Retroid Pocket 2 Plus Retro Game Handheld Console, Retroid Pocket 2+ Android Retro Game Console Multiple Emulators Console Handheld 3.5 Inch Display 4000mAh Battery Classic Games Retro Gaming (Black)

It’s an Android based system, will load up and login to your Google account if you want, and does connect to the play store. So there’s plenty of use right there, if you like mobile gaming but prefer to have buttons instead of an overlay. So, it can do a lot of what an Android phone can do, except make phone calls, but you could probably use something like messenger for that. I’m unsure, haven’t tried. Beyond that, it’s an extremely capable device for emulating. I’ve been using Retroarch for emulating. I’ve tested NES, SNES, PSP, PS1, and Dreamcast. All of which handles extremely well. Only the front is pictured, but it does feature L2 and R2 buttons. So those ps1 games will play just fine. I did test the unit for streaming capability, and it ran both Gamepass and Steam Link flawlessly, but with only a 3.5 inch 4:3 ratio screen, the text was too small to read. This is also where I mention the joysticks are not clickable, so you have to do some hot button fixes if you need L/R3 buttons. So, while streaming modern games does work well, those issues will likely keep me from exploring that aspect further. This is also why I plan to upgrade to the 3+, as it has the widescreen aspect ratio and clickable joysticks. That being said, if retro emulation is all you’re really interested in, this isn’t a unit to overlook. The device itself is well built, it uses Switch buttons that feel great. The joysticks are a bit eh. The left is your typical rocking joystick, by the right is more of a slider, similar to the joystick on PSP, if my memory serves correctly. The device feels better and more comfortable in my hands than PSP, though. I’ll list some more features before I wrap this up. It features a mini HDMI out port, so it can be connected to a TV. It also has Bluetooth functionality, so you can connect Bluetooth controllers, as well, and use it as a home retro console. It accepts micro SD and has no limit on storage size. The internal is 30 GB, and the SD can be formatted to be used as internal storage, not just as a removable drive. Fully functional Type C port for charging and file transfer. 3.5mm headset Jack Overall, I feel it’s a great buy. If you want retro gaming this is awesome. I haven’t been able to test the TV connection yet, but plan to this evening. I’ll update with my thoughts on that function when I get the chance.

Super solid little device for the price. Software experience with Android 9, Google Play services and full Retroarch makes emulation and even some simple Android gaming no problem. The range of systems that can be emulated by a device this compact is pretty impressive. Dreamcast, Saturn, N64 and DS are all no problem with the right emulators and configuration. Setting everything up isn't horrible either since Retroid actually did a bit on their end to streamline the experience. The built-in launcher is serviceable, but others are out there that will provide a bit more eye candy and functionality. Overall the RP2+ is a very "set it and forget it" type of device. Build quality is pretty decent and the buttons all feel good. Touch screen is a lot better than you'd expect from something in this class of device and is pretty responsive. The included tempered glass screen protector is a nice bonus. I do feel like the paint comes across as cheap and absorbs finger prints and grease easily. I often find myself wiping it down once I am done playing for awhile because I don't want it to look gross. Amazon isn't the cheapest place to pick one of these up, but if you want fast shipping and a rock solid return policy I'd still order from them. I got mine in like two days and know if I had any issues with it, I could just bring it in to a local Khols or Amazon locker to return it. Coming from someone who also owns a Miyoo Mini, RG351P and some other handhelds, this is the one I have probably spent the most time actually playing games on. Definitely recommended if you get it on sale and absolutely the better option between this and the Retroid Pocket 3 (at the time of writing).

