This week, Brendon, John, and Federico analyze the latest Nintendo Direct and what it reveals about the Switch 2’s rumored June launch. Then the trio dissects the many questions that Nintendo’s upcoming Virtual Game Cards system raises, explores the features of the Nintendo Today app, and debate the reported three-phase launch strategy for the next console. In the latest handheld news, they also cover the latest EmuDeck update, AYA NEO’s confounding mini PC, and an intriguing foldable from Huawei that’s perfect for DS emulation.

Links and Show Notes

The Latest Portable Gaming News

• EmuDeck 2.4 launches, with support for new emulators, improved BIOS checkers and more
• Update AYANEO AM01S mini PC has a retro design, a 4 inch flip-up display, and AMD Strix Point inside
• Huawei Pura X
• Huawei Pura X launched, a foldable phone with 1610 widescreen
• Huawei’s new flip phone is weirdly wide
• Nintendo’s Switch 2 Launch Plans
• Insider Gaming Nintendo Switch 2 expected June 2025, launch to have 3-phase plan
• Nintendo’s “3-Phase Launch Plan” for Switch 2 - Wavelengths
• Also, Best Buy says preorders for Switch 2 open on April 2nd
• Nintendo’s March 27, 2025 Direct

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Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the “regular” NPC episodes.

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Credits

Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte

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This week, Brendon shares his surprising early impressions of the Ayn Odin Portal. Then Federico, John, and Brendon dive into Nintendo Switch 2 pricing rumors, explore the performance issues of Assassin’s Creed Shadows on M4 Macs despite being Steam Deck verified, and break down Qualcomm’s confusing new G-series chips powering upcoming handhelds. Then, the treo reacts to OneXPlayer’s chaotic ONEXSUGAR handheld and AYANEO’s new devices. Plus, Federico has exciting news about a DLSS plugin for Steam Deck that improves performance on games like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, turning blurry gameplay into a sharp, high-settings experience.

Links and Show Notes

Follow Up

• Federico attempted Portal mod
• Brendon’s Portal First Impressions
• Controller typing - signs of life for Windows handhelds

The Latest Portable Gaming News

• Switch 2: analysts predict $400+ price and biggest console launch ever in June
• Xenoblade Chronicles X hints at Switch 2 performance improvements
• Assassin’s Creed Shadows is Steam Deck verified
• Qualcomm launches Snapdragon G3 Gen 3, G2 Gen 2, and G1 Gen 2 chips for gaming handhelds
• Snapdragon Announcements
• Next Generation Snapdragon G Series Portfolio Uplevels Handheld Gaming Experiences
• Retroid Confirms Pocket Classic SoC and Teases a New Handheld
• OneXSugar
• The OneXSugar asks what if Nintendo Switch could transform into Nintendo DS
• The Dual-Screen ONEXSUGAR Debuts at GDC 2025
• 3DS Emulator Azahar’s First Release Candidate Now Available
• AYANEO
• AYANEO Gaming Pad is an 8.3 inch gaming tablet with Snapdragon G3 Gen 3
• AYANEO Reveals Pocket S2 and Gaming Pad - Retro Handhelds

Topics

• Decky Framegen - Game compatibility list!

This week, Brendon, Federico, and John dive into the ongoing Retroid Pocket Mini controversy, discussing the scaling issues, community reactions, and what it means for consumers in the retro handheld space. After addressing Retroid’s troubles, they explore the Retroid Pocket Classic and pricing information for the Flip 2. To wrap up the week’s news, they cover SteamOS news, AYANEO’s confusing new teaser for the “Pocket Ace,” examine important new reports of Microsoft’s collaboration with ASUS on an Xbox-branded Windows handheld.

Links and Show Notes

Listener Question

• Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3

Retroid Follow-Up

• Joey’s Retro Handhelds - the whole story
• NPC and the Retroid Controversy
• Retroid reportedly backtracks Pocket Mini return limits
• Screen teardown here

The Latest Portable Gaming News

• SteamOS 3.7.0 Preview
• In better Retroid news
• Retroid Pocket Classic specs
• What is going on with AYANEO?
• AYANEO Pocket Ace
• AYANEO Pocket S2 announced soon
• Is Anbernic About to Shake Up the Retro Handheld Space - Retro Handhelds
• Photo
• An ‘Xbox’ handheld in 2025?:
• Xbox’s new hardware plans begin with a gaming handheld in 2025
• Microsoft isn’t launching its Xbox handheld this year, but Asus might be

Credits

Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte

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John, Brendon, and Federico are back for another week of handheld news, including a tiny bit of Switch 2 news, an up and down week for Retroid, DS handhelds inch forward, Samsung wonders if thumbholes are the perfect complement to thumbsticks, and AYANEO decides thumbsticks aren’t worth the trouble. Plus, Brendon shares NextUI and the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Controller.

