oh hell yea. It's the first emulator handheld that's meant to feel like a genesis 6 button controller. There are so many genesis, sega cd, and saturn RPGs I'm looking forward to playing again.
I really hope Anbernic or any other company don't abandon this form factor, this layout imo is the best. I always loved SEGA for their 6-Button controller. If there will be a version 2 they need to up the hardware and just add an analog stick but keep that amazing d-pad. Having a handheld that can emulate all the SEGA systems is a big deal for me
I've offered my opinion on this unit a bunch of times under a bunch of videos. Your review was very good and worth waiting for. Thank you. I'm a huge Sega enthusiast and I love everything about this - the 6(!) face buttons, the superior D-pad, the overall look - except for the performance for the money. The dual boot version should be priced the same as the single OS version is now and the single OS model either shouldn't exist or should be priced further down market. It's like buying a base model 1982 Dodge Charger; racy looks, but, only 84 horsepower. At least the base Charger didn't cost the same as a V8 Mustang, whereas this Arc is priced within $20 of Android based thoroughbreds from Retroid and even Anbernic themselves - the 405V and 505 are discounted to $120, IIRC. If Anbernic were reading this, and I know they aren't, I'd suggest introducing an "Arc Pro" at the $120 price point they're currently selling their 405V at. Give it the same T618 SoC and fan cooling as the 405V so it can run every Sega console, including Dreamcast, pretty much flawlessly as well as titles from the PS2 and NGC. Third party publisher mode Sega did an amazing job with sports games in particular on the PS2. Also, where the speaker holes are now I'd advise swapping the speakers out in favor of putting in a pair of low profile analog inputs there. Sliders make the most sense; but, if they have enough space to countersink real sticks like on the 405M that'd be even better. Like you said; normal sticks would detract from the vibe and, I assume, get in the way when one wants to play some Saturn or Genesis. I'm pretty sure low profile units would be fine for all scenarios a hypothetical Arc Pro would ever be used for. If Taki can design a console then so can I. In my dreams...
I would love an ARC pro in the future, the 6 face buttons are perfect for retro games. I'm glad you enjoyed the review, I was worried Sega fans would trash me for the intro 😂
@@retrohandhelds Swap Sega and Nintendo around and your intro is my lived experience too. I've owned plenty of Nintendo's handhelds; but, confessional time, I've never owned a pure Nintendo home console. Other than 'Pokémon', 'Mario Kart', and 'Wave Racer' I've never really connected with a lot of their first party franchises on any of their systems. So, I get where you're coming from. When I was a kid anything Nintendo that wasn't a Game Boy was considered deeply uncool. That started to change around the time of the N64; but, the whole Nintendo is for derpy children thing lasted well into the GameCube era. Back then Sega and Sony were the hip consoles for adults and "cool" kids. I'm not sure if this was a regional thing or what; because Nintendo sure moved a lot of products back then, so somebody had to think they were cool.
Pre-ordered mine and cannot wait for it this week. Wanting an actual controller for emulation, and the 4" screen. This is perfect for fighting games and PS1. Stoked.
I've said this once I'll say it again, put an Amlogic A311D, A311D2, or S922X in this Handheld and you'll have Full Speed Sega Saturn and below Emulation.
This is such an interesting device with so much going for it, I really want one yet I also want a hypothetical more powerful version with much better Saturn emulation and a stick for N64. There really needs to be more 6 button devices!
I own the Odin 2 pro and the rgb10 max 2. I’ve been thinking of picking up the Retroid pocket 4 pro. But now after watching this video I’m really thinking of getting this too. It’d be easy to pick up and play my genesis, snes n neo geo games. I really like the 6 button layout. ESP for fighting games as I’ve always found it harder to quickly press the L & R buttons in the heat of a fight. So six buttons are perfect. Thanks for this video :)
Just got the Arc D on sale and I think think this is officially my favorite handheld... I can play eveything I want... Every Sega game works great... The Saturn games I REALLY love like Panzer Dragoon Saga and Panzer 2, works perfectly fine... Not every every Saturn and Dreamcast game run perfectly, but the ones that matter, like Soul Calibur run just fine... Arcade fighters are flawless... This is a near perfect handeheld...
Retro Emulation Handhelds NEED 6-face buttons and 4 shoulders. Throw in 2 clickable sticks, and suddenly you can properly map everything to the device. N64? Now you got C-Buttons, you can put shoulders on shoulders, and then trigger on triggers. Sega? Now you don't have to hit triggers for face-button inputs. Virtual Boy? The right d-pad was basically the c-buttons, so big step forward there. Without that extra Z & C, lots of systems, not just Sega, can't be mapped right. Despite this things lack of power, I am voting with my wallet and buying it for exactly this reason. These device makers need to know we want this, because we actually NEED this for a proper "all-retro" setup.
