I kept waiting for you to say, "And that's why I'm working with [company] to design the perfect, reasonably priced emulator, which will be available in 2023." WulffBoy RX or something. I'd preorder.
But then you should just assume they're shilling the manufacturing company, I wouldn't expect anything good from it. That exact thing happened to crinicle.
Before anyone buys an emulator, check to see if you have an old DSI or 3DS laying around. Adding homebrew is simple enough ( I did it after all ) It's a good place to start, and is obviously the best way to play DS roms.
A New 3DS (or 2DS) in particular has a ton of power to emulate all old consoles and handhelds butter smooth. They're basically the best way to play SNES and earlier in one place, as well as has a massive library available with the native DS and 3DS titles. Multiple thousands of games in a near pristine experience at the price point of a 2DS are hard to beat.
New 2DS might be best bang for buck. Perfect GBA/DS/3DS compatibility, obviously can handle 16/8 bit systems, I've even got some PS1 games running okay, though unless something has changed recently compatibility is spotty.
@@CrushedParagon I'd say grab a N2DS and a DSi XL, since the DSi XL is the perfect res for DS games, and 3DS isn't interger scale with it like how PS Vita is double PSP size. Also, the speakers on the DSi XL are champs.
At this point Bob just needs to make his own portable emulator. He knows how to make the perfect one and relying on other companies to do it ain't working.
@@tentacle0 Yes but he doesn't even know that. ETA Prime and Retro Game Corp have more knowledge about these devices than he does. Hell, Taki on TH-cam does partner with these companies to get then to put out better devices. I'd trust them long before I trust a device from Wullfden.
Its sad how we almost always get a good portable emulator released that has the potential to be the best, but then is severely held back by 1 or 2 easily solvable problems.
@@austins.2495 I got the rp2 and it works fine on everything, rather have a 100 dollar handheld than a 400 dollar one if I'm going to be outside around town
I have the retroid pocket 2 and the 2+, and the newer model has fixed EVERY issue that kept the original from being something that I use daily. It was such a surprise how many things they actually got right on the revision. It feels almost like an entirely new system. Its not perfect, but nothing is, and its really really solid especially for the price
@@jakesmith5278 It runs like every N64 game fine wtf are you smoking? And of course it doesn't run most gamecube games it's a $99 device; the fact that it actually can run some well is incredible.
This exactly. I've been holding out for the right device for a few years, and I'm glad I did. The Retroid Pocket 2+ is exactly what I was looking for in a GBA-form emulator, and it's really powerful for its size and price. My one and only gripe is the screen since it's not pixel-perfect for GBA (still looks good), but it is pixel-perfect for TV consoles and they look amazing. Everything up to N64/PS1 runs near-perfectly.
@@whyareyouusinglightmode2098 Jokes aside, there are two reasons why these emulators are better than a PS vita in most things. The first one is that outside PS1 and PSP the Vita is really bad at emulation, and I mean _really_ bad, most emulators only work in PSP mode and have all sorts of stability issues. The second one is that the PSV is gone up in proce lately, so a $115 device may even be cheaper than a Vita.
@@whyareyouusinglightmode2098 I would advice against, for two big reasons: 1)the screen of the PSP is less than ideal: the PSP 1000 has a huge ghosting problem and the other models have the interlacing artifacts. 2) the D-PAD is awful, you can barely (and I mean just barely) do diagonals with it. A PSVita is better in every aspect for playing PSP games. The only reason I see for buying a PSP is the disc reader: it's only worth it if you also want to collect UMD games and movies.
@@souljastation5463 as a vita owner, that first point is just flat out wrong lol. Retro arch and most of the other emulators available work on the Vita normally and they work pretty fine. Some of them are a little iffy and the retro arch cores are a little outdated, but compatibility and gameplay is pretty good. However, you are right that Vita’s are EXPENSIVE. Online they often sell for 200-300, which is a giant gatekeeper, especially when something like a retroid pocket 2+ is both better than the vita at emulation and only $100.
@@pillowgood1318 yes, the ArkOS and 351ELEC custom firmwares have media players baked in. I believe they only run h264, not h265 mp4s, but otherwise work well.
Vita for vita, 3ds for 3ds, and android for nes,snes, Sega genesis, sega CD,ps2, etc. Plus upscaled Dreamcast, GameCube, ps1, PSP, and even some 3ds games.a decent phone still out does the 3ds and vita for emulation. Still love my handhelds though. Dont get me wrong.
@@sem_aki has something changed recently? Last I checked even GameCube was a struggle on the soft modded switch. And being that its android the switch is emulating to even make that happen it doesn't hold up specwise to even the phone I mentioned. And its 100 dollars cheaper then the switch. Plus its more of a needle in a haystack kinda deal cuz you need the original switch model to even be able to soft mod.
Honestly I've been interested on getting a portable emulator for a long time, but it's precisely all the small (and not so small) details on each of them that deter me from getting one. And since they are quite expensive when converted to my currency+shipping+import taxes, I'd rather wait and spend the money on one that I know will work and keep working
@@4rtie *_SCROLL DOWN FOR IN-DEPTH COMMENT_* Not everybody has one that turns on, and would need to buy a used/refurb one that may or may not work, and use a lot of money for it and tools/accessories, they might fail and need another console, and maybe they won't like it. So no, modding is not always the best option. Here's my two cents. Easiest/simplest, cheapest: Old Android phone with a Bluetooth controller ^ If you're a minimalist and don't like to have too many things, this is really good. All you need is an Android phone that you likely already have and a Bluetooth Controller. It won't feel the same as a one piece handheld, but a clip on/telescopic controller will mimic it. Most novelty and classic feeling: Retro handheld (rpi or open source, any, really) ^ It can rack up in costs if you buy plenty of models but if you wait for your close-to-perfection handheld, it can be worth it. Best for tech-savvy people and those with an old PSV/PSP: Modded/hacked PSV/PSP ^ Time consuming and expensive to buy one these days but relatively reliable
Retroid Pocket 2+ is the best device out there right now hands down in terms of price to performance, about $120 after shipping and and it handles everything up to Dreamcast/PSP perfectly at native and can play some Gamecube and PS2. The worst thing the device has is screen size, quality checks for the touch screen(I have two one works perfectly for the touch screen, and the second one doesn't register accurately where I tap.), no L3R3, and the right slider, but now the slider actually registers as analog inputs in game rather than how it was in the original RP2. Anbernic can't compete at that price point with what they currently offer, realistically no company right now does. The RP2+ isn't perfect but it should be the standard to model after. Otherwise just hope and try to get a steam deck because nothing else will probably match it overall.
Also with the Retroid Pocket 2+, they have an "upgrade kit" that costs $65 instead of $99 for the complete set. Only thing is if you want the touch screen, which costs $20, making your total $85. At that point though, it probably just makes more sense to get the complete set lol
I bought the RG351MP and kept it for a week. I didn't enjoy the metal case as much as I thought it would. Returned it, and got the RG552. It does good enough for the systems I play. I have since ordered the Pocket Retroid 2+, the Miyoo Mini, and just yesterday the Powkiddy A20. Each for those own use cases. Miyoo Mini will be for PSX and below and it's just for an instant on and play. Retroid Pocket 2+ because it seems to be a powerhouse for the right price. The A20 I ordered knowing it has issues. But I also know there are people working on custom firmware that has the possibility to make it really great. The same can be said for the RG552. But at these 4 emulators, I think I'm good for a while. Won't need another machine until one of them can play Killer Instinct (Arcade)
They did release an Android update for the Retroid Pocket 2 that bumped up the version to Android 8.1. It also added a "touch mode" so you could use a touch cursor with the analog stick.
Bob's more of a Nintendo guy he's not really in the know, maybe I should say following the news of retro handhelds. I saw an interview he did with someone and it suggested I think that he watches a lot of retro dodo instead of takiudon, Reddit and taki are my go to places for handhelds
@@StereoTyp0 tbh i find the mode switch annoying cause i have to cycle through the different modes to get to the one i want after using a different mode if i don't disable the other ones
@@matthewdeepblue Takiudon is definitely the guy to watch for this type of handheld, possibly ETAprime. This is evidently not Bob's area of expertise. Most of these are made for enthusiasts, not casuals.
I always use your opinion when it comes to the portable emulator market. Best place to get an honest opinion without feeling like I’m watching someone who is getting paid off to make a fake review. Keep up the good work!
