A handheld game console, or simply handheld console, is a small, portable self-contained video game console with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are smaller than home video game consoles and contain the console, screen, speakers, and controls in one unit, allowing players to carry them and play them at any time or place.
A video game console is an electronic device that outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can be played with a game controller. These may be home consoles, which are generally placed in a permanent location connected to a television or other display devices and controlled with a separate game controller, or handheld consoles, which include their own display unit and controller functions built into the unit and which can be played anywhere. Hybrid consoles combine elements of both home and handheld consoles.
A gamepad is a type of video game controller held in two hands, where the fingers are used to provide input. They are typically the main input device for video game consoles.
A flash cartridge is one of several cartridges containing flash memory that have been developed for use in video game consoles. These cartridges enable homebrew applications and games to be used. Flash cartridges offer a means of storage for keeping the games until a user decides to run a game, which then it is copied to the cartridge's game ROM for the console to run the game as if it were a normal ROM cartridge. The game storage can be in the form of onboard flash memory on the cartridge, although more recent cartridges use external memory cards as storage in place of onboard memory, such as Compact Flash or Secure Digital memory cards. Recent flash cartridges may also use RAM instead of ROM for flashing games to run on the console as a way to offer faster loading times than what is possible on reprogrammable ROM.
The GP2X is a Linux-based handheld video game console and portable media player developed by South Korean company GamePark Holdings. It was released on November 10, 2005, in South Korea only.
The Japanese multinational consumer electronics company Nintendo has developed seven home video game consoles and multiple portable consoles for use with external media, as well as dedicated consoles and other hardware for their consoles. As of September 30, 2021, in addition to Nintendo Switch, Nintendo has sold over 863.07 million hardware units.
A video game console emulator is a type of emulator that allows a computing device to emulate a video game console's hardware and play its games on the emulating platform. More often than not, emulators carry additional features that surpass limitations of the original hardware, such as broader controller compatibility, timescale control, easier access to memory modifications, and unlocking of gameplay features. Emulators are also a useful tool in the development process of homebrew demos and the creation of new games for older, discontinued, or rare consoles.
The eighth generation of video game consoles began in 2012, and consists of four home video game consoles: the Wii U released in 2012, the PlayStation 4 family in 2013, the Xbox One family in 2013, and the Nintendo Switch family in 2017.
The Rockchip RK3288 is an ARM architecture System on Chip (SoC) from Rockchip. It is the first SoC, in August 2014, that uses the 32-bit ARM Cortex-A17 processor. It is a quad-core processor with a NEON coprocessor and hardware acceleration for video and 3D graphics. It is used in a number of Chromebooks and other low-power, low-performance devices.
The GCW Zero is a Linux-based open-source handheld video game console created by a start up, Game Consoles Worldwide. The GCW Zero was funded by a successful crowdfunding campaign on kickstarter.com on 29 January 2013 with US$238,499 collected, originally aiming for $130,000. The project was created by Justin Barwick. The device was eventually released that year.
Custom firmware, also known as aftermarket firmware, is an unofficial new or modified version of firmware created by third parties on devices such as video game consoles, mobile phones, and various embedded device types to provide new features or to unlock hidden functionality. In the video game console community, the term is often written as custom firmware or simply CFW, referring to an altered version of the original system software inside a video game console such as the PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita/PlayStation TV, PlayStation 4, Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Switch. Installing custom firmware on some devices requires bootloader unlocking.
GPD Win is a Windows-based palmtop computer equipped with a keyboard and video game controls. It is an x86-based computer that runs Windows 10. It is capable of running any x86 Windows-based application that can run within the confines of the computer's hardware. First announced in October 2015, it was crowdfunded via Indiegogo and two other crowdfunding sites in Japan and China. The GPD Win was released in October 2016.
The Nintendo Switch system software is an updatable firmware and operating system used by the Nintendo Switch video game console. It is based on a proprietary microkernel. The UI includes a HOME screen, consisting of the top bar, the screenshot viewer ("Album") Icons, and shortcuts to the Nintendo eShop, News, and Settings.
The GPD Win 2 is a Windows-based palmtop computer that is the successor to the GPD Win. It is manufactured by Chinese company GamePad Digital, and crowdfunded just as its predecessor was. Announced in first-quarter 2017, the crowdfunding campaign officially kicked off on January 15, 2018, and quickly surpassed its goal. It was released in May 2018.
The ninth generation of video game consoles began in November 2020 with the releases of Microsoft's Xbox Series X and Series S console family and Sony's PlayStation 5.
The Evercade is a handheld game console developed and manufactured by UK company Blaze Entertainment. It focuses on retrogaming with ROM cartridges that each contain a number of emulated games. Development began in 2018, and the console was released in May 2020, after a few delays. Upon its launch, the console offered 10 game cartridges with a combined total of 122 games.
The GPD Win Max is a Windows-based palmtop computer manufactured by Gamepad Digital (GPD). It is the successor to the GPD Win 2, and was crowdfunded, like its predecessor. Announced in the first quarter of 2020, the crowdfunding campaign was launched on Indiegogo on May 18, 2020, priced at $779. The campaign concluded on July 1, 2020 with more than 3,500 backers having contributed more than $2.8 million dollars in total.
The GPD Win 3 is a Windows-based handheld computer that is the successor to the GPD Win 2 and GPD Win MAX. It is manufactured by Chinese company Gamepad Digital (GPD), and crowdfunded.
The Anbernic RG351 is a Linux-based handheld game console created in China by Anbernic. The console uses a microSD card for storage and is a digital ROM-only console. It is the successor to the RG350, and has emerged as a prominent handheld console for retrogaming alongside the Retroid Pocket 2, with the screen aspect ratio of some models particularly optimized for Game Boy Advance titles. It is sold in several models with different shells and screen resolutions, but similar internal specifications. Critics have praised its quality and functionality, but criticized certain aspects of its design.
The Retroid Pocket 2 is an Android-based handheld video game console created in China by GoRetroid and released in September 2020. An emulation console, it is capable of playing games from various handheld and non-handheld systems, including all consoles up to the Dreamcast. As the device does not accept game cartridges or discs, the user must supply a ROM image of the games they wish to play. It is the successor to the Retroid Pocket, and has emerged as a prominent handheld console for retrogaming alongside the Anbernic RG351. It is priced at US$84.99, however, a second version, the Retroid Pocket 2+, was released in early 2022, featuring a touchscreen, stronger CPU and RAM, and higher-quality buttons, at a slightly higher price point of US$99. A third version, the Retroid Pocket 2S, was released in mid 2023, featuring even stronger CPU and RAM. Critics praised its low price and build quality, but its outdated Android version, front end interface, low battery life, and offset analog sticks were noted as points of contention.