You might as well get the RG35xx H if you want that. I've ordered the Arc exactly because of the button layout and lack of analog sticks (they only get in the way with Mega Drive, Masters System and Game Gear games). The RG35xx H is an awesome little device as well.
I can't wait to give mine a shot. It has a shipping label, but no movement. I also grew up with Nintendo everything and struggle to play Sega games on 4 button handhelds. I actually sold my RG353P to get the Arc-S.
Great content as always... Those new Retro handhelds were inspired by Sony idea project X...PSP---PlayStationPortal...by having a split DUAL SENSES Controller...with a screen in the middle... But Anbernics went with a SEGA 6 buttons scheme... 🤔👀🧐🤓👌
It nay have not the power to play the Sega Genesis/Saturn like what Sega fans say but as a handheld arcade, its absolute the best. All arcade fighting games feels so right playing on this device because of the 6 button layout and amazing dpad. Never regretted buying it.
The Saturn never a perfect console to begin with...HERETIC! In seriousness though this was a really good review. As long as on the Saturn side the handheld is capable of playing the Shining Force 3 Trilogy then I'll be very happy with it.
PSP games work great on this too. The latest Linux firmware update includes a hot key that allows you to swap the dpad between the PSPs dpad and analog stick on the fly
@@retrohandhelds the main reason why I want a custom firmware is 1- to be able to play PC Engine CD games, 2- have a better interface and 3- have the "Rewind" function accessible (not completely sure if it's available through the Anbernic stock OS)
I had some issues with that I'm not sure how it was happening, I tried to reduce it as much as possible in editing hopefully it didn't ruin the video for you. -Aish
I guess my question is this... can this run the 2D fighting games on Saturn well? Generally speaking, 2D Saturn games are easier on emulators because they don't require both of the system's CPUs. On a related note, I wonder how well 2D fighters on Dreamcast and Atomiswave work.
I saw Panzer dragoon Saga running really well there. but its like this most of time? Did you tried Panzer dragoon 1 and 2? There is not much Saturn games that I want to play there but I'm kinda afraid.
I didn't try the second one but in general yeah, there's busier areas where the frameskip is more notable but I haven't gone back to it much. In general the Saturn games I tried were playable, of course you're going to have to set things up and tinker but a good amount of games will run fine. -Aish
@@retrohandhelds well mostly 2d games.I'm very attracted to this Dpad 😌👌(and overall form factor) but I'm not that into fighting games so does this Dpad benefit non fighting games also?
@@jessica49arrowYES the D-Pad is great for Amiga, PC-Engine, Arcade, N64, and DS Emulation as well as any game that benefits from 8 directional inputs.
The Sega D-Pad is arguably one of the best D-pads ever made. I don't own an Arc; but, everything I've seen says that Anbernic bullseyed their target. A great D-pad is going to be a benefit to every game. That said; the RG405V's D-pad is perfectly fine and the device has a lot more performance headroom if your tastes change towards newer, more demanding titles. It also has very good analog sticks to accommodate them, and it's not that much more. For 2D games the Arc should be great. Aish's review that we're commenting under was very good, so, if you still like the Anbernic Arc after watching this review then I'd say you're probably informed enough to make the right call for you. Personally; I'm thinking of aiming higher (like the 405V or the Anbernic 505) for my next handheld purchase because they're only $20 more (during this sale they have going on) and can run a lot more stuff at a high level.
There seems to be some static only when the music is playing, how did I miss this!? I always test the speakers and I only used the headphones to make sure they worked. But there's definitely some static in the background when sound plays. -Aish
is it just me, my d-pad working perfectly fine at first, now the up-direction is a bit sticky...... i think i will teardown next week to see what's wrong in there.
How does Marvel vs Capcom 2 and Capcom vs SNK 2 run on Linux? And those N64 emulation was on Linux or Android? 6 face buttons are the best layout for N64! And those two Dreamcast games are the best fighting games ever! Idk why no one tests those!
@@retrohandhelds FWIW it's the only downside I am aware of on Genesis with the sprite-per-line restriction turned off. There's probably more (always is somewhere) but I've never noticed it elsewhere.
In regards to dreamcast, you compared android to linux but didn't specify which emulator you were using on linux, can you clarify that? The reason I ask is because Retro Game Corps said he was able to get the best dreamcast experience with retroarch on linux surprisingly. Anyway, thanks for the review, I cant wait to get my own RG Arc!
