The R36S runs the complete NES, SNES, Game Boy, GBA, Mega Drive, Neo Geo and PlayStation 1 libraries. Nintendo 64 runs about two thirds of its library, PSP runs its 2D titles and some of its 3D, and Dreamcast does not run at all. Here is the breakdown system by system, and why the 4:3 screen matters more than it sounds.
What the R36S runs
Inside the shell sits a Rockchip RK3326 (64-bit Cortex-A35, 1.5 GHz), a Mali-G31 MP2 GPU and 1 GB of RAM, running ArkOS 2.0. It is the most widely used emulation platform in its price bracket, and its compatibility is well documented.
| Emulated system | R36S compatibility | What that means |
|---|---|---|
| NES / SNES | Perfect | Native speed, no tweaking |
| Game Boy / GBC / GBA | Perfect | Native speed, no tweaking |
| Mega Drive / Genesis | Perfect | Native speed, no tweaking |
| Neo Geo / MAME / CPS | Very good | Smooth on nearly every arcade board |
| PlayStation 1 | Very good | Smooth across the vast majority of the library |
| Nintendo 64 | Limited | ~63% of the library, minus the heavy 3D |
| PSP | Limited | 2D is smooth, 3D needs frame skipping |
| Dreamcast | Not supported | Not enough processing power |
The game list, system by system
The logic is mechanical: once a system is emulated, its library is playable. The titles below are reference points for what each tier opens up — they do not describe the contents of the bundled card, which changes from batch to batch.
The 4:3 advantage: NES, SNES, Mega Drive and arcade
This is where the R36S beