retro game Archives

BetaBeacon

March 11, 2026

Original Xbox games on Android are the funniest technical miracle of 2026

Xemu, an original Xbox emulator, has been adapted for Android by developers who forked the project. There are two versions available, one paid on the Google Play Store and another free version on GitHub. Performance on Android is currently inconsistent, with some games running better than others.

AppWizard

March 11, 2026

X1 Box App Brings Classic Xbox Games To Android, But There’s A Caveat

X1 Box is an Xbox emulator available on Android for .99 through the Google Play Store. It is a fork of the open-source Xemu emulator, with its source code publicly available on GitHub. The decision to monetize X1 Box without compensating the original developers has raised ethical concerns. The Xemu team is developing their own dedicated Android version. Performance evaluations indicate that X1 Box has inconsistent performance, often capped at 30 frames per second, which affects gameplay.

BetaBeacon

January 16, 2026

AYANEO hits pause on Pocket Play campaign as part of its ‘Service Improvement Plan’

AYANEO has paused its Kickstarter campaign for the Pocket Play smartphone as part of its "Service Improvement Plan" to address community complaints about unfulfilled orders and delays.

AppWizard

December 29, 2025

This Desktop Doohickey Will Bring Your Physical SNES Games to Your PC

Epilogue is launching the SN Operator, a device that connects Super Nintendo cartridges to modern PCs, scheduled to ship in April next year. Preorders will open on December 30 at noon ET. The SN Operator is compatible with PC, Mac, and Steam Deck, allowing users to back up games and save progress through the Playback app, which also supports co-op gameplay and RetroAchievements. It reads data directly from cartridges instead of using hardware emulation and supports mouse controls for classic accessories. Epilogue plans to expand its product line, potentially creating an Operator device for NES games in the future.

BetaBeacon

December 10, 2025

How to Get Games on Your Retro Gaming Handheld

Emulation is a popular use for retro gaming handhelds, allowing them to mimic older devices like the Game Boy, Super Nintendo, and PlayStation 1 to play games originally released for those platforms. Emulators can recreate all the processes of old consoles using modern hardware. Emulation can lead to minor inaccuracies in sound or graphics, but also allows for games to be upscaled to higher resolutions and supports save states. Emulation is legal as long as copyrighted software is not distributed to run on emulators. Retro gaming handhelds can also play Android games and stream games from the cloud. There are ways to play PC games on retro gaming handhelds using Linux or Android, either through fan-made ports or compatibility layers. Some concerns exist with using certain apps to play Steam games on Android, but the future may hold an official way to play Steam games on these devices.

BetaBeacon

December 9, 2025

Abxylute unveils E1 retro game console running Android and Linux with a 3.5-inch 640×480 LCD, Rockchip RK3566 SoC, 2 GB RAM, and microSD storage

Abxylute is a startup company based in Silicon Valley that aims to revolutionize the way businesses operate by providing cutting-edge solutions for their digital needs.

BetaBeacon

November 24, 2025

RetroAchievements Is Now In Testing For GameCube Games On Android

RetroAchievements adds achievements to over 10,000 games on various consoles, including GameCube, PSP, and GBA. RetroAchievements recently announced support for Dolphin on Android devices, allowing users to earn achievements while playing GameCube games on their phones.

BetaBeacon

August 10, 2025

Game over: Chrome OS pulls the plug on Steam gaming

Steam support on Chrome OS, which started as a beta test in early 2022, is coming to an end as 2026 begins.

AppWizard

July 14, 2025

Five new Steam games you probably missed (July 14, 2025)

Steam releases approximately a dozen new games daily, which can make it difficult for players to find new favorites. Recent notable PC game releases include: - Everdeep Aurora: Released on July 10, developed by Nautilus Games. - Dread Flats: A first-person horror game set in a "murder building" in 1990s China. - Last Report: Released on July 12, developed by Moonpixel Games, this point-and-click adventure follows a park ranger uncovering disturbing events through CCTV footage. - Occlude: Released on July 11, developed by Tributary Games, this occult card game features a "reality-bending" narrative. - Azrael's Tear: Released on July 12, developed by Intelligent Games Ltd., this retro game originally from 1996 involves a quest for the Holy Grail in a futuristic setting, focusing on puzzles and exploration.

BetaBeacon

June 22, 2025

This simple Android app lets you run Steam games without having to stream

GameNative is an open source application that allows users to play games from their Steam library on their Android devices with minimal adjustments and modifications. The app is based on the Pluvia platform and uses the Winlator app for emulation. It supports titles with DRM protection and offers features such as on-screen keyboard, controller overlay, and saving. However, the app is still in development and may have bugs and crashes.