I tried RetroArch and redream and found redream to play smoother, but I strongly encourage people to test it out and see what works best for the games they want to play.
Currently the t618 options like the 405m, 405v and 505. The problem with those is that the button layout isnt as for Saturn, but the performance will be much better. Or wait a little more for the rg556 that they're releasing soon.
Y'know what, as an emulation station on its own, the only thing that appeals to me here is N64, Saturn, & Dreamcast. (And I think this does PS2 & PSP?) N64 isn't a big deal, as there's certain games compatible with the N64 emulator on a modded 3DS (I have a modded N2DSXL); even then, there's only a couple I'd want to play. However...for the games I want to play on Saturn & Dreamcast...this thing is PERFECT. Especially since it seems that not even the New 3DS/3DSXL/2DSXL can run anything NAOMI (ex.: Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Capcom vs. SNK 2), and contrary to belief, the Final Burn emulators *DO NOT* seem to like CPS3 stuff (Street Fighter III, etc.)! The Android side of the Arc-D definitely seems to be the way to go; not sure what Saturn emulator the Arc has, but Yaba Sanshiro 2 (which I have on my Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra) is pretty good for what I want...even if it exposed Street Fighter ZERO3 as a bit of a disappointment (not even requiring the 4MB RAM card can save it from long load times, and aside from Reverse Dramatic Battle and other touches, it's literally the PSone version). 🤷🏽♂️🤷🏽♂️🤷🏽♂️
Glad you enjoyed it. It's unfortunate the Saturn performance isn't as good as it should be, but if you're an old school Sega and arcade fan there's plenty of fun to be had with it. -Aish
love playing 640x480 DC / Naomi fighting games on this machine... really hope they can bring Stronger CPU to power this series in future instead off keep doing the nintendo style handheld that is totally not ergonomic at all
I feel kind of dumb because I already have an RP4Pro, which is a much more capable console than this one. However, I’m a Mega Drive fan and I simply can’t resist the desire to buy it. It’s like a guilty pleasure...
Hey Stubbs I had an idea for a fun podcast icebreaker! Have everyone decide which celebrity would play them on an Adin Walls documentary on the early days of the retro handheld craze. For instance... I think Jake Gyllenhaal would make a great Russ. (amiright!?) 😅
It is great for genesis games and CPS1 & CPS2 arcade games too. But it is not powerful enough for Saturn games, and that could be a deal breaker for some people...
Differs from game to game - Mortal Combat had more colors on SNES, but played much worse. RoboCop vs Terminator also is played better on the Mega Drive, Thunderforce 3 runs much better than Thunderforce AC, same for the first Earthworm Jim, Kawasaki superbike challenge is actually made of polygons instead of a mode 7 layer and actually runs great with real elevations around the course... Of course there are a lot of examples where the SNES outshines the Mega Drive, but it's far from being a general rule.
Just got mine in today and sadly I'm a bit unimpressed. The build quality leaves a lot to be desired and the d-pad is very strange and floaty. Just a floating disc unlike the Sega d-pads which have sides going down. I bought the more expensive model with the 256gb card because I wanted the Japanese color scheme and that's pretty much the only reason I got the premium version. If i had bought the cheap transparent ones I would definitely be more satisfied but I had to go all out. Should've got the 405v for that better n64/dreamcast/gamecube capability. However this model is an excellent 2d handheld. Great for fighting game players on the go. Just not worth the premium. Get the cheap ones.
Anything in particular? The reason I didn't spend a lot of time with those systems is because it'll handle the whole library. There isn't a single GBA, SNES or GBC game you could want to play that the ARC can't handle. -Aish
@@retrohandhelds yes but this screen is surprisingly big and at that price point it's an excellent value even for GB/ GBC/ GBA games for those who find other handheld screens a bit too small. Even the rg353ps at a similar price point has a smaller screen. Thoughts?
"I'm not a SEGA Fan..." - dislikes, closes window, walks away from screen to touch some grass to calm the anger - - Comes back, hears about the D-pad conversion from the SoNyntendo (these days Microsoft too :( ) cross crap - " HALLELUJAH! EYES HAVE BEEN OPENED! PRAISE THE HIDEKI SATO! His soldering be just, his architectures vindicated!"
Arkos is probably not coming (christian doesnt like the handheld), Jelos team hates Anbernic, so also no bueno... but Retro Arena is coming and you can already download some beta images
Super NES is better than Sega Genesis. A majority of game franchise today starts on Super NES, most of the games on Sega Genesis other than Sonic never reach that franchise status.
