Guide: Timespinner on Retro Handhelds (PortMaster)

Guide: Timespinner on Retro Handhelds (PortMaster)

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.

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Sega Saturn Update for ArkOS and RetroOZ

Sega Saturn Update for ArkOS and RetroOZ

Last updated: 30JAN2022

Thanks to new updates to their emulators, you can get greatly improved Sega Saturn performance on RG351V, RG351MP, RGB10, ODROID Go Advance, ODROID Go Super, and RGB10 Max devices running ArkOS and RetroOZ. In this guide I’ll show you how to install the new update, configure the emulator, and we’ll take a look at some gameplay, too.

Note that 351ELEC support is planned but not implemented yet.

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Stardew Valley on Retro Handhelds

Stardew Valley on Retro Handhelds

Last updated: 13JUL2022 (see Changelog for details)

The beloved farming simulator Stardew Valley has now been ported to RK3326 devices such as the Anbernic RG351 series, PowKiddy RGB10 series, ODROID Go Advance/Super, and the GameForce Chi. This game also works on other devices that work with PortMaster, such as the Anbernic RG552, RG353P, and RG503.

Setting up this game is similar to other ports such as Shovel Knight, Undertale, and Iconoclasts. Mad props to developer JohnnyOnFlame for getting this port running; please consider buying him a coffee for his hard work.

IMPORTANT NOTE: since making my installation video below, the game has been updated which affects that installation. From now on, it’s important to download the “Compatibility” version of the game in order for the process to work. The written instructions below will walk you through that process.

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Guide: Moonlight on Retro Handhelds

Guide: Moonlight on Retro Handhelds

Last updated: 04SEP2023

Moonlight is a game streaming tool designed to allow you to stream your screen (and games) from a PC to a connected device. This means you can stream games that wouldn’t normally run on your device, such as GameCube, PS2, PC games, and so on. This is an excellent option if you want to play a few games while in bed, or on the couch, or maybe at the dinner table.

For this guide, we will focus on Moonlight support for custom Linux-based firmwares on the following handheld devices:

Anbernic RG351P (ArkOS final, AmberELEC) — requires WiFi dongle
Anbernic RG351M (ArkOS final, AmberELEC)
Anbernic RG351V (ArkOS, AmberELEC)
Anbernic RG351MP (ArkOS, AmberELEC)
PowKiddy RGB10 (ArkOS) — requires WiFi dongle
PowKiddy RGB10 Max (RetroOZ) — requires WiFi dongle for 5GHz
GameForce Chi (ArkOS)
RK2020 (ArkOS) — requires WiFi dongle
ODROID Go Advance (ArkOS) — may require WiFi dongle
ODROID Go Super (RetroOZ) — requires WiFi dongle

Update: Moonlight is now available via the PortMaster app, so any of the many devices and OS options that run PortMaster will run Moonlight, and some custom firmwares (like JELOS) have Moonlight integrated directly into the OS. Elements of the written guide below may be a little out of date!

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RGB10 Max Color Comparison (Orange vs Black) + Case Review

RGB10 Max Color Comparison (Orange vs Black) + Case Review

I have both color models of the RGB10 Max in my hands, so let’s do a comparison to see which one you might want to buy. Also, I have a couple cases that should fit the device, so let’s look at those too. Guest cameo appearance by my ODROID Go Super for bonus points.

Buy an RGB10 Max
Nintendo Switch Lite case

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Guide: Widescreen Dreamcast on Retro Handhelds

Guide: Widescreen Dreamcast on Retro Handhelds

Last updated: 29MAY2021 (see Changelog for details)

The sixth generation of video game consoles, which included the PS2, Nintendo Gamecube, Xbox, and Sega Dreamcast, was a transformative period for both gaming and televisions. Standard (4:3 aspect) TVs were eventually replaced by widescreen (16:9) aspect ratio displays during this time, and many console accommodated this shift. A few Dreamcast games, such as Rayman 2, natively supported widescreen televisions upon release — all you have to do is go into the game settings and change it to 16:9 instead of 4:3. Most other games were natively scaled to 4:3, but many 3D titles on the Dreamcast can be altered to stretch into anamorphic widescreen. This is possible because these games render the 3D environment beyond the 4:3 displayed on a typical TV, and through various hacks we can unlock widescreen Dreamcast for over 100 titles.

These instructions are primarily written for the RetroOZ firmware on the ODROID Go Super or RGB10 Max in particular, since it has a lovely 16:9 screen, but the RetroArch widescreen hack cheats can be implemented in other firmwares such as EmuELEC, ArkOS, and 351ELEC for RG351P/M devices (or other devices with screens wider than 4:3). There are three basic methods:

  1. Use the built-in RetroRun widescreen hack or cheats options
    • Available for RetroOZ firmware only
    • Supported platforms: OGS, RGB10 Max
  2. Use widescreen hack cheats in RetroArch
    • Available for EmuELEC, 351ELEC, and ArkOS firmwares
    • Supported platforms: OGS, RGB10 Max, or any 3:2 device like RG351P/M, RGB10, OGA, RK2020, etc.
  3. Hex edit your games for permanent widescreen
    • Available for ArkOS firmware only (351ELEC may be possible with shell script creation)
    • Supported platforms: RG351P/M, RGB10, OGA, RK2020
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Quick Guide: File Transfer Options on Retro Handheld Devices

Quick Guide: File Transfer Options on Retro Handheld Devices

Let’s look at the four ways you can transfer files to and from your device. This guide applies to all RK3326-based devices, like the Anbernic RG351 series, PowKiddy RGB10/20, ODROID Go Advance/Super devices, and so on.

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