Third update: It’s been at least a couple weeks now since my last update and I wanted to let people know that this has been working fine for me. Just wanted to make this update because I didn’t want to forget and leave it as a negative review. I’m going to up this review to four stars, I’ll update in some more weeks or maybe months if I can remember to. Second update- six hours later: I had shut the console down after the touchscreen started to glitch out uncontrollably. After I woke up this morning I decided to power it on and see what if it continued to glitch or start working again. Turns out it’s working normally again. What did I do to get it working? I turned it off and back on again, many hours later. I’m not sure if this is good news, however, because if this happens and cannot be “fixed” after the return window closes I’ll be stuck with a dead android. Hopefully it continues to work as expected. I really do like this little android console. It works with all PS1 games tested, by the way. I’d also recommend getting some good touchscreen pens, especially when you know you’ll be clicking through webpages and typing often, and a good carry case. I found a case by GLCON that fits this console perfectly, plus a usb cable and touchscreen pen. Tentative 3 star rating as it’s working properly again. I will update this review as time goes on, as necessary. Updated review after one week: This little handheld console may have just turned into e-waste. The touch screen, which has been working flawlessly, is now all over the place. You touch one area and it just starts freaking out. I’ll spend my next day off seeing if I can figure something out, but if I can’t then I’m going to return it and just go back to using my old android phones for emulation. I couldn’t imagine if this had happened outside of the return window, what a waste of money it’d be. Original review: I love this little handheld. It’s basically a phone, without the features of a phone, with controls built into it. It runs android 9 and has full google play available. If you’ve ever done emulation on an android device, it’s the same thing here. No built in games, which I like, and you’re able to add your own micro sd card, which I also like. It has 2gbs of ram and as of yet unknown cpu/gpu, I just haven’t downloaded any programs to figure that out, but it works flawlessly with GBA games. I haven’t done any other emulation yet because I don’t have a spare micro sd card for the system, but when I do I plan on running several consoles up to ps1, which aren’t difficult for any android phone I’ve ever owned to run. Minecraft, from the google play store, also runs fine on lower settings but that can become very system intensive as anyone who’s played it knows. Overall, I don’t really have anything negative to say about this little handheld other than the control locations can make it difficult to use with larger hands. That’s just a limitation of its size, but maybe someone will make a case or something that can make it easier to manipulate the controls similar to Nintendo switches available slide on cases. I won’t be holding my breath, however. For what I paid this is an absolute bargain. I’d happily recommend this to someone who’s into emulation.

I wrote a highly critical Amazon review of the original Retroid Pocket 2. The main issues I raised have been addressed: 1. The D-pad is so much better on the 2+. It feels similar to what you would expect from an Anbernic device. There's significantly more travel. 2. The buttons are way better, but not perfect. Again, there's way more travel. They're definitely snug in the case though. There's a bit of friction between side of the button and the hole in the case that results in visible marks and dust on the side of the buttons. This can probably be broken in with some play time. I took mine apart and sanded the case holes to make them slightly larger. They feel good. 3. Performance and Latency: this thing is close to being able to run PS2 in the AetherSX2. I think we will get there as AetherSX2 matures. N64 runs really well. DS via Drastic is basically flawless, and it seems like touch interaction works pretty well. Retroarch runs really well. I'd suggest using the newer "Automatic frame delay" option along with either Hard GPU Sync or the Vulkan backend. Runahead is another option but I haven't found a need to use it yet. It's not clear to me that the Retroid-specific emulator configurations accessible via the launcher really help that much. They're worth checking out though. Things I'd like to see in the future: 1. The source code and build process on Github. 2. A built-in ability to root the device. 3. Higher resolution screen and larger form factor. Something like the Switch lite but running the Retroid ecosystem. It sounds like this is possibly where the Pocket 3 is headed based on rumors. Please support Retroid and demand open source software and hardware. We need more hardware like this on the market. The closed-source, walled-garden approach of the major manufacturers should not be supported.