I was lucky enough to have both the SNES and Genesis and I can say that the SNES was superior in graphics and sound but the games Sega used to make for the Genesis were phenomenal
@@theflightfile9578 I had my Genesis in 1990 and loved it, but later appeared SNES and some people were talking about how superior it was t, so I asked my parents to buy SNES, as I loved my NES so much. They sold Genesis and bought me SNES. I was so disappointed as it had less resolution, it was slow and could only handle only few sprites at the same time. Sound was aweful, and though SNES had more colors on screen at the same time so many games had problems with low contrast. Games on Sega Genesis were more mature, and Nintendo ones were kinda childish. I was playing SNES for year and then I got back to Sega Genesis when my parents sold SNES and bought me Sega CDX. And I can surely say CDX is the best console of all time.
Sega Fanboy spotted! First off the SNES not only supported more colors but Secondly it also had a better soundchip allowing for a more diverse array of sounds. Lastly the SNES had a more variety and an iconic list of games and obscurities.
Im not remotely a sega fan but i don’t know why there hasn’t been more six button models. With the round dpad. For the fighting games which I find mostly unplayable on the other styles.
![FINALLY, A Handheld For Sega Kids! [RG ARC Review]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/5mseyr-Uld8/mqdefault.jpg)
Does this one scratch that 6 button layout itch?
oh hell yea. It's the first emulator handheld that's meant to feel like a genesis 6 button controller. There are so many genesis, sega cd, and saturn RPGs I'm looking forward to playing again.
The dislike is for you, not for the device. :)
I really hope Anbernic or any other company don't abandon this form factor, this layout imo is the best. I always loved SEGA for their 6-Button controller. If there will be a version 2 they need to up the hardware and just add an analog stick but keep that amazing d-pad. Having a handheld that can emulate all the SEGA systems is a big deal for me
I agree I really hope they make a follow up for this one.
I've offered my opinion on this unit a bunch of times under a bunch of videos. Your review was very good and worth waiting for. Thank you. I'm a huge Sega enthusiast and I love everything about this - the 6(!) face buttons, the superior D-pad, the overall look - except for the performance for the money. The dual boot version should be priced the same as the single OS version is now and the single OS model either shouldn't exist or should be priced further down market. It's like buying a base model 1982 Dodge Charger; racy looks, but, only 84 horsepower. At least the base Charger didn't cost the same as a V8 Mustang, whereas this Arc is priced within $20 of Android based thoroughbreds from Retroid and even Anbernic themselves - the 405V and 505 are discounted to $120, IIRC.
If Anbernic were reading this, and I know they aren't, I'd suggest introducing an "Arc Pro" at the $120 price point they're currently selling their 405V at. Give it the same T618 SoC and fan cooling as the 405V so it can run every Sega console, including Dreamcast, pretty much flawlessly as well as titles from the PS2 and NGC. Third party publisher mode Sega did an amazing job with sports games in particular on the PS2. Also, where the speaker holes are now I'd advise swapping the speakers out in favor of putting in a pair of low profile analog inputs there. Sliders make the most sense; but, if they have enough space to countersink real sticks like on the 405M that'd be even better. Like you said; normal sticks would detract from the vibe and, I assume, get in the way when one wants to play some Saturn or Genesis. I'm pretty sure low profile units would be fine for all scenarios a hypothetical Arc Pro would ever be used for.
If Taki can design a console then so can I. In my dreams...
I would love an ARC pro in the future, the 6 face buttons are perfect for retro games. I'm glad you enjoyed the review, I was worried Sega fans would trash me for the intro 😂
@@retrohandhelds Swap Sega and Nintendo around and your intro is my lived experience too. I've owned plenty of Nintendo's handhelds; but, confessional time, I've never owned a pure Nintendo home console. Other than 'Pokémon', 'Mario Kart', and 'Wave Racer' I've never really connected with a lot of their first party franchises on any of their systems. So, I get where you're coming from.
When I was a kid anything Nintendo that wasn't a Game Boy was considered deeply uncool. That started to change around the time of the N64; but, the whole Nintendo is for derpy children thing lasted well into the GameCube era. Back then Sega and Sony were the hip consoles for adults and "cool" kids. I'm not sure if this was a regional thing or what; because Nintendo sure moved a lot of products back then, so somebody had to think they were cool.
@@mattdavis9601 should see all the new Sega Gen/MD homebrews and Rom Hacks coming out in 2024 , siked for Final Fight.
