Anbernic RG35XXSP retro gaming handheld GBA SP clone can play everything from NES through PSP — it's just $72 for Prime Day, and gives you a Game Boy experience iPhone emulators just can't match

One of the only good things to come out of my Covid lockdown solitude a couple of years back was a renewed love of all things retro gaming. It was fueled primarily by a Chinese brand called Anbernic, which was making fantastic Linux-based handheld consoles that had the feel of old-school Game Boy consoles, but the modern conveniences of emulator play. With them, you could carry your whole library of Nintendo, SEGA, or first-gen PlayStation games around in your back pocket. It was a revelation — and for a tinkerer like me, it became a bit of an obsession, as I went about customizing the way each game played, and finding artwork to make my digital library sing.

For a long time, I’d considered it a niche hobby that only a few hardcore gamers would enjoy. But the monumental success of the Delta retro game emulator for iPhone and iPad made me realize that there are a ton of people similarly interested in the golden oldies but just hadn’t been aware of the strides emulators had made in recent years.

If Delta has given you a taste of retro fun, you might now be looking for a dedicated retro handheld of your own, and the Prime Day deals have offered up a real treat in that regard. Anbernic’s recently-released RG35XX SP has just received a 20% discount, bringing its price down to just $71.99 from its usual $89.99 asking price on Amazon. And it might well be the absolute perfect retro handheld device.

Anbernic RG35XXSP | was $89.99 now $71.99 at Amazon

A full retro gaming library in your back pocket? That's what the Anbernic RG35XXSP offers, letting you play classic retro title from the earliest days or Atari right up to PSP highlights.

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What makes the Anbernic RG35XXSP special?

The Anbernic RG35XXSP appeals so much to me because it takes its design cues from what I’d argue is the best portable handheld gaming device of all time — the Game Boy Advance SP, Nintendo’s clamshell classic.

Flipping open and shut in order to protect its screen, you can throw it in a bag or pocket without fear of scratching up its display. The screen here is a big improvement on the original SP — larger at 3.5 inches and sharper, too at 640x480 pixels, meaning you can upscale many classic titles.

Anbernic updates the classic design further in a number of useful ways. For starters, it’s got more face and trigger buttons than the GBA SP did, opening up play to a wider variety of games. SD card support lets you put thousands of games on the handheld at once, with a great library system letting you navigate different systems and titles, each with individual artwork through the custom OS pre-installed on the device. Charging is carried out by a modern USB-C connection, while there’s also HDMI out for throwing your games up onto a big screen. Wi-Fi connectivity brings (with a bit of configuration) online multiplayer to games that never used to support it, while there’s even Bluetooth for external controllers and wireless headsets. Plus, for anyone who used to dread a dead battery ruining a perfect run of a game without save capabilities, the custom firmware also allows for multiple save states at any point in any game, at any time.

Now, it’s worth noting that devices like this come with a bit of a learning curve. You’re going to have to get your head around ROM files and BIOS files, and there are differing arguments around the legalities of backing up your old games to play on them. I’d recommend the Retro Game Corps YouTube channel for some excellent in-depth tutorials on how to get the most out of devices like this.

But for pocketable play time, you won't get a better Prime Day deal than this.