You might want to reconsider that. when it comes to these devices while he does know some stuff about this he's no expert. a better opinion to follow would be channels like Taki udon, retro corps and eta prime people who cover these types of devices constantly and really know their stuff. Compared to wulf who only covers some of these devices and is mostly about switch stuff.
9:40 It really is sad how so many of these handhelds are a pump and dump. The company makes a huge batch of them, sells them, community brings up issues and nothing is done unless the community comes up with its own fixes. It hurts when you REALLY like a handheld like the PocketGo S30. RetroGameCorps and some other collaborators had to make a new front end for it. But has there been any updates from the OEM or community since then? Nope. Because theres now 200 new handhelds since then.
Retroid Pocketbook 2 and 2+ are your best friend. Great support and allows you to upgrade the hardware of the 2 to the 2+. You can even use the old hardware as a standalone console.
The reason they leave that one thing out is that they can make a new version 6 months later and sell it. Buying these have gotten so easy from the days of just having the Dingoo they can do stuff like this over and over again.
I think a lot of these portable emulators have a really cool design, but a lot of them are android based systems. Since my phone is already android, I just load it with the same emulators and connect an xbox controller with Bluetooth. I imagine a similar experience is possible with a jailbroken iPhone. As cool as these things are, I think getting a controller for your phone is probably the best option if you're worried about price.
Alot of those run a Linux version, the newer ones have android Linux duel boot. But a good android phone can do most if not way more .but playing gameboy to ps1 in a dedicated handheld console is fun
Worth mentioning is that you should be able to install emulators directly on the Steam Deck without needing to install another OS to do so. It's just Linux so you'll get ALL KINDS of emulators. Everything you could ever want. Hell Retroarch is ON Steam Directly.
Yeah, I'm pretty excited for the Steam Deck. I'm gonna keep my RG351V for everything like PS1 and earlier and use the Steam Deck for some light Steam games and everything it can handle from N64 and up. Really hoping that comes out and delivers.
The funny thing with a Steam Deck is the emulators themselves are still going to require tinkering with settings in many cases, and a lot of people cannot navigate Retroarch to save their life. They are still going to be a lost cause and just needing to find an image where someone did 99% of the work for them, including getting the games themselves.
For the steam deck you wouldn't need to "sideload" anything. Steam has a version of retroarch and you'll be able to install any emulator that runs on Linux.
I bought the Anbernic RG280V. Thanks to retrogamecorps I put on a different image (adam image), which was 30min work, and now it runs everything I want from a very very pocketable device. And yes, there are downsides, mainly the screen resolution not being perfectly scaled for every system, luckily there are good 1:1 scaling options in every emulator.
I actually really love how much variety there is to the handheld emulator market I'm mainly just waiting for something similar to the dingoo a320. the a320 was the size of a gameboy micro, maybe slightly larger to accommodate a better screen, it had really great emulation for snes and genesis, gba, and some mame. and it had a really good modding community around it. after my sisters broke my a320 I haven't found a portable emulator that comes anywhere close
.... You could just NOT buy every handheld emulation device that comes out every week and do research before you buy one. They aren't trying to "steal" your money. It's not like Samsung or Apple are trying to steal your money releasing a new phone every year. Mobile ARM chips amd SoCs get new versions every 6-12 months. Welcome to technology advances.
I thought about this, too. People have no issue dropping $1000+ on a phone that'll be outdated in 6 months, but are paralyzed when a $80-120 retro emulator might have a better version of it released next year? Stop worrying about waiting for the "perfect device." Do some research, buy one of the several highly recommended ones that you like the look of, install a custom OS on it, and enjoy some retro games.
I've also been waiting for something to come out without a major drawback. I finally bit the bullet and ordered a Retroid Pocket 2+. It's not perfect but seemed to offer the best bang for buck. Also it seems a lot more user friendly than my first handheld emulator, the Canoo.
My issue is the "100-in-1" emulators that brick the second you attempt to load new roms, happened to me too many times, it especially hurt with the Retroboy😔
It has gotten way better. The newly released retroid pocket 2 plus is fantastic on the front end and setup and will play n64/psp perfectly and will even do some of the game cube and ps2 library
The amount of retro gaming devices being released is insane. While this might sound good, that they get to improve them and release revised versions if something doesn't work, it also prevents them from committing and releasing something that actually works. It's like most games, which release unfinished, but without patches. Absolute nightmare.
Yes, I'm holding out. You hit the nail on the head, there isn't a clear winner in this space. Waiting on the one that everyone will come out and declare as the definitive handheld to get.
@@GalaxyMii The steam deck is huge, and likely much larger than what many people want. Something like a modern Vita or a cheaper alternative to the Anbernic Switch Lite clones would probably interest more people. The Steam Deck is a bit more targeted at more hardcore users that want to game on the couch instead of on the go.
You're gonna be holding out forever. For pre-n64 stuff there's plenty of devices that pretty much already offer a perfect experience. You DO need to tinker, but it's not hard
You wont get best experience from these emulation handhelds. FPGA is the most accurate option unfortunately the development so slow you probably have to wait years until you can play N64 on FPGA platform lol. stay mad lol
GPD XD Plus was so good - but then the company refused to release an android update that would fix a load of gpu issues with games like GTA San Andreas android. So frustrating!
The Ayn Odin supposedly is starting to ship out, just the white, grey, and black, colors and the lite model aren't shipping quite yet. I'm really hoping it's good, if so I'll pick one up.
At the price point of these device’s you either get good software or good hardware, can’t have both.Chinese manufacturers focus on the things you can’t really hack on your own.
taki udon seems very impressed with what the rp2+ has done. & if you are the type to tinker the razer controller connected to a phone with a type c port is probably your best option
I have a MIYOO Mini on the way, and have really liked the Abernic RG350. The RG350 is great if you don't push it too hard, and I have high hopes for the MIYOO Mini as a very portable system. Completely agree that reskinning and updating the user experience is far too difficult and necessary on this class of devices.
I have an Anbernic RG351MP and I've found that to be the perfect emulation handheld... FOR ME. That's what I feel some of the issue is here, in gaming there is a lot of stuff out there and lots of ways to play, but it has to be right for you. For me, I was looking to play games up to PS1 excluding (3)DS. I was looking for a GBA form factor that I could carry in my pocket. I was looking for a 4:3 screen that was at least 3". Finally, I was looking for something that could play SHMUPs in TATE mode. I got all of this PLUS it has a sleep mode so I can jump off or back on at a moment's notice (I'm a parent, my time is fleeting). HOWEVER...all of the things I love about this system are only possible because I followed Retro Game Corps' guides. This thing was hot garbage out-of-the-box. First thing I did was replace the SD cards with name brand ones that I loaded with custom firmware (351elec) and my games. I have no little in running N64, Saturn, PSP, or Dreamcast so I don't even bother. For DS games I have an o3DS with custom firmware to run all that stuff so I don't bother with that either. For me, trying to play games made for a handheld that had 2 screens on a handheld that has 1 screen seems like a bad user experience waiting to happen. So, in all these ways the RG351MP is perfect FOR ME. When you get one of these things you have to really think about what you want it to be and to do. You can't have everything.
That's why a controller with an attached phone grip (I'm using the DualSense this way), or a extendable controller for Android is best. These portable emulators are really impractical.
There's the appeal of the device itself, which looks good and it's nice to have a dedicated device for games too. It's mind boggling that this specific device has so many issues though.
@@refreshfr I guess some people are in fact fans of that "gaming console" feel. Which is ok. But if we are paying for something that emulates an old device, it should at least be better than the original retro console.
I picked up an Anbernic 351MP a couple of weeks ago - my first portable emulator. It's been *way* more of a tinkering project than I expected - installing a new OS (351elec), configuring emulators, optimizing settings, and so on. Now that I have it dialed in, I really like the device a lot - but it took a lot of work to get there. I've also had to temper my expectations to some extent; I haven't had much luck with Dreamcast, PSP, or N64 emulation, so I'm not using it for those systems. As a PSX/GBA/SNES player, it's great. I do love that these devices exist and there's a supportive community of users and developers out there. I'm hoping that in the next year or so we get some devices with good, intuitive interfaces that will play up to Gamecube for under $200 - I'm holding off on further purchases until then.
