Guides

Explainers

Background on the concepts behind retro handheld gaming — emulation, FPGA, legality, decompilation, OS choices.

9 guides

Intel Arc G-Series Handhelds: The 2026 Windows Wave Explained — Explainers guide for retro handhelds | Held Games
Guide
Intel Arc G-Series Handhelds: The 2026 Windows Wave Explained
Intel’s Arc G-Series chips are its real push into Windows handhelds. Here is what the G3 changes for emulation and how it stacks up against AMD.
2026-06-17
Xbox 360 Recompilation and ReXGlue Explained (2026) — Explainers guide for retro handhelds | Held Games
Guide
Xbox 360 Recompilation and ReXGlue Explained (2026)
ReXGlue turns Xbox 360 games into native PC ports through static recompilation. Here is what that means, why it can beat emulation, and what it means for handhelds.
2026-06-15
Xbox 360 vs PS3 Emulation on Handhelds: Which Is Harder? — Explainers guide for retro handhelds | Held Games
Guide
Xbox 360 vs PS3 Emulation on Handhelds: Which Is Harder?
Xbox 360 and PS3 emulation are the two hardest mainstream targets on a handheld. Here is which one is actually harder, why, and what hardware you need for each.
2026-06-15
Evercade vs an Emulation Handheld: Which Should You Buy? — Explainers guide for retro handhelds | Held Games
Guide
Evercade vs an Emulation Handheld: Which Should You Buy?
Evercade sells legal cartridges with zero setup. Firmware handhelds play your own files. Here is how they compare on legality, library, and value.
2026-06-09
What Is Evercade? A Beginner's Guide to Cartridge Retro Gaming — Explainers guide for retro handhelds | Held Games
Guide
What Is Evercade? A Beginner's Guide to Cartridge Retro Gaming
Evercade is a modern retro console built around real cartridges of licensed classics. Here is how it works, what makes it different, and who it is for.
2026-06-09
Retro Game Decompilation and Recompilation, Explained — Explainers guide for retro handhelds | Held Games
Guide
Retro Game Decompilation and Recompilation, Explained
Decomp and recomp projects are turning classic Nintendo games into native ports. Here is what the terms mean and what changes for retro handhelds.
2026-05-11
FPGA vs Emulation: What Retro Handheld Buyers Need to Know — Explainers guide for retro handhelds | Held Games
Guide
FPGA vs Emulation: What Retro Handheld Buyers Need to Know
The difference between FPGA and software emulation for retro gaming. How they work, when each matters, and which is right for your buying decision.
2026-04-11
Linux vs Android Retro Handhelds: Which OS Is Right for You? — Explainers guide for retro handhelds | Held Games
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Linux vs Android Retro Handhelds: Which OS Is Right for You?
Linux vs Android retro gaming handhelds explained. Setup complexity, emulation performance, custom firmware options, and which OS fits your needs.
2026-04-11
ROMs, BIOSes, and Legality: The Full Breakdown — Explainers guide for retro handhelds | Held Games
Guide
ROMs, BIOSes, and Legality: The Full Breakdown
Everything you need to know about the legal landscape of ROM emulation — written clearly, without fearmongering.
2024-03-11