Taki Udon has his hands on the new Anbernic RG552, mostly focusing on the Linux firmware:
Not very positive on the software end of it itself, I appreciate that he always seems to be unbiased in his reviews. We'll have to see his review on the Android software but my take is that this new generation of handhelds should be a "wait & see" situation for better software performance. And I agree heavily with his criticism that it shouldn't be up to hobbyist developers to fix these for the community.
...that being said, friend, you way want to wait and see how the button and D-Pad quality is on the RP2+ before you make your purchase, per the video below.God I keep looking at the Retroid Pocket 2+....... I shouldn't. I shouldn't!!
I should...
...unfortunately, the RP2+ seems to have its own issues, if Taki's video is anything to go by. The buttons seem improved but even the revised D-Pad doesn't sound great.
The beginning of this generation gives me a real "wait and see" kind of feeling.
Sounds like they might be delaying it to fix it? I'm not gonna get one until I see reviews and see they've fixed this issue.that being said, friend, you way want to wait and see how the button and D-Pad quality is on the RP2+ before you make your purchase, per the video below.
I'm still a little concerned about the D-Pad. Taki implied that even with the delay, it's not all that great, which diminishes the appeal of a retro handheld to me. I hope it's better in practice - if not, I'm wondering if it's worth it to look for one of these devices or if I should just hack my launch Switch, or stick to a modded 3DS. Maybe I'll finally get use out of my Vita by modding it, though I gotta dig out my PS1 disks for the .isos.Sounds like they might be delaying it to fix it? I'm not gonna get one until I see reviews and see they've fixed this issue.
It's a tricky situation for sure. Especially for those newer consoles, you need a decent amount of power and enough time and energy to tinker with the emulators to get the results you want, and it's not guaranteed you'll get perfect results. There's no perfect solution, or one that truly satisfiers my needs quite yet - it's why I haven't fully jumped in, even though I want to.I don’t know about any of these devices. I bought myself a cheap F1C100S and it was just trash all around, from an awful d-pad to a poor screen to weak performance to a lack of sleep functionality. Then I got a Razer Kishi and a modern mid-range Android phone, and none of PPSSPP, Dolphin, or Retroarch are enjoyable experiences compared to playing the games on the original hardware or official ports/VC. I realize RetroArch has a lot of options and filters to play with, so maybe with enough tinkering games would look and play better, but I can’t really muster much enthusiasm for the prospect. I’m a lot older and pickier than in the NESticle days, I guess.
I will say that — the Kishi’s mushy d-pad aside — the phone setup is pretty good for xCloud streaming. The new Android-based RP2+/Odin/RG552 should all be capable streaming handhelds as well.
Here's the Android side of Taki's RG552 review.
Ambernic missed the mark here, I think. Great screen, great buttons and controls in general, but underpowered internals and lacking software, all at a premium price. They should have either went for more power at the same price point or charged less, even with the lacking software. The value proposition of a kind of weak but not bad Android experience and a pretty lacking Linux experience is dwarfed by other options. Odin for around the same price, even a phone and a controller can get comparative results. RP2+ may have potential control issues, but it's 120 bucks with shipping and has more power. And at a high end you got the Steam Deck.
Taki's "Should You Buy" Review of the RG552:
I think there's merit to the idea of the community improving the device, but who knows when that will be, exactly. Right now I don't think it's worth a purchase - better to wait and see how things shake out both with the homebrew scene and with other products (maybe even a second RG552 model!) before I settle. I'm especially looking forward to Retro Game Corps review though, which should be coming by Sunday. His different priorities than Taki make it a refreshing perspective.
You may want to wait and see how the Retroid Pocket 2+ is first, but if you're happy with your RG351P and don't feel the need to upgrade I'd probably hold off.Is this a good time to shop for a 4:3 emulation handheld? From what I can tell, Anbernic and Retroid seem to be moving away from smaller form factors, right? If that's not the case and there are more revisions coming, I'd rather make do with my RG351P for a while longer.
Believe me, the urge to upgrade is there. I'd just like to know there won't be another one of these that's basically a RP2++ for $100-150 in the next 6-12 months.You may want to wait and see how the Retroid Pocket 2+ is first, but if you're happy with your RG351P and don't feel the need to upgrade I'd probably hold off.
