Retro Game Corps

Big news regarding my newsletter!

I've switched providers, which expands a lot of its functionality. All of my newsletter archives are still available, the website is the same, and if you've already signed up then you're automatically transferred over.

news.retrogamecorps.com/

Some updates:
- This service now has RSS, which was your most requested feature. You can find it at the bottom of the page, or directly here: buttondown.com/retrogamecorps/rss
- The archive page now has a dark mode option, it will follow whatever you have set in your browser
- You can now leave comments in the newsletter archives! That should be fun
- To access previous newsletters, there is an "ARCHIVES" link at the top-right of the page.
- The website should be much snappier and the formatting looks better on a variety of different browsers, email clients, and devices

If the URL above doesn't work properly, it's probably because the domain forwarding is still working through the interwebs. Here is a direct link: buttondown.com/retrogamecorps

Newsletter #4 will be out this weekend, see you then!

20 hours ago (edited) | [YT] | 560

Retro Game Corps

Anbernic is teasing their next handheld, the RG VITA (and VITA Pro). https://youtu.be/-J5ZL4hWjes

We have no information about it other than a quick look at the back showed that it will have a 5000mAh battery. Here are my guesses:

- It will be an Android-based device
- It will likely have one of their previous generation chipsets, like the Dimensity 8300, Unisoc T820, or T618
- The "Pro" version may have a more powerful chip, or it may just be increased RAM/storage
- My estimated price point will depend on the chipset: $250ish (D8300), $170ish (T820), $125ish (T618)
- It doesn't appear to have active cooling, which suggests a weaker chipset
- Given the state of PS Vita emulation on Android, and the fact that all of these chipsets use Mali integrated GPUs, I would not expect wide compatibility with PS Vita titles. Like with their other "homage" devices (RG ARC and RG DS), expect some significant compromises
- No front camera, and the back pad it likely not a touchpad, which will break functionality with some PS Vita games
- It will probably be a remarkable PSP handheld. I'd argue they should have named it the RG PSP instead of RG VITA

1 day ago (edited) | [YT] | 1,296

Retro Game Corps

Issue #3 of the Retro Game Corps newsletter went out this morning! You can either read it directly online, or sign up to have it emailed to you each week: news.retrogamecorps.com/

So far in each issue I have been rounding up the videos I made, the games I've been playing, music I've been listening to, the latest news, and a behind-the-scenes look at my studio work.

3 days ago | [YT] | 1,002

Retro Game Corps

​AliExpress is having a big "Love Delivers + Choice Day" sale event starting today. Here are the discount codes, which includes Retro Game Corps-specific codes they made for my audience. Unfortunately these are US-only, because that's all I have access to; to find your own regional codes, it's usually easiest to go to the AliExpress homepage where they will have them displayed on a banner.

04RGC or USCD04 = $4 off orders $29+
07RGC or USCD07 = $7 off orders $49+
9RGC or USCD09 = $9 off orders $69+
13RGC or USCD13 = $13 off orders $99+
020RGC or USCD20 = $20 off orders $159+
25RGC or USCD25 = $25 off orders $209+
40RGC or USCD40 = $40 off orders $329+

Here are some AliExpress deals that I found after some quick searching. Tip: search by name of the device you are looking for, then look at the stores selling the items; if they have sold a large number of devices, and have a high rating, they likely are the safest bet. If you are in the US, be sure to look for US-based shipping, which will help avoid any potential tariffs upon checkout.

