Amid the current fad for retro game consoles, a handheld retro gaming device has emerged: The RETROGAME RS-97.
Gaming companies have been officially releasing dedicated consoles like the SNES Classic and NEO GEO Mini with a select number of pre-installed games only – which has left me amused yet dissatisfied. Third-party companies have released retro consoles and handhelds in the past with hundreds of pre-installed games but usually with various issues from frame-rate to audio quality.
The RETROGAME RS-97 comes pre-installed with 3000 retro games (CPS1, CPS2, NEOGEO, NES, SNES, Sega Master System, Sega Genesis, Gameboy, Gamegear, GBC and GBA). What makes the RS-97 special is the fact that it has appeared to have fixed all the bugs from the past retro handhelds. I haven’t managed to test all the games yet but so far, everything I’ve played ran smoothly and sounded the way I remember. You can even save progress anytime — a feature we wished we had when playing them back then.
The build quality is surprisingly good for a cheap handheld and just feels comfortable in your hands. Buttons are a bit mushy compared to Nintendo’s semi-clicky ones, but nevertheless responsive.
Unboxing: Device/Manual/USB cable/AV cable/external TF Card (32GB max).
Internal Storage: 16GB (3rd Gen)
Screen Size: 3.0″ (320×480)
Battery: Replaceable BL-5B 890mAh (Standard Nokia phone battery), lasts 3-5 hours.
I personally added on a wrist strap, a pouch (DS Lite size fits perfectly), an old-school pair of earphones (for a full retro feel) and a 3″ screen protector. After doing so, I fell in love with this lil’ emulator even more.
Although RS-97 supports 20+ languages, the ROM titles will either be in English or Chinese depending on where you buy it — so I suggest checking this with your seller beforehand. Either way, the games would still play in English.
Super Mario Bros., Mega Man, Sonic the Hedgehog, Turtles in Time, Tetris, Zelda, Metal Slug, Street Fighter 2… You name it, the RS-97’s got it. And if it doesn’t, you can easily find ROMs online and add them on via the TF Card.
Whether you grew up in the 8-bit/16-bit era or simply just want to get into retro gaming, this is for you! And even if you have the officially released dedicated consoles, I still recommend purchasing the RETROGAME RS-97 because you can’t go wrong with on-the-go retro gaming. And with its affordable price, it’s definitely worth it!
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UPDATE [January 24, 2019]
I recently did the following:
- Updated Firmware
Although not necessary, I strongly suggest updating the firmware as the emulators included in the update are much better than the stock firmware. Games appear and sound more solid. The firmware includes more emulators for other retro gaming systems including DOSBOX, Atari 2600, and PS One (yes, PlayStation One!). - Replaced internal memory with a 32GB SanDisk Extreme micro SD card.
2 reasons I recommend replacing the internal SD card: -
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- 16GB might not be sufficient if you plan to add ROMs for every new emulator.
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- RS-97’s internal card isn’t exactly reliable as it’s only a generic brand. In my case, the SD card crashed and corrupted its entire contents while plugged into my computer (on standby!). Luckily, I already had all my ROMs backed up.
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- Replaced battery with an original Nokia BL-5B battery
Although also not necessary, considering RS-97’s battery is also generic, I felt it better to use a branded battery. The stock battery is 800mAh. Nokia’s BL-5B battery is 890mAh i.e. longer playtime — plus, it just makes the RS-97 look even more outstanding.
Conclusion: The RETROGAME RS-97 is a great retro gaming handheld; but it becomes even better and shines even brighter after updating its firmware and replacing its stock accessories.
** To update firmware, click here (tutorial youtube videos included).
