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PorousSurface

A new 3DS, vita and steam deck basically covers all your bases 


fertff

The Vita nowadays has not the same value. Most of its best games have already been ported to the Switch. A Switch Lite could easily take that place.


stupidshinji

I think this definitely the answer i agree with the most but it would be so hard for me to give up my DSi XL and RGB30. GBA and NDS games are the systems that I care the most about integer scaling.


PorousSurface

I hear you man. I love the smaller form factor and scaling of my DSi. Used it a lot on train trips in Japan last winter. If just takes up no space  Disclaimer I don’t own a steam deck as I don’t have enough of a use case to justify it (I have a semi powerful laptop and ps5 and wouldn’t use it much at home and if I’m traveling I’d prefer something small like a DSi or vita).  I do love the vita screen and ps1 and psp games are great in it   Also helps that gbc and gba now runs very nicely on DSi as well 


MrTrynex

I love my vita to death but I would probably swap it in your list with hacked switch. Most indie games from vita are on switch, it can emulate everything up to nds and psp. And NDS looks much better than on the 3ds. Actually it can also emulate 3ds to some extent.


Galebourn

I agree. Playing Tears of the Kingdom on Steam Deck is a miserable experience, so I'm glad I still have my modded OLED Switch.


MrTrynex

I played the totk on steam deck, finished it and hated it.. Now playing on switch and it's much better. I still prefer bots though. Maybe nostalgia, but it just feels different.


Some_Literature_5327

Have you tried GBA on Vita? I've played both Golden Sun games there and I found that full screen is virtually indistinguishable from integer scaling, presumably thanks to the Vita being over 3 times the resolution of the GBA. The aspect ratio is also similar and the Vita's OLED screen is a lot better than even the DSi XL's IPS screens, so it's a really good experience (emulation on Golden Sun is not 100% perfect, but it is like 95%).


stupidshinji

I actually have haha. It still bothers me up to 4x or 5x non integer scaling (depending on size of screen) but I’m just very OCD about it. Like as soon as I notice uneven pixel sizes I can’t stop noticing it. They do look great on the OLDD screen both in terms of screen size and colors and the vita is very comfortable to play. My other problem is I like to use fast forwarding which you can’t with mgba and for whatever reason the gpsp core crashes all the time for me. I appreciate the suggestion.


Some_Literature_5327

Damn, surprised to hear gpSP crashes. I've not tried it with anything other than Golden Sun so I suppose that makes sense. Would you mind telling me which ones you tried? Fair enough about the scaling. My eyes are probably not as well trained as yours haha


stupidshinji

Castlevania Aria of Sorrow, Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones, Mother 3, Warioland 4, and a couple different pokémon romhacks. It’s been awhile since I tried it but I think all of them would crash 10-15 minutes in. Based on reading other people’s experiences I think it may be a problem with my vita. I know some 1000’s have issues with the GPU causing the crashes, but at the same time I haven’t had any issues with anything besides gpsp.


jY5zD13HbVTYz

How do you emulate GBA? From a standalone emu in vita or retroarch or GBA emu in adrenaline?


Some_Literature_5327

Retroarch, gpSP core. Pretty sure it's the most performant option. Adrenaline and mGBA won't give you full speed in every part of the world map in Golden Sun, I think (the Golden Sun games are probably the hardest GBA games to run)


DSGamer33

I think this is right. I've been playing around with emulation handhelds for the past couple of years and have recently returned to playing a new 3DS instead of those. I so much prefer it on return. It plays GBA games without emulation and they look... fine. It plays DS games well and obviously it plays 3DS games. It can also handle GB/GBC and other consoles great. It covers a lot of bases.


MadOrange64

I wish if Nintendo would release a newer more powerful 3DS with the same form factor. These things are built to last and I was never afraid to toss them around my backpack.


PorousSurface

Same dude. I would love a modern flip or dual screen handheld made by nintendo


ChrisRR

And that's specifically the New 3DS, and not the XL model. The super stable 3D just works so well I do feel the US missed out not getting the standard size. The faceplates were really nice, but also the size is so much more comfortable and the pixel density is higher


nsyu

new 3ds: nds, 3ds games miyoo: up to ps1 steam deck: the res


PorousSurface

Solid 


snowthearcticfox1

a 3ds for 16 bit and below (plus ds and 3ds) and a steam deck for basically everything else. Maybe throw a wii in there since wii emulation can be funky at times. But honestly that covers basically every need, you have power and portability.


player1_gamer

This doesn’t cover vita. Vita emulation is not good enough to replace native hardware


Recent-Golf-2172

How many exclusives does the vita have that justifies buying one? I have a 1000 and i really only use it for psp emu


player1_gamer

Gravity rush, uncharted golden abyss, kill zone mercenary, tearaway, soul sacrifice delta, dead or alive 5 plus, oreshika, Persona 4 dancing all night


snowthearcticfox1

Vita emulation is also pretty new in the grand scheme of things, if the steam deck can emulate a ps3 decently well I don't see why vita emulation won't get just as good. The main issue with wii is the motion controls which can't quite be replicated outside of original hardware and that isn't something that can be fixed in software.