Pre-ordered mine and cannot wait for it this week. Wanting an actual controller for emulation, and the 4" screen. This is perfect for fighting games and PS1. Stoked.
S or D?
D - Gotta have the all black OG one@@dclassof84
Do you have a list of the Genesis & SNES ROMs that come preloaded?
I'm happy Anbernic followed through on one of my Email suggestions for a Handheld.
Thanks Aish! I actually have tons of nostalgia for this. I still have my Genesis and games so this black one was an immediate order for me.
I'm sure you're going to love it
I've said this once I'll say it again, put an Amlogic A311D, A311D2, or S922X in this Handheld and you'll have Full Speed Sega Saturn and below Emulation.
You mean powerhungry 28+ nm chips? No thanks.
..and an analog stick and analog triggers!
@@jamesyu5212 It's the next best option that Dual Boots.
Yes we need a better, modern chip with more power!
If the batteries are swappable its no problem if the are a bit more power hungry.
This handheld is very beautiful! Sega genesis looks really cool on it.
It's a natural fit
the shape itself hits so much nostalgia
I never had a genesis growing up but even I feel nostalgic holding it.
-Aish
This is such an interesting device with so much going for it, I really want one yet I also want a hypothetical more powerful version with much better Saturn emulation and a stick for N64. There really needs to be more 6 button devices!
I agree and I'm hoping anbernic or someone else sees the demand and makes it.
I love this handheld. I picked it up for the fighting games and 6 buttons. Since then I play all my retro games on it.
I own the Odin 2 pro and the rgb10 max 2. I’ve been thinking of picking up the Retroid pocket 4 pro. But now after watching this video I’m really thinking of getting this too. It’d be easy to pick up and play my genesis, snes n neo geo games. I really like the 6 button layout. ESP for fighting games as I’ve always found it harder to quickly press the L & R buttons in the heat of a fight. So six buttons are perfect. Thanks for this video :)
Lets be honest...this thing is all but an OEM quality modern Game Gear. I want one.
Just got the Arc D on sale and I think think this is officially my favorite handheld... I can play eveything I want... Every Sega game works great... The Saturn games I REALLY love like Panzer Dragoon Saga and Panzer 2, works perfectly fine... Not every every Saturn and Dreamcast game run perfectly, but the ones that matter, like Soul Calibur run just fine... Arcade fighters are flawless... This is a near perfect handeheld...
Retro Emulation Handhelds NEED 6-face buttons and 4 shoulders.
Throw in 2 clickable sticks, and suddenly you can properly map everything to the device.
N64? Now you got C-Buttons, you can put shoulders on shoulders, and then trigger on triggers.
Sega? Now you don't have to hit triggers for face-button inputs.
Virtual Boy? The right d-pad was basically the c-buttons, so big step forward there.
Without that extra Z & C, lots of systems, not just Sega, can't be mapped right.
Despite this things lack of power, I am voting with my wallet and buying it for exactly this reason.
These device makers need to know we want this, because we actually NEED this for a proper "all-retro" setup.
I agree and would love to see a more powerful version with some analog sticks.
-Aish
@@retrohandhelds My wallet is waiting haha.
Anbernic should a *Plus* version of this device with better chipset and analog sticks.
You might as well get the RG35xx H if you want that. I've ordered the Arc exactly because of the button layout and lack of analog sticks (they only get in the way with Mega Drive, Masters System and Game Gear games). The RG35xx H is an awesome little device as well.
I can't wait to give mine a shot. It has a shipping label, but no movement. I also grew up with Nintendo everything and struggle to play Sega games on 4 button handhelds. I actually sold my RG353P to get the Arc-S.
In that case I'm sure you'll love it, it's a very different experience playing with the correct layout.
Gasp, why did you sell the RG353P!? 🥺
On what site did you sell it please?
Great content as always...
Those new Retro handhelds were inspired by Sony idea project X...PSP---PlayStationPortal...by having a split DUAL SENSES Controller...with a screen in the middle... But Anbernics went with a SEGA 6 buttons scheme...
🤔👀🧐🤓👌
Thank you glad you liked it.
-Aish
I think it does have box art scraping somewhere in the main menu somewhere
It nay have not the power to play the Sega Genesis/Saturn like what Sega fans say but as a handheld arcade, its absolute the best. All arcade fighting games feels so right playing on this device because of the 6 button layout and amazing dpad. Never regretted buying it.
N64 games doesn’t start from Emulators section (lynux), why? 😢
The Saturn never a perfect console to begin with...HERETIC! In seriousness though this was a really good review. As long as on the Saturn side the handheld is capable of playing the Shining Force 3 Trilogy then I'll be very happy with it.