Since retroarch is available through steam I’m excited to see how well it runs on the steam deck right out of the box especially how well it’s able to dock and switch to another controller if you moved to another screen for it
I'm assuming you'll get the perfect standard experience for the first few months: Most default settings are garbage. However chances are the community is going to be pretty fast at putting out updated config files you can copy over to use on your own, the release channel is (hopefully) going to do verifying and testing before they set custom defaults for the Deck.
Thank you! I'm so sick of TH-camrs showcasing these units after hours and hours of tinkering behind the scenes, then when you actually get one you have to do a TON of work to get them to work right and then you notice the plethora of QA or quality issues or glaring design flaws. Sick of Taki Udon, ETA Prime, Retro Game Corps making their living showing these these half-baked devices like any of them appeal to anyone but the masochists who want to spend 10 hours screwing around with software and configuration. I'm pretty sure people just want to put their favorite ROMs on one and go.
100% spot on. They make it look so quick & easy. I bought a RP2 because of them and it just collects dust because I don't have the time for all of the required configuration.
Dude you're criticizing a bunch of people putting content out to HELP you if you need it? That makes no sense. Your beef should be with the companies, not saying you dislike how people are making youtube careers out of helping others. Regardless, emulation doesn't sound like it's for you because it will always require tinkering unless you have someone make you a custom build.
I believe you're right. These companies are just tweaking things here and there, but then screwing something else up, which makes you want to buy the next thing that fixes some issues, but not all. Would've loved to see the power of Retroid Pocket 2+ in the body of Anbernic's RG522.
I'm enjoying the miyoo mini right now. Screen is ok, performance is good and great build quality. For 50 bucks you can throw it in your bag and not worry about it
Yes Bahb, I'm interested every time you post one of these videos that maybe this one gets it right, and am indeed disappointed by the end of it. I've said this before, it makes no sense to buy an android phone and a controller to play emulated games. But, I already have both a reasonably powerful android phone and 8bitdo controllers. I'm waiting for the emulation device that beats that, it's gotta happen eventually... right?
10:09 did you try using an Everdrive on the Analogue? Heard it works. I don't have roms so I don't mess with these things but do kick around buying one already sorted. Great vid, you speak the truth, everyone I know that has one is either really good with computers or says they are a PITA.
I'm with you there. And not on a massive x86 slab. A 7" screen at the very most and preferably smaller with all the benefits that brings. For battery life it has to have an ARM APU too. I would love that to come in 2022, but I think after that is more likely. All the best.
Retroid Pocket 2+ seems (as the RP2 seemed at the time) the best for the price, I'd get one if my RP2 wasn't collecting dust, I definitely get by better using a controller with my android phone. I'm pretty used to retroarch's interface, can sync up saves without needing to login on some unknown android version, and a phone+ razer kishi pretty much takes the same space as phone + emulation device. The top tier for me would be a hacked switch, but I'm to scared to get it banned from online services to do that to my only switch
Honestly I kind of wish the razer kishi worked on switch, it has better analog sticks and better buttons (admittedly some might not like the mushiness of them, but the size is way better. The controller is like more ergonomic joycons that can't accidentally be separated.
This video is massively relevant to my experience so far with these devices. I’ve owned a fair few, the latest being the Retroid 2, and I eventually lose interest because the experience isn’t what I’m looking for.
Hurry up and make the next two videos lol... A) Because I love these videos... B) Because I wanna see the new RG350 thingy upgrades ya got there. C) I REALLY wanna see a video on the Retroid Pocket 2 plus... Hoping one of these companies gets it all right. Even though my Retroid Pocket 2 OG is great... After reconfiguring EVERYTHING...
I think my hacked 3DS is the best portable emulator, because it took me less than an hour to setup and didn't cost me anything. I can also natively play a whole bunch of games because of the way the Virtual Console system works - it means a lot of the games aren't even emulated, so they run perfectly! I think if people looked into hacking their old 3DS devices they'll be very happy with what can be done, without needing to drop hundreds on yet another style over substance device.
I just got the Anbernic RG 351P - - I really like that form factor and the price per feature ratio was right in order to step into the portable emulator space. I did a bit of tinkering with it and will need to tinker even more to get it to fully work for me, but I knew that going in after looking into the swath of portable emulators out there. This space of our hobby is going to require some messing with, I can easily just load these ROMs on my PC and play it, but making it portable sure does had a wrench in making it a seamless experience.
Does the 351P have the correct pixel ratios for 4:3? I can't remember anymore. Does it have built-in Wi-Fi? What about Bluetooth for headphones or a controller? Anbernic prices their devices pretty high to leave out such basic quality of life features. They do the controls almost right, except for their shoulder buttons. I would also argue that you shouldn't be trying to play anything more powerful than SNES/GBA because there are so many caveats with more modern systems that the TH-cam reviews will tell you is "possible".
rocking a rg351m and i am not sure what you mean by saying it isn't seamless. i literally just drag and drop the roms onto my sd card and boom i can play them right away. it is actually easier to play games on it than my pc since it just works and appears instantly in my game library and only takes a single button press to start. on pc i have to navigate to any new rom before any emulator will notice it has been added. most of the time i don't even need to unzip the games either on my rg351 so i also save on space by leaving them compressed.
@@IM_A_BEAR_LOL The aspect ratio can be set to 4:3, and it looks good to me, but I think technically it does not. Bluetooth or wifi wasn't a draw - an additional control would defeat the portability for me, and both would just be battery drains for my use case. For this type of form factor I fine the shoulder buttons. They work well while keeping is portable for a pocket, but there is probably a better way to do it. After some messing around, I can get N64 games playing - - some better than others, but it works, probably need some more tinkering to get it right. I haven't had a chance to mess around enough to get Dreamcast and PS1 working yet, but I know I just need different extensions for the ROMS I have. Out of the box, I don NES/SNES/GC/GBA worked without a problem for sure and with some aspect ratio fixes and shadders, you get a good little system for me.
@@gravysamich For me, PC ROM playing is that - - download ROM, play rom. Messing with shadders and the nuts and bolts is easier on the PC, for me, as the menus are just there. Technically, the 351 is pretty easy to just boot and go, but I messed with it a bit because I read too many starter guides and watched too many youtube videos, so I went down a rabbit hole of "getting the most out of the 351" blah blah blah.
Awesome review! You're spot on about this device, and props to the RG351V! It's my fav! My last one was the GP2X! And backed the Odin, so with game streaming with my racing games and the RG351V, I'm set for a while! ^_^ Looks like we'll get the Odin this month, depending on the color variant, given their latest update today.
I got my RP2+ a couple weeks back and I’m loving it. Ease of use and setup is night and day over the RP2. I… also have an Odin coming. And… I got an Analogue Pocket. I have a problem
Lol I mean the emulator content is great, it's why I'm here, but I gotta say that the highlight for me was Bob looking into my eyes and saying he'd potentially give me a "holler". That shit is hilarious.
I keep looking for that perfect handheld. If analog made a GBA form factor instead of the classic, I might bite. But I still want a device close to a modern execution of a PSP with internal storage but not as big as Vita. The unwieldy size is what turns me from the switch or steam dock. I want something closer to a reasonably sized phone
I ain't a big retro fan, but I love Wolff for uploading these videos on retro consoles. I plan on getting one when he says "ok guys, this is it!" But I reckon we are a long way from that, ha.
I own an RG351V, and MP. I like them both a lot, but yeah I do see what you mean. They're not perfect, and it did take some fenangling to get them quite how I want. At least firmware developers are making it easier to enjoy new features and such with updates via wifi. I also backed the Odin. I've been watching their progress, and the device looks really solid. Their TH-cam channel is all showing gameplay on emulators, and it seems to run Gamecube and even PS2 very well. I have no idea what to expect with shipment time, but everyone is really excited. Hope it comes out soon...
I have the RG351P and am pretty happy with it but then I bought it mainly to play GBA and SNES and it wasn't expensive. I'll probably wait a year or two until the systems and emulators have improved before upgrading. I think it's worth taking into account that decent handheld PS1 / PSP / N64 emulation was a pipe dream only a year or two ago and at the speed things have improved it shouldn't be too long before this becomes bread and butter and we're looking at the next gen of consoles.
