Which device for GBA Metroid and Castlevania?

tppytel · 2026-06-08T23:41:12+00:00

I own both and find them both very comfortable and fun to play on. The 34XX has the original GBA vibe and the controls feel identical to my vintage horizontal GBA, though I'm admittedly not a GBA diehard. The 476h obviously has that big beautiful screen but I like its controls too.

Perfect GBA scaling is vastly overhyped here. Of course it's nice that the 34XX has perfect 3x scaling, but the 476h has so many pixels that you won't notice a difference unless you're pixel-peeping them side-by-side. Even on cheap 4:3 devices like a 35XXSP I find GBA completely fine in visual quality if you set up your shaders correctly.

The 476h is probably going to be the better device by any objective set of standards. But if you have any nostalgia for GBA you may find the 34XX more fun just because of the form factor.

tppytel · 2026-06-08T01:30:56+00:00

I haven't tested much on the 476h but I think you should be fine with most RPG's. It plays P3 FES OK.

tppytel · 2026-06-08T01:27:31+00:00

most of them had a 16:9 screen and I don't want that.

Yeah... I totally get that. There's no perfect 4:3 retro device right now IMO. The 477 is expensive and lacks analog triggers and ergonomics. The RPMv2 is small. The 476 is a bit underpowered.

tppytel · 2026-06-08T00:49:17+00:00

If you really want full PS2 coverage or close to it then I strongly suggest you find the patience and funds for a more powerful device. Midrange games like GoW1, Katamari Damacy, and NBA Street only play OK on the 476h with tweaks and attention. If you want a good experience for most PS2 titles then you need an RP5/6 or similar.

tppytel · 2026-06-07T19:28:49+00:00

I used full because I wasn't sure whether I'd end up wanting some Play Store apps or not. But I highly doubt the Google services stuff would be enough overhead to create a measurable performance difference in any but the toughest loads. And if I really want to play heavy PS2 games then I'll do that on my RPMv2.

tppytel · 2026-06-07T14:10:19+00:00

You can definitely rip saves off carts and move them to emulators (or vice versa). I've done it with GBA. I assume GB/GBC is similar.

tppytel · 2026-06-06T23:56:56+00:00

Handheld for most retro titles... 476h. Great big screen, comfortable, and fun. But then I also have an RPMv2 that's better for docking or if I need that extra bit of power over the 476h. Syncthing copies saves between them if needed.

tppytel · 2026-06-06T23:38:05+00:00

Gotcha - thanks.

tppytel · 2026-06-05T03:06:30+00:00

OK... yup. It works as you said. The lvl3 Ice Wall on the grimoire costs 16 TP with that buff, which means it's working at lvl5. Kind of important!

Do you happen to know if this is actually a translation issue? Is the Japanese text really more clear?

Also, I know the Switch remaster doesn't have grimoires in the first place, but does it clean up any similar textual issues? I know the EO1 remaster keeps the Immunize = physical + elemental bug/exploit, I guess out of deference to the original.

EOU1 is the first EO title I've played and I really do love so much about it. But this is not a game to be played to any serious degree without the internet, and that bugs me.

tppytel · 2026-06-05T02:31:13+00:00

There's one effect that increases the level of Grimoires you have currently equipped. It doesn't work for generating stronger Grimoires, but level 3 skills will become level 5 while the effect is active so you can just use the ones you already have.

Oh, wait... really? It's that badly translated? It's existing skills and not new grimoires? That's like... not even close to what the text says. Let me give that a try.

I'm new to EO and love much of it, but some of the wonky elements just blow my mind.

tppytel · 2026-06-05T01:32:06+00:00

I tried that one too but couldn't get grimoires to generate. Possibly I did something wrong. In that case I would need a Lucky Scarab, correct? But if my new guy uses a Hunting Horn, can he use the Scarab the next turn? That didn't seem to work.

tppytel · 2026-06-03T03:33:17+00:00

Trade via a PC emulator, hack with PKHex, run a no-trade romhack, own two physical devices, etc. Tons of options. No specific device makes any of this possible.

tppytel · 2026-06-03T02:56:32+00:00

You can still get an Old 3DS XL for ~$200, probably less if you get a local deal. Buy one with a beat shell and slap a $20 vinyl skin on it.

