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Retroid Dual Screen Add-on: DS and 3DS Style Play on the Pocket Nova
Updated 2026-06-26 · Accessories and setup
Affiliate disclosure: This guide contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
Most handhelds force DS and 3DS games onto a single screen, stacking the two displays on top of each other or squeezing them side by side. It works, but it never feels right. Retroid's Dual Screen Add-on solves that the obvious way. It gives you a real second screen. Retroid confirmed the new Retroid Pocket Nova is compatible with it, so the Nova can become a modern Nintendo DS or 3DS in a way almost nothing else on the market matches.
This guide covers what the add-on is, how it works with the Nova, and how to set it up for games you already own.
What the Dual Screen Add-on Is
The Dual Screen Add-on is a clip-on accessory with its own display. Here are the confirmed details.
- Screen: A 5.5 inch AMOLED second display, rated at 107% sRGB coverage, a 100,000 to 1 contrast ratio, and 500 nits peak brightness.
- Hinge: A click-stop hinge with set angles at 120, 150, and 180 degrees, so the top screen holds where you put it.
- Connection: It drives the second screen over DisplayPort through USB-C and supports passthrough charging, so you can power the handheld while the add-on is connected.
- Mounting: A retractable, rubber-padded back clip seats it on the device without scratching. The clip is device specific, so you fit the Nova compatible clip rather than a one size fits all bracket.
- Compatibility: Retroid's official listing covers the Pocket 6, 5, 4 Pro, Mini, and Mini V2, and Retroid has confirmed the Pocket Nova works with it too. Because the back clip is device specific, check that you have the Nova fit before ordering.
- Price: $69 for the add-on. Extra back clips are sold separately if you want to share one add-on across devices.
The result is a two screen handheld where the bottom screen is your Nova and the top screen is the add-on, which is exactly the layout DS and 3DS games were designed around.
Why It Matters for DS and 3DS
The Nintendo DS and 3DS libraries lean hard on two screens. Map and inventory on one, action on the other. Touch controls on the bottom, gameplay on top. On a single screen device you compromise. You shrink both screens to fit, or you hide one and swap between them. Neither feels like the real hardware.
With the add-on, each screen gets a full panel. The Nova's 4:3 screen handles the main view and the 5.5 inch AMOLED up top gives you the second display at a comfortable size. For titles built around the dual screen layout, this is the closest a current handheld gets to playing them the way they were meant to be played.
Setting It Up on the Nova
The Nova runs full Android 13, so the add-on works with the standard DS and 3DS emulators. The general flow looks like this.
- Connect the add-on. Clip it on and plug in the USB-C connection. Android detects it as a second display.
- Pick your emulator. MelonDS is the strong choice for DS. For 3DS, Azahar, the actively maintained successor to Citra, is the standard. Both are available for Android.
- Set the screen layout. In the emulator's video settings, choose the layout that sends one screen to the internal display and the other to the external one. MelonDS and Azahar both support separate window or external display output.
- Map your controls. Set the Nova's face buttons, sticks, and triggers in the emulator. The bottom screen stays touch capable for stylus driven games.
- Tune per game. Some titles want the touch screen on the bottom, some play better with it up top. Flip the layout to taste.
For a broader walk through of getting Android emulators configured on a Retroid device, our GameCube and Wii emulation guide covers the same general setup mindset on heavier systems.
A Note on Games You Own
Everything here assumes you are playing games you already own and have dumped from your own cartridges for personal use. Emulators like MelonDS and Azahar are legal software. The legal and ethical path is to use your own copies. We do not link to or condone ROM download sites.
Is It Worth It on the Nova?
If you have a real DS or 3DS backlog, the add-on is one of the most satisfying accessories you can pair with the Nova. The two screen experience is the entire point of those libraries, and nothing emulates that feel better than an actual second screen. At $69 it is not a small add-on, but it is far cheaper than chasing original 3DS hardware on the resale market, and it doubles as a second display for the Pocket 5 and 6 if you own those too.
If you rarely touch DS or 3DS games, you can skip it and enjoy the Nova as a single screen 4:3 handheld. The add-on is a targeted upgrade for a specific kind of player, and for that player it is excellent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Dual Screen Add-on work with the Retroid Pocket Nova?
Yes. Retroid confirmed the Pocket Nova is compatible with the same Dual Screen Add-on used by the Pocket 5 and 6.
How does the add-on connect?
It clips on and connects over USB-C with passthrough charging, so you can keep the handheld powered while it is attached. Android treats it as a second display.
What emulators support the dual screen layout?
MelonDS for Nintendo DS and Azahar, the successor to Citra, for 3DS. Both support sending each screen to a separate display on Android.
How much does it cost?
The Dual Screen Add-on is $69.
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