixels are lit, so you can look through the device and still see the game from behind. The handheld ships with 400 built-in games, and Arduboy community titles can be added. Early bird pledges for this tinker-friendly device range from $75 to $99, against an expected launch price of roughly $147.
Retro Remake, the FPGA company known for its Mister Pi and SuperStation One, has teased its first handheld, the SuperStation Pocket, which natively plays Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges. Its FPGA is reportedly powerful enough to cover systems up to PS1 and N64, with 4K HDMI output through a dock the company plans to sell separately. (Former?) YouTuber Taki Udon confirmed the device will have four face buttons for better SNES compatibility, and it is not the SP-style handheld he has previewed recently. Pricing is said to start under $200, which would undercut the Analogue Pocket, though no release date or full specs have been announced yet.
❤️ Currently Grinding
Four entries this week, covering the breadth of what I enjoyed in my (limited) spare time.
Retro Game: Final Fight (Arcade)
Nearly 40 years after its release, I’m still amazed by Final Fight. The influential beat-em-up started as a sequel to 1987’s original Street Fighter arcade game, and it was initially titled Street Fighter ‘89 (the name was supposedly changed to better mimic the success of Double Dragon a couple years prior). I remember seeing this game at local arcades around 1990, and it was HUGE in more ways than one: it was hugely popular (of course), but also, the sprites were massive compared to other games at the time.
I also found it very cool that many of the character designs from Final Fight made their way into Street Fighter II as well, likely because they were made by the same development team. One of my favorite animations from Final Fight was when a character would get burnt, and their whole body would be surrounded by flame; it’s the exact same animation in SF2 when hit with yoga flame. To this day, it remains one of my favorite games in this genre.
Modern Game: Rogue Legacy (PC)
I picked up this little indie game during Steam’s autumn sale, for a little over $1.50. It’s an older title, first released in 2013, but it holds up well. The gameplay is pretty standard rogue-lite platforming: enter procedurally-generated castles and play for as long as you can before dying, then use the coins you earned during your last run to buy permanent upgrades that will increase your chances of progressing further.
And for $1.50, that alone would make this game an easy recommendation. But another trick up this game’s sleeve is that every time you die, your next character is your previous character’s child. So it’s a genealogical rogue-lite platformer, and it’s a pretty clever mechanic. Each of your heirs will randomly inherit some genetic traits that will alter the gameplay even further. You can get a character with ADHD, making them move faster and more erratically, or you can get a character with color-blindness, dwarfism, and so on. Pretty neat! I’d say it’s well worth it when found on sale, but its $15 retail price is a little steep for what you get.
Album: Luxury by Luxury
Back in email #33, I mentioned that a prominent Christian punk label was based out of the Seattle area, where I grew up, and how some of those albums were staples of my young life. Among those bands, a long-term favorite for me is Luxury, who released two albums on the label before moving on (and eventually going independent). The band’s sound has shifted over the years, starting off as a glam-adjacent rock band, evoking a more exuberant and fashion-minded version of The Smiths. Later records have carried a bit more weariness and wisdom, aging rather gracefully.
While I think the early stuff definitely has a unique spark to it, my personal favorite album is their third release, simply titled Luxury, which came out in 1999. This record carries some of the same biting snark as their early work, but with a huge jump in production quality and confidence. I’ve always considered this to be the band’s OK Computer; immaculately crafted, beautifully varied, and relentlessly catchy. One final fun fact about this band: later in life, three of the five members (including its singer) became Orthodox priests, and continue to make music today.
Audiobook: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Every five years or so I decide punish myself and re-read the first two Patrick Rothfuss books, which make up the first two entries in the Kingkiller Chronicles trilogy. These titles are a unique mix of inventive world-building and sweet (but a little cringey) prose, telling the tale of a young hero as he becomes one of the most notorious figures in his fantasy world’s modern history. The Name of the Wind is the first book in the series, one of my favorite guilty-pleasure reads; the novel is filled with whimsy, wit, and unapologetic passion, and it’s a book I never recommend to anyone.