I have a RG351P and to me it's so damn near perfect. I use it to play mainly NES, SNES, GB, and GBA games (but have everything up to Dreamcast and even a lot of arcade stuff for collections sake) and for that it's perfect to me. I use ArkOS on mine and the UI is great and just looks so polished. Custom splash screen when I star up games. After taking a bit of time to learn Retroarch everything I play runs and looks exactly how I want it to. I have overlays themed to systems and games to hide the black edges and the ratio is perfect for GBA which is what I mainly got it for. I can make it emulate the look of a CRT or color correct to look more like actual hardware. You can even put a standalone port of Super Mario 64 on it that runs widescreen at 60 fps and has great premapped controls that work perfectly. It runs way better than the official 3D all stars version from Nintendo themselves. Yes it took some work and ArkOS is more for the tinkerer but it was just so fun getting to learn this thing. There are alternates to ArkOS that are more plug and play ready as well. One of the best investments I've made in regards to retro video game. I also have a Retroid Pocket 2 but I didn't care for it as much although I do prefer the look of the shell. I do want to upgrade to the plus version though I think I want to look into getting the upgrade kit for it. If I had a 351P that looked like and performed like the Pocket 2+ I'd my perfect handheld.
Woah this video is pretty bright, like it’s not in a dark blue-white hue. Not a bad thing, I usually auto play wulffden videos on my tv and it illuminates my room
This whole video spoke to me as really true. I have a retroid pocket 2 which is a fine and kind of cool device but the setup to get it running emulation really good was just such a pain that that it kind of sapped the joy out of wanting to emulate games handheld I remember working to set it up and while I was working on it the megaman zero/zx collection came out on switch and I ended up playing that and boxing the retroid pocket 2 and haven’t opened it since
First handheld emulator was the RP2 last year. And man, I loved the form factor, the industrial design... and hated the thing. The Android OS as implemented on that thing was awful without a touchscreen and it didn't run things I wanted it to run, that it should have ran... I love tweaking on things, but not like that. Almost never used it. I picked up an RG351P about the same time and, man that thing (once you go to community made custom firmware!) is pretty great but the 3:2 screen isn't the best and frankly it was kind of frustrating how it could *almost* do N64, and *almost* do Dreamcast and *almost* do PSP... That said the community dev on it is outstanding- so many cool ports have been done for the rockchip based devices. I spent a bit of time looking at the Odroid Go Super, and the Powkiddy RGB10 Max, and the RG351MP as I figured that the biggest problem for me on the RG351 was the screen... But then the Retroid Pocket 2+ hit, and I snapped up the PCB upgrade kit and touch screen to rebuild my old RP2... And it's outstanding. The new chipset and the new Android setup work great. Problem with it is that... well, it *almost* plays gamecube and it *almost* plays Playstation freakin' 2.
I have been waiting to pick one up until all the kinks are ironed out and I do anticipate every handheld emulator video you post. That is, until The One comes out.
My first gripe just looking at that PowKiddy is it looks like a Gameboy but doesn't look very pocket friendly. It has that analog stick, well, sticking out and I can't imagine that not either getting in the way or getting damaged rather quickly if I stuck it into a pocket. And of course the screen's exposed and begging for scratches, like the Gameboy. Nintendo got this stuff figured out over 15 years ago with the DS (or DS Lite for true pocketability), and even got a non-pocket-catching analog stick in a clamshell design with the 3DS. Why don't any of these emulation devices do it that way?
I'm quite happy with my Ambinic 350 with the Adam CFW for 'classic' retro gaming up to PS1 standard. They are the only ones who produce worthwhile concepts. The Retorid Pocket 2 had a terrible D-pad and buttons, which would creak like crazy after 15 mins of use. As you point out - the answer to the 'ultimate emulator' question is known as a "Steam Deck"!
The delay of the Steam Deck made me get an Anbernic RG351MP. It took a lot of work to get robust SD cards and custom firmware and such on it, but I didn't mind that. It's working great!
Yeah, I definitely look forward to some of the new devices. They're neat in concept, and I love a lot of the form-factors on some, but then I dig into it some more and some are just way too pricey, or they manage to F-up the one or two things I was hoping they'd do right
You dont need to sideload something to the steamdeck because is a pc so its open to install whatever OS u want. U could install retroarch on steam or in Linux directly or download one of the retro emulator distro that only have emulators.
A lot of what this guy is saying is the nature of a new technology. Handheld emulators are still a fairly new product. It stands to reason that there will be a lot of new devices in rapid succession with new features and capabilities. That's a lot like how the smartphone market used to be. Another issue is emulation itself. Some systems like the N64 are more difficult to emulate than others. If you then add multiple hardware possibilities to that situation, it's no wonder "some guy" comes up with a solution to the problem. After all, we have emulators because "some guys" created them. Most emulators weren't created by companies. They were products of curious people wanting to make games on different hardware. Any industry that springs up from that is going to have growing pains.
I love these videos on the retro emulator scene. Keep up the good work. I've been holding out on getting one because I want the perfect one. Although I have been very interested in the retroid pocket 2 plus because it does sound perfect.
I kept waiting for you to say, "And that's why I'm working with [company] to design the perfect, reasonably priced emulator, which will be available in 2023." WulffBoy RX or something. I'd preorder.
If only 😔
i'll take the whole stock
i wish.
But then you should just assume they're shilling the manufacturing company, I wouldn't expect anything good from it. That exact thing happened to crinicle.
Before anyone buys an emulator, check to see if you have an old DSI or 3DS laying around. Adding homebrew is simple enough ( I did it after all ) It's a good place to start, and is obviously the best way to play DS roms.
A New 3DS (or 2DS) in particular has a ton of power to emulate all old consoles and handhelds butter smooth. They're basically the best way to play SNES and earlier in one place, as well as has a massive library available with the native DS and 3DS titles. Multiple thousands of games in a near pristine experience at the price point of a 2DS are hard to beat.
@@RAHelllord When the eShop inevitably closes off with the 3DS, I might do just that.
New 2DS might be best bang for buck. Perfect GBA/DS/3DS compatibility, obviously can handle 16/8 bit systems, I've even got some PS1 games running okay, though unless something has changed recently compatibility is spotty.
I have an unused New 3DS. What’s a good place to start looking for info about modding it?
@@CrushedParagon I'd say grab a N2DS and a DSi XL, since the DSi XL is the perfect res for DS games, and 3DS isn't interger scale with it like how PS Vita is double PSP size.
Also, the speakers on the DSi XL are champs.
At this point Bob just needs to make his own portable emulator. He knows how to make the perfect one and relying on other companies to do it ain't working.
knows what the perfect one needs to include =/= "knows how to make the perfect one"
@@tentacle0 well he could work with a manufacturer to make it
@@tentacle0 Yes but he doesn't even know that. ETA Prime and Retro Game Corp have more knowledge about these devices than he does. Hell, Taki on TH-cam does partner with these companies to get then to put out better devices. I'd trust them long before I trust a device from Wullfden.
Game and Wulff
Bobbox
Its sad how we almost always get a good portable emulator released that has the potential to be the best, but then is severely held back by 1 or 2 easily solvable problems.
It really does seem like that’s the case every time
@@austins.2495 I got the rp2 and it works fine on everything, rather have a 100 dollar handheld than a 400 dollar one if I'm going to be outside around town
That's China quality control for ya.
A collab with Ambernick (sp?) would be awesome, I'd buy a portable Bobinator 1.0.
Stop giving your money to the CCP
I have the retroid pocket 2 and the 2+, and the newer model has fixed EVERY issue that kept the original from being something that I use daily. It was such a surprise how many things they actually got right on the revision. It feels almost like an entirely new system. Its not perfect, but nothing is, and its really really solid especially for the price
Screen QA issues, average left analog stick, awful right analog stick. No analog stick buttons.
Weak as hell. Can't barely run most of N64. GC and above is crap.
@@jakesmith5278 It runs like every N64 game fine wtf are you smoking? And of course it doesn't run most gamecube games it's a $99 device; the fact that it actually can run some well is incredible.
This exactly. I've been holding out for the right device for a few years, and I'm glad I did. The Retroid Pocket 2+ is exactly what I was looking for in a GBA-form emulator, and it's really powerful for its size and price. My one and only gripe is the screen since it's not pixel-perfect for GBA (still looks good), but it is pixel-perfect for TV consoles and they look amazing. Everything up to N64/PS1 runs near-perfectly.
@@jakesmith5278 The RP2? Yes, it can barely run those. The RP2+ can do all N64 and some GC.
