Best Retro Handhelds For N64 And Dreamcast

Nintendo 64 and Dreamcast are the two retro libraries where handheld choice matters most. Game Boy, GBA, SNES, and PlayStation 1 are so well emulated that almost anything runs them cleanly. N64 and Dreamcast are more demanding — they need a real chipset, not just a capable screen. Get the hardware wrong and games stutter, textures break, or the system runs at the wrong speed.

The good news is that the current retro handheld market has solved this. A handheld with an A grade on N64 and Dreamcast is genuinely easy to use: boot it, launch the emulator, and play. The differences between devices come down to screen, controls, price, and whether you also want GameCube and PlayStation 2 headroom.

Best all-rounder: Retroid Pocket 5

The Retroid Pocket 5 is the safest pick for N64 and Dreamcast. It scores A on both, and adds full A grades on Game Boy, GBA, SNES, PS1, Nintendo DS, PSP, and GameCube, with PlayStation 2 at A-. The 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 AMOLED screen is the best in this class, and the Snapdragon 865 chipset has plenty of headroom. At around $200 it is the cleanest "runs everything" package for retro gaming.

Best value: Anbernic RG-406V

If you want full A-grade N64 and Dreamcast without spending Retroid money, the RG-406V is the value pick. It runs N64, Dreamcast, PS1, SNES, GBA, and Nintendo DS all at A, and adds GameCube at B+ and PlayStation 2 at B. The 4.0-inch 960 x 720 screen and vertical layout cost around $155. It is the most affordable handheld that treats N64 and Dreamcast as first-class systems rather than a stretch.

Best for a bigger screen: Anbernic RG-556

The RG-556 gives you the largest display in the value tier. It matches the RG-406V on compatibility — A on N64 and Dreamcast, B+ on GameCube, B on PS2 — but swaps the small vertical panel for a 5.48-inch 1920 x 1080 screen. The horizontal layout and big display make it the better pick for couch sessions and for Dreamcast games that show off on a larger panel. It costs around $175.

Best for GameCube and PS2 too: AYN Odin 2

If N64 and Dreamcast are the floor but you also want flawless GameCube and PlayStation 2, the AYN Odin 2 is the pick. It runs N64, Dreamcast, PS1, SNES, GBA, NDS, PSP, GameCube, and PlayStation 2 all at A grade. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and 6.0-inch 1080p display are the most powerful in this group, starting at $299 for the 8GB model. It is the handheld to choose when you want zero compromises across every retro library.

Best compact horizontal: Anbernic RG-406H

The RG-406H is the horizontal version of the RG-406V. It keeps the same A-grade N64 and Dreamcast performance and the same 4.0-inch 960 x 720 screen, but in a wide, comfortable grip for around $168. If you prefer a horizontal handheld over a vertical one but still want that value price, this is the one.

Best square-screen option: Anbernic RG Cube

The RG Cube uses a 3.95-inch 720 x 720 square screen, which makes it a great choice if you play a mix of 4:3 and handheld content. It runs N64, Dreamcast, PS1, SNES, GBA, and NDS at A, with GameCube at B+ and PS2 at B. It costs around $170. The square panel is unusual, but it handles the varied aspect ratios of retro games surprisingly well.

Which should you buy?

Match the device to how far you want to push past N64 and Dreamcast. If you only need N64, Dreamcast, and the core retro libraries, the RG-406V at around $155 is the best value. If you want a bigger screen, the RG-556 is worth the extra. If you also want GameCube and PlayStation 2 to feel effortless, the Retroid Pocket 5 or AYN Odin 2 are the picks — the Odin 2 if you want the absolute best performance, the Retroid Pocket 5 if you want the best screen for the price.

N64 and Dreamcast no longer have to be a compromise. The rule is the same as every retro handheld: buy for the systems that are A or B on the device. Every handheld in this list clears that bar for N64 and Dreamcast, so the real decision is how much screen and how much headroom you want.