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How to Run Gen1Recomp on a Retro Handheld: Anbernic, Android, and Steam Deck

Q: Does the Anbernic RG34XX SP need PortMaster?

Yes. The official build installs into Roms/PORTS/ and launches from the Ports menu, which requires PortMaster on the stock OS. The launcher and its folder must sit side by side in that directory, not nested.

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Gen1Recomp is a native recreation of Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow. It is not an emulator, and that changes how you install it. There is no core to load, no BIOS to find, and no system folder to drop files into. You install an application, and the application asks for your game.

We covered what the project is and why the 3D and first person clips are everywhere in Pokémon Red and Blue in 3D and first person. This guide is the practical half. What runs where, how to set it up, and which parts do not work on which devices.

That last part matters more than usual here, because the official retro handheld build has two limitations nobody is mentioning.

What You Need First

One thing, and it is not optional.

Gen1Recomp needs a copy of Pokémon Red, Blue or Yellow that you supply. It only accepts the canonical US releases, and it verifies the file before importing it. A 1 MiB .gb or .gbc file from a genuine cartridge dump. Regional variants, ROM hacks and trimmed or patched files will be rejected.

We are not going to tell you where to get one, and we are not going to publish the checksums. Dump the cartridge you own. Our ROMs and legality explainer covers the reasoning.

Once the app has imported your file, it releases it from memory. The game data lives in the app's own storage from then on, so keep your original file somewhere safe for when you reinstall.

The Performance Tiers, and Why They Matter

This is the part every other install guide skipped, and it is the single most useful thing to understand before you start.

Under OPTIONS → PERFORMANCE there are four settings:

HIGH
BALANCED
LOW
AUTO

AUTO is the default, and it reads your hardware. Desktops get HIGH. Phones get BALANCED. ARM handhelds get LOW.

Here is the important bit: the game logic is identical at every tier. The battle maths, the encounter rates, the NPC behaviour and the event triggers do not change. Only the presentation scales.

That is why a $70 clamshell running at LOW is still playing the real game correctly rather than a degraded approximation. If you are on modest hardware and worried you are getting a lesser version, you are not. You are getting fewer effects.

It also means that if your device feels sluggish, forcing a lower tier manually is a legitimate fix and costs you nothing that matters.

Anbernic RG34XX SP: The Official Retro Handheld Build

The Anbernic RG34XX SP is the only dedicated retro handheld with an official target in the project repository. Not a community port. There is a documentation page for it.

That is a good fit on paper. The RG34XX SP is a $70 GBA SP style clamshell with a 3.4 inch screen, and playing Gen 1 Pokémon on a folding handheld is about as on brand as it gets.

Two things to know before you start

It targets the stock OS. Specifically the Stock OS 64-bit MOD, with PortMaster installed. The build is not compatible with the custom firmware alternatives. If you are running muOS or KNULLI on your RG34XX SP, this build will not work for you as written. That is worth saying plainly, because our own device page lists the RG34XX SP as muOS and KNULLI compatible, and that is true for everything else on it. Just not this.

GBC FX is disabled on this device. The Game Boy Color visual effects are switched off for GPU compatibility reasons. The game plays fine, it just will not have that layer.

Install steps

Download the RG34XXSP release from the project's GitHub releases page.
Unzip it. You will get a launcher file and a folder.
Copy both onto your SD card under Roms/PORTS/. They need to sit as siblings, launcher next to folder, not one inside the other.
Put your own .gb file inside the game folder, at Roms/PORTS/gen1recomp/lovegame/.
Put the SD card back and boot the device.
Go to Ports and launch Gen1recomp.
Use the launcher to pick your ROM file.

Controls in the launcher

Input	Action
D-pad or left stick	Move cursor
A	Click
L1 / R1	Switch tabs
Right stick	Scroll lists
Start / Select	Play or choose ROM

The launcher is mouse driven, which is why the D-pad moves a cursor rather than a highlight. It feels odd for about ten seconds.

Performance defaults to AUTO, which resolves to LOW on this hardware and caps the frame rate for a smooth overworld. Leave it there.

If PortMaster is new to you, our PortMaster guide walks through getting it running.

Buy it: Anbernic RG34XX SP on Amazon (around $70)

Android Handhelds

This is the easiest path, and it covers the widest range of devices. Retroid, AYN, Ayaneo Pocket, and any Android phone you might already be using with a clip on grip.

Download the Android APK from the project's GitHub releases page.
Enable installation from unknown sources for your file manager or browser. Android will prompt you the first time.
Open the APK through your file manager and install it.
Launch it and import your .gb file when asked.

Touch controls work out of the box. Bluetooth and USB controllers both work, which means the built in controls on a Retroid or Odin work normally.

Performance on Android has improved a lot. Early on, a Retroid Pocket 2S was struggling along at roughly 26 to 30fps. After several rounds of optimisation, the same device has been reported running at roughly 50 to 60fps. If you tried this weeks ago and bounced off it, it is worth another look.

AUTO will read most Android handhelds as BALANCED. If you have a modern Snapdragon device, try forcing HIGH and see what happens.

