Which Console Should You Choose?
My Go-To Picks (Based on What I Play)
🕹️ Best All-Around Retro Console (Especially for Beginners)
Miyoo Mini Plus
If you’re just getting into retro gaming — or you want something compact, affordable, and easy to love — this is my top recommendation.
It’s perfect for everything up to PlayStation 1, and it feels very “pick up and play.” No overthinking, no unnecessary power — just great classic games in a tiny form factor.
🎮 If You Love Game Boy / Game Boy Color Nostalgia
Anbernic RG34XX & RG34XX SP
These are fantastic if GBA and GBC are your comfort zone. The form factor alone hits hard on nostalgia.
That said, you’re not limited to handheld games. They also run:
- GB, GBC, GBA
- NES, SNES
- Mega Drive, Master System
- MAME
- PlayStation 1
So you get nostalgia and flexibility.
If You Want More Power (PS2, Wii, Android Games)
Anbernic RG406H
This one’s for people who want to go beyond classic retro.
If you’re interested in playing:
- PlayStation 2
- GameCube
- Wii
- PSP
- Dreamcast
- Android games
…this is where you should be looking. It’s more powerful, more versatile, and great if you want one device that does almost everything.
SD Card Basics (Quick & Simple)
When setting up a game SD card, here’s the usual process on Windows:
- Insert your SD card into your computer using an SD card reader
- Format it as FAT32
- Open Rufus
- Double-check that the selected drive is your SD card (match the storage size)
- Set:
Boot selection: Non-bootable
File system: FAT32
(Optional) Add a custom volume label - Click Start and confirm any warnings
It only takes a moment.
💡 Windows Defender may show a warning about autorun files — this is a false alert. You can safely ignore it. After formatting, you can delete any autorun files that appear on the card.
Important: OS SD Cards Are Different
The OS card is usually NOT formatted manually.
Instead, it’s written with an operating system using flashing software (like Rufus or similar). This applies to systems like:
- GarlicOS
- ArkOS
- JELOS
- Stock OS
If Your OS File Is:
- img.xz or .zip → extract it until you’re left with a .img file
That .img file is what you flash to the SD card.
What OS Do These Consoles Come With?
All consoles sold come with a Stock OS by default.
That said, you have options 👇
Miyoo Mini Plus
You can choose what works best for you:
- OnionOS
- MinUI
- Stock OS
Anbernic (Linux-based consoles)
Common options include:
- MuOS
- Batocera
- Stock OS
- MinUI
There’s no single “correct” choice — it really depends on whether you want maximum features or maximum simplicity.
Where to Find ROMs
ROMs are usually shared and archived online by system (NES, SNES, GBA, PlayStation, etc.). Most people locate them through search engines, forums, or retro gaming communities.
Searching for the exact game title + console name will usually point you in the right direction.
A common approach is to:
- Open a search engine
- Type the game name + the system it was released on
- Look for archive-style pages that list multiple games for that system
For example:
- Game name + GBA ROM
- Game name + SNES ROM
You’ll usually find collections that contain everything you need in one place, rather than downloading games one by one.
What to download
For most handhelds:
- Games come as .zip, .7z, or .bin/.cue files
- You usually don’t need to extract them unless the emulator requires it
- Each console has its own folder on the SD card (GBA games go in the GBA folder, etc.)
Once the files are on the SD card, the console will detect them automatically.
A quick tip for beginners
If a game doesn’t show up:
- Make sure it’s in the correct system folder
- Make sure the file format matches that system
- Refresh the game list on the console (most systems do this automatically on reboot)
That’s it.
No accounts, no subscriptions, no online connection required after setup.
Bottom line
If you can copy files onto an SD card, you can add games to your console.