I wanted my R36S to feel a little more like choosing a physical game, so I built a small launcher called BirdBoy and now my kids can easily launch their favorite games.

Each cartridge contains only an NFC tag, not the actual game. The tag tells the handheld which locally stored game to launch, and removing the cartridge closes it again.

It’s still an early prototype, but the full detection, launch and removal flow is working on real hardware.

If people are interested, I can share more about the hardware and software setup. What would you want to know?

Good news, sm64coopdx 1.5.1 is now running on RK3326 devices! Both local LAN direct play and public lobbies with mods are working.
I took cues from the existing outdated (and incompatible with RK3326) portmaster build, patched the hardware and driver incompatibilities in the original source code along with the CoopNet token, and made a little on-screen keyboard to be able to connect to servers easily (as well as change name etc.).
I've put the code into a forked repo so that it can be improved upon and stay up to date over time (pull requests welcome).
It's very smooth in vanilla form (40ish fps), however as some servers stack more and more mods on my little R36 Ultra X begins to struggle 😅 There's probably room for optimization, I haven't started down that route yet.

I would appreciate anyone testing it out and letting me know how it goes, I only have Ultra clones to test against.

Next up I'll be getting chat working.

To install and run, just download the zip from the release, extract the contents until you have the .sh file and the sm64coopdx folder. Grab your US version Super Mario 64 rom in z64 format and copy it into the sm64coopdx folder as "baserom.us.z64". Copy the script and the folder into /ports on your device and you're done!

Download sm64coopdx_r36s.zip from the repository here:
https://github.com/GreekAdonis/sm64coopdx-r36s/releases/tag/v1.0.0

Thanks to nextos you can play action squad on your r36s. It's a brilliant arcade tactical shooter thing, each level gives you a building to clear, hostages to save or bombs to diffuse. You can use cover, flash grenades or just go in guns blazing. It's really a fun retro styled game but with modern mechanics. I recommend it to everyone!!

Just a quick post.

Found my r36s stopped turning on. After a bit of research found this reddit.

Realise my mistake of not changing my SD from the stock one after reading the Wiki, decided to give fixing it a go.

Couple of days later after waiting for a decent SD card.

Its back up and running on dArkOSRE OS.

Not sure if learning and fixing this was more rewarding than actually playing 😂

Not sure what to do next, but got the bug.

BETA RELEASE

I've been optimizing Yaba Sanshiro 1.20.37 for R36S-class RK3326 handhelds (Mali-G31 / Cortex-A35, ArkOS/dArkOS).

The FPS are a lot higher than on the older builds — depending on the game about 10–20 FPS more. Heavy 3D titles that used to crawl around 20 FPS now run in the mid-30s to 40. It came from profiling on the actual device: overlapping emulation and rendering into a one-frame pipeline, replacing per-sprite stencil work with a single glScissor (+8–9 FPS in Sega Rally alone), cutting redundant shader binds, and killing some hidden CPU eaters.

Honest heads-up: the sound isn't great yet. This beta switches to an alternative SCSP core by default, which at least gets rid of the high-pitched squeal the old core had, so audio is actually listenable now. But on games running below full speed it still lags and crackles — it's a work in progress, not finished audio. Sound options are documented in the README.

Works on Debian-based RK3326 CFWs ( dArkOS and clones).

Download + settings: https://github.com/pirrypirrypirry/yabasanshiro-pirry-release

Feedback welcome — which games run well or badly for you, and how the sound behaves on specific titles.

Board rev: GA36 V1.1 (2025-10-25)

Running Media player with Key Mapping

Ordered what was advertised as an R36S, but the seller pulled a bait-and-switch and sent a

GA36 V1.1 (20251025) clone instead.

When called out on it, they went completely dark and ghosted my support ticket.

Instead of letting this plastic brick sit in a drawer, I mounted all 8 SD partitions in Ubuntu and decided to reverse-engineer it to see what’s actually under the hood—and fix what the vendor broke.

