A Love Letter to the R36S

This is a consumerist pastime, and it cannot be avoided. The past few years have seen an almost endless supply of new SKUs, completely overwhelming emulation fans. Like everyone else, I enjoy following the latest and greatest portable fads, but occasionally, it's good to reflect on some of the handhelds that have made an impact.

Maybe it's my nostalgia combined with becoming old and deteriorating, but I find myself thinking back on how far this pastime has progressed and recognizing how easy it is to rekindle memories with these handhelds. The Game Console R36S never ceases to astound me when it comes to value for money, functionality, and general "good" in a gadget.

A Brief History

After Game Console cloned the Powkiddy RGB20S with their own R35S, the R36S was created. Game Console was later prohibited from selling the imitation on the AliExpress marketplace. This business has had a difficult journey. Other attempts, such as the R33S and the R40S, have not been able to match the devices they are imitating exactly. In summary, we received the R36S following a few small but ultimately significant design adjustments.

A system that is sufficiently distinct from the others on the block to allow for open sale without any commotion. Because it is built on a publicly accessible PCB and uses the RK3326 chip, it is not only capable of running a wide range of systems with ease, but it also has a lot of community support because its components are widely used.

Since its 2023 debut, the R36S has seen a few minor hardware updates. I will always have a particular place in my heart for the firm name's first run mistake—a somewhat smaller battery powers this device, which is otherwise nearly identical. Although there can be a slight variation in longevity, it still functions perfectly for daily use.

The Price

There is no denying that the R36S is among the most alluring choices for those new to the hobby. When it was first released, the device was reasonably priced at about $50, which was a good value. These days, these items frequently sell for less than $30. I occasionally need to stand back in order to see the significance of this situation.

I can get a fully customized portable that works nicely with a variety of consoles for half the price of a brand-new AAA game, have it brought straight from Shenzen to my door, and have everyone satisfied. Where else would you find such a bargain in entertainment? It's a no-brainer, given the possible hours of enjoyment for every dollar spent here.

The Out-of-Box Experience

Tinkering is the reason I enjoy the retro handheld pastime as much as many others in the community do. I switch between devices, install the most recent CFW from the incredible community developers, and then frequently move on. But they all agree that without community support and intervention, 9 out of 10 gadgets simply wouldn't be operating at their full capacity.

Many manufacturers, rather haughtily, insist on using their operating system, and I can't recall how many times I've been tempted to stick with the stock experience. However, they have just switched to the community option with the Game Console and the 36S. The April 2024 build of ArkOS 2.0 stock and running EmulationStation came with the gleaming new Ferrari red 36S that I impulsively purchased last week during the Ali Summer Sale. One of the most excellent alternatives is already included in it.

Booting Up the R36s

Booting up a new R36S last week was the first time I haven't felt the need to replace the provided romset with my own right away. In actuality, these are correctly labelled, divided, and arranged. Although they didn't have to select these lists as effectively as they have, there will undoubtedly be some repetitions among the 64g 15,000 games that are featured.

I've been reluctant to suggest vintage handhelds to people who are less tech-savvy or who still prefer something unconventional that "just works." The smartphone era has, for better or worse, reduced our willingness to endure additional steps after making a purchase. The 36S is one of the few that I would feel comfortable referring to someone and would be satisfied with the experience they would have right away.

Yes, it can be enhanced with different community updates and adjustments, but the main idea is that if they want something that can play Mario 64 well right out of the box, they have it. No videos or lessons are needed; play. This leads us to...

Who This Console Is Best Suited For

If you're here, you're definitely a throwback handheld aficionado like me. A lot of people looked at this device when it initially came out. For the price, it was a powerful gaming gadget with good overall quality, albeit it was by no means perfect. Anyone who has played video games in the past 40 years can probably find what they're searching for and start playing in less than a minute if you give them this right out of the box—once more, for less than $30.

This device's outrageous value makes me laugh a little, which is something we frequently encounter while comparing dozens and dozens of handheld devices. Is it the strongest or best item available? The sexiest thing in town? No, but it never really made an effort to be. This is how you expose someone young to the world of retro gaming or help folks rediscover lost gaming experiences from their past. Did the kid drop their 36S? To purchase a new one for themselves, they won't even need to save their allowance for very long.

I recently purchased the new Anbernic RG Cube, and although I've grown to enjoy it after I've gotten it configured correctly, there's no denying that the initial experience is dreadful. Most regular people lack the patience to sit down and work out all the minor glitches in the gadget to improve the hardware.

Most customers would attribute the handheld's condition of jankiness to the device itself. They want this gadget to function because they purchased it for amusement. It helps me appreciate what the R36S has to offer, not only to those who enjoy handheld tinkering but also to those who want to play games.