Our Android emulation guide covers the wider setup if you are new to sideloading.

Good picks: Retroid Pocket 6 on Amazon (around $249) or the AYN Odin 3 on Amazon if you want the better build.

Steam Deck and Windows Handhelds

If you want the voxel mod, first person or VR, this is where you want to be. Voxel rendering costs real GPU time, and the ARM handhelds do not have the headroom for it.

Steam Deck. Switch to Desktop Mode and grab the Linux build. You get either a plain archive or an AppImage. If it is an AppImage, mark it executable before running it. Extract archives completely, since running from inside a compressed folder is the most common install failure. Then add it to Steam as a non Steam game so it shows up in Game Mode.

Windows handhelds. Download the Windows archive, extract the whole folder, and launch the executable from inside it. Do not pull the .exe out on its own. It needs everything around it.

macOS. Extract, move the app to Applications, and approve it manually the first time through System Settings if Gatekeeper blocks it.

Controllers are remappable across all three, and Steam Input works normally on the Deck.

Buy it: Steam Deck OLED on Amazon (around $789 after Valve's 2026 price increase)

Adding the Voxel and Perspective Mods

Do this second, not first.

Install the base game, import your ROM, and confirm it actually runs before you add anything on top. Debugging a broken mod install on top of a broken base install is miserable.

DramaticShapeVoxelMod is what gives you the 3D diorama view, the camera pitch options, shadows, water reflections, day and night, and the first person, third person and VR modes. It is developed separately from Gen1Recomp and moves fast.

Two habits worth adopting:

Back up your saves, config and installed mods before any update. The project ships multiple releases some days. Things break.
Expect experimental features to behave like experimental features. First person and VR are both explicitly labelled as such.

What Does Not Work

Being direct about this, since the existing coverage is not.

muOS, KNULLI, ArkOS and ROCKNIX are not supported targets. The RG34XXSP build documentation specifies the stock OS. There is no official build for the custom firmware, and no supported path to make one work. If you have committed your device to muOS or KNULLI, this one is not for you right now.

Most cheap Linux handhelds have no build at all. The RG34XX SP is the target. An RG35XX, a Miyoo Mini or a Trimui Brick has no official option here.

GBC FX is off on the RG34XX SP. Covered above, worth repeating.

VR is PC only. OpenXR through a PC headset. There is no standalone headset build.

Troubleshooting

Frame rate is poor. Drop the performance tier manually rather than leaving it on AUTO. If you are running the voxel mod, reduce render distance first, then disable shadows, then disable the other effects. Those three in that order recover the most.

The ROM will not import. It has to be a canonical US Red, Blue or Yellow at 1 MiB. Regional versions, hacks, patched files and trimmed dumps all fail verification.

It will not launch after extracting. You almost certainly extracted partially, or you are running the executable outside its folder. Delete it and extract everything again.

It broke after an update. Restore your backup. This is why you make one.

Nothing appears in Ports on the RG34XX SP. The launcher and the folder need to be siblings under Roms/PORTS/, not nested. This trips up almost everyone once.

The Short Version

If you just want to play Gen 1 on a handheld with a fresh coat of paint, an Android device is the path of least resistance and the RG34XX SP is the charming one.

If you want the 3D, first person or VR that has been all over your feed this week, you want a Steam Deck or a Windows handheld. The ARM devices will run the game beautifully and the voxel mod poorly, and no settings change fixes that.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Gen1Recomp work on muOS or KNULLI?

No. The official Anbernic RG34XXSP build targets the Stock OS 64-bit MOD with PortMaster, and the documentation states it is not compatible with the custom firmware alternatives. There is no supported muOS, KNULLI, ArkOS or ROCKNIX build.

Why is my frame rate low?

Voxel rendering is expensive, and ARM handhelds default to the LOW performance tier for a reason. Set the tier manually under OPTIONS, then reduce render distance and turn off shadows and effects if you are running the voxel mod. The game logic is unaffected by any of it.

Which handheld runs the 3D mod best?

A Steam Deck or a Windows handheld. The voxel mod, first person mode and VR all need GPU headroom that ARM retro handhelds do not have. A strong Android device like the Retroid Pocket 6 or AYN Odin 3 is the next tier down.

Does the Anbernic RG34XX SP need PortMaster?

Yes. The official build installs into Roms/PORTS/ and launches from the Ports menu, which requires PortMaster on the stock OS. The launcher and its folder must sit side by side in that directory, not nested.

Do I need a ROM for Gen1Recomp?

Yes. The application ships with no game data and will not do anything until you import a canonical US copy of Red, Blue or Yellow that you supply. It verifies the file, extracts the data, then releases it from memory.

Can I play it on a Miyoo Mini or an RG35XX?

Not officially. The Anbernic RG34XX SP is the only dedicated retro handheld with a documented build. Other budget Linux handhelds have no official target.

Is Gen1Recomp an emulator?

No. It is a native recreation written in Lua on the LÖVE framework, so there is no core to load and no BIOS to supply. You install it as an application, not as an emulator core.