Personally I would go for RG350M, but it doesn't meet your requirement to have icons instead of titles to choose games. It is also much more expensive.
X12 Plus seems to be very reasonable choice, but you may check also JXD 5" S5110b as it is only slightly more expensive than X12 Plus.
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I have a problem ordering from Amazon at the moment (due to the pandemic), so I found JXD on Aliexpress:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32841623998.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.84a64255BfSlTd&algo_pvid=e20483a9-6da7-44db-ab63-47da571a1632&algo_expid=e20483a9-6da7-44db-ab63-47da571a1632-9&btsid=0ab6f8ad15915377341343227e6c31&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_
But I do think it's a bit expensive for a no-brand device that it's hard to know its exact specifications.
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https://www.goretroid.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c25Z8xZS4gE
I used to have an archos gamepad, so an android tablet with joysticks, but after a little fall on the carpet it became slow, they had another faster one later, but seems they are no longer for sale.
You got these programs where you can scroll through f.e nes and you see all titles and screenshots, then your kid can also easily pick or say hey this looks cool. just don't put too many on them if they can't read.
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The psp and ps vita are supposedly amazing retro emulators. And a good interface is a given with these ones.
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I'd recommend getting Playstation Portable, it has excellent native PS1 emulation and tons of homebrew emulators for every major console. Installing custom firmware that allows to run homebrew may be a little tricky. Plus, there are lots of native games of excellent quality.
It is sturdly built and has one of the best responsive D-pads I've ever encountered. I think PSP isn't manufactured anymore, but there should be no problem in finding it used or refurbished. Seek for PSP 200x or 300x models
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Yeah vita too (and i dunno why vita wouldn't be better) i bought my vita for 200 euro, he also had a psp, while i tend to collect as much as possible old consoles, i didn't feel the need to get a psp too above a vita, seller even told me himself.
You'd also need a good sd card which might add to the cost, depending on what you want to put on, nes etc aren't big, but ps1 were cd images, and can be 300-650mb then a small sd card is quickly full.
Thing with the vita is, it also comes with a "store' you can just download games from, atleast mine did.
Note I didn't even had time to play with the vita other then testing it out so i can comment about any emulation part.
But you need very specific models, same as for xbox 360/playstation 3 if you ever want to go there too (and slap an external to it), i'd just find someone that done it for you and pay a bit more, but up to you offcourse, also then you can see what you buy, if it's in good shape (often stuff from second market sites are very scratched/dirty), rather then let it ship from an ebay (and get something else).
Depends on where you live, if it might be easy to find one or not.
That guy i got it from, also got a fine slapped on him from Nintendo btw.
You also have a thing called playstation tv then you can play psp, vita and ps1 games on your tv, but again it needs to be jailbroken.
Or you can get a playstation mini, those should still be cheap and are very easy to hack and modify yourself, to your own wishes but both these aren't handhelds, but they are options.
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I follow a great youtuber that plays some of these portable consoles and his favorite is bittboy, is cheap and emulates these old gens handled gameboys from 2000-90's, if you have a interest for a really good emulator and project search for recalbox.
My sincery opinion: i prefer play handle games on portable, home consoles emulated in these devices , on handle emulators is not good for me.
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https://retrododo.com/retropie-handhelds/
There are just very many routes you can go through with it and not one really sticking out as the best. ;)
Old psp/vita would be best but gonna be hard to find (cheap).
Raspberry is very powerful depending the version you get and thus emulate a lot more, but you need that, a sd card, and a case, while it's nice to build something with your kids, it isn't exactly lego, so if they break something...Just let them watch and keep the raspberry in the case at all time.
I done something like this with my Raspberry (i got like the red one but for 1 player) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psWCmLwvWBE
Although i still can't get it working properly (sound and joystick) as it's based on linux which i am not good at, and again time (and so many consoles)..You can buy kits for it online if you aren't handy to make it yourself, but if you buy a kit you also looking at 200+.
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I was on the lookout for a handheld like this a couple of years ago.
In the end I decided to get a second hand PS vita (100€). I don't regret that decision.
You can play vita games, psp and ps1 games through adrenaline, remote play from your PS4 or PC (if you have a GeForce gpu) with moonlight and a bunch of emulators, including retroarch and pFBA.
This year I also got a new 2ds (also 100€) and I would say that console is a child's dream. You can flawlessly play SNES, GBA and DS on it and emulate a couple of other systems, as well.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxEh_aJEAWc pricey but very very powerful. :p
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Actually, for myself - I just use my phone.
There are both clones of retro games, and emulators available for android.
So downside is you need to use the touch controls instead of physical controls.
But the upside, is that you get a "6 inch screen (instead of ~3" inch screens on most of these devices).
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I've been checking out Handheld Retro Gaming consoles (e.g. RG350, Odroid, Powkiddy, etc.).
I'm new to this whole world of retro handheld gaming consoles, and I'm trying to find something that will convenient for small children that can't read yet.
i.e. Icons instead of titles to choose games, and as many games pre-installed as possible (although I can probably manage to manually install any game or software if needed).
And obviously I want it to have a large screen as possible and to be as cheap as possible.
Can someone recommend me a device that will be a good fit for me?
Wil something like X12 Plus be suitable for my needs?
As customary in these threads, a complimentary GA
And as I usually do, the best answers will get their owners a spot on my whitelist.
EDIT:
A huge list of available handhelds and their specifications I stumbled upon
Some options I've found through online research:
Bittboy - A very cheap ($25) and relatively powerfull (relative to price & size) 3" inch device.
X12 Plus - Roughly as powerful, and cheap ($30) 5.1" inch device
PowKiddy X19 - Roughly as powerful, and slightly less cheap ($50) 7" inch device
WOLSEN LDK - Slightly more powerful and more expensive ($50) 2.6" inch device
ODROID-GO Advance - Very powerful ($60) 2.6" inch device, that has the additional benefit (for kids) you need to assemble it yourself
Retroid Pocket - Very powerful ($70) 2.6" inch device.
Various RasbperryPi-based devices - Very powerful ($45 - $100 total) devices, which you need to flash & assemble yourself. Assembling may be fun. But tinkering will probably be very time consuming before it will start working.
The one thing I'm missing is their User Interfaces.
I have no idea which are easy to use, and which are difficult...
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