“Hey Bob why don’t you just mod a psp”
sir don't talk about that when you pay a 100$ for a gameboy colour mod
@@whyareyouusinglightmode2098 Jokes aside, there are two reasons why these emulators are better than a PS vita in most things.
The first one is that outside PS1 and PSP the Vita is really bad at emulation, and I mean _really_ bad, most emulators only work in PSP mode and have all sorts of stability issues.
The second one is that the PSV is gone up in proce lately, so a $115 device may even be cheaper than a Vita.
@@souljastation5463 i might buy a PSP someday, if it's cheap
@@whyareyouusinglightmode2098 I would advice against, for two big reasons: 1)the screen of the PSP is less than ideal: the PSP 1000 has a huge ghosting problem and the other models have the interlacing artifacts.
2) the D-PAD is awful, you can barely (and I mean just barely) do diagonals with it.
A PSVita is better in every aspect for playing PSP games.
The only reason I see for buying a PSP is the disc reader: it's only worth it if you also want to collect UMD games and movies.
@@souljastation5463 as a vita owner, that first point is just flat out wrong lol. Retro arch and most of the other emulators available work on the Vita normally and they work pretty fine. Some of them are a little iffy and the retro arch cores are a little outdated, but compatibility and gameplay is pretty good.
However, you are right that Vita’s are EXPENSIVE. Online they often sell for 200-300, which is a giant gatekeeper, especially when something like a retroid pocket 2+ is both better than the vita at emulation and only $100.
Bob is the type of guy that would look mad even when he is happy and look happy when he is mad
Feels weird to admit, but I think the best part of this vid is the ad. That is not to say the actual vid wasn't good, just that the ad was great.
WTF Bob, I watch your videos to watch YOU, not ME! Just kidding, thanks for the shoutout :)
Sup Russ. Quick question, can you turn the 351mp into a decent video media player? Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanks. Give my love to Chicken.
@@pillowgood1318 yes, the ArkOS and 351ELEC custom firmwares have media players baked in. I believe they only run h264, not h265 mp4s, but otherwise work well.
I can't let go off the thought of people creating custom firmware for an air fryer
This is why I go with a modded 2DS XL and a modded Vita. Covers a wide range of systems, many of which run very accurately
The 2DS Platter, 3DS XL, and the Vita are my choises as well.
Vita for vita, 3ds for 3ds, and android for nes,snes, Sega genesis, sega CD,ps2, etc. Plus upscaled Dreamcast, GameCube, ps1, PSP, and even some 3ds games.a decent phone still out does the
3ds and vita for emulation. Still love my handhelds though. Dont get me wrong.
And with a switch you can do all that + some 3ds Games
@@brandonybarra6595 You can use the PS Vita for PSP and PS1 if you softmod it.
@@sem_aki has something changed recently? Last I checked even GameCube was a struggle on the soft modded switch. And being that its android the switch is emulating to even make that happen it doesn't hold up specwise to even the phone I mentioned. And its 100 dollars cheaper then the switch. Plus its more of a needle in a haystack kinda deal cuz you need the original switch model to even be able to soft mod.
Honestly I've been interested on getting a portable emulator for a long time, but it's precisely all the small (and not so small) details on each of them that deter me from getting one. And since they are quite expensive when converted to my currency+shipping+import taxes, I'd rather wait and spend the money on one that I know will work and keep working
Mod a PSP/Vita
@@4rtie
*_SCROLL DOWN FOR IN-DEPTH COMMENT_*
Not everybody has one that turns on, and would need to buy a used/refurb one that may or may not work, and use a lot of money for it and tools/accessories, they might fail and need another console, and maybe they won't like it. So no, modding is not always the best option.
Here's my two cents.
Easiest/simplest, cheapest: Old Android phone with a Bluetooth controller
^
If you're a minimalist and don't like to have too many things, this is really good. All you need is an Android phone that you likely already have and a Bluetooth Controller. It won't feel the same as a one piece handheld, but a clip on/telescopic controller will mimic it.
Most novelty and classic feeling: Retro handheld (rpi or open source, any, really)
^
It can rack up in costs if you buy plenty of models but if you wait for your close-to-perfection handheld, it can be worth it.
Best for tech-savvy people and those with an old PSV/PSP:
Modded/hacked PSV/PSP
^
Time consuming and expensive to buy one these days but relatively reliable
Wait for a steam deck or something similar or just get a cheap android phone with a controller, they are going to be wayyy better
same
@@certifiedbruhmoment85 modding a vita is easy as fuck and works great and if you get the OLED screen you got some beautiful pixels to gawk @
Retroid Pocket 2+ is the best device out there right now hands down in terms of price to performance, about $120 after shipping and and it handles everything up to Dreamcast/PSP perfectly at native and can play some Gamecube and PS2. The worst thing the device has is screen size, quality checks for the touch screen(I have two one works perfectly for the touch screen, and the second one doesn't register accurately where I tap.), no L3R3, and the right slider, but now the slider actually registers as analog inputs in game rather than how it was in the original RP2. Anbernic can't compete at that price point with what they currently offer, realistically no company right now does. The RP2+ isn't perfect but it should be the standard to model after. Otherwise just hope and try to get a steam deck because nothing else will probably match it overall.
Ya kinda got me interested to looking into this, even after I made a comment saying I'll most likely ignore other emulators.
Thank you for taking for the team and let us know about this!
Also with the Retroid Pocket 2+, they have an "upgrade kit" that costs $65 instead of $99 for the complete set. Only thing is if you want the touch screen, which costs $20, making your total $85. At that point though, it probably just makes more sense to get the complete set lol
I bought the RG351MP and kept it for a week. I didn't enjoy the metal case as much as I thought it would. Returned it, and got the RG552. It does good enough for the systems I play. I have since ordered the Pocket Retroid 2+, the Miyoo Mini, and just yesterday the Powkiddy A20. Each for those own use cases. Miyoo Mini will be for PSX and below and it's just for an instant on and play. Retroid Pocket 2+ because it seems to be a powerhouse for the right price. The A20 I ordered knowing it has issues. But I also know there are people working on custom firmware that has the possibility to make it really great. The same can be said for the RG552. But at these 4 emulators, I think I'm good for a while. Won't need another machine until one of them can play Killer Instinct (Arcade)
They did release an Android update for the Retroid Pocket 2 that bumped up the version to Android 8.1. It also added a "touch mode" so you could use a touch cursor with the analog stick.
Bob's more of a Nintendo guy he's not really in the know, maybe I should say following the news of retro handhelds. I saw an interview he did with someone and it suggested I think that he watches a lot of retro dodo instead of takiudon, Reddit and taki are my go to places for handhelds
the touch mode was already in the original firmware
@@ScrubsWasTaken you're right they added a combo button/mouse mode
@@StereoTyp0 tbh i find the mode switch annoying cause i have to cycle through the different modes to get to the one i want after using a different mode if i don't disable the other ones
@@matthewdeepblue Takiudon is definitely the guy to watch for this type of handheld, possibly ETAprime. This is evidently not Bob's area of expertise. Most of these are made for enthusiasts, not casuals.
I always use your opinion when it comes to the portable emulator market. Best place to get an honest opinion without feeling like I’m watching someone who is getting paid off to make a fake review. Keep up the good work!
You might want to reconsider that. when it comes to these devices while he does know some stuff about this he's no expert. a better opinion to follow would be channels like Taki udon, retro corps and eta prime people who cover these types of devices constantly and really know their stuff. Compared to wulf who only covers some of these devices and is mostly about switch stuff.
9:40 It really is sad how so many of these handhelds are a pump and dump. The company makes a huge batch of them, sells them, community brings up issues and nothing is done unless the community comes up with its own fixes. It hurts when you REALLY like a handheld like the PocketGo S30. RetroGameCorps and some other collaborators had to make a new front end for it. But has there been any updates from the OEM or community since then? Nope. Because theres now 200 new handhelds since then.
Retroid Pocketbook 2 and 2+ are your best friend. Great support and allows you to upgrade the hardware of the 2 to the 2+. You can even use the old hardware as a standalone console.
The reason they leave that one thing out is that they can make a new version 6 months later and sell it. Buying these have gotten so easy from the days of just having the Dingoo they can do stuff like this over and over again.