When this book first released in 2007, Rothfuss famously promised readers that the entire trilogy had already been written, and that the next two installments would quickly follow (on a supposed annual release cadence) after some editing and revisions. The second book, The Wise Man’s Fear, was eventually released in 2011, and we’re all still waiting for that third title to drop. In 2020, his editor vented online that they hadn’t seen a single word of book three. It’s frustrating to read the first two entries in a beautiful and mysterious story and not be able to reach for the conclusion; the whole affair gives me some heavy George R.R. Martin vibes. The thing is, I love this story, and I like reading about the frustratingly-flawed main character, the boneheaded decisions they make and the paths those choices take them, and I’m intrigued to learn how Rothfuss will wrap the book’s massive gaps together in the concluding release. But with every passing year, I grow more worried that this is a story that will remain unfinished.
This time around, instead of reading through the book again, I decided to give the audiobook a try, and it’s a nicely-paced adventure in this format, too. It’s long - nearly 28 hours altogether - so it took me over a month to get through it on my daily commute. But there is a special quality to audiobooks that I really appreciate, the joy of having someone read a well-written book to you, and this was a book that really fit that experience nicely. I’ve already started on the sequel, which is an eye-watering 43 hours long, while steeling myself for that unsatisfying moment when I realize I’ve run out of story. (To his credit, in 2014 and 2024 Rothfuss released two novellas that are companion stories to his main books, so there is a little more for me after that.)
In conclusion: these are great books, but I can only recommend them if you are okay with what is increasingly likely to be an unresolved ending.
💰 Bargain Bin
AliExpress is having a big sale starting today. This is the pre-sale leading up to 11/11 (“Singles Day”), the biggest annual shopping event in China. As usual, I’ve got some coupon codes to share with the community.
USAFF6 or RGC6: $6 off $35
USAFF15 or RGC15: $15 off $80
USAFF21 or RGC21: $21 off $119
USAFF25 or RGC25: $25 off $139
USAFF27 or RGC27: $27 off $150
USAFF32 or RGC32: $32 off $170
USAFF38 or RGC38: $38 off $200
USAFF50 or RGC50: $50 off $249
USAFF55 or RGC55: $55 off $299
USAFF70 or RGC70: $70 off $349
USAFF75 or RGC75: $75 off $399
I’ve also listed some of the best deals below, from stocking stuffers to secret Santa-fodder to higher-end “gifting to myself because I survived 2026” gear. I put my favorite deals in bold for you.
Monk GTR earbuds, $7.50 + shipping (normally $10.50) Affiliate / Non-Affiliate
Miyoo Mini Plus (V2), $38 (normally $44) Affiliate / Non-Affiliate
Anbernic RG SP, $46 (normally $52) Affiliate / Non-Affiliate
Trimui Brick, $46 (normally $52) Affiliate / Non-Affiliate
Anbernic RG34XX, $47 (normally $53) Affiliate / Non-Affiliate
Anbernic RG34XXSP, $50 (normally $56) Affiliate / Non-Affiliate
Miyoo Mini Flip, $50 (normally $57) Affiliate / Non-affiliate
Trimui Smart Pro, $53 (normally $59) Affiliate / Non-Affiliate
Miniloong Pocket 1, $57 (normally $63) Affiliate / Non-Affiliate
Anbernic RG Rotate, $66 (normally $81) Affiliate / Non-Affiliate
Anbernic RG DS Plus, $78 (normally $93) Affiliate / Non-Affiliate
Anbernic RG DS, $79 (normally $94) Affiliate / Non-Affiliate
Mangmi Air X, $82 (normally $97) Affiliate / Non-Affiliate
Anbernic RG55G1, $101 (normally $122) Affiliate / Non-Affiliate
Anbernic RG476H, $122 (normally $147) Affiliate / Non-Affiliate
Retroid Pocket 5, $140 (normally $172) Affiliate / Non-Affiliate
Anbernic RG477M, $171 (normally $209) Affiliate / Non-Affiliate
Retroid Pocket Nova (8GB/128GB), $218 (normally $258) Affiliate / Non-Affiliate
Retroid Pocket 6 (12GB/128GB), $253 (normally $293) Affiliate / Non-Affiliate
AYN Thor Base (8GB/128GB), $309 (normally $369) Affiliate / Non-Affiliate
AYN Odin 3 Pro (12GB/512GB), $422 (normally $502) Affiliate / Non-Affiliate
If you're looking to pick up an Odin 3, AYN is also running a unique sale right now. They have partnered with PayPal, and if you use that payment method (and use code SAVE$50 at checkout) you can get $50 off your order. Note that this is for the regular Odin 3 (not the recently launched Odin 3 Portal), you must use PayPal as the payment method, and it's limited to 600 redemptions total. Affiliate / Non-affiliate
This brings the price down to $319 before shipping for the Base model. Check out this recent video I made explaining why the Odin 3 is my most-used handheld.
