Starboard Setup Guide: PortMaster Games on Android Handhelds

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PortMaster is one of the best things in retro handhelds. It brings native game ports to Linux devices, meaning real ports rather than emulation. Around 1,800 titles including Doom, Diablo, Balatro, and a long list of indie games.

The catch has always been the same. PortMaster is for Linux handhelds. If you own a Retroid Pocket 6, an AYN Odin 3, or any other Android device, you were out.

Starboard changes that, with real caveats. It is an Android app from developer JeodC and team that creates a genuine Linux environment inside Android and runs PortMaster ports inside it.

It works. It does not work for everything, and the PortMaster developers themselves have been blunt about the limits. Here is the honest picture.

How Starboard Works

Most attempts at this problem try to convert each game to Android individually. That does not scale across 1,800 titles.

Starboard takes a different route. It uses proot to run a Debian container on your device, with PortMaster's own tools wrapped inside it. Your Android handheld ends up running an actual Linux environment, and PortMaster ports run in that environment largely unmodified.

Crucially, it needs no root access. It is a normal app.

Supported runtimes include SDL1 and SDL2, OpenGL, GLES, GameMaker, and Xash3D, which covers a large slice of what PortMaster ports are built on.

The Honest Caveat, Up Front

Before you install anything, read this.

PortMaster developer bmdhacks responded publicly to Starboard's release:

"Only about half of the titles in the PortMaster catalog will be able to run in Starboard and the ones that do run will often have unplayable framerates."

Another PortMaster developer described Starboard as having "some pretty deep architectural flaws."

That is the project's own developers talking about a third-party tool built on their work, so weigh it accordingly. It is not officially affiliated with PortMaster.

None of that means do not try it. It means calibrate. Roughly half the catalogue is visible to you, and of that half, some titles will run at frame rates you would not want to play. Treat Starboard as a bonus that sometimes delivers something great, not as a full PortMaster library in your pocket.

Starboard hides incompatible titles by default, which is a sensible design choice. You can unhide them under Settings and then Catalog if you want to experiment.

What You Need

An Android handheld or phone with a decent Snapdragon or comparable chip
Storage space, since a Debian container plus games adds up
Legally owned game files for any port that requires them
No root

Devices this suits well include the Retroid Pocket 6, Retroid Pocket 5, AYN Odin 3, AYN Thor, and Anbernic RG557. Weaker Android devices will struggle, because you are paying a translation overhead on top of the game itself.

Installing Starboard

1. Download it from the official source

Starboard is distributed through its GitHub repository and its official site at get-starboard.app. You can also install it via Obtainium, which handles updates from GitHub automatically.

Only use those sources. Fake repos targeting retro gaming communities are an active problem in 2026, and an app that builds a Linux container on your device is not something to install from a random mirror. Our emulator download safety guide covers how to check.

Worth knowing: Starboard is not open source. Independent analysis suggests it contains PortMaster tools in a Debian container with no suspicious telemetry, but you are trusting a closed binary in a way you are not with PortMaster itself. That is a reasonable thing to weigh.

2. Enable unknown sources

Android will ask permission to install an APK outside the Play Store. Grant it for your browser or for Obtainium.

3. First launch and runtime download

On first launch Starboard downloads the runtimes it needs. This takes a while and needs a solid connection. Leave it plugged in.

This step is building your Debian container. It is the slowest part of setup and it only happens once.

4. Browse the catalogue

Starboard includes a one-tap catalogue that pulls from the live PortMaster listing, with artwork and controller friendly navigation. Find a game, tap install.

Start with something light and well known to confirm your setup works before chasing a demanding title.

5. Add your game files where needed

This is the part people miss.

Many PortMaster entries are engine ports, not complete games. The port supplies the code that runs the game on your hardware. You supply the game data from a copy you own.

So for a game like Diablo, you install the port through Starboard and then copy your own game files into the folder it creates. The port's own instructions tell you exactly which files and where. Games that are fully free and open source need no extra files.

We only ever cover playing games you legally own.

Features Worth Knowing

Virtual gamepad overlay. Touchscreen controls for phones or for when you want to play without physical buttons.

Dual-screen support. A companion UI on a secondary display, which is genuinely useful on the AYN Thor and other dual screen devices.

Experimental GPU acceleration. Routes rendering through your device GPU. It is labeled experimental for a reason, and it is the first thing to toggle when a game runs badly.

ES-DE integration. Starboard can surface its games in ES-DE with cover art, so ports sit alongside your emulated library rather than in a separate app.

When Things Run Badly

Given the developer warnings, expect to troubleshoot.

Toggle GPU acceleration. On or off, both are worth trying. Results vary by game.
Drop the resolution in the port's own settings, if it has them.
Check the game is actually supported. If you unhid incompatible titles, you may be running something known not to work.
Try a lighter game to confirm the problem is that title rather than your setup.
Accept some losses. Half the catalogue does not run, and some of what does runs poorly. That is the documented state of the tool.

Starboard or a Linux Handheld?

Worth being clear about this.

If PortMaster is a major reason you want a handheld, buy a Linux handheld. Native PortMaster on a device it was designed for runs the whole catalogue properly, with no translation layer and no compatibility lottery. A cheap Anbernic RG35XX H runs PortMaster better than an expensive Android device running Starboard.

Starboard is for people who already own an Android handheld and want to add some of the PortMaster library to it. In that framing it is a genuinely nice bonus.

If you want PC games on Android more broadly, Winlator is a different and often better tool for Windows titles specifically.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Starboard?

An Android app by JeodC and team that runs PortMaster games on Android handhelds. It uses proot to create a Debian Linux container on your device, so PortMaster ports run largely unmodified. No root required.

Does Starboard run all PortMaster games?

No. PortMaster developer bmdhacks stated that only about half the catalogue can run in Starboard, and that those which do run will often have unplayable frame rates. Incompatible titles are hidden by default.

Is Starboard official?

No. It is not affiliated with the PortMaster project, and PortMaster developers have publicly criticised its architecture. It is also not open source, though analysis has not found suspicious telemetry.

Which devices work with Starboard?

Android handhelds and phones with reasonably strong chips. The Retroid Pocket 5 and 6, AYN Odin 3, AYN Thor, and Anbernic RG557 are all good candidates. Weaker Android devices struggle with the translation overhead.

Do I need to own the games?

For many ports, yes. PortMaster entries are often engine ports that supply code but not game data, so you copy in files from a copy you own. Fully free and open source games need nothing extra.

Should I buy an Android handheld just for Starboard?

No. If PortMaster matters to you, buy a Linux handheld and run it natively. Even a cheap Anbernic running Linux handles the full catalogue better than Android with Starboard.

Does Starboard need root?

No. It runs as a normal Android app using proot, which does not require root access.