I think a lot of these portable emulators have a really cool design, but a lot of them are android based systems. Since my phone is already android, I just load it with the same emulators and connect an xbox controller with Bluetooth. I imagine a similar experience is possible with a jailbroken iPhone. As cool as these things are, I think getting a controller for your phone is probably the best option if you're worried about price.
Alot of those run a Linux version, the newer ones have android Linux duel boot. But a good android phone can do most if not way more .but playing gameboy to ps1 in a dedicated handheld console is fun
@@ericthigpen9779 I bet. One of these device it totally on my list of things to buy when I have some extra money.
Worth mentioning is that you should be able to install emulators directly on the Steam Deck without needing to install another OS to do so.
It's just Linux so you'll get ALL KINDS of emulators. Everything you could ever want.
Hell Retroarch is ON Steam Directly.
Yeah, I'm pretty excited for the Steam Deck. I'm gonna keep my RG351V for everything like PS1 and earlier and use the Steam Deck for some light Steam games and everything it can handle from N64 and up.
Really hoping that comes out and delivers.
The funny thing with a Steam Deck is the emulators themselves are still going to require tinkering with settings in many cases, and a lot of people cannot navigate Retroarch to save their life. They are still going to be a lost cause and just needing to find an image where someone did 99% of the work for them, including getting the games themselves.
@@TrippyStack It can play heavier games like Doom Eternal.
Its also worth metioning that the Steam Deck runs AAAs
Bob: But the steam deck is like$400
Also Bob: buys 12 different $100 portable emulators
It's a review... not sure how he could review it if he didn't have the product in hand. He buys them so you don't have to.
@@redlion145 it was just meant to be a joke
lol steam deck is also a big chonky boi most of these are going for a more portable form factor
@@johnmickey5017 Yeah but its also a gaming beast that plays AAAs
That Roman ad was just UNBELIEVABLE 😂😂😂
For the steam deck you wouldn't need to "sideload" anything. Steam has a version of retroarch and you'll be able to install any emulator that runs on Linux.
I bought the Anbernic RG280V. Thanks to retrogamecorps I put on a different image (adam image), which was 30min work, and now it runs everything I want from a very very pocketable device. And yes, there are downsides, mainly the screen resolution not being perfectly scaled for every system, luckily there are good 1:1 scaling options in every emulator.
I actually really love how much variety there is to the handheld emulator market
I'm mainly just waiting for something similar to the dingoo a320.
the a320 was the size of a gameboy micro, maybe slightly larger to accommodate a better screen, it had really great emulation for snes and genesis, gba, and some mame.
and it had a really good modding community around it.
after my sisters broke my a320 I haven't found a portable emulator that comes anywhere close
.... You could just NOT buy every handheld emulation device that comes out every week and do research before you buy one. They aren't trying to "steal" your money. It's not like Samsung or Apple are trying to steal your money releasing a new phone every year. Mobile ARM chips amd SoCs get new versions every 6-12 months. Welcome to technology advances.
I thought about this, too. People have no issue dropping $1000+ on a phone that'll be outdated in 6 months, but are paralyzed when a $80-120 retro emulator might have a better version of it released next year?
Stop worrying about waiting for the "perfect device." Do some research, buy one of the several highly recommended ones that you like the look of, install a custom OS on it, and enjoy some retro games.
I've also been waiting for something to come out without a major drawback. I finally bit the bullet and ordered a Retroid Pocket 2+. It's not perfect but seemed to offer the best bang for buck. Also it seems a lot more user friendly than my first handheld emulator, the Canoo.
Man, I miss the GP2X/Wiz/Caanoo. Was easy enough to add games that talented devs had made, and worked pretty well (just with terrible battery life…)
I was counting on buying one, I'll see if this video can prove me over wise
Otherwise?
Over wise was the son of Yoyo ma
Yes it is over, i will end the wise men
The rg351p seems like the best one to get. I'm not getting one though. Android phones are good enough for me.
My issue is the "100-in-1" emulators that brick the second you attempt to load new roms, happened to me too many times, it especially hurt with the Retroboy😔
you're just buying a bad product.
It has gotten way better. The newly released retroid pocket 2 plus is fantastic on the front end and setup and will play n64/psp perfectly and will even do some of the game cube and ps2 library
this is on you bud. you buy a cheap garbage chinese famiclone, don't expect it to be better than a cheap famiclone.
The fact you kept thinking you could add roms to those cheap clones is very amusing
The amount of retro gaming devices being released is insane. While this might sound good, that they get to improve them and release revised versions if something doesn't work, it also prevents them from committing and releasing something that actually works. It's like most games, which release unfinished, but without patches. Absolute nightmare.
Yes, I'm holding out. You hit the nail on the head, there isn't a clear winner in this space. Waiting on the one that everyone will come out and declare as the definitive handheld to get.
I think the definitive handheld will be the steam deck.
@@GalaxyMii The steam deck is huge, and likely much larger than what many people want. Something like a modern Vita or a cheaper alternative to the Anbernic Switch Lite clones would probably interest more people. The Steam Deck is a bit more targeted at more hardcore users that want to game on the couch instead of on the go.
You're gonna be holding out forever. For pre-n64 stuff there's plenty of devices that pretty much already offer a perfect experience. You DO need to tinker, but it's not hard
There will never be a definitive one to get…. They will always be something…
You wont get best experience from these emulation handhelds. FPGA is the most accurate option unfortunately the development so slow you probably have to wait years until you can play N64 on FPGA platform lol. stay mad lol
GPD XD Plus was so good - but then the company refused to release an android update that would fix a load of gpu issues with games like GTA San Andreas android. So frustrating!
OHH HERE WE GO , BOB TALKING ABOUT AIR FRYERS... BIG AIR FRYER CORPORATIONS GOT TO YOU BOB, YOU SOLD OUT!
The Ayn Odin supposedly is starting to ship out, just the white, grey, and black, colors and the lite model aren't shipping quite yet. I'm really hoping it's good, if so I'll pick one up.
At the price point of these device’s you either get good software or good hardware, can’t have both.Chinese manufacturers focus on the things you can’t really hack on your own.
taki udon seems very impressed with what the rp2+ has done. & if you are the type to tinker the razer controller connected to a phone with a type c port is probably your best option
I have a MIYOO Mini on the way, and have really liked the Abernic RG350. The RG350 is great if you don't push it too hard, and I have high hopes for the MIYOO Mini as a very portable system. Completely agree that reskinning and updating the user experience is far too difficult and necessary on this class of devices.
I have an Anbernic RG351MP and I've found that to be the perfect emulation handheld... FOR ME. That's what I feel some of the issue is here, in gaming there is a lot of stuff out there and lots of ways to play, but it has to be right for you.
For me, I was looking to play games up to PS1 excluding (3)DS. I was looking for a GBA form factor that I could carry in my pocket. I was looking for a 4:3 screen that was at least 3". Finally, I was looking for something that could play SHMUPs in TATE mode. I got all of this PLUS it has a sleep mode so I can jump off or back on at a moment's notice (I'm a parent, my time is fleeting).
HOWEVER...all of the things I love about this system are only possible because I followed Retro Game Corps' guides. This thing was hot garbage out-of-the-box. First thing I did was replace the SD cards with name brand ones that I loaded with custom firmware (351elec) and my games.
I have no little in running N64, Saturn, PSP, or Dreamcast so I don't even bother. For DS games I have an o3DS with custom firmware to run all that stuff so I don't bother with that either. For me, trying to play games made for a handheld that had 2 screens on a handheld that has 1 screen seems like a bad user experience waiting to happen.
So, in all these ways the RG351MP is perfect FOR ME. When you get one of these things you have to really think about what you want it to be and to do. You can't have everything.
That's why a controller with an attached phone grip (I'm using the DualSense this way), or a extendable controller for Android is best. These portable emulators are really impractical.
There's the appeal of the device itself, which looks good and it's nice to have a dedicated device for games too.
It's mind boggling that this specific device has so many issues though.
@@refreshfr I guess some people are in fact fans of that "gaming console" feel. Which is ok. But if we are paying for something that emulates an old device, it should at least be better than the original retro console.
So you were saying 6+ inch phone + bulky dualsense controller with phone grip more practical than these tiny pocketable handhelds? i don't get it lol
@@fajrdn If you have tiny weak hands, yes, it would be a problem. For me, it's literally perfect.