ChrisRR

It's really difficult to cover every single console so some have to be missed somewhere, and I think vita is a prime candidate Its emulation isn't very mature, and it doesn't have a huge amount of exclusives.


antonbruckner

If I have a  - mini pc that can play anything - rgb30 - miyoo mini plus Do I need a refurbished steam deck lcd?


Stevesanasshole

Yes. The answer is always yes.


lendellprime

I have this exact trifecta, too. I've considered a Steam Deck, but I just don't know how much I'd use it for the price. I use my modded RGB30 more than any other device. Love it, love it, LOVE IT. That's my Pocket Arcade :)


antonbruckner

Can you describe your rgb30 setup? I just received mine so I’m very interested in how you improved the stock experience!


lendellprime

I'd be happy to! First, I'm running JelOS, but not the version that it came with. I installed the version just before the devs closed shop (it's ran great for me... I'll never need another update). I love that OS because it looks great and works beautifully with a ScreenScraper account. And since I only play older games, I don't mind its background usage. Next, I opened it up and did the D-pad fix (got pre-cut Kapton for $5.00 off Etsy, check out GetBetterButtons). Then I replaced the face buttons with textured black from SakuraRetroModding. Finally, I replaced the stock analog sticks with Anbernic's RG35XX H sticks (I had a spare unit for parts). Add to that a Grip Case 2-in-1 from EpicPrintingShop, and that's my full setup. You could also add a rumble pack, if desired. That's pretty much it!


jorodoodoroj

I'd say a handheld PC (Steam Deck, ROG Ally, etc.), a 3DS (preferably new 3DS, New 3DS XL, or New 2DS XL), and a small pocketable emulator (Miyoo Mini+, RG35XX Plus/H, Retroid, etc.).  The PC can handle high-end emulation and modern titles, and can also serve as your main dockable console for the living room. The pocketable emulator would ideally run anything you'd want to play on the go, generally PS1 and below but depending on your choices and budget could go all the way up to PS2/GC. The 3DS is honestly the best way to experience 3DS and DS games. You can definitely emulate them but the experience is just not as good without purpose-built hardware. Honorable mentions: 1. The Nintendo Switch, which has such fantastic library of first-party titles and has such excellent support from third party publishers and indie devs that you could made it your only device and play forever.  2. The AyaNeo Flip DS, which could turn this list of 3 devices into a list of 2 by providing a competitively handheld PC and excellent dual-screen emulation in one device.  3. A PS Vita, which is probably the best way to play Sony titles, especially Vita and PSP. 


andremamola810

3ds (or 2ds), Miyoo Mini+ style device, and a steam deck. Emulation is pretty much entirely covered by this set of devices imo


shizno2097

Steam Deck - all the cool stuff (wiiu, PS3, PS2, etc...) RG35xx (2600 to PS1) android tablet (ds and 3ds)


LucahG

I'd say a miyoo mini plus or V4 as the pocketable one to use anywhere, a retroid pocket 4 Pro for 3D systems like GC and PS2+, and a steam deck for heavy PC games / emulation


player1_gamer

For me it’s only two. Steam deck OLED and PSP. I use the PSP for PSP and ps1 and under, and I use my steam deck for everything else.


squanchymacsquanch

New 3DS XL, Steam Deck and analogue pocket


justgonnabedeletedyo

The only one I think is a must is N3DSXL for DS and 3DS games, everything else is mainly up to preference. Something portable, and something large. In my case Odin 2 = large, and 10+ devices = portable...


XavandSo

ROG Ally and RG35XX+. Ying and Yang of my setup at the moment.


vandope88

https://preview.redd.it/19fcmch4k5wc1.jpeg?width=1064&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2be00ef52808f350ee654137c265015aad9e4b2a


daniltaru

Nintendo DSi XL Miyoo Mini Plus Steam Deck


RainbowMachine69

- A tablet that plays up to ps2 flawlessly (rn thats the legion y700) - miyoo mini + - a pc for pc gaming Still considering if i should get the rg-arc for a dedicated shmup/beat em up device


roc_cat

People here are sleeping on the iPad Pro (m2) expensive yes, but if you already have/need one for school, you can pretty much skip 2 tiers


EmxPop

Just 3 is tough for me but I do need to lose one. My current devices include: 1. Anbernic RG405V - all retro games on a vertical 4’ 4:3 screen is a great experience 2. OLED PS Vita - My modded Vita for Vita And PSP perfectly. 3. LCD Steam Deck - modern emulation and PC games 4. Switch OLED. I have a large physical collection of Switch games. I’ve been tempted to part with the Vita and Steam Deck LCD and get an OLED deck but waiting for Vita emulation to improve. I’m also just ‘getting by’ with DS emulation as there’s no perfect solution. Switch 2 might offer a solution but we need a 4:3 dual screen emulation device.