I suppose there is the Retroid Pocket 3, but we have, like, zero details on its form factor and performance, let alone a release date. For all we know it'll be another widescreen handheld.Believe me, the urge to upgrade is there. I'd just like to know there won't be another one of these that's basically a RP2++ for $100-150 in the next 6-12 months.
You're probably right and I should just wait instead of fomo-ing my way into owning two dozens of these things
Not to dismiss her experience here since I'm certain it caused grief and anxiety, but from my experience from when I freelanced software development, this is pretty typical. The initial offer was definitely pretty low and I agree the shifting of terms for development on mGBA is gross. When it comes to negotiations though, there is going to be a lot of back-and-forth because you're both parties trying to gain from something here and both parties should be clear on terms & expectations. Granted, I'm not sure if Discord is really a good place to negotiate on something like that, but to me it seems like the story is about a negotiation that didn't work out but the split seemed amicable.I was getting pretty excited watching those Pocket reviews. The device has a lot of promise, and I have a good amount of Game Boy and GBA games to play on the thing. I was super tempted to jump into the preorder race...
...and then I read this post by the mGBA developer describing her bad experience with Analogue. The company was initially aiming to hire her to work on an open source GBA "BIOS"; but then they tried to underpay her and then block work on her open source emulation development. Soured me on the whole thing, honestly, I'm personally gonna skip and look for other emulation/nodding solutions. Thanks to @crepuscule for bringing it up in the Pocket review thread.
I think this is a fair take. Analogue should've behaved better, but this doesn't seem that unusual for business. They'll always try to low ball and get the most they can.Not to dismiss her experience here since I'm certain it caused grief and anxiety, but from my experience from when I freelanced software development, this is pretty typical. The initial offer was definitely pretty low and I agree the shifting of terms for development on mGBA is gross. When it comes to negotiations though, there is going to be a lot of back-and-forth because you're both parties trying to gain from something here and both parties should be clear on terms & expectations. Granted, I'm not sure if Discord is really a good place to negotiate on something like that, but to me it seems like the story is about a negotiation that didn't work out but the split seemed amicable.
Analogue could have done better but that's how a for-profit corporation operates and they do so because, unfortunately, it often works. And I don't say that to excuse or dismiss the system; it really shouldn't be like that.
I'm including the story in the threadmark though since it's part of the Analogue Pocket story and I don't want this thread to simply be about buying all these products. It's no better than being free advertising in that case. If people are uncomfortable buying products from companies like Analogue because of how they operate then they should know about how they operate.
Yeah, I'd say that's reasonable. Business is business, for better or for worse, and Analogue wants the best deal. I also wouldn't shame anyone for getting an Analogue product, they're legitimately great pieces of tech. I think people can read for themselves and make a judgement accordingly.Not to dismiss her experience here since I'm certain it caused grief and anxiety, but from my experience from when I freelanced software development, this is pretty typical. The initial offer was definitely pretty low and I agree the shifting of terms for development on mGBA is gross. When it comes to negotiations though, there is going to be a lot of back-and-forth because you're both parties trying to gain from something here and both parties should be clear on terms & expectations. Granted, I'm not sure if Discord is really a good place to negotiate on something like that, but to me it seems like the story is about a negotiation that didn't work out but the split seemed amicable.
Analogue could have done better but that's how a for-profit corporation operates and they do so because, unfortunately, it often works. And I don't say that to excuse or dismiss the system; it really shouldn't be like that.
I'm including the story in the threadmark though since it's part of the Analogue Pocket story and I don't want this thread to simply be about buying all these products. It's no better than being free advertising in that case. If people are uncomfortable buying products from companies like Analogue because of how they operate then they should know about how they operate.
Dear god no, playing the PC port of the first was torture enough. Jesus christ. Incredible game, subpar executable file!I was recently thinking back about Deadly Premonition and the thought of 2 came up, and I'm curious if anyone here has tried that game in emulation yet?
I remember 2 receiving a two or three patches which changed a handful of things, but I have no idea what the frame-rate actually does with those patches and I'm curious if emulation somehow improves the issues the game has (including the resolution). Honestly, I do want to return to the game, but the actual performance is absolutely bonkers...
