Anbernic's second take on a dedicated Nintendo DS handheld refines almost everything I loved about the original, and somehow still manages to be incredibly affordable.

I’ve just published my time with the Anbernic RG DS Plus, the bulk of this is the usual review things, but of some note was that I got to chat directly with Anbernic about the device and their take on it: why they revisited the original RG DS, the new NNDDSS emulator and some of the design decisions behind the Plus.

The RG DS Plus itself is Anbernic’s second iteration of making a NDS-focused retro handheld. I love this one so much.

I also spoke with the devs behind Cocoon, who are working on bringing Cocoon (a super 3DS-ish front-end/launcher for dual screen handhelds) to the RG DS Plus very soon. Just a bit of a chance to look a little beyond the hardware itself and at what this could mean for dual-screen Linux handhelds going forward, Cocoon for the DS Plus isn’t far off now (they’re moving from being Android-only to both Android and Linux!)

If you’re interested in the RG DS Plus, DS emulation or where these weird little dual-screen handhelds are heading, you might like this one!

  • PerfectDark@lemmy.worldOPMEnglish
    3·
    3 days ago

    This is a deceptively ‘easy’ one to answer.

    I spent a few years exclusively covering the Steam Deck. It was my travel handheld until I got into retro handhelds (and then since then…reviewing them!). Carrying something like this around is a breeze. While it is bigger than the original RG DS, it is inherently portable (and protects its own screens by design, too!)

    The question is what kind of systems you want to emulate? DS & 3DS? PS2/Game Cube and below? Switch?

    I really, really love this DS Plus, it feels ‘right’ to me, it really is like if Nintendo took another swing at these. I’m testing some custom firmware for it now, called GammaOS (he just released it a day or so back, and has updated it thrice since then!), so you’ve got options. If you want to ask me anything about any retro handheld though, I’m on Discord with a username of perfecteddark if you need any advice!

    • liinux@pawb.socialEnglish
      2·
      1 day ago

      I’m really interested especially because I really loved the Nintendo DS era, I’m fine emulating from DS backwards (some Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo would be nice too), does it fit in your pocket like your phone? I think that’s basically my main goal, to be able to walk somewhere and start playing like the ol’ DSi, because you can’t do that with current mainstream portable consoles nowadays :(