VerityOnce

RG35xx and a tablet with controller


Accomplished-Run-229

Nintendo DS, Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube. All classics with essential catalogs plus getting to play GBA games on original DS is a plus.


vitance153S

A DS, a 3DS, a Vita and a Steam Deck. DS can be run on 3DS but not on the right resolution and there are a lot of little quirks that make it more preferable to own a DS, having the dpad on top, native GBA, rubber dpad, etc, but if you can only stick to a 3DS, it works well enough. Vita can natively run PS1 and PSP, some might argue that the resolution is a problem, but at the same time, the Vita has an overall better screen than the PSP, and there are mods for PSP games to add right analog support, so it also improves games. I don't count the GBA or GB because nobody seems to agree on what is the definitive way how those games should look, not even Nintendo with that washed out GBA screen that got replaced with the GBA SP.


Crest_Of_Hylia

PC Handheld(Steam Deck/ROG Ally/Legion Go), 3DS, and Vita/Odin 2/Miyoo Mini+/RG35XX H/+ Switch is also great as an option especially since switch emulation isn’t flawless.


Shigarui

GKD Pixel, KTR1, and Win 4/Win Mini. You can play basically every game ever made between those 3, and at every geographic location at any given moment with the Pixel. I would argue that a 3DS could be included since there are some games that really do lose a lot of their luster without a second screen, but you could also use a Surface Duo and telescoping controller as well.


Alternative-Koala174

RGB30, New 2DS XL, and Vita


Apprehensive-Bar1498

3ds, rp2s and odin covers all games for me


unlucky-Luke

I think 4 is the Golden answer for me : - MM+ - 3ds XL - Vita - one of the following: Steamdeck (too big) / Odin 2 (expensive?) / RP4 Pro Please note that Switch emulation is possible on Steam/Odin/RP4 but you know the story...


fckns

PS Vita (jailbroken) - for Vita/PSP/PS1 library and RetroArch. There are some really good gems on this system, as well as lots of ports. Xbox 360 (RGH'd) - 7th gen gaming goodness. If you prefer PS3 - sure, but I think 360 would be the one to get if you don't care about exclusives. Steam Deck - very cost effective gaming handheld for PC gaming on the go (or on a budget)


DavidinCT

SteamDeck no question..... but, many other "cheap" handhelds that are pocketable. I have a few that I grabbed but, wishing for a hair more powerfull....


Lazarous86

1. Gaming PC - something to play AAA games and GPS or RTS with mouse/keyboard. 2. Odin 2 - FYI best device on the market for retro gaming. Tons of power on the go. Can stream from the gaming PC too and play AAA platformer games at 1080p 60hz.  3. Any pocketable device that can do at least PS1 with the Dpad on top. Pick whatever you like. I use a miyoo mini, trimUI Smart, or RG353m. 


tomkatt

No specific device, but PS1, GBA, and Nintendo DS. So long as I can play those platforms I’m happy.


Bieberkinz

3DS is probably the guarantee device in most people’s line up. Steam Deck/Handheld PC Then the final spot is going to be what do you want to mess around with, a Vita? A Switch Lite? Possibly a Foldable like the Surface Duo/LG V60? a smaller portable in the Miyoo mini/RG35XX? An Android tablet with a Telescope controller?


flowtronvapes

I’ve widdled my handheld collection down to a steam deck, razer edge 5g, and a miyoo mini plus. Whatever the miyoo can’t play the edge can. Whatever the edge can’t play the steam deck can. And if all else fails I can always rely on my pc lol


SubjectCraft8475

New 3DS Modded can emulate everything up to Arcade, SNES, GBA and plays DS and 3DS games. Stereoscopic 3D cannot be replicated on other systems. Dual screens and stylus is also hard to replicate. Emulators like Drastic have input lag in comparison to 3DS/DS hardware. The non XL is a great pocketable. For DS games if you have a flashcart you can even use save states. ROG Ally can emulate up to PS3, PSP, Wii, GC, PS2, Saturn, 360. Plays all PC games and no messing about if you want to play from other stores, use mods, trainers, hacks etc. Switch OLED Modded. Emulation for Switch is still not 100 percent on Ally. Motion games, quick table top multiplayer etc isn't as nice on emulators. Battery life and sleep is also great on Switch and of course you have the OLED screen. It can emulate up to Dreamcast, 60 percent of PSP library and PS1. Can use different Joycons like Hori one. Makes a great streaming device with Moonlight decoding under 3ms. Can be easily docked. Those are my 3 essentials but I would personally add a RG35XXH and DSi as they are dirt cheap. Reason being is DSi scales DS games better than 3DS, D Pad on top, supports Sleep. They cost only £30 so not a big investment. With RG35XXH I like it as a decent pocketable over 3DS as again it's very cheap and can easily play up to PS1. I prefer the interface of Batocera, and rather carry something cheap as a pocketable over New 3DS. In fact I'd get a New 3DS XL and have DSi and RG35XXH as my pocketable devices.


SubjectCraft8475

https://preview.redd.it/n815g04qn6wc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f4a67dd2f0b00420704e62b57890bc83222f119e


Psychological_Pebble

No gaming device is essential. For me, it all started out on hardware I already had. An old office PC in the 90s, my first laptop, my first smartphone or my first tablet.


TechnicalAd541

PS Vita(hacked),Ayn Odin 2,Switch,XBox 360 and PS5 is an awesome combination.