Hey everyone! Im new here. I’m looking to buy my first “retro” gaming handheld, and I’m trying to figure out which one would be best for me.
I’m mainly interested in playing Pokémon games. I want to be able to play pretty much everything from the older Game Boy games to GBA, Nintendo DS, and ideally Nintendo 3DS games as well.
Some games I’d love to play include:
Pokémon FireRed / LeafGreen
Pokémon Emerald
Pokémon HeartGold / SoulSilver
Pokémon Platinum
Pokémon Black 2 / White 2
Pokémon X / Y and the other 3DS titles
ROM hacks and fan-made Pokémon games
I’d like a device where I can transfer game files from my computer, use a microSD card, and keep a big library of games on one device. I don’t want to use my phone for emulation. I want a dedicated handheld with physical buttons, a nice screen, and preferably enough power to run 3DS games well.
I’ve been looking at devices like the Retroid Pocket 6, AYN Thor, Anbernic handhelds, and even the Steam Deck. I’m not sure whether a Steam Deck would be overkill for what I want, or whether it’s worth spending extra money for the additional power and PC gaming capabilities.
I also like the idea of a dual-screen device for DS and 3DS games, but I’m open to a single-screen handheld if the experience is still good.
My questions:
Which handheld would you personally recommend for my use case?
How well do the different devices handle 3DS emulation?
Is a dual-screen handheld worth it, or is a large single screen better?
What’s the best bang for your buck right now?
Are there any other handhelds I should be looking at?
My budget is flexible, but I’d prefer not to spend Steam Deck money unless there’s a good reason to.
I’d appreciate recommendations from people who actually own and use these devices. Thanks!