Links and Show Notes

The Latest Portable Gaming News

• Switch 2 info from the FCC
• The Nintendo Switch 2 will have NFC and Wi-Fi 6, FCC filings show The Verge
• Retroid’s mystery background device revealed
• Retroid Pocket Classic Unveiled A Return to Form - Retro Handhelds
• Six button version
• There’s a Six Button Retroid Pocket Classic - Retro Handhelds
• Retroid Mini Screen Issue
• It’s Official Retroid Pocket Mini Shader Issue Cannot Be Fixed - Retro Handhelds
• MagicX Targets DS Emulation with Zero 40 Specs Reveal - Retro Handhelds
• RPCS3 for Android Shares First Alpha Build - Retro Handhelds
• Samsung unveiled a prototype foldable handheld
• AYANEO Deletes Sticks & Reveals New $179 Pocket Micro Classic

Topics

• MinUI Next
• 8BitDo Ultimate 2 First Impressions
• From 8BitDo
• From Amazon

Credits

Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte

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This week, Retroid Pocket Flip 2 specs are out, the Legion Go S disappoints, and we try to decipher what AYANEO is doing before reminiscing over a PictoChat clone on the iPhone and discussing the benefits of having a personal videogame shopper in Japan, and Brendon’s experience with the black Miyoo Flip.

Links and Show Notes

Introducing NPC XL - More NPC, Every Week

• NPC: Next Portable Console is now weekly for everyone. Enjoy a new episode packed with handheld gaming news and other topics every Tuesday.
• We’re introducing NPC XL, a brand-new, members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon at $5/month.
• The video version of NPC will be published here going forward and includes all of the show’s back catalog as well as bonus material.
• NPC is joining the (awesome) TWG Discord server with a dedicated channel for community feedback and participation.

Follow-Up

• Quiet Retro Handhelds
• Anbernic RG Cube
• TrimUI Brick
• Miyoo Flip

The Latest Portable Gaming News

• New details about the Retroid Pocket Flip 2
• https://liliputing.com/retroid-pocket-flip2-is-a-faster-handheld-game-console-with-upgraded-controllers/
• Legion Go S reviews
• Lenovo Legion Go S review an overpriced, underachieving handheld
• Lenovo Legion Go S review feels good, plays bad
• Federico’s handheld update
• Sold: - ROG Flow Z13-ACRNM RMT02
• See: MacStories Unwind Godzilla vs. Ticci’s Surprise, Part 2
• AYANEO is teasing a new version of the Pocket Micro
• https://x.com/AYANEO__/status/1892869316410036575
• Speculation is it’s a version with no analog sticks - https://liliputing.com/ayaneo-classic-will-probably-be-a-tiny-gaming-handheld-with-simplified-controllers/
• AYANEO kills its Flip
• AYANEO says the Flip handheld isn’t cancelled after all
• Epilogue Operator news
• The SN Operator from Epilogue is close to taking pre-orders, and the company is working on a 64 Operator. Plus Game Boy Camera support for the original operator is close.
• The Game Boy Camera as a Webcam
• I Used a Game Boy Camera for FaceTime Video Calls in iPadOS 17 and It Was Glorious
• Interesting project to make Windows better on handhelds
• Winhanced Brings SteamOS-Like Experience to Windows Handhelds - Retro Handhelds
• Winhanced - A better Windows Handheld
• Also Mentioned: Playnite

Topics

• PicoChat or PictoChat Can You Tell the Difference - MacStories
• A visit to the  in Kyoto
• Brendon’s thoughts on the black Miyoo Flip

Credits

Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte

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On the latest NPC, ASUS gaming phones, Retroid’s big surprise, and more Nintendo emulation drama, plus 8BitDo tries to solve the iPhone vertical controller problem, Federico weighs in on the Any Odin2 Portal, and the whole gang has nothing but love for the TrimUI Brick.