I've done a little digging, and I'm not sure if Citra works well (or at all) on RetroArch for the Xbox Series consoles. I hear that Citra does not have DirectX 11 or 12 support and thus won't run, but I don't have an XSX or XSS, so I haven't tried it myself. I wouldn't rush to mod your 3DS if you specifically want your games on Xbox, sorry to say.I have a semi broken nintendo 3ds
Circle pad ripped off
Touch screen is scratched
ZR is broken
It turns off sometimes
It looks busted up
But I have games on it I still want to play, and I’ve heard there is a Sega / Atlus 3ds sale on the eshop now. Can I rip games for it and play on xbox series x? I saw a tutorial for nintendo ds, but not for 3ds.
Thank you for the reply! I was about to edit my post, as I found out some of the same (but not as detailed) as what you wrote. Sadly I have an iphone, but I plan to switch to android in a year or so. I guess I’ll wait for that change to play 3ds games. It looks better to play 3ds games on a phone with a controller clip, than a pc.I've done a little digging, and I'm not sure if Citra works well (or at all) on RetroArch for the Xbox Series consoles. I hear that Citra does not have DirectX 11 or 12 support and thus won't run, but I don't have an XSX or XSS, so I haven't tried it myself. I wouldn't rush to mod your 3DS if you specifically want your games on Xbox, sorry to say.
If you don't mind playing on PC or a separate device like an Android phone, this guide should help you install custom firmware and rip your games, both digital and physical titles.
The Wii U has the same size screen as the Switch and ran most DS games with the screens stacked one on top of the other in horizontal orientation. A few games (touch-based) had the rotated/vertical layout.Couldn’t Nintendo sell emulated Nintendo DS games to be played vertical-oriontation with detached joy cons? Just thought about that after reading your comment about NSO @Intoxicate
Good point.The Wii U has the same size screen as the Switch and ran most DS games with the screens stacked one on top of the other in horizontal orientation. A few games (touch-based) had the rotated/vertical layout.
This has actually been possible for a while on modded Switches. The screen's resolution means that integer scaling would be pretty small though so it needs some filtering/interpolation. Otherwise though add a Flipgrip and it'd work great.Couldn’t Nintendo sell emulated Nintendo DS games to be played vertical-oriontation with detached joy cons? Just thought about that after reading your comment about NSO @Intoxicate
That’s exactly what I wanted! Maybe one day I’ll try it, if Nintendo doesn’t provide an official method.This has actually been possible for a while on modded Switches. The screen's resolution means that integer scaling would be pretty small though so it needs some filtering/interpolation. Otherwise though add a Flipgrip and it'd work great.
That would be like if all shoot'em up released on Switch were cocktail mode only: It's highly limiting and impractical, and you let out Switch lite usersCouldn’t Nintendo sell emulated Nintendo DS games to be played vertical-oriontation with detached joy cons? Just thought about that after reading your comment about NSO @Intoxicate
No idea as far as measing with the settings of those emulators goes, but you could always just run SMT in Retroarch and skip the crash point in DeSu via PC save/save state, and see if the rest of the game runs fine on Switch after that point.I hacked my launch Switch today, I use the OLED as my main unhacked one. I tried out some emulation on it and just have a few questions. I'm also in the process of installing Retroarch.
1. On pSNES, I was emulating Shin Megami Tensei and there's this occasional crackling. Any idea what I can do to fix that?
2. I wanted to mess around with Devil Summoner PSP on PPSSPP. Unfortunately there's always one point where the emulator crashes: When you're leaving and going back to the world map after dropping Kumiko off at the university. I tried this on PC on PPSSPP and it does not crash there. Is there any fix for this? I was hoping to play the eventual fan translation that's under development on my Switch but this would be a roadblock to that.
That's a good idea about DeSu. I tried SMT1 on RetroArch using the Current Snes9x Core, and still had the occasional crackles. It's not unbearable or anything and it's very minor, but I notice it lol.No idea as far as measing with the settings of those emulators goes, but you could always just run SMT in Retroarch and skip the crash point in DeSu via PC save/save state, and see if the rest of the game runs fine on Switch after that point.