A new handheld console is the budget-friendly alternative to the Switch 2

TL;DR: Play the games from your childhood on the Retropian, a handheld emulator console with 10,000+ games built-in.

Frustrated by the high price of modern games? $80 for a single title is a lot, but the Switch 2 isn’t the only impressive portable console on the market. The Retropian is a handheld gaming console that uses built-in emulators to play the games you grew up on, but it’s not limited to one gaming company. This handheld console can play games from the NES, PlayStation 1, Atari, and so much more, and it costs as much as a single Switch 2 game: just $79.99 (reg. $129).

Don’t let the retro vibe fool you. The Retropian Color is surprisingly modern. The bright 3.5-inch IPS screen pops with color, the controls are super responsive, and the open-source Linux system means you can tweak or expand it if you’re feeling nerdy. It even comes preloaded with 10,000+ games across more than 20 classic systems, so odds are your childhood favorites are already on deck.

Retropian Color Retro Handheld Gaming Console

We’re talking NES, SNES, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Sega Genesis, Game Gear, Dreamcast, Saturn, and even PlayStation 1. It also handles arcade systems like MAME and Neo Geo, plus lesser-known gems from the TurboGrafx-16, Amiga, MSX, and even the Commodore 64. If you remember it, this thing probably runs it.

Under the hood, it’s got a dual-core ARM processor, 1GB of RAM, and a 64GB microSD card that you can upgrade if you’re planning to add even more titles. The battery lasts up to six hours, and the whole thing is small enough to toss in your bag without a second thought.

Want multiplayer? No problem. With built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, you can connect with a friend for some two-player throwdowns. Boot up Street Fighter II, tag in for Contra, or race through Mario Kart like it’s 1995.

It’s going to cost $80 to get a single game for the Nintendo Switch 2.

It only costs $79.99 to get the Retropian Retro Handheld Gaming Console.

StackSocial prices subject to change.