I picked up an Anbernic 351MP a couple of weeks ago - my first portable emulator. It's been *way* more of a tinkering project than I expected - installing a new OS (351elec), configuring emulators, optimizing settings, and so on. Now that I have it dialed in, I really like the device a lot - but it took a lot of work to get there. I've also had to temper my expectations to some extent; I haven't had much luck with Dreamcast, PSP, or N64 emulation, so I'm not using it for those systems. As a PSX/GBA/SNES player, it's great. I do love that these devices exist and there's a supportive community of users and developers out there. I'm hoping that in the next year or so we get some devices with good, intuitive interfaces that will play up to Gamecube for under $200 - I'm holding off on further purchases until then.
Since retroarch is available through steam I’m excited to see how well it runs on the steam deck right out of the box especially how well it’s able to dock and switch to another controller if you moved to another screen for it
I'm assuming you'll get the perfect standard experience for the first few months: Most default settings are garbage. However chances are the community is going to be pretty fast at putting out updated config files you can copy over to use on your own, the release channel is (hopefully) going to do verifying and testing before they set custom defaults for the Deck.
Listen…let’s be real here…nobody likes watching sponsors….but THIS ONE deserves an award 🤣🤣🤣
Thank you! I'm so sick of TH-camrs showcasing these units after hours and hours of tinkering behind the scenes, then when you actually get one you have to do a TON of work to get them to work right and then you notice the plethora of QA or quality issues or glaring design flaws.
Sick of Taki Udon, ETA Prime, Retro Game Corps making their living showing these these half-baked devices like any of them appeal to anyone but the masochists who want to spend 10 hours screwing around with software and configuration. I'm pretty sure people just want to put their favorite ROMs on one and go.
If you can't be bothered, with the effort, that's fine. There is no need to hate on those who do put in the effort.
100% spot on. They make it look so quick & easy. I bought a RP2 because of them and it just collects dust because I don't have the time for all of the required configuration.
Dude you're criticizing a bunch of people putting content out to HELP you if you need it? That makes no sense. Your beef should be with the companies, not saying you dislike how people are making youtube careers out of helping others. Regardless, emulation doesn't sound like it's for you because it will always require tinkering unless you have someone make you a custom build.
I believe you're right. These companies are just tweaking things here and there, but then screwing something else up, which makes you want to buy the next thing that fixes some issues, but not all. Would've loved to see the power of Retroid Pocket 2+ in the body of Anbernic's RG522.
These handhelds come from hardware manufacturers. If you want better emulators and control compatibility, make one.
I'm enjoying the miyoo mini right now. Screen is ok, performance is good and great build quality. For 50 bucks you can throw it in your bag and not worry about it
Yes Bahb, I'm interested every time you post one of these videos that maybe this one gets it right, and am indeed disappointed by the end of it. I've said this before, it makes no sense to buy an android phone and a controller to play emulated games. But, I already have both a reasonably powerful android phone and 8bitdo controllers. I'm waiting for the emulation device that beats that, it's gotta happen eventually... right?
10:09 did you try using an Everdrive on the Analogue? Heard it works. I don't have roms so I don't mess with these things but do kick around buying one already sorted. Great vid, you speak the truth, everyone I know that has one is either really good with computers or says they are a PITA.
My hope is by the end of 2022 we can get a budget emulator to run PS2 games.
I'm with you there. And not on a massive x86 slab. A 7" screen at the very most and preferably smaller with all the benefits that brings. For battery life it has to have an ARM APU too. I would love that to come in 2022, but I think after that is more likely.
All the best.
WOW, what a huge win for the air fryer wulff den community!
Retroid Pocket 2+ seems (as the RP2 seemed at the time) the best for the price, I'd get one if my RP2 wasn't collecting dust, I definitely get by better using a controller with my android phone. I'm pretty used to retroarch's interface, can sync up saves without needing to login on some unknown android version, and a phone+ razer kishi pretty much takes the same space as phone + emulation device. The top tier for me would be a hacked switch, but I'm to scared to get it banned from online services to do that to my only switch
Honestly I kind of wish the razer kishi worked on switch, it has better analog sticks and better buttons (admittedly some might not like the mushiness of them, but the size is way better. The controller is like more ergonomic joycons that can't accidentally be separated.
@@plasmaoctopus1728 there are plenty alternative ergonomic joy cons and that Dobe controler-grip, might be worth looking
I never thought I'd see Mario selling me viagra
I mean, haven't you seen the mustache?
The retroid pocket 2+ has been the closest to "perfect" I've used.
That ED ad was hands down the funniest way I’ve ever seen someone do one of these sponsorships. Hahahaha
Man, you have the best sponsor ads ever.
This video is massively relevant to my experience so far with these devices. I’ve owned a fair few, the latest being the Retroid 2, and I eventually lose interest because the experience isn’t what I’m looking for.
I emulate on my tablet. It’s actually sick. Especially DS games. Runs smooth like butter and it’s got touch screens
This is the route I'm thinking of trying next as I need a new tablet soon anyway. What tablet do you have?
Thanks.
Glad to see you back Bob! Damn I was checking for vids lol
Hurry up and make the next two videos lol... A) Because I love these videos... B) Because I wanna see the new RG350 thingy upgrades ya got there. C) I REALLY wanna see a video on the Retroid Pocket 2 plus... Hoping one of these companies gets it all right. Even though my Retroid Pocket 2 OG is great... After reconfiguring EVERYTHING...
I honestly couldn’t have cared less for the device I came to watch bob, but my god that was my favourite ad spot I have seen on this channel.
Literally the only TH-camr whose ad spots I never skip since I know if I do, I'll probably miss something hilarious
I'm considering the Retroid Pocket 2+ simply because it plays SEGA Saturn games so well.
Thank you for this video. Keeping it real!
I think my hacked 3DS is the best portable emulator, because it took me less than an hour to setup and didn't cost me anything. I can also natively play a whole bunch of games because of the way the Virtual Console system works - it means a lot of the games aren't even emulated, so they run perfectly!
I think if people looked into hacking their old 3DS devices they'll be very happy with what can be done, without needing to drop hundreds on yet another style over substance device.
Anybody know what the song is at 1:57? Thanks!
Your ads are the only ones I refuse to skip
dont get an emulation handheld if you expect a nintendo switch type of experience where everything "just works" theres alot of trial and error.
I just got the Anbernic RG 351P - - I really like that form factor and the price per feature ratio was right in order to step into the portable emulator space. I did a bit of tinkering with it and will need to tinker even more to get it to fully work for me, but I knew that going in after looking into the swath of portable emulators out there. This space of our hobby is going to require some messing with, I can easily just load these ROMs on my PC and play it, but making it portable sure does had a wrench in making it a seamless experience.
Does the 351P have the correct pixel ratios for 4:3? I can't remember anymore. Does it have built-in Wi-Fi? What about Bluetooth for headphones or a controller? Anbernic prices their devices pretty high to leave out such basic quality of life features.
They do the controls almost right, except for their shoulder buttons.
I would also argue that you shouldn't be trying to play anything more powerful than SNES/GBA because there are so many caveats with more modern systems that the TH-cam reviews will tell you is "possible".
rocking a rg351m and i am not sure what you mean by saying it isn't seamless. i literally just drag and drop the roms onto my sd card and boom i can play them right away. it is actually easier to play games on it than my pc since it just works and appears instantly in my game library and only takes a single button press to start. on pc i have to navigate to any new rom before any emulator will notice it has been added. most of the time i don't even need to unzip the games either on my rg351 so i also save on space by leaving them compressed.
@@IM_A_BEAR_LOL The aspect ratio can be set to 4:3, and it looks good to me, but I think technically it does not. Bluetooth or wifi wasn't a draw - an additional control would defeat the portability for me, and both would just be battery drains for my use case.
For this type of form factor I fine the shoulder buttons. They work well while keeping is portable for a pocket, but there is probably a better way to do it.
After some messing around, I can get N64 games playing - - some better than others, but it works, probably need some more tinkering to get it right. I haven't had a chance to mess around enough to get Dreamcast and PS1 working yet, but I know I just need different extensions for the ROMS I have. Out of the box, I don
NES/SNES/GC/GBA worked without a problem for sure and with some aspect ratio fixes and shadders, you get a good little system for me.
@@gravysamich For me, PC ROM playing is that - - download ROM, play rom. Messing with shadders and the nuts and bolts is easier on the PC, for me, as the menus are just there.