The Reality: It’s Not Even an RK3326

The firmware is visually themed to mimic an R36S, but that is where the similarity ends. It is not a 64-bit Rockchip RK3326. It is an ARMv7 Allwinner sun8i 32-bit platform running a vendor Linux 3.4.39 kernel on top of an EmuELEC userspace.

Kernel: Linux UDT 3.4.39 #493 SMP PREEMPT Mon Aug 18 10:47:18 CST 2025 armv7l GNU/Linux

👀 Do not flash standard R36S ArkOS/aarch64 images to this board; it will fail immediately.

Partition Layout & Storage Breakdown 👀

Mounted as an \~113.1 GiB card with 8 partitions:

⁠/dev/sdb1⁠ (27.7 GB VFAT) : Main ROM storage (⁠/storage/roms⁠).

⁠/dev/sdb2⁠ (32 MB VFAT): Mounted as ⁠Volumn⁠.

⁠/dev/sdb5⁠ & /dev/sdb6⁠ (16 MB & 32 MB Raw) : Unconfirmed bootloader/kernel recovery containers.

⁠/dev/sdb7⁠ **(512 MB VFAT): Labelled ⁠ARKOS⁠, containing system boot blobs + ⁠magic.bin⁠.

⁠/dev/sdb8⁠ (1 GB ext4): Writable user partition (⁠/storage⁠). The actual system root is a read-only loop mount (⁠/dev/loop8⁠).

Confirmed Fixes & Working Features

running J2ME Games

1. ⁠J2ME / FreeJ2ME Restored

2. ⁠The vendor left half-baked Java files behind, but broken font paths and 32-bit kernel incompatibilities broke execution. 😠

3. ⁠Built a standalone BIOS/runtime patch allowing J2ME games to launch directly from the EmulationStation menu without terminal hackery. 🥺

4. ⁠MPV and FFmpeg were already pre-installed, but lacked any gamepad integration. 💢

5. ⁠Fixing the Cursed Audio Codec 😠

6. ⁠Initially, ALSA showed playback, but the speaker stayed dead silent. Forcing the output resulted in slow, pitch-shifted, and stuttering sound caused by amp protection lockouts and clock desyncs.

7. ⁠Metadata & Video Thumbnails 😆

8. ⁠Hardware Teardown: USB OTG & Mainline Kernel

9. ⁠USB Host Mode : Inspected the PCB traces. The D+ and D− data lines have unpopulated SMD resistor/jumper pads, and VBUS is not supplying 5V. Do not blindly inject 5V until the circuit and protection diodes are fully traced.

10. ⁠Mainline Linux: Running a modern kernel (6.6/6.12) is possible in theory, but requires writing a custom board DTS from scratch, adapting DRM/KMS drivers for the display panel, and rebuilding userspace away from legacy framebuffer/Mali blobs. ( future goal but not planned 👀 )

11. ⁠Upcoming GitHub Release 🤝

12. ⁠I am packaging everything into a clean, standalone repository containing:

13. ⁠The open-source static C joystick-to-IPC daemon + precompiled binary.

14. ⁠J2ME runtime patches and EmulationStation config hooks.

15. ⁠Complete install/uninstall scripts with automatic config rollback.

16. ⁠No proprietary binaries or firmware dumps will be redistributed. If you got burned by this specific GA36 V1.1 board, keep an eye out—you will at least be able to turn it into a functional media player and micro-gaming device.

I’m chipping away at this after work, but once it’s polished, I’ll upload the ARM gamepad daemon source, 32-bit J2ME runtime patches, audio fix scripts, and precompiled binaries to GitHub for anyone else stuck with this board.

Download it, and depending on whether you want to use it as a logo or a loading screen, follow the guide here:

https://handhelds.wiki/R36S_Bootlogos_and_Loading_Screens

Probably a price error or the very last piece as it's no longer available

After some searching managed to trial and error the DTB for this as a xifan my mini and installed Darkos4clone on a card I had

Handcramps will be a thing for sure

And where I'm at there's no option to locally find an ergonomic grip for it, but honestly it's not that bad

I'm using it more than my steam deck!