Links and Show Notes

Follow-Up

• Bazzite
• Potential Effect of Tariffs on Retro Handheld Collectors

The Latest Portable Gaming News

• Chris Plante of Polygon reviews the AYANEO 3
• Asus ROG Phone 9 FE launches as a (somewhat) cheaper gaming phone
• Asus ROG Phone 9 FE launches as a (somewhat) cheaper gaming phone
• Retroid Pocket Flip 2 Officially Teased
• Powkiddy taking pre-orders on V20
• The Nintendo DS Drastic emulator is gone from Google Play

8BitDo Micro Clip

• 8BitDo Micro controller
• Amazon
• Direct
• Link to Clip

Federico’s First Impressions of the Ayn Odin2 Portal

• Ayn Odin2 Portal

TrimUI Brick

• The gang shares their love for the Brick
• Amazon
• Keepretro

Credits

Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte

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This week, Brendon, Federico, and John consider how the Switch 2 will impact the wider handheld market, recap the specs and benchmarks for the Legion Go S and 2, and cover new devices coming from Anbernic and AYANEO. Then, Brendon shares his experience running Bazzite on the ASUS ROG Ally X.

Links and Show Notes

The Latest Portable Gaming News

• What handheld PCs should do to fight the Nintendo Switch 2
• Everyone is Underestimating Mouse Mode
• No screen, no controller, and absolutely no sense, just a power button and a USB port. Steam Brick Mod
• Legion Go S and 2
• Legion Go S Benchmarks
• Legion Go 2 - Hands on first impressions CES 2025
• How to Play Steam Games on Android [Pluvia Guide]
• The $900 Ayaneo 3 is the most exciting PC handheld the company’s yet made
• Anbernic seems to have a new SP model called the RG34XXSP

Running Bazzite on the ASUS ROG Ally X

• ASUS ROG Ally X
• Bazzite
• Dbrand Killswitch
• Also mentioned:
• RGB Docking Station
• Genki SavePoint

Credits

Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte

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It’s a packed episode with a post Switch 2 reveal vibe check and more on iPhone game controller innovation, plus John’s early impressions of the Ayn Odin2 Portal, Brendon’s review of the Miyoo Flip, and Federico’s long 2DS/3DS emulation journey.

Links and Show Notes

iPhone Controller Innovation

• MCON’s Kickstarter Campaign
• 8BitDo’s Micro Controller Clip
• GamSir’s Unnamed Combo Controller and Battery Prototype
• More on Wavelengths and MacStories
• The Bitmo Lab GAMEBABY

Ayn Odin2 Portal

• Website
• Retro Game Corps Review

Miyoo Flip

• On AliExpress
• Brendon’s review on Wavelengths
• Brendon’s video on YouTube

Federico’s 3DS Journey

• Microsoft Surface 2 Duo
• Steam Deck
• EmuDeck
• Emulation Station
• iPad Pro 4
• Lenovo Legion Y700 (2024 model), available only from China
• Note: Brendon mentioned that it const $300, but that’s the 2023 model
• Example of graphics quality
• Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3, which will be available worldwide soon
• Nintendo 2DS

Credits

Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte

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On this special edition of NPC, Federico, John, and Brendon react to Nintendo’s video announcement about the Switch 2, dig through every detail of the video for clues, and consider how things are likely to play out in the coming months.

Nintendo Switch 2 Announcement Reactions

• Nintendo Switch 2 – First Look Trailer
• Nintendo Switch 2 Experience
• Nintendo Switch 2 has finally been announced, releasing 2025
• GameCube Keyboard Controller
• GameCube Accessories

Credits

Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte

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In the first NPC episode of 2025, Brendon and John recap their CES experience with Federico, highlighting AMD’s new Z2 chips, the SteamOS-powered Legion Go S, and more. Together, they explore the technologies and trends poised to define the next generation of portable consoles.

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Links and Show Notes

Unpacking CES 2025

• More from Brendon and John on the MacStories YouTube channel
• AMD Announces the Z2 Chip
• The new AMD Z2 chips are nice, ok, and weird
• Other Devices
• Asus ROG Flow Z13 (2025) brings AMD Strix Halo to tablets
• Up close with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 FE, an incredibly compact flagship video card
• Thunderbolt 5 and ASUS’s new XG Mobile eGPU
• ASUS just announced the world’s first Thunderbolt 5 eGPU — the 2025 XG Mobile
• SteamOS News
• GeForce NOW CES 2025 Steam Deck and Mixed-Reality Devices
• Lenovo Legion Go S pre-orders are happening now at Best Buy Polygon
• SteamOS expands beyond Steam Deck
• Lenovo Legion Tab
• Lenovo’s new Legion Tab is an 8.8 inch Android gaming tablet for $500 and up
• GameSir X2S Controller
• Nitro Blaze 11
• Hands-on with the Nitro Blaze 11, Acer’s massive new PC gaming handheld

Credits

Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte

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