Amen ❤
PSP games work great on this too. The latest Linux firmware update includes a hot key that allows you to swap the dpad between the PSPs dpad and analog stick on the fly
Great review.
Thank you!
-Aish
I can see you tested Panzer Dragoon Saga, how does it fare in combat and cutscenes? That's the single game I want Saturn for.
About the same as it looks in the video but does have some rougher areas.
@@retrohandhelds Thank you, I appreciate your response.
*I really hope we'll see at least ArkOS (and possibly more custom firmwares) adapted to this device.*
Bought one and I hope it'll arrive soon.
I do too but if not thankfully the stock options are functional
@@retrohandhelds the main reason why I want a custom firmware is 1- to be able to play PC Engine CD games, 2- have a better interface and 3- have the "Rewind" function accessible (not completely sure if it's available through the Anbernic stock OS)
@@orakaa For me it's Colecovision SGM, Linux DS Touchscreen Support, GB and GBC Link Cable, and Optimized N64 and Dreamcast Emulation.
PC Engine CD works through stock. Was playing Rondo of Blood on mine moments ago.@@orakaa
Great video, sorry to nitpick but are you bumping the mic when you're recording because it turns up when listening to it in my car 😢
I had some issues with that I'm not sure how it was happening, I tried to reduce it as much as possible in editing hopefully it didn't ruin the video for you.
-Aish
@@retrohandhelds all good mate didn't ruin it for me, appreciate you trying to fix 🙂
I guess my question is this... can this run the 2D fighting games on Saturn well? Generally speaking, 2D Saturn games are easier on emulators because they don't require both of the system's CPUs. On a related note, I wonder how well 2D fighters on Dreamcast and Atomiswave work.
I don't know about 2d Saturn games but for Dreamcast I was playing Marvel vs Capcom and didn't have any issues.
I saw Panzer dragoon Saga running really well there. but its like this most of time? Did you tried Panzer dragoon 1 and 2? There is not much Saturn games that I want to play there but I'm kinda afraid.
I didn't try the second one but in general yeah, there's busier areas where the frameskip is more notable but I haven't gone back to it much. In general the Saturn games I tried were playable, of course you're going to have to set things up and tinker but a good amount of games will run fine.
-Aish
Does it have Built in games already?
can you connect earbuds via bluetooth?
If the ARC-D has a touch screen, couldn't the analog sticks be emulated on-screen?
I'm confused should I get this or rg405v
What do you want to play ?
@@retrohandhelds well mostly 2d games.I'm very attracted to this Dpad 😌👌(and overall form factor) but I'm not that into fighting games so does this Dpad benefit non fighting games also?
@@jessica49arrowYES the D-Pad is great for Amiga, PC-Engine, Arcade, N64, and DS Emulation as well as any game that benefits from 8 directional inputs.
The Sega D-Pad is arguably one of the best D-pads ever made. I don't own an Arc; but, everything I've seen says that Anbernic bullseyed their target. A great D-pad is going to be a benefit to every game. That said; the RG405V's D-pad is perfectly fine and the device has a lot more performance headroom if your tastes change towards newer, more demanding titles. It also has very good analog sticks to accommodate them, and it's not that much more.
For 2D games the Arc should be great. Aish's review that we're commenting under was very good, so, if you still like the Anbernic Arc after watching this review then I'd say you're probably informed enough to make the right call for you. Personally; I'm thinking of aiming higher (like the 405V or the Anbernic 505) for my next handheld purchase because they're only $20 more (during this sale they have going on) and can run a lot more stuff at a high level.
Nice job aish!
Thank you
great review
Hello, thanks for this review ! I read that the audio output is crap with noise in the background when using headphones... Can you confirm this ?
There seems to be some static only when the music is playing, how did I miss this!?
I always test the speakers and I only used the headphones to make sure they worked. But there's definitely some static in the background when sound plays.
-Aish
Are you sure it's not interferences from the wifi ? Did you try to deactivate the wifi on the Arc ? @@retrohandhelds
How do you add cover art to the Sega Saturn emulator ?
is it just me, my d-pad working perfectly fine at first, now the up-direction is a bit sticky...... i think i will teardown next week to see what's wrong in there.
Retro tech dad had a similar issue but it got fixed after he did a teardown.
-Aish
@@retrohandhelds i ordered the screw driver set to work kn the teardown next week to see whay is causing the trouble
How does Marvel vs Capcom 2 and Capcom vs SNK 2 run on Linux?
