Now that I have the ROG Ally, my need for tiny emulator consoles like those offered by Anbernic, Powkiddy, etc. is minimal. The ROG Ally is a more powerful device than any of them (handling most PS2 games etc. with ease) and is built to the standards you’d expect from one of the world’s leading PC hardware manufacturers. That said, I bought the Anbernic RG35XXSP and I love it. It’s the best Anbernic product by far.
Related articles: The last Anbernic I reviewed was the Nano, which is another fantastic little console.
I may be biased because I like the clamshell format, but the RG35XXSP is a great looking, well made device. It replicates the design of the GBA SP, but I think it’s a little bulkier and heavier. It’s been a while since I had an SP. The screen opens smoothly and there’s a satisfying “click” when it clicks into place. It fits my larger hands nicely and all the buttons are easily accessible. All of these buttons are very low profile and feel good to press, and they make a nice “click” sound. We live in the age of soft buttons, and while I’m not against them (I love the ROG Ally’s buttons because they feel like you’re pressing a fluffy cloud), I also like the firmer quality of the RG35XXSP’s buttons.
The shoulder buttons on this device are also up to par: They’re large enough to comfortably reach out and press individually, and they’re much sturdier and more resilient than the shoulder buttons on many other emulation consoles.
Other than that, the console shell has everything you’d expect from a current-gen Anbernic product. A headphone jack is provided for the few headsets that still use it. There’s also Bluetooth, although unfortunately it’s a bit of a tight fit, which may or may not be a good thing for a headset. There are two buttons to control the volume, and the range is impressive. There’s an HDMI port for playing retro games on a big screen, and two SD card slots so you can store plenty of games on the device.
Once powered on, you’re greeted with a plug-and-play boot menu and the main feature, Retroarch, is ready to go. I remember in the early days of Anbernic it would take hours just to get a game installed on a console and ready to play. For someone who doesn’t particularly like messing around with computers and settings, it was an unpleasant way to spend the first few hours the day your new toy arrived. With the RG35XXSP, I was able to play right out of the box.
The interface lets you set up a favorites playlist so you don’t have to cycle through the whole list every time you want to play a song that starts with that pesky letter in the middle of the alphabet. A touchscreen and search functionality would have been nice, but that’s about the only problem I have with this OS. The looks don’t compare to what the “real” people make, but it’s silly to expect that.
Once you start playing games, you’ll notice that this console handles everything it was designed for perfectly. The lack of an analog stick limits its ability to play many games from PlayStation, N64, Dreamcast, etc. However, anything you can play using the D-pad and buttons is handled without issue by the RG35XXSP, making this a great console, especially for those who love PSP, SNES, and GBA games. While the screen is nothing special compared to others (it’s not OLED and not as good quality as the PlayStation Portal or ROG Ally, for example), the colors are good and it’s the perfect size for such a nostalgic experience.
Review: Looking for a non-emulation retro console? The Analogue Pocket is a masterpiece of design. Our review.
You can connect a Bluetooth controller to the console and control it on your TV, making it a handy portable multiplayer console, especially when playing epic SNES games. Remember those late-night Super Mario Kart sessions? Now you can relive them. As a final handy feature for those who love to tinker, you can stream PC games to the RG35XXSP via Moonlight. The controller limitations mean that the games you can play are very limited, but at least it’s an option.
The best thing about the RG35XXSP is the battery. This battery really adds value to the RG35XXSP and I find it really useful. For a long time, these emulation consoles have struggled to deliver decent battery life. A big part of the appeal of the RG35XXSP seems to be the inclusion of a high-quality battery, allowing you to play for hours or even multiple sessions without worrying about the battery getting too low.
Given the quality of the hardware and the clamshell design that protects the screen, this battery life means that the RG35XXSP will be my travel console for the foreseeable future. While emulation console makers like Steam Deck, ROG Ally and others have fallen off the rails considerably, Anbernic has proven adept at finding a niche where it can offer retro fans a fun, different and high-quality experience.
