Not too long ago, I reviewed the Anbernic RG ARC. Available in a Saturn-style colour scheme and boasting a button layout based on that console's iconic controller, it was all set to become my dream system – until it became glaringly apparent that it couldn't run Saturn games very well, and its D-pad had serious manufacturing issues which only became obvious over time. It was crushed, because the Saturn is one of my favourite consoles of all time.
You can imagine, then, why I was so excited when Retroid announced the Pocket Classic 6, a Game Boy-style emulation handheld which not only offers the power to run pretty much all Saturn games at full speed, but also has a six-button layout – and is available in a colourway which mimics that of the Japanese Saturn.
Powered by the swanky new Snapdragon G1 Gen2 chipset (designed expressly with handhelds in mind) and boasting a quite frankly gorgeous 3.92-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1240x1080, the Retroid Classic 6 offers impressive specs for its relatively modest $120 price tag (that's for the 4GB RAM / 64GB storage version; the 6GB RAM / 128GB storage model costs ten bucks more, and is the one to go for in my opinion).
Another variant is available with a more conventional four-button configuration, but, as a rabid Sega fanboy, I naturally gravitated towards the six-button option (which is also available in Genesis colour scheme).
Retroid Pocket Classic 6 Review: Design & Screen
In terms of form factor, this is a close match to the Game Boy, which means it's also a close match to devices like the AYANEO Pocket DMG and Analogue Pocket. The Retroid Pocket Classic 6 feels a little 'shorter' than those, though, and has a more pronounced 'butt' on its rear.
I don't have huge hands, but it felt a little on the small side to me – the bulge on the back helps with grip, however, and I certainly wouldn't call it uncomfortable to use.
The D-pad, despite not being a 'proper' Saturn rolling-type pad, is decent; I didn't notice any false diagonals and was able to play 2D fighting games pretty well. The six-button setup is smaller than the one you'd see on an original Saturn controller, which can make each button difficult to press (especially the X, Y, and Z row), and they're quite 'clicky', too. None of this prevents them from doing the job, however – and in summary, the controls are pretty great.
The display, however, is even more striking. It's an AMOLED panel so you're guaranteed bright colours and excellent contrast, and the aspect ratio means that Game Boy games look wonderful. Everything else is going to have borders at the top and bottom of the display, but if you're playing 8, 16 and 32-bit games, this isn't a big problem.
Retroid Pocket Classic 6 Review: Performance
Because it's running a decent processor in tandem with Android 14, the Retroid Pocket Classic 6 is a very decent platform when it comes to emulation. It can run anything up to (and including) GameCube and PS2 games pretty well, but for me, the real attraction here is that six-button configuration, which makes this device the 'portable Saturn' I've been waiting for.
Using Robert Broglia's excellent Saturn emulator, the Retroid Pocket Classic 6 was capable of running every Saturn game I threw at it. Furthermore, I was able to totally disable the frame skip and get full-speed performance, even in games like SEGA Rally and Panzer Dragoon Saga. Furthermore, the six-button layout is also perfect for Sega Genesis / Mega Drive titles; earlier titles only use the bottom A, B, C row, but there are some Genesis games which make use of all six.
The elephant in the room is that the Retroid Pocket Classic 6 lacks even a single analogue stick, which means playing GameCube, Dreamcast, N64, and PS2 titles is often tricky. There's also the more minor problem of the six-button layout being ill-suited to systems like the SNES and PS1, but this is hardly an insurmountable problem – it just means the Z and C buttons are redundant.
I'm also not entirely sold on the four shoulder buttons located on the rear of the device; it's possible to reach them fairly easily during use, but they never feel like they're where they should be. Finally, the system's mono speaker has plenty of punch, but I'd like to have seen stereo speakers on a device like this. On the upside, there's a 3.5mm headphone socket on the top edge, and you can connect headphones via Bluetooth.
Another massive benefit of Pocket Classic 6 is that it uses Retroid's own launcher, which is one of the best in the business when it comes to organising your games and finding box art and screenshots. The process is a little fiddly, but once you get the hang of it, your ROM library will look colourful and eye-catching—and certainly a lot more appealing than having just a basic row of game names. You can, of course, install an alternative launcher if you prefer.
The 5000mAh battery will give you between five and ten hours of use, depending on what kind of emulation you're doing. Game Boy and NES are going to be less demanding than PS2 and Saturn, for example, but I never felt like the Retroid Pocket Classic 6 was struggling when it came to stamina – and it helpfully features fast-charging, too.
Retroid Pocket Classic 6 Review: Conclusion
I've tested a lot of emulation handhelds, and it takes something pretty special these days to impress me, but the Retroid Pocket Classic 6 does just that.
Granted, I'm somewhat biased when it comes to the form factor – those colours and the six-button layout appeal to me as a Sega fan – but there's no denying that this device is packing some serious power when it comes to emulation, all supported by a great custom launcher, a vibrant AMOLED screen and fantastic battery life.
Starting at $120, this represents astonishingly good value for money, and while it's not perfect – the buttons could be quieter and the lack of any analogue input whatsoever means some games are off-limits – I'm happy to admit I'm totally in love with this handheld.