And those N64 emulation was on Linux or Android?
6 face buttons are the best layout for N64!
And those two Dreamcast games are the best fighting games ever! Idk why no one tests those!
Is this can play Saturn games such House of the dead, clockwork knight and virtua fighter?
Yes but you'll have an auto frameskip running in the background and some people don't like that.
-Aish
If you want most of your Dreamcast/Saturn games to run full speed just get 50hz PAL roms.
@2:20 - someone has sprite-per-line restrictions turned off in the emu :P
It makes sonic's belly flop over the title hahaha.
Oh I have to go take a look at that 😆
@@retrohandhelds FWIW it's the only downside I am aware of on Genesis with the sprite-per-line restriction turned off. There's probably more (always is somewhere) but I've never noticed it elsewhere.
Where are you guys getting the fight Cade roms for this?
They come on the SD card 🤫
-Aish
In regards to dreamcast, you compared android to linux but didn't specify which emulator you were using on linux, can you clarify that? The reason I ask is because Retro Game Corps said he was able to get the best dreamcast experience with retroarch on linux surprisingly. Anyway, thanks for the review, I cant wait to get my own RG Arc!
I tried RetroArch and redream and found redream to play smoother, but I strongly encourage people to test it out and see what works best for the games they want to play.
Thanks for confirming
14:51 Not my type of games buy I would have had flipped it the other way around and used the trigger buttons instead with the D-Pad
I tried and it wasn't very comfortable
I see
Witch anbernic is best about saturn/dreamcast?
Currently the t618 options like the 405m, 405v and 505. The problem with those is that the button layout isnt as for Saturn, but the performance will be much better.
Or wait a little more for the rg556 that they're releasing soon.
Y'know what, as an emulation station on its own, the only thing that appeals to me here is N64, Saturn, & Dreamcast. (And I think this does PS2 & PSP?) N64 isn't a big deal, as there's certain games compatible with the N64 emulator on a modded 3DS (I have a modded N2DSXL); even then, there's only a couple I'd want to play.
However...for the games I want to play on Saturn & Dreamcast...this thing is PERFECT. Especially since it seems that not even the New 3DS/3DSXL/2DSXL can run anything NAOMI (ex.: Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Capcom vs. SNK 2), and contrary to belief, the Final Burn emulators *DO NOT* seem to like CPS3 stuff (Street Fighter III, etc.)!
The Android side of the Arc-D definitely seems to be the way to go; not sure what Saturn emulator the Arc has, but Yaba Sanshiro 2 (which I have on my Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra) is pretty good for what I want...even if it exposed Street Fighter ZERO3 as a bit of a disappointment (not even requiring the 4MB RAM card can save it from long load times, and aside from Reverse Dramatic Battle and other touches, it's literally the PSone version). 🤷🏽♂️🤷🏽♂️🤷🏽♂️
Unfortunately it can't do any PS2
-Aish
I love my Saturn, so I am disappointed, Thank you for this really good review.
Glad you enjoyed it.
It's unfortunate the Saturn performance isn't as good as it should be, but if you're an old school Sega and arcade fan there's plenty of fun to be had with it.
-Aish
the nomad of the future
love playing 640x480 DC / Naomi fighting games on this machine... really hope they can bring Stronger CPU to power this series in future instead off keep doing the nintendo style handheld that is totally not ergonomic at all
I really hope they do go back to this style, it's turned into one of my favorites.
-Aish
I feel kind of dumb because I already have an RP4Pro, which is a much more capable console than this one. However, I’m a Mega Drive fan and I simply can’t resist the desire to buy it. It’s like a guilty pleasure...
Now we need something for Neo Geo fans
Hey Stubbs I had an idea for a fun podcast icebreaker! Have everyone decide which celebrity would play them on an Adin Walls documentary on the early days of the retro handheld craze. For instance... I think Jake Gyllenhaal would make a great Russ. (amiright!?) 😅
I'll let Stubbs know 😆
-Aish
It is great for genesis games and CPS1 & CPS2 arcade games too. But it is not powerful enough for Saturn games, and that could be a deal breaker for some people...
It could be and that's unfortunate because this thing is awesome
Original PS didn't have analog so it should't be a problem to play it on that system.
And that lack of faith in the saturn IS wrong ;)
It's not a big deal for what I want to play on it.