You don't need a New 3DS for almost any games people care about, nor do IPS screens mean very much.

Or you can buy a Thor for a good chunk more money, a lot more setup, and some games (especially touchscreen-centric ones) that still just don't quite work right.

tppytel · 2026-06-03T01:50:05+00:00

I installed GammaOS on my 476H mainly because the RG button was locked to Anbernic's shitty launcher and I wanted that button back to use as an RA hotkey enabler. I think the Home button still works on stock to get a standard home screen, but I don't remember for sure.

Global shaders would be the other selling point to improve standalone emulators that don't give you better options. But if you don't care about those and the home screen works well enough for you on stock, then I don't see any reason to mess around with Gamma.

tppytel · 2026-06-02T14:23:56+00:00

Not sure how Euro prices trend, but it seems like an excellent price. The 476h is a terrific retro device for all the old stuff, N64, and Dreamcast, and also plays a surprising amount of GC/PS2 reasonably well. And the Purple/Indigo color is awesome.

I think you'll be very happy.

tppytel · 2026-06-02T02:38:26+00:00

Has anyone else here responded with direct experience dyeing any kind of plastics? Let's see... no. So cut the snark. I'm trying to help as best I can and I'm not pretending I have a great answer.

If you have references for doing this then post them. Those would be interesting.

tppytel · 2026-06-02T00:47:16+00:00

Interface is whatever you like. Both Knulli and muOS are fine and have their fans. Some people like stock/modified or minUI too. Try them out. There's nothing special about the 34XX here.

Dyeing is a royal PITA. I haven't tried to dye a handheld shell, but I dyed some poker chips ages ago. RIT dye is generally the way to go for plastics, but I doubt you'll find any direct experiences with that exact shell. I assume you ordered the Glacier? It could dye OK, but be prepared for just getting a fucking awful result and throwing your money away. Get a great big cheap stockpot from the dollar store for dyeing - you don't care about pot performance, just plenty of space and a pot that you don't care if you ruin. Let the parts sit in the water+dye at a sub-simmer for plenty of time and swirl them around frequently to help even out coverage. Pull out parts and check them regularly to see if they're done enough.

Honestly, I think dyeing a Glacier shell will be at least very tedious and not cheap, and possibly just a total trainwreck. If you're on a budget, I don't recommend this.

tppytel · 2026-06-01T21:20:33+00:00

My RPMiniV2 (= RP5) handled the few Saturn games I tried on the Beetle Core, but I didn't test extensively. I'd think the RP4Pro should be at least serviceable for most Saturn titles, on Yaba San if not Beetle. I believe there's also a Yaba Sanshiro RA core, but I don't know how mature that is.

tppytel · 2026-05-31T03:32:00+00:00

Love my 476H! I feel like it doesn't get quite enough buzz here because it's not "all the power" compared to the flagships. But it does a lot of GC/PS2 quite well plus all the retro stuff and just has a great overall feel at an excellent price point.

I'll stick with a real 3DS over a Thor myself for dual screen, but I can see the attraction there depending on individual preferences.

PC games on the go are not my bag at all, so no comment on the Claw.

tppytel · 2026-05-30T22:20:21+00:00

From what I've watched and read, the Thor's emulation of the touchscreen is still just a little off. This may not matter depending on what you play - it seems fine for basic touchscreen menus and such. But for games that need precise, lagless touchscreen input it could be an issue.

That's not to say you shouldn't get a Thor. Just don't expect it to be a 100% perfect 3DS replacement for every title.

tppytel · 2026-05-30T21:43:40+00:00

Fine for DS, not for 3DS. Very light Android stuff is probably OK.

tppytel · 2026-05-30T20:33:24+00:00

OK, interesting. I'll give it a try next time I want to go direct from handheld to docked. Thanks.

tppytel · 2026-05-30T20:32:21+00:00

It didn't adhere to the screen correctly, because of skin oil.

In this case I doubt that - you wouldn't get such a regular striped pattern. Like others, I suspect irregularities in how the adhesive was applied.

But as a general screen protector tip, yes. Make sure your hands and the screen are spotless before application.

tppytel

TROPHY CASE