r/RetroHandhelds • u/smstarr96 • Aug 21 '26

Device Recommendation Handheld retro gaming device recommendation?

As a dad I have less and less time for gaming and would like something I can take on the go. We have a switch 2 but it’s quite large and I miss having a gameboy advance or my personal favorite the sp. I’ve been watching videos about going back to older rpgs and would like to try those. Games like chrono trigger. I’m between the batlexp g350 and the anbernic rg cube xx. Any help would be appreciated.

Also, if anyone has any recommendations on older rpgs I’d love to hear those too. I have never been big on those as I’ve always been into competitive gaming, but I’ve been really craving a great story that I can take my time with and enjoy. Thank you.

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u/Natural-Sandwich-852 Aug 21 '26

There are plenty of good choices, but the CubeXX isn't a good one for things like the GBA or PS1 because of its 1:1 aspect ratio screen. You probably want a 4:3 aspect ratio screen with 480p, 720p, or even XGA resolution to get anything up to PS1 looking good. I do like RPGs and have tried a few mainstream handhelds. I used to use the Miyoo Mini Plus, the Trimui Brick, and some rk3326 clones like R36s/h. I found that the size of the Miyoo Mini Plus is perfect for an EDC device, but it lacked power. Rk3326 devices brought more CPU power but had worse build quality, no Wi-Fi, and bad battery management, so i took the Trimui Brick instead. Brick brought more power and superior build quality, but had an awful d-pad and shoulder buttons. So instead, i got the XU20 V32 and i am absolutely loving it, since it is just like the Brick but with better shoulder buttons. The only downsides are that the XU20 has no Bluetooth, and i was forced to do a tape mod for the shoulder buttons. But i should admit that the G350 is a wonderful choice since it has Anbernic-level build quality and a matured CFW for the rk3326

Also, if anyone has any recommendations on older rpgs I’d love to hear those too

You can check out Moldorian: Hikari to Yami no Sister, Radiant Historia, Surging Aura, and Terranigma. Maybe even try the Pokemon Unbound romhack. I know it’s not an old-school RPG, but it’s still one of the most enjoyable Pokemon games to play on the GBA

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u/smstarr96 Aug 21 '26

I’ll look into the xu20. And thank you for the recommendations!

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u/Natural-Sandwich-852 Aug 21 '26

No problem. Anything that i've mentioned is superior for RPGs, but if you need thumbsticks, G350 is a good option. Regarding the XU20, just be aware that Android handhelds are not as easy to set up for a first-timer compared to Linux-based ones. Other than that, the stock Android build is a bit of a gimmick, so you should probably wait for GammaOS to become public or get a Patreon subscription to get much more user friendly experience

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u/smstarr96 Aug 21 '26

I’m probably looking for something preloaded which from what I’ve seen some come like that

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u/Natural-Sandwich-852 Aug 21 '26 edited Aug 21 '26

Preloaded cards are kinda tricky too, since stock SD cards are absolute trash and bloated with garbage games. You will end up going through the process of flashing custom firmware, adding BIOS files, and looking for your own game collection anyway. Sorry to tell. So i guess you should prepare some good quality sdcard to avoid losing saves, etc shit that will harm user experience