Handheld retro console specialist
Retro handheld game console: replay your childhood in 30 seconds.
Game Boy, SNES, PS1, GBA… up to 14,000 cult games on your portable retro gaming console. Plug in, power on, play — SD card with preloaded OS, no tinkering required.
- free shipping from €59,00
- received in 4–7 business days
Find your retro handheld by mood
Our best-selling retro handhelds
R36 Max 2 4.5″ Portable Retro Gaming Console — Complete Pack
What budget for a retro handheld console?
Three tiers, three uses. Beyond that, you pay for comfort — not more games.
Small screen, short battery life, but every Mario and every Sonic. The gift that works at any age.
3 models →The tier where you stop compromising: the arcade, the Game Boy, the PS1.
19 models →Only worth it if those two consoles are the ones you genuinely miss.
15 models →Retro console: why buy from Joypadia?
The questions you ask yourself before buying.
Not all retro consoles are equal.
Handheld retro gaming is a market full of look-alikes. Under an identical shell you often get a stripped-down version: less memory, a slower chip, a system that barely boots. Same photo, different console.
Here, the configuration is written on the product page — system, screen, card capacity. See the R36S pocket retro console, for example.
The right version, in black and white
Every product page states the installed system, the screen size and the real capacity of the card. Nothing is left vague.
Tracked delivery, times by country
The estimated delivery time is shown for your country, and the tracking number arrives by email as soon as it ships.
Support in French & English
A real person answers, within 24 working hours.
SD card ready, nothing to install
The library is already sorted by machine. Power on, pick a game, play.
Not a project.
A retro game console that's plug & play.
You’ve got a kid, a job, and no time to set up an emulator. So do we. So we’ve done it all for you.
Your console arrives
SD card already inserted, battery charged. Plug in, switch on, play.
You switch it on
The OS (ArkOS, EmuELEC, Linux or Android depending on the model) boots directly to your game library.
You play
Mario, Sonic, Pokémon, Zelda. The real feeling in your hands, not on a 27-inch screen.
Find your retro handheld in 6 questions.
Budget, favorite games, format... We'll tell you exactly which model is right for you. No jargon.
2,286 retro fans won over
Guides to choosing your retro handheld console
Frequently asked questions about retro handheld consoles
Six answers, in plain English, no jargon.
All our FAQs →Is it really plug & play?
Yes. The SD card is already in the console and the OS boots straight into your game library. Power on, pick a game, play. No computer, no setup.
Which retro gaming console should you choose to start?
A €35–60 model in pocket or controller format handles every 8/16-bit classic. Our guide to the best retro gaming console helps you decide in 3 questions.
Are retro gaming consoles legal?
Owning a console and an emulator is 100% legal. The SD card shipped with the console is prepared by our supplier.
What about support and returns?
Support in French and English, 14-day right of withdrawal. We answer every question within 24 working hours.
Which games can I play?
NES, SNES, Game Boy, GBA, Mega Drive, Neo Geo, and up to PS1, N64 or PSP on premium models. Each product page states the emulated systems and the level of compatibility.
What is the real battery life?
It depends on the model's battery. Consoles with 3,000 to 3,200 mAh are rated for 4 to 6 hours of play; the model with the largest battery (4,000 mAh) goes up to 8 hours. These figures come from the manufacturer specifications.
Ready to bring back that childhood feeling ?
Retro handheld or living-room console: where to start
A retro game console replays NES, Super Nintendo, Mega Drive, Game Boy, Neo Geo and PlayStation 1 titles without cartridges and without the original hardware. At Joypadia the SD card arrives ready: switch on, pick a game, play.
Three things decide it: screen size — 3″ for a pocket, 4″ to 7″ for comfort —, the highest generation the chip really handles, and battery life. The guides below cover each case, the spec sheets give the numbers, and the quiz settles it in six questions.