{"id":3134,"date":"2021-11-03T11:57:35","date_gmt":"2021-11-03T11:57:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/droix.co.uk\/blogs\/?p=3134"},"modified":"2025-09-11T14:17:19","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T13:17:19","slug":"the-best-retro-handhelds-with-video","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/droix.net\/blogs\/the-best-retro-handhelds-with-video\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Retro Handheld Emulators with video"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Technology is just great, isn\u2019t it? Imagine if you went back to your childhood self, or just someone in the 20th<\/sup> century if you weren\u2019t born yet, and you handed them a retro emulator. Every game from your childhood, from every console you remember, in the palm of your hand. Even the consoles you couldn\u2019t get or the games your parents wouldn\u2019t let you buy; you can play them anywhere you go. We\u2019re all still children on the inside, let the kid out and have some good old-fashioned fun. Literally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what even is an emulator? I\u2019m glad you asked, o dear reader, this is going to get deep so if you\u2019re just here for the list of best retro handheld emulators feel free to click here<\/a> to skip to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every kind of computer and operating system is unique. Even today, in 2022 65 million PCs were running Windows. Each of those computers has different computational and graphical architecture, different amounts of storage and memory. How does one OS run seamlessly on all these machines? Simple, it doesn\u2019t. Microsoft and other vendors have different versions of Windows and its drivers for 64-bit, ARM and, in the past, 32-bit processors. All these work thanks to very low-level instruction sets made for every type of processor in your computer to provide the same service across many devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"AYN<\/a>
AYN Odin 2 running the Yuzu emulator<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Things weren\u2019t so simple in the past. Things weren\u2019t always made to work together. Naturally at some point, someone wants to use software made for another computer on their own. Enter emulation. An emulator is a piece of software that allows you to simulate another computer within your own to allow you to run a program that was made for that computer. Wild, I know, but they\u2019re not new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in the early 90s there were multiple arcade emulators made to emulate a single game. Computers had become powerful enough to simulate more primitive consoles and games of the past. As console generations came & went and arcades began to die out, many classic games that weren\u2019t ported to newer machines simply started to disappear. In the effort of resurrection and restoration console emulators began to appear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks in large part to the internet, they quickly took off. With every console that was released a community of people began work on how to emulate it on their PCs. Not without drama. Atari, Nintendo, and Sony have all considered legal action against emulation with Sony launching a lawsuit. Having soon after lost, it was set in precedent that the development of emulation software does not constitute copyright infringement, but is covered by fair use. Although, sharing of ROMs from games that you did not buy is still considered piracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anbernic, formerly the Shenzhen Yang Li Ming Electronic Technology Co., Ltd, as we know it today was founded in 2017. They\u2019re a Chinese company that creates handheld gaming consoles. There is a focus on retro handheld devices that can emulate older consoles. Despite their small size and relative lack of computational power, thanks to the progression of technology old games that would have once been difficult to run can be done with very little power at all on the little beauties we\u2019re going to look at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today you can find the likes of Miyoo and Retroid making similar products each with their own spin. Let\u2019s take a look at the Retro Gaming Handhelds of today and find out what are the best Retro Gaming Handheld Consoles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Best Retro Handheld Emulators: Relive the Good Times!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Get ready to travel back in time and experience the best of retro gaming with the coolest handheld consoles. These little powerhouses are here to bring back those childhood memories and deliver endless hours of fun. Let’s dive into the most exciting categories and discover the gems that will ignite your nostalgia!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best retro handheld emulators <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

#1. AYN Odin 2<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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