👉Pokémon is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, so to find the best way to experience each era of 2026, we played games from various generations, from Red and Blue to Ultra Sun and Moon, all on different retro handhelds. We tested TrimUI Brick, Anbernic RG35XXSP, Anbernic RG DS, Retroid Pocket 5, and AYN Thor across nine generations of games. There are no benchmarks or spec sheets, just gameplay and honest opinions on what’s right for each generation.
Whether you’re a long-time Pokémon fan looking to play the classics again, or you’ve just started getting interested in retro handheld games and want to know which devices play what, this video has you covered. We break down exactly which devices are compatible with each generation, where the compromises are (especially with DS and 3DS emulation), and where you can save money without sacrificing experience.
The timestamp and device links are below. The prices were accurate during the shoot, but prices on AliExpress tend to go up and down a few dollars for no reason.
Target games: Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow, Gold/Silver/Crystal, Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald, FireRed/LeafGreen, Diamond/Pearl/Platinum, HeartGold/SoulSilver, Black/White/B2W2, X/Y, ORAS, Sun/Moon, UltraSun/UltraMoon, Sword/Shield.
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