First off, this thing is incredible. It fits in my pocket, charges very quickly, controls are extremely snappy, and the interface is very easy to navigate. The setup could be intimidating for some users, but it really wasn’t any different than booting up a desktop computer for the first time. Just make sure you follow the instructions and update the system software as soon as you are able. The performance could be stated by someone other than me with greater detail, but, as a lax user, I have only encountered a few issues running GameCube games. Specifically, Wind Waker runs great while Link is indoors, but it gets a little slow when outdoors near water. Anything before GameCube will run fine, most likely. I wouldn’t rely on most Ps2 games, but there are some contenders that run pretty well. The battery life is fine, I guess, but I usually have to charge it every two days with cumulative game play of 5-7 hours. As I type this, I suppose it isn’t THAT bad, but I was expecting something a bit more robust. Its important to note, the battery life really depends on what you are playing. Hitman 2 on GameCube will last around 4-5 hours of gameplay whereas GBA stuff could potentially last double that time. The only issue I have, is the right thumb stick will randomly fly off. If you intend on putting this in your pocket, either be VERY careful taking it out or buy a case so you don’t lose the thumb stick, like I did ;( As a preference, avoid buying the black model if you have naturally oily skin. It starts to look gross pretty quickly. The touchscreen is very responsive, but there are two things to note: 1) The screen itself is very small, so some clickable button may be difficult to accurately press. In Morrowind (runs GREAT), the text is so small that you will often hit the line 3 texts above what you had intended. Luckily, you can adjust most layouts to circumvent the small screen. And 2) The screen is not very responsive on the edges. It seems like there is a small gap from where the glass starts and the touchscreen begins. It’s just “big” enough that menu navigation buttons on android sometimes takes to attempts to press. It does NOT come pre-loaded with games. I see a lot of people asking about that, but you have to understand that this system would not likely be “legal” if it were pre-loaded. Thankfully, it is fast and easy to populate your games within the system. You will need to buy an SD card. Space is limited, otherwise. Also, the SD Card is very difficult to get in and out of the system if you have medium-large hands. Will you need a computer? It depends. Using a computer will make it easier to load roms, adjust files, and just make the set up easier. I would recommend using a computer if available. If not, it may take a few days longer to do full prep. For the price, some say that it is cheaper to buy from a website than Amazon, but it may take MONTHS for you to finally get it. In my preference, it was beneficial to pay the ~$40 mark-up so I could get it in 3 days. Lastly, be absolutely sure to watch the tutorials on YouTube BEFORE AND AFTER purchasing this device. It gives you all the details that you would/will need to get started. It is critical to set up your device correctly the first time, otherwise you will likely get frustrated with its “poor performance” and make an angry review :) That’s it! I love my Retroid, I don’t have a need to buy anything more powerful, and the community is great. Buy now and enjoy today! (or sometime soon, after shipping…)

I bought this specifically because of its ability to emulate Saturn games, which it seems to do pretty well with the games I played. It's ability to run Gamecube, PS2 and Dreamcast games is impressive. The downside is the amount of setup, configuration and bugginess you will encounter. While many of the emulators are already installed, controls are not preconfigured and can be difficult to setup. There are many online resources for getting up and running which is good, however, there are also odd things like certain buttons will not work until you make system level changes. I've had frustration with the general brittleness of the system in regards to the game library. A couple of times I've received vague exceptions pointing to its inability to find the game library. Its apparent others have encountered these issues as well because you can find help on this issue online, however it involves some resetting of configurations and largely starting over with setup. Its frustrating, so my recommendation would be if you don't mind lots of tinkering and have a tolerance for some bugginess, this is a powerful handheld, but if you just want to be able to pick up the device and play games I'd go with something like the RG351MP.

Overall experience: The Retroid Pocket 2+ is not plug and play. If you're buying this for a kid, you're going to have to do some setup. The Android interface, however, makes connecting everything (and finding apps) super easy. The emulator software finds and plays games without issue. Design: I went with the "Retro" design. It looks just like my OG gameboy. Absolutely love it! Tech: The speakers will get you by, but I would recommend headphones for best audio. The screen is low-resolution compared to a typical smartphone, but the systems is certainly designed for lower resolution gaming. This does make some of the Android UI elements cramped, however. The screen brightness doesn't have much range. It goes from bright to pretty bright. At no point did I struggle to see or feel blinded. Just not much range. Cons: Having issues with every microSD card that I've used so far. Not sure what's going on. Other thoughts: So far I don't mind the slider-style right stick. It reminds my of the 3DS.

I love the retroid pocket 2. It was hard to understand at first but this video on youtube help me set up the device. So far I've only tried a few games so far but they all work without fail. The battery life is amazing; sure wish iPhones were like that.