-Aish
You are spot on about the lesser ports. Sega’s exclusive games were fun, but the shared ports were always significantly weaker on Sega. 🍻
Differs from game to game - Mortal Combat had more colors on SNES, but played much worse. RoboCop vs Terminator also is played better on the Mega Drive, Thunderforce 3 runs much better than Thunderforce AC, same for the first Earthworm Jim, Kawasaki superbike challenge is actually made of polygons instead of a mode 7 layer and actually runs great with real elevations around the course... Of course there are a lot of examples where the SNES outshines the Mega Drive, but it's far from being a general rule.
@@Ashitaka0815man, trying to play thunder spirits on super Nintendo IS quite an expérience 😅
Just got mine in today and sadly I'm a bit unimpressed. The build quality leaves a lot to be desired and the d-pad is very strange and floaty. Just a floating disc unlike the Sega d-pads which have sides going down.
I bought the more expensive model with the 256gb card because I wanted the Japanese color scheme and that's pretty much the only reason I got the premium version. If i had bought the cheap transparent ones I would definitely be more satisfied but I had to go all out.
Should've got the 405v for that better n64/dreamcast/gamecube capability.
However this model is an excellent 2d handheld. Great for fighting game players on the go. Just not worth the premium. Get the cheap ones.
Yeah the low end is the way to go, it really comes down to what expectations you have for it.
-Aish
Really wishing I got the 405v. I could be playing ps2/gamecube right now.@@retrohandhelds
I want to see more snes games and gba or gbc games on this please
Anything in particular? The reason I didn't spend a lot of time with those systems is because it'll handle the whole library. There isn't a single GBA, SNES or GBC game you could want to play that the ARC can't handle.
-Aish
@@retrohandhelds yes but this screen is surprisingly big and at that price point it's an excellent value even for GB/ GBC/ GBA games for those who find other handheld screens a bit too small. Even the rg353ps at a similar price point has a smaller screen. Thoughts?
can it run fightcade?
If only this device is run by a powerful chipset.
Someone needs to develop an otg clip on joystick.
It reminds me of my gamegear....minus the 6 batteries lol
"I'm not a SEGA Fan..." - dislikes, closes window, walks away from screen to touch some grass to calm the anger -
- Comes back, hears about the D-pad conversion from the SoNyntendo (these days Microsoft too :( ) cross crap - " HALLELUJAH! EYES HAVE BEEN OPENED! PRAISE THE HIDEKI SATO! His soldering be just, his architectures vindicated!"
It's a rollercoaster in those first 30 seconds 😂
Best way to play GBA games
Arkos is probably not coming (christian doesnt like the handheld), Jelos team hates Anbernic, so also no bueno... but Retro Arena is coming and you can already download some beta images
Garlic is also in development for it.
-Aish
@@retrohandhelds Nice!
SEGA rules!
Just get a Sega-Controller (Saturn or Genesis 6-Button and you're good to go)!
I have a 6 button controller and the dpad is honestly not as good as this one.
Elle ressemble étrangement à la Game Gear 😮
“ not a sega fan.”
As i heard that I gave a 👎 🤬.
Never disrespect sega !!!! 😆
Like 5 seconds later I admit I was wrong 😂
-Aish
I like SEGA and Nintendo however the Super Nintendo was the more well rounded console.
I agree the SNES was in my opinion one of the best systems ever made.
Worst intro.
Sega Genesis is so much better than snes
Super NES is better than Sega Genesis. A majority of game franchise today starts on Super NES, most of the games on Sega Genesis other than Sonic never reach that franchise status.
To be fair I did say I was wrong about how I felt about it, but I'll still stand by my belief that the SNES was the better console.
I was lucky enough to have both the SNES and Genesis and I can say that the SNES was superior in graphics and sound but the games Sega used to make for the Genesis were phenomenal
@@theflightfile9578 I had my Genesis in 1990 and loved it, but later appeared SNES and some people were talking about how superior it was t, so I asked my parents to buy SNES, as I loved my NES so much. They sold Genesis and bought me SNES. I was so disappointed as it had less resolution, it was slow and could only handle only few sprites at the same time. Sound was aweful, and though SNES had more colors on screen at the same time so many games had problems with low contrast. Games on Sega Genesis were more mature, and Nintendo ones were kinda childish. I was playing SNES for year and then I got back to Sega Genesis when my parents sold SNES and bought me Sega CDX. And I can surely say CDX is the best console of all time.
Sega Fanboy spotted! First off the SNES not only supported more colors but Secondly it also had a better soundchip allowing for a more diverse array of sounds. Lastly the SNES had a more variety and an iconic list of games and obscurities.
Im not remotely a sega fan but i don’t know why there hasn’t been more six button models. With the round dpad. For the fighting games which I find mostly unplayable on the other styles.
I agree there really should be more like this.
-Aish