The PowKiddy V90 has a new color, and so let’s take this opportunity to give this device an updated review in the context of 2022 and a more saturated handheld market.
Buy one here (AliExpress)
Find it on Amazon (faster shipping)
UPDATE: PortMaster has recently created a one-stop shop for all things related to running ports on retro handhelds. I recommend checking out their website and my most recent PortMaster guide instead of the guide below; I’m leaving this page up for posterity’s sake only. To get started, head over to their Games tab, find the game you want to run, and check out their instructions on that page. If you run into any issues, their discord server is also a great place to start.
The indie classic game Timespinner has recently been ported to various handheld devices, thanks to community developers and the awesome PortMaster tool. Here are the systems that can run the game as of making this guide:
Anbernic RG351P (ArkOS final, TheRA, AmberELEC, JELOS)
Anbernic RG351M (ArkOS final, TheRA, AmberELEC, JELOS)
Anbernic RG351V (ArkOS, TheRA, AmberELEC, JELOS)
Anbernic RG351MP (ArkOS, TheRA, AmberELEC, JELOS)
Anbernic RG552 (AmberELEC, JELOS)
PowKiddy RGB10 (ArkOS)
GameForce Chi (ArkOS)
RK2020 (ArkOS)
ODROID Go Advance (ArkOS)
ODROID Go Super (The RetroArena, RetroOZ)
PowKiddy RGB10 Max (The Retro Arena, RetroOZ)
Setting up this game is similar to other ports such as Shovel Knight, Undertale, and Iconoclasts. Big thanks to developer JohnnyOnFlame for getting this port up and running; please consider buying him a coffee for his hard work.
Note that you will need to have PortMaster installed and updated on your device. Here is my PortMaster guide.
Continue reading “Guide: Timespinner on Retro Handhelds (PortMaster)”
The new GMKtec NucBox 5 is a huge upgrade from previous tiny PC models: it has an 11th-generation Jasper Lake N5105 processor, WiFi-6, Bluetooth 5.2, and lots of new ports. Let’s take a deep dive into its potential for PC gaming, retro emulation, and as a dedicated Batocera machine, too.
Buy it on Amazon
15% off on Amazon this week
GMKtec website
Discount Code: 15%OFFEaster (good for one week)
This will bring the final price to $254.99 (256GB) or $339.99 (512GB)
Continue reading “GMKtec NucBox 5 Micro PC Review: Fantastic Price to Performance!”
After a few weeks of tinkering, I finally have my Steam Deck set up exactly the way I like. This video will show you my setup, which is a combination of EmuDeck, EmulationStation, Xbox Cloud Gaming, standalone Linux games, and my Steam library.
EmuDeck
EmulationStation
Xbox Cloud Gaming setup
Itch.io Linux games
SteamGridDB
Several months into its lifecycle, the Anbernic RG552 finally has some great options when it comes to improving the user experience. Let’s take a look at three different firmware options (two on Linux, and one on Android) which will give you better gameplay performance and some nice quality of life upgrades, too.
Buy one here:
AliExpress ($227 before sales)
Amazon Prime ($249 with fast shipping)
Well, that didn’t take long. The desktop version of EmulationStation works really well with the Steam Deck, and allows you to streamline your emulation setup on this impressive handheld. Plus it works in perfect sync with EmuDeck, allowing you to have preconfigured emulation settings AND multiple options when it comes to organizing your ROM library. In this video we’ll go over basic setup, add artwork, and improve how it displays in SteamOS.
Download EmulationStation Desktop Edition here, and be sure to check out their extensive user guide.
Other tools used in this video:
EmuDeck for emulator auto-configuration
SteamGridDB for posters, heroes, grid, and logo images
ScreenScraper.fr to sign up for a free account for scraping images
Note that while I didn’t show it in the video, you can go into Main Menu > Other Settings and adjust the default emulators to your liking. This is helpful if you have a preferred RetroArch core or want to use a standalone emulator.
Continue reading “EmulationStation on Steam Deck! Showcase and Guide”
Let’s check out the new tool called EmuDeck, which will preconfigure all of your Steam Deck emulators and also set up the Steam ROM Manager for you, too. You can have your whole retro library up and running within SteamOS in 20 minutes, complete with fancy game art, customized controls, universal hotkeys, and more.
Check it out here
EmuDeck discord
EmuDeck discussion on Reddit
At this point, what CAN’T the Steam Deck do? In this video we’ll look at the emulation performance of the Steam Deck within its stock SteamOS operating system. We’ll also discuss my findings with getting Batocera running on the handheld.
Links mentioned in the video:
Steam ROM Manager
Batocera installation guide
RetroArch starter guide
Last updated 15JUL2022
In this guide we’ll create our own “remaster” of Metroid Prime by upscaling the graphics, adding new textures, and implementing a modern control scheme thanks to a forked version of the Dolphin emulator called PrimeHack.
Continue reading “Metroid Prime Trilogy HD Emulation Guide”
Sometimes, less is more. In this video I’ll show you how I’ve pared down my retro game collection to just focus on the games that I actually want to play, and how it has given me the opportunity to just focus on games, and not endless browsing.
Devices that support this setup:
Anbernic RG351P
Anbernic RG351M
Anbernic RG351V
Anbernic RG351MP
PowKiddy RGB10 Pro
PowKiddy RGB10 Max
PowKiddy RGB10 Max 2
351ELEC: https://351elec.de/
ArkOS: https://github.com/christianhaitian/arkos/wiki
Note that while I didn’t explicitly mention it, this same setup can be done within RetroOZ for its supported devices as well. Check out the latest version here.
Continue reading “My current (simple) 351ELEC setup”
Retro Game Corps 