Miyoo Flip V2 ($39.94 after coupon)
Affiliate link: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c3jNFKfZ
Non-affiliate: www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809252767848.html

Anbernic RG35XXSP ($43.24 after coupon)
Affiliate link: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c312Zfht
Non-affiliate: www.aliexpress.us/item/3256810550380063.html

Miyoo Mini Plus ($44.80 after coupon)
Affiliate link: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c3SMlnht
Non-affiliate: www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809946219148.html

Miyoo Mini V4 ($45.25 after coupon)
Affiliate link: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c4UiLV4r
Non-affiliate: www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808364996760.html

Anbernic RG35XXH ($48.55 after coupon)
Affiliate link: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c2R4r8X1
Non-affiliate​: www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809958235616.html

Anbernic RG40XXH ($49.91 after coupon)
Affiliate link: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c3W0EEDV
Non-affiliate​: www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809790433505.html

Miyoo Mini Flip ($50.87 after coupon)
Affiliate link: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c2wsdP2L
Non-affiliate​: www.aliexpress.us/item/3256810580987042.html

Anbernic RG Cube XX ($50.88 after coupon)
Affiliate link: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c2Qf4ZF9
Non-affiliate: www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809344162228.html

TrimUI Brick ($52.58 after coupon)
Affiliate link: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c4pGE7m7
Non-affiliate​: www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809336047671.html

Anbernic RG Slide ($116.88 after coupon)
Affiliate link: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c43gmlZv
Non-affiliate: www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809654749066.html

Anbernic RG406H ($123.16 after coupon)
Affiliate link: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c4ThemyF
Non-affiliate​: www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809945392139.html

3 days ago (edited) | [YT] | 614

Retro Game Corps

My tried-and-true USB microSD card reader is on sale for $9 on Amazon right now. I've been using this thing since 2020 and hasn't ever given me an issue.

Affiliate link: amzn.to/4qeS2Cm
Non-affiliate: www.amazon.com/Anker-Reader-Memory-RS-MMC-Micro/dp…

There is a USB-C version, which is also on sale for the same price:

Affiliate link: amzn.to/3LNMFvQ
Non-affiliate: www.amazon.com/Anker-Reader-Memory-RS-MMC-Micro/dp…

4 days ago | [YT] | 928

Retro Game Corps

AYN has announced that they have discontinued the original Odin 2 handheld, and the Odin 2 Portal is going on sale while remaining supplies last. It appears that they are focusing on AYN Thor and Odin 3 production going forward.

Sale prices are $249 for the Base (8GB/128GB) model, $369 for the Pro (12GB/512GB) model, and $449 for the Max (16GB/1TB) model.

Affiliate link: tinyurl.com/RGCodin2Portal
Non-affiliate: www.ayntec.com/products/odin2-portal

Here is my review: https://youtu.be/DTCGlq3gBTM
Here is a comparison of the three Odin 2 models: https://youtu.be/c8bdfQENUDw

If you do pick up the device, I recommend getting their grip, which I found greatly enhances the Portal's somewhat flat ergonomics: www.ayntec.com/collections/accessories/products/od…

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6 days ago | [YT] | 746

Retro Game Corps

We're finally seeing some Amazon listings for the Anbernic RG476H. It's currently $178 with free shipping, that makes it about $8 more than the AliExpress listing (before coupons) but it will ship faster and have easier returns.

Amazon ($178):
Affiliate link: amzn.to/4qR872e
Non-affiliate: www.amazon.com/dp/B0FRZN49Y8/

AliExpress is currently having a "Local Frenzy Sale" (for US customers) where you can use code USLS16 to get $16 off any order that's $139+, which brings the Anbernic RG476H cost down to $154 with free shipping from the US (no tariffs).

AliExpress ($154 after coupon):
Affiliate link: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c351v0JD
Non-affiliate: www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807549781119.html

Anbernic's own website is currently selling the device for $155 (also ships from a US warehouse), but bear in mind that they also charge about $15 shipping depending on where you live.

Anbernic direct ($155 + shipping):
Affiliate link: tinyurl.com/RG476H
Non-affiliate: anbernic.com/products/rg476h

Here is my in-depth review of the device: https://youtu.be/cCx4BpIrTRY

In the end I think this is one of their best-ever handhelds, and one of my favorite releases of 2025, but whether it's worth buying will really come down to what you want to play, and what you already own.