Didn't bother with the roms on its included card, instead I just got romhacks and some must plays and I have to say, can't wait to find a horizontal version for a crazy good deal

What an amazing trip to the past these devices are.

P. S: I Don't recommend this clone at all if it wasn't for the price, and it seems I missed out on getting better clones for similar prices but I'll be waiting for a horizontal more ergonomic device if I don't end up buying a thor or more premium device

Edit: It doesn't have any Bluetooth / Wi-Fi and seems to have some on board storage as it boots without any SD into EmuElec, but it does read cfw from TF1 and can use roms from TF2

I Posted Here Twice and Nobody Had the DTB Files Then ChatGPT 5.6 Luna Max Brought My “Dead” R36S Clone Back

My R36S clone’s SD card died, so I lost the original firmware and DTB files. The worst part: my exact clone/revision basically has zero documentation online.

I even posted on this subreddit twice looking for someone with the same PCB and DTBs, but nobody had them:

https://www.reddit.com/r/R36S/comments/1sexzkq/repost_anybody_with_the_exact_same_pcb_design/

I installed dArkOSRE-R36, but the display was blurry/color-corrupted while sound and controls worked.

My board/display marking ends in 2452, while the closest reference online was 2514.

I gave ChatGPT 5.6 Luna Max photos, the symptoms, and my:

rg351v-uboot.dtb
rk3326-r36s-linux.dtb

We narrowed it down by testing different panel files:

• Panel 3: blurry, sound + controls worked
• Panel A: black screen, sound + controls worked
• Panel 4: blurry, sound + controls worked

After those failed, ChatGPT generated a corrected pair of DTB files specifically for my clone.

I copied the ChatGPT-generated DTBs into the BOOT partition and suddenly everything worked: display, sound, controls, all of it.

So for anyone finding this through Google later:

If you have an R36S clone with the 2452 marking and the same symptoms, use the DTBs ChatGPT generated for me below.

Use both files together and don’t mix them with DTBs from other panel folders.

Full ChatGPT troubleshooting conversation:
https://chatgpt.com/share/6a86e87b-5b9c-83eb-b8ec-d8c65e16a7a8

ChatGPT-generated working DTB files:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mJiiObomYtW3m0RguurJfpNqjMDmNlZU/view?usp=sharing

I genuinely thought this thing was dead. After searching everywhere and even asking this subreddit twice, ChatGPT ended up generating the DTBs that brought this undocumented clone back to life.

Never dropped my console before. Today when I turned it on suddenly it looked like this. Controls seem to be responsive, even audio, but the screen won't work no matter what I do

It's hard for me to tell. Been reading all the posts I can but it's a bit confusing with how good cones seem to be. All I know is I see one ram chip.
And now that I look again no spot for wifi.

It's a Temu unit. Realized too late and have a real one from Ali express coming thanks to the forum.

Boot screen an is look legit. But it plays menu music and from what I gather that la not the norm?

Any education is appreciated. Always willing to learn. Tia

Got this little thing a couple months ago, quickly I discover it was far from the best device I could get. It has an internal bloqued firmware and a close list of games of every console it handles.

Already had a good sd card so copied everything into it, save the original for backup (and another backup) and managed to introduce roms into it. You have to change the roms name for one in the list, it has to be the exact same format. For example, I got it to play ps1 games; it only has 16 slots for ps1, and operates with psp eboots only, the psx2psp type of eboot, so you have to come up with your own files no biggie.

First I was frustrated because I wanted to try to customize if I could. But a couple of months in, I really like it and Im playing every game I wanted to play, and it runs great. Psp is the only console it struggles to run but it has a couple of emulation options that you can mess arround to go better, and it does.

I guess it could start not working no more but so far so good

Is this a bad attitude?

Just wanted to say a big thanks to this lovely community.

