Theworldwide masseswhojumped through hoops to preordera$450 Switch 2before its June 5 launch date prove Nintendo is as strong as ever — if not strong . You do n’t need a crystal ball to predict that the hybrid handheld / dwelling house cabinet will be difficult to purchase , and we hump that the FOMO is going to hit intemperately when everybody is rush along as the cow inMario Kart World . But there are heaps of alternative handhelds that can fill your gaming appetite if you ca n’t snag a Switch 2 . You just need to know where to front .
See Switch 2 at Walmart
Whether you ’re just learning about the unearthly and wonderful world of handhelds that have germinate out of nowhere the retiring few geezerhood or you ’ve been waiting for a deal on a bum handheld , we urge getting one now beforeTrump tariffs make them completely indefensible .
The Nintendo Switch 2 is getting access to older GameCube games, though there’s several excellent handhelds you can use now to play those same titles, and more.© Nintendo
One of the Switch 2 ’s big launching features is itsaccess to GameCube gamesthrough Nintendo ’s $ 50 / yr Expansion Pack subscription , alongsidea modified run of pricey GameCube controllers . If that ’s a big reason you ’re gun for a Switch 2 , there are several splendid handhelds that could scratch that itch for a fraction of the new handheld ’s price . These devices are usually wrangled together under the moniker of “ retro handhelds . ” They ’re typically capable of playing some modern titles or home brew games . However , their main solicitation is emulation . This relies onapps that recreate older gambling hardware as software . These retro handhelds let you recreate these homebrew titles , though they also let you play ripped digital files of past games , known together with as ROMs .
While emulators themselves are , for the most part , safe from legal liability , ROMs live in a gray expanse . It postulate far more effort to retrieve and download ROMs and emulators than it does to load up a replacement and download a secret plan with the Switch Online + Expansion Pack . That being said , you have a neat variety of title if you emulate them . There are Aten of smaller , Game Boy - sized devicesavailable that are perfect for pocketable gaming . However , some of our favorite emulation handhelds are honorable for play title from retro gaming ’s prosperous days up through the Nintendo 64 or GameCube geological era , or even beyond .
Valve ’s Steam Deck is a solid handheld as a Switch 2 alternative . The reading you need , theSteam Deck OLED , includes a beautiful and bright covert capable of displaying on-key blacks , and SteamOS is simple and soft to voyage . The expectant issue is the Steam Deck OLED starts at $ 550 with 512 GB of reposition . An LCD Steam Deck with a low 256 GB sells for $ 400 . Their value proposition is n’t as good as when they establish , but they ’re arguably still the most pop personal computer handhelds if you do n’t need to deal with Windows .
© Jorge Jimenez / Gizmodo
If a Steam Deck is off the table , take a gander at slimmer emulation equipment from company like AYN , Retroid , Ayaneo , and Anbernic .
Anbernic , known for pump out on the face of it endless variants of retro handhelds , announced last hebdomad it had commence shipping its$250 RG 557with“U.S. storage warehouse caudex come soon . ” While we wait for that machine to hit the scene , one of the most democratic handhelds available today is theAYN Odin 2 . The portable came out in 2023 , but its 1080p display is sharp , and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 nomadic CPU is potent enough to play GameCube game at a steady framerate . If you require something a little more sleek , there ’s the $ 330 Odin 2 Portal that sports a 7 - inch 1080p and 120Hz AMOLED touchscreen .
See AYN Odin 2 at Amazon
Image: AYN
🎉 RG 557 is OFFICIALLY AVAILABLE — shipping from China! 💥 U.S. storage warehouse stock coming soon — remain tune up ! ⚡ $ 15 OFF launching discount for the first 3 daylight only ! 🚀 compact with a knock-down chip + arresting AMOLED display 🛒 shop class NOW : https://t.co / gawpOEhWrUpic.twitter.com/5OIIDssle1
— ANBERNIC ( @anbernic_china)April 25 , 2025
AYN ’s gadget run on Android , which gives you access to virtually any mobile secret plan on the Google Play Store , as well as a sound number of emulators likeRetroArch . you may technically load emulators into Linux , but if you have enough know - how to do that , you ’re likely already aware of the entire retro fit . Otherwise , at this price point you could also check out Ayaneo . It ’s a China - base steel with a thinker - boggle number of product give up over the preceding year . We paint a picture you look at theAyaneo Pocket Evoat around $ 470 . It has a skillful 7 - inch 1080p OLED display , and it ’s powered by the Snapdragon G3 Gen 2 , a handheld - focused chipset that helps retro games run great .
© Retroid
If you may hold back a footling bit , there ’s a new version call off the Pocket S2 , with a more powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 chip and crisp 1440p screen , that ’s conjecture to come out in May , grant to Ayaneo ’s CEO(viaDigital Trends ) . We do n’t eff how much it ’ll cost , but hopefully it ’s not as much as the $ 590 Retroid Pocket S with its 1440p display .
But if you really desire something that ’s in high spirits quality for its cost , you need to look at Retroid . The prime instance of the company ’s hand-held design is the$220 Retroid Pocket 5 . It include a 5.5 - inch 1080p AMOLED presentation and has slick Hall effect stick . The Pocket 5 is power by an sr. Snapdragon 865 chip , but that does n’t count since it can play games up through GameCube at a solid clipping . Retroid just recently launch thePocket Flip 2for $ 230 . It ’s essentially the same sort of gimmick in a clamshell material body with the upsides of compactness and protection for the video display .
See Retroid Pocket 5 at Amazon
Some on-line stores from Retroid and Anbernic still let you place orders to the U.S. , but only the companies themselves jazz how long that might last . If grow a preorder for a Switch 2 was hard , we may have an even tough time buy caliber handhelds from minor fellowship in the future .
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