6 days ago | [YT] | 639

Retro Game Corps

For those wondering, here is what the Retroid Pocket 6 looks like with the Retroid Dual Screen attachment. It's slightly off-center because the USB-C port is positioned to the left; you can push the attachment to be centered but it puts strain on the USB-C connection, and often taps the volume and power buttons up top. The setup you see pictured is the most centered I can make it while playing comfortably. I think it's pretty wonky compared to the RP5/RPG2/RPMiniV2.

Of note, the Retroid Dual-Screen attachment has been showing "sold out" on their website for a few weeks now, but I have heard that it may get a restock in the future.

1 week ago | [YT] | 1,516

Retro Game Corps

The second issue of the Retro Game Corps newsletter released this morning! I’m having fun collecting all of my thoughts into a weekly format like this.

You can either read it directly online or sign up to have it emailed to you each week. news.retrogamecorps.com/

1 week ago | [YT] | 1,228

Retro Game Corps

A couple weeks ago I ran a poll concerning AYANEO and their failure to ship handhelds on time, combined with their long history of customer service and quality control issues. Here is the original post: youtube.com/post/UgkxPkCrbgsSiVJTKSmLI2rz7cGetxGF8…

After over 16,000 votes, here are the results:
22% = continue to review pre-release units
45% = only review retail units
33% = boycott AYANEO products outright

So clearly, the majority of voters see value in reviewing AYANEO handhelds (67% total) vs boycotting their products. This makes sense to me, since I believe the fundamental purpose of a review is to better inform potential buyers, and giving consumers more information allows them to make wiser choices. All the same, the fact that 33% of voters would rather the company be wiped from my review slate speaks volumes about the kind of job they're doing with international customers, and the greater volume (78%) voted for some sort of change in my review process.

Among the 500+ comments in the post, I was surprised to find the majority of them encouraged me to continue reviewing as I always do, but with a stronger emphasis on AYANEO's history of shipping/QC/CS issues. I took a lot of these comments to heart as well.

AYANEO also recently posted a lengthy update detailing their 2026 "Service Improvement Plan" to address customer concerns. This 2026 plan includes clearing their shipping backlog, improving their customer service platform, testing direct sales (vs crowdfunding campaigns), and launching an overseas warehouse. You can read it in more detail here: www.reddit.com/r/ayaneo/comments/1qa8t1j/ayaneo_20…

Notably, they also are pausing the crowdfunding campaign on their upcoming Pocket Play slider phone until their quality of service has been improved. But it should also be noted in this week alone they announced two new upcoming handhelds.

With all this in mind, here is what I plan to do with AYANEO products in the future:

- I will continue to review their products if I consider them to be worth investigating. This means I likely won't review devices that are simple spec bumps.
- If given the opportunity, I may still accept some early review units if I think a review video will be of benefit to you as the potential customer. An example would be that upcoming Pocket Play slider phone handheld; a company with this track record launching a smartphone in the US raises all sorts of alarm bells in my mind, and I want to be on the ground testing that product before people invest their hard-earned money on it.
- I will also periodically pre-order retail units to report on the purchasing and fulfillment experience as an everyday buyer. This will be in lieu of early review units, which means these videos will come later than my previous cadence. I've got some plans on how to keep this experience anonymous.
- I'm going to need your feedback to let me know which devices warrant an early look vs a retail experience.

To be clear: this means I will be reviewing fewer AYANEO products, and will only review early units if I think it's critical information that will benefit buyers. Otherwise I will purchase the device myself and review the retail unit after pre-orders have concluded. I'll be relying on your feedback as my audience to determine which handhelds warrant an early look, a review of the retail experience, or no review at all -- so please keep your feedback coming.

That's about it. I'll be keeping an eye on AYANEO's 2026 plan and I hope (for everyone) that they do in fact follow through on these promises.

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1 week ago (edited) | [YT] | 2,346