Since reviewing the Anbernic RG Rotate, I thought I was finished emulation handhelds. Who needs a multiple emulators lying around unless you have kids who want to steal them?
Then I bought 2024’s $74 Anbernic RG35XXSP.
I was smitten.
The RG35XXSP is a Nintendo Gameboy Advance styled handheld designed specifically for early game emulation. It can emulate nearly everything, from NES to PSP, but this device is primarily for D-pad and four button games. It succeeds because it does something completely different. Instead of chasing power, Anbernic focused on making a handheld that feels great to carry, great to hold, and ready to play at a moment’s notice. I think it’s the second best device the company has made.
Part of that comes down to the clamshell design. Close the lid and the screen is protected. Toss it into a backpack or jacket pocket without thinking about it. Open it and you’re back in your game within seconds.
The hinge feels solid and snaps into place with a click. The controls are equally satisfying. Modern handhelds often favour soft, almost silent buttons, but the RG35XXSP goes in the opposite direction. Every press has a crisp mechanical feel that suits retro games perfectly. The shoulder buttons deserve special mention too. They’re large, easy to reach, and much sturdier than the awkward triggers found on many inexpensive emulation handhelds.
Around the edges you’ll find everything you’d expect from a modern Anbernic device. There’s HDMI output for playing on a television, Bluetooth audio and controllers, a headphone jack, dedicated volume buttons, Wi-Fi, and dual microSD slots for expanding your game library.
The RG35XXSP is especially nice because you can play games immediately. I supports two SD cards and you can copy ROMs into various folders and have them up and running instantly. The stock OS is just fine although you can add a number of other OSes including my favorite, Garlic OS.
The stock interface isn’t especially beautiful, but it gets the job done. Favourite games are easy to organise, RetroArch is front and centre, and everything is laid out logically. I’d still like to see a search function, particularly if you’ve filled both SD cards, but that’s a relatively small complaint. It was super hard to find Legend of Zelda, for example, in my stockpile of classic NES games.
Performance lands exactly where it needs to. Without analogue sticks, this isn’t really the handheld for Nintendo 64 or dual-stick PlayStation games, even if the hardware is capable of running many of them. Instead, the RG35XXSP shines with systems that were designed around a D-pad. Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, SNES, Mega Drive, PC Engine, Neo Geo, and the original PlayStation all feel right at home here. The display isn’t OLED, but it’s bright, colourful, and an excellent match for pixel art.
One feature I didn’t expect to use was HDMI output with Bluetooth controllers. Hook it up to a television, connect a pair of controllers, and suddenly you’ve got a compact multiplayer machine. Super Mario Kart, Bomberman, Street Fighter II, and dozens of other classics are immediately more fun with another person in the room.
Older Anbernic handhelds always left me looking for a charger sooner than I wanted. The RG35XXSP lasts long enough that I simply stop thinking about it. I can play for several evenings before needing to plug it in, and that changes how I use the device. Instead of living on my desk, it lives in my backpack. I was able to play the original Zelda over three days without having to recharge, which is great.
Who is this for? If you love classic games then the RG35XXSP is something you can slip into a coat pocket, take on a train, or pull out while waiting for a flight. It boots quickly, plays the games it was built for exceptionally well, and then disappears until you need it again.
Given the $74 price tag, the amazing battery life, and great features, this is definitely a handheld that is going with me on my travels when I positively, absolutely have to beat Metroid one more time.