Humble still has a few days left on their Halloween sale, with some pretty steep discounts on big ticket items. I’ve listed some of the highlights below. Affiliate / Non-affiliate
Alien: Isolation - $12 (down from $40)
Castlevania Dominus Collection - $17 (down from $25)
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster - $25 (down from $50)
Doom: The Dark Ages - $25 (down from $50)
Dying Light: The Beast - $30 (down from $60)
F.E.A.R. Collection - $8 (down from $55)
Outlast 2 - $5 (down from $20)
Pumpkin Jack - $3 (down from $30)
Resident Evil 4 Remake - $10 (down from $40)
Resident Evil Requiem - $49 (down from $70)
Silent Hill 2 - $28 (down from $70)
Silent Hill f - $35 (down from $70)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre - $4 (down from $15)
Finally, I’m going to try and make a point of regularly listing the best microSD card deals on Amazon. These may not fluctuate a ton over time, but occasional dips and sales happen and it’s hard to keep track of every brand, SKU and speed standard. Hopefully this is helpful!
First the standard microSD cards, these will work well as external storage for Android handhelds, and for most standard custom firmwares like Rocknix:
64GB Patriot LX Series, $14 - Affiliate / Non-affiliate
128GB PNY Elite, $25 - Affiliate / Non-affiliate
256GB TEAMGROUP GO Card, $40 - Affiliate / Non-affiliate
1TB Silicon Power Superior, $160 - Affiliate / Non-affiliate
Next, these A2 microSD cards are a bit more future-proof. They’re generally faster and for running some custom firmware like GammaOS Nano, they’re really helpful in ensuring a smooth navigation experience.
128GB PNY Elite-X, $30 - Affiliate / Non-affiliate
256GB PNY Pro Elite, $46 - Affiliate / Non-affiliate
512GB PNY Pro Elite, $90 - Affiliate / Non-affiliate
Finally, microSD Express. Right now these are required for systems like Switch 2 and for some x86 handhelds, but they work well on standard microSD card readers too (but just as UHS-I speeds).
256GB Samsung P9 Express, $48 - Affiliate / Non-affiliate
512GB Samsung P9 Express, $99 - Affiliate / Non-affiliate
⏪ Previously on Retro Game Corps
Check out this Custom GBA (Raspberry Pi CM3)
Modifying original hardware is fun. This custom-build GBA has been made obsolete by other handhelds in the years since, but this is still a fun look at a very ambitious mod, which . Plus, the Frankenstein nature of it fits this weekend’s Halloween festivities.
Sadly, the person who made this custom GBA disappeared (and I believe ghosted quite a few backers), so finding one in the wild is basically impossible. I gave mine away many years ago, but it was certainly a unique slice in time.
🎬 Behind The Scenes
Showing off this pic for two reasons: the first is that filmmaker Rian Johnson (of Knives Out, Looper, and The Last Jedi fame) released a new photography app on the Apple App Store called Chromagraph, based on techniques his longtime cinemetographer (Steve Yedlin) developed for his films. The color and contrast treatment is very cinematic, but works best with landscape or scenery shots (as opposed to product shots like the one you see above). It’s a neat app, and well worth $13 if you plan on shooting a lot of scenery stills on an iPhone. (Also, it should be celebrated when a fully-featured app like this DOESN’T come with a subscription service.)
Second reason: with new updates to the HakuX Xbox emulator (featured in one of my videos above), I can finally play THPS2X on a variety of handhelds with ease. It’s a fun revision of the original THPS2 game, with enhanced graphics and slightly altered feel (your character jumps way higher than in previous installments, which can be pretty thrilling). I love it when emulation unlocks new games to enjoy on existing hardware.
Until next week,
Russ
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