retro

The best Atari 2600 games for handheld emulation, from Pitfall! to River Raid. The console that started it all, tuned for quick sessions on the go.

The best Atari Jaguar games for handheld emulation, from Tempest 2000 to Rayman. Atari's ambitious final console, tuned for portable play.

The best ColecoVision and Intellivision games for handheld emulation, from Donkey Kong to Astrosmash. The great rivals of the Atari 2600 era.

The best PC Engine CD and TurboGrafx-CD games for handheld emulation, from Rondo of Blood to Ys. CD-quality classics that shine on a small screen.

The best Sega 32X games for handheld emulation, from Knuckles' Chaotix to Virtua Fighter. Sega's short-lived add-on, tuned for portable play.

The best Virtual Boy games for handheld emulation, from Virtual Boy Wario Land to Red Alarm. Nintendo's red-and-black oddity, tuned for portable play.

The best 3DO games for handheld emulation. 15 3DO classics that shine on a modern screen, from Gex to Return Fire, on the ambitious CD console that time forgot.

The best Atari Lynx games for handheld emulation. 15 Lynx classics that shine on a modern screen, from California Games to Chip's Challenge, on the color handheld ahead of its time.

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.

The Anbernic RG Slide brings back the PSP Go slider. A 4.7 inch 4:3 LTPS screen, a Unisoc T820, and a clever sliding control deck make it one of the most interesting retro handhelds of the year.

The Powkiddy RGB30 is a budget handheld built around a 4 inch square screen. It is made for 8-bit and 16-bit games, and it runs them beautifully.

The Powkiddy V90 is an ultra budget clamshell handheld styled after the Game Boy Advance SP. It is made for cheap, simple 8-bit and 16-bit fun.

The Powkiddy X55 puts a big 5.5 inch 720p screen on the RK3566 chip. It is a large, affordable handheld for couch sessions up to PS1.

The Trimui Brick is a tiny vertical handheld with a stunning 3.2 inch 1024x768 screen. It became a budget favorite for a reason.

The Trimui Smart Pro is a budget widescreen handheld with a 4.96 inch 720p screen, dual sticks, and a big battery. It is a strong value up to PS1.

The only handheld with two AMOLED screens and a metal hinge — and the definitive device for DS and 3DS emulation. If you know why that matters, the AYN Thor is for you.

The best Android handheld under $250. Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 power, a 5.5" 120Hz AMOLED screen, and 6,000mAh battery — the RP6 sets the benchmark for 2026.

The best retro handhelds in the $60–150 range — where PS1 and N64 emulation is flawless, PSP gets viable, and some light PS2 starts showing up.

The Retroid Pocket 5 is the full-size Android retro handheld to beat — a 5.5" OLED screen, Snapdragon 865 power, and Hall-effect sticks at $219.

The Retroid Pocket Mini packs a Snapdragon 865 chip into a pocketable body with a stunning 3.7" OLED screen — one of the best compact retro handhelds of 2024.

The best emulation handheld ever made — if you can justify the price. The Steam Deck OLED is a retro gaming powerhouse hiding inside a PC gaming device.

A bigger screen, dual sticks, and the same beloved vertical form factor. The RG40XXV is the RG35XX all grown up — but is it the upgrade you've been waiting for?

Anbernic's flagship Android handheld packs a Unisoc T820 chip into a large, comfortable shell. Big screen, big power — big price.

The best mid-range retro handheld money can buy. The RP4 Pro handles everything from NES to PS2 and GameCube without breaking a sweat.

Anbernic's refined take on the RG35XX adds analog sticks and a bigger battery. A meaningful upgrade or just a cash grab?

The pocket-sized legend gets a bigger screen and battery. The Miyoo Mini Plus is still the king of ultra-portable retro gaming.

The best budget vertical handheld under $60. After 30 days of daily carry, here's the full verdict.