Retroid Pocket Flip

Retroid Pocket has just dropped a bomb”shell” of an announcement, unveiling a brand new clamshell handheld emulator that looks eerily similar to the beloved Nintendo 3DS. This is significant news for gaming enthusiasts, as Nintendo is in the process of shutting down the Wii U and 3DS eShops, meaning that many retro games will soon be lost to time. With this new device, Retroid Pocket likely hopes to capitalize on the situation in a positive way, providing a way for gamers to continue playing these classic titles.

This looks eerily familiar

The previously released Retroid Pocket 3+ was designed to resemble the Nintendo Switch, and a Game Boy Color-style vertical handheld with four back buttons and two analog sticks was just announced as well. However, the Retroid Pocket Flip is arguably the most exciting device yet, as it closely mimics the iconic form factor of the Nintendo 3DS, a device that’s just preparing to leave its historic spotlight.

Twitter commenters were quick to remark that this was “basically a Nintendo 3DS without a touch screen”, but Retroid quipped back professionally that it does, in fact, have this feature built-in just like its previous hardware! Unfortunately, the device doesn’t feature joysticks that are lifted off of the body. It does, however, have a USB-C port, mini-HDMI port and a headphone jack (something most hardware manufacturers are skipping out on these days).

More information next week

Retroid Pocket has promised to give more information about the device in the coming week, including specs, pricing, and pre-order details. It’s worth noting that in the past, we’ve seen a few other devices that offered a clamshell form factor, specifically from GPD and Powkiddy, but they’ve never looked this good, in my opinion, and they’ve been over priced for the average consumer!

For those who are big into emulation and have been waiting for an affordable clamshell device, the Retroid Pocket Flip could be a game-changer. In the meantime, be sure to snap up your favorite titles on the 3DS eShop before it’s too late!