Technically, the 351 is pretty easy to just boot and go, but I messed with it a bit because I read too many starter guides and watched too many youtube videos, so I went down a rabbit hole of "getting the most out of the 351" blah blah blah.
3:10 / 16:03 I'm having trouble playing this level. I'm inputting YLJ-SMR-WKF and it can't find the level. Any help would be appreciated
I need a compilation of all your ads as one two hour long video
Awesome review! You're spot on about this device, and props to the RG351V! It's my fav! My last one was the GP2X! And backed the Odin, so with game streaming with my racing games and the RG351V, I'm set for a while! ^_^ Looks like we'll get the Odin this month, depending on the color variant, given their latest update today.
I got my RP2+ a couple weeks back and I’m loving it. Ease of use and setup is night and day over the RP2. I… also have an Odin coming. And… I got an Analogue Pocket. I have a problem
I've always been tempted to buy one of these but never seen one that has ever satisfied enough to actually get me to buy one
Lol I mean the emulator content is great, it's why I'm here, but I gotta say that the highlight for me was Bob looking into my eyes and saying he'd potentially give me a "holler". That shit is hilarious.
I keep looking for that perfect handheld. If analog made a GBA form factor instead of the classic, I might bite. But I still want a device close to a modern execution of a PSP with internal storage but not as big as Vita. The unwieldy size is what turns me from the switch or steam dock. I want something closer to a reasonably sized phone
I'm saving for the Steam Deck, mainly for light gaming on the side. But I will be testing any emulator I can on the thing
I ain't a big retro fan, but I love Wolff for uploading these videos on retro consoles. I plan on getting one when he says "ok guys, this is it!" But I reckon we are a long way from that, ha.
Love the sponsorship bit. Brilliantly done.
Can you do reviews on the PXN and GCHT 3rd party switch controllers? I have the PXN but they both seem great. 👍
I own an RG351V, and MP. I like them both a lot, but yeah I do see what you mean. They're not perfect, and it did take some fenangling to get them quite how I want. At least firmware developers are making it easier to enjoy new features and such with updates via wifi.
I also backed the Odin. I've been watching their progress, and the device looks really solid. Their TH-cam channel is all showing gameplay on emulators, and it seems to run Gamecube and even PS2 very well. I have no idea what to expect with shipment time, but everyone is really excited. Hope it comes out soon...
I have the RG351P and am pretty happy with it but then I bought it mainly to play GBA and SNES and it wasn't expensive. I'll probably wait a year or two until the systems and emulators have improved before upgrading. I think it's worth taking into account that decent handheld PS1 / PSP / N64 emulation was a pipe dream only a year or two ago and at the speed things have improved it shouldn't be too long before this becomes bread and butter and we're looking at the next gen of consoles.
I have a RG351P and to me it's so damn near perfect. I use it to play mainly NES, SNES, GB, and GBA games (but have everything up to Dreamcast and even a lot of arcade stuff for collections sake) and for that it's perfect to me. I use ArkOS on mine and the UI is great and just looks so polished. Custom splash screen when I star up games. After taking a bit of time to learn Retroarch everything I play runs and looks exactly how I want it to. I have overlays themed to systems and games to hide the black edges and the ratio is perfect for GBA which is what I mainly got it for. I can make it emulate the look of a CRT or color correct to look more like actual hardware. You can even put a standalone port of Super Mario 64 on it that runs widescreen at 60 fps and has great premapped controls that work perfectly. It runs way better than the official 3D all stars version from Nintendo themselves. Yes it took some work and ArkOS is more for the tinkerer but it was just so fun getting to learn this thing. There are alternates to ArkOS that are more plug and play ready as well. One of the best investments I've made in regards to retro video game. I also have a Retroid Pocket 2 but I didn't care for it as much although I do prefer the look of the shell. I do want to upgrade to the plus version though I think I want to look into getting the upgrade kit for it. If I had a 351P that looked like and performed like the Pocket 2+ I'd my perfect handheld.
Woah this video is pretty bright, like it’s not in a dark blue-white hue. Not a bad thing, I usually auto play wulffden videos on my tv and it illuminates my room
This whole video spoke to me as really true. I have a retroid pocket 2 which is a fine and kind of cool device but the setup to get it running emulation really good was just such a pain that that it kind of sapped the joy out of wanting to emulate games handheld I remember working to set it up and while I was working on it the megaman zero/zx collection came out on switch and I ended up playing that and boxing the retroid pocket 2 and haven’t opened it since
First handheld emulator was the RP2 last year. And man, I loved the form factor, the industrial design... and hated the thing. The Android OS as implemented on that thing was awful without a touchscreen and it didn't run things I wanted it to run, that it should have ran... I love tweaking on things, but not like that. Almost never used it.
I picked up an RG351P about the same time and, man that thing (once you go to community made custom firmware!) is pretty great but the 3:2 screen isn't the best and frankly it was kind of frustrating how it could *almost* do N64, and *almost* do Dreamcast and *almost* do PSP... That said the community dev on it is outstanding- so many cool ports have been done for the rockchip based devices.
I spent a bit of time looking at the Odroid Go Super, and the Powkiddy RGB10 Max, and the RG351MP as I figured that the biggest problem for me on the RG351 was the screen...
But then the Retroid Pocket 2+ hit, and I snapped up the PCB upgrade kit and touch screen to rebuild my old RP2... And it's outstanding. The new chipset and the new Android setup work great. Problem with it is that... well, it *almost* plays gamecube and it *almost* plays Playstation freakin' 2.
I mean... The Steam Deck is massive, because it's a literal PC that's meant to run AAA games on the go, not just emulators.
Its like bob was born to make ED commercials, hes a natural
I have been waiting to pick one up until all the kinks are ironed out and I do anticipate every handheld emulator video you post. That is, until The One comes out.
"Why won't my sketchy electronics just work?" 🤣
My first gripe just looking at that PowKiddy is it looks like a Gameboy but doesn't look very pocket friendly. It has that analog stick, well, sticking out and I can't imagine that not either getting in the way or getting damaged rather quickly if I stuck it into a pocket. And of course the screen's exposed and begging for scratches, like the Gameboy. Nintendo got this stuff figured out over 15 years ago with the DS (or DS Lite for true pocketability), and even got a non-pocket-catching analog stick in a clamshell design with the 3DS. Why don't any of these emulation devices do it that way?
I'm quite happy with my Ambinic 350 with the Adam CFW for 'classic' retro gaming up to PS1 standard. They are the only ones who produce worthwhile concepts. The Retorid Pocket 2 had a terrible D-pad and buttons, which would creak like crazy after 15 mins of use.
As you point out - the answer to the 'ultimate emulator' question is known as a "Steam Deck"!
THANK YOU.
I got the retroid pocket 2+ and for the life of me it took far too long to get from unboxing to actually playing a game.
The delay of the Steam Deck made me get an Anbernic RG351MP. It took a lot of work to get robust SD cards and custom firmware and such on it, but I didn't mind that. It's working great!
If you were just going to play some retro games it was never meant for you.
@@kittenzrulz I got a Q2 order still waiting :)
Yeah, I definitely look forward to some of the new devices. They're neat in concept, and I love a lot of the form-factors on some, but then I dig into it some more and some are just way too pricey, or they manage to F-up the one or two things I was hoping they'd do right
You missed a chance with that Roman commercial. "Who gives a hoot and a hollar? Well my giving a hoot could save you a dollar"
You dont need to sideload something to the steamdeck because is a pc so its open to install whatever OS u want. U could install retroarch on steam or in Linux directly or download one of the retro emulator distro that only have emulators.
A lot of what this guy is saying is the nature of a new technology. Handheld emulators are still a fairly new product. It stands to reason that there will be a lot of new devices in rapid succession with new features and capabilities. That's a lot like how the smartphone market used to be.
Another issue is emulation itself. Some systems like the N64 are more difficult to emulate than others. If you then add multiple hardware possibilities to that situation, it's no wonder "some guy" comes up with a solution to the problem. After all, we have emulators because "some guys" created them. Most emulators weren't created by companies. They were products of curious people wanting to make games on different hardware. Any industry that springs up from that is going to have growing pains.
I love these videos on the retro emulator scene. Keep up the good work. I've been holding out on getting one because I want the perfect one. Although I have been very interested in the retroid pocket 2 plus because it does sound perfect.
I can believe mine didn't make it! I stand by "Does your mushroom need a 1up mushroom?"