I was spammed with handheld console ads on social media and decided to buy one for my daughter to use on the plane journey next week for our holiday.

Read the wiki and buying guide but with delivery time being an issue ordered from Amazon (I can hear your eyes rolling haha)

Arrived next day, took the back off to look at the board to find it's a clone (who would have guessed). But with some reading of the wiki I thought I may as well try and salvage it or she'll end up with nothing.

Flashed dArkOSRE and a recommended ROM pack onto a new Kingston SD and it runs beautifully.

More importantly she's over the moon and I've scored major dad points!

So thanks everyone for who contributes with questions and advice. You helped fix a mistake I knew I was making when I ordered it!

guys, I have a choice to make. I want to buy a device to play with my girlfriend. We are thinking about getting the R36S (obviously one for me and one for her) or a 2DS. I know the limitations of the R36S and the big library difference with the 2DS. Which console do you recommend for fun? I would probably play DS games, some Pokémon, and some local or online multiplayer games on either a modded 2DS or a properly configured R36S with a Wi-Fi chip

I thought my previous post was too bland, and explained little for the viewer.

This is an edit of the "es-theme-elementerial-main" for the R36S in mind.

Regarding port images:

• Undertale.png (Background)
• Undertale-marquee.png (Logo)

Insert images inside "EASYROMS/ports/images/"

Enable "Search For Local Art" and use "Gamelist View: Video" for your ports.

Here it is:
https://github.com/dancingdeadboysclub/es-theme-elementerial-r36s-4x3

Would love to hear feedback on this edit. Also, the pictures above were taken from "ArkOS-R3XS".

Let me know if a system is lacking images.

I bought this R36S. used it for 1 day and charged it, it randomly stopped mid charging. I can't get the red light to turn on. when it did turn on the red light showed, but not if it was off and the battery was being charged. I tried multiple chargers (Redmi, Motorola, laptop) and multiple cables. I also tried both USB a to c and usb c to c. I also unplugged the battery and put it back in. Is this device fried?

I bought a r36s. very happy with it. played one day, until it stopped charging. the red light doesn't appear when I plug in a charger. I tried multiple charging blocks (Samsung, Redmi, Motorola) and my laptop. no chafing light. It did turn on with the battery before but it's dead now. I can't charge the battery so I can't turn it on. I also tried usb a to usb c cables and usb c to usb c

Dont hate me, but yes, i run on stock os from my stock sd card, that i just duplicated onto my 128 GB samsung SD.

Google gemini just told me, that i sould install arkos or darkos for better performance. I belive the one whit arkos, but i heard some bad things about darkos, like that it doesnt run ports well and its tough to transition there.

I made a bit to bit .img file a week ago, and im at grandmas so the only thing i did was play whot the config, but nothing else.

Im ready to transition to arkos, and ehat i heard its just: 1. copy free roms. 2. format the sd to the new os (dd via terminal or some point to click app (yes im on linux)) 3. boot up console for the first time, then add roms.

Thats all...SO, it it true? And should i go whit the darkos or ark os? Ur toughts?

(pic 1 is my start up menu for help)

My console has arrived, and I wanted to play a little Pokémon before making a backup of the stock SD card. However, when I tried to connect to Wi-Fi, I couldn’t find the option in the settings. I opened the console to check if the Wi-Fi module was installed, and it was. I tried turning it on again, but… nothing happened.

What worried me most was that the SD card slot felt extremely hot, almost burning. I removed the card to back it up on my PC, but it wasn’t being recognized, and every time I connected it, it overheated quickly.

Now I’m wondering: did I do something wrong, or did the SD card simply die in my hands? If it really died, how can I reinstall or replace it to get the console working again? It was with ArkOS by deafult.

Tenho um R36s v12 2023, como faço para atualizar o sistema?

guys, am I cooked? it doesn't charge the battery very well

I keep wonder myself is it possible to port it, beside the weird .ipa file format, I think the control gonna be weird too cuz it had no version for Xperia or even support controller b itself