I’m hyped about this Prime Day retro handheld deal, and not just because it looks like a Game Boy Advance SP

In case you weren’t aware, retro handhelds are kind of my thing. Naturally, that means I spend a chunk of Prime Day shopping for portable consoles, and I just stumbled across an Anbernic RG35XXSP discount I’m pretty pleased with. The Game Boy Advance SP homage is admittedly available at various retailers for different prices, but honestly? I reckon most of you will want to stick with Amazon this time around.

Okay, here’s the deal – If you mosey over to Amazon right now, you can grab the Anbernic RG35XXSP for $71.99 (down from $89.99). You typically pay more at the retailer for this handheld than you will at Aliexpress, a symptom of the company’s seller fees and other related shenanigans. However, by taking advantage of this Prime Day gaming deal, you’ll benefit from free delivery and an arguably better customer support system if your handheld ends up taking the long (wrong) route to your door. 

For the sake of transparency, you can currently grab the Anbernic RG35XXSP for $57.99 at Alixpress, with the storefront basing its 42% discount on a $99.98 MSRP. That’s a cracking offer for a handheld of this calibre, but as someone who frequently picks up bits from the retailer, I can almost guarantee it’ll take a significant time to show up. Plus, you’ll have to pay $12 shipping, meaning it’s not as cheap once in your cart.

Ultimately, it’s down to you whether you fancy dealing with the slightly chaotic nature of Aliexpress or opting for the reliability of Amazon. Personally, I think it’s worth using your Prime account, as it’s a nice safety net to have in the instance that anything goes wrong with the handheld. That’s not to say you should anticipate any issues, but there’s always unlucky buyers no matter what the product is.

Should you buy the Anbernic RG35XXSP?

Do you miss the glory days flip phones and still having a Blockbuster Video in your town? If you, chances are you’re a big fan of the Game Boy Advance SP, and the brand new Anbernic RG35XXSP is designed to help you relive those hardware while being able to run all sorts of classic capers. Designed to use your own retro game backups, this best gaming handheld contender can even handle Dreamcast adventures, so you won’t be left wanting for emulation performance.

Fluffy nostalgic selling points and emulation prowess aside, devices like the Anbernic RG35XXSP aren’t for everyone, as they’re not exactly plug and play. Unlike consoles with their own specific library, not every game is guaranteed to work on handhelds like this, as you’ll be at the mercy of emulation. Plus, you’ll also have to be savvy with how to back up your physical collection in the first place, which can require a bit of technical knowhow and some sort of PC.

I normally point anyone who can’t be bothered with all that faff towards the Super Pocket – a $59 handheld that uses Evercade cartridges. Rather than using original releases, you can go out a pick up brand new physical compilations of games by specific publishers, which serve as both a nice collector shelf-filler and an instant way to play. Yes, you will have to spend additional money on said games, but if we’re being honest, I reckon most of you traded away your old-gen collections a while ago, so you’d still be forking out for stuff to play regardless.

Even if you are used to the realm of emulation, there are countless ways to play your old backups in 2024. For instance, if you’re not fussed about flippy screens, the Anbernic RG35XX Plus is down to $68.39 from $85.99 thanks to a 20% discount, and it features a more conventional Game Boy design that’s arguably more ergonomic. You might even be better off simply looking at Prime Day Steam Deck deals, as portable PCs can also serve up emulated classics alongside thousands of PC games.

Looking for more savings? Swing by Prime Day TV deals and Prime Day monitor deals for display discounts. Alternatively, take a peek at Prime Day Asus ROG Ally deals for portable PC offers.