You’ve probably seen videos, discussions, or (God forbid) ads for those cheap retro handheld devices that have proliferated the market over the last few years. I personally had been marginally aware of them, but hadn’t been interested because I wasn’t really a fan of playing handheld devices for video gaming. That changed after I had a back injury which forced me to get out of a really uncomfortable, bad, cheap office chair and game in different positions and furniture more often.
One of the decisions I made to be able to sit in more comfortable chairs and still game was to go back to my old Sony PSP which I hadn’t touched at all since I bought it back in 2006. I soft-modded it and was playing some of my favourite retro games nightly, which is a pretty fun experience.
But let’s face it, it’s impossible to get a proper long-lasting battery for the PSP, and the emulators you can install onto that thing are years out of date, underpowered, and not the most accurate ones out there. Playing anything outside of a limited range of 8 and 16 bit retro consoles was just a no-go, and even the built-in ability to play PSP and PS1 games requires a lot more space on the memory card than I thought was worth it.
So I decided to look into these modern devices I’ve been seeing pop up in review videos on YouTube. I checked out the Retro Game Corps channel and found an interesting device called the Powkiddy RGB30. I was kind of intrigued, curious, and a little bit confused as to how a small and rectangular device with a square screen could be any good for playing retro games.
So I watched the review, and hats off to the reviewer, Russ, because his reviews are always very informative and interesting. Anyway, I learned a lot about the RGB30 from that review, and in particular about its high-quality screen, and how it was quite well suited for retro games with a 4:3 aspect ratio, and old arcade games with a vertical presentation. That really interested me, because I do love to play those old vertically scrolling shmups.
The price is right too, because I’m poor and I need to seriously cut down on the amount of money I spend on new video games. What I mean by that is I can’t afford new video games at all, let alone a PC to replace my now decade old gaming PC. I also have to try to cut down on the amount of electricity I use because I’m ruled over by people who seemingly want to impoverish the people under them, but that’s another rant.
So, I thought about it for a while, considering the facts and opinions that had been presented to me in that review video and weighing them against the prevailing notion that these retro game devices were just cheap and badly made cash grabs that weren’t worth spending money on.
And I decided to buy an RGB30 anyway and try it out myself, even if it meant having to own something called a “Powkiddy”. And I’m here to tell you that this little device is one of the best things I’ve ever bought. It cost me $69.99 US, which is just about $100 Canadian with the conversion rate and taxes. Not super expensive, but still a relatively great value for the money. As soon as I got it I was impressed by how comfortable it was to hold and to play.
I couldn’t believe it, actually. This thing is completely flat on the back, and built to look like a brick with rounded corners. It seemingly has no right being as comfortable as it is, yet I find it to be way more comfortable than my PSP. That thing makes my large hands cramp up if I use it for more than half an hour, whereas I can play the RGB30 for two hours or more without issue. I can’t overstate how much I love the feel of this little device in my hands, it’s even more comfortable to hold and to use than some actual game controllers… looking at you, PS4 controller with your goofy-ass “world’s largest select button”.
Because it is so compact, this device is easily packed into a jacket pocket when I go out around town to do stuff and run errands. It’s really nice to be in a waiting room or something, and to be able to just whip this little thing out and play a quick round of video game golf.
The emulators available for this thing can handle everything right from the earliest home consoles like the Atari 2600, through the 8-bit classics like NES and Master System, the 16 bit powerhouses from Sega and Nintendo, and even into some of the 32-bit systems like PlayStation. That 1×1 square screen really is something, due to its high resolution. Though small, it’s sharp and clear, and most of the early 80s and 90s systems can be presented quite well on it.
Check out this guide for a more extensive list of systems this device can run, and how to set everything up and tweak things for best presentation and performance.
If you’re like me, and you need to be comfortable and seated in a variety of different chairs while you game, and you want something inexpensive and capable to play your collection of retro games on, I recommend you get one of these. They’re great little devices.
Or check out the reviews on this YouTube channel if you want something with more power or a different design. These cheap handhelds aren’t garbage. There are some really great, capable, and powerful devices being offered for sale, and they offer up a relaxed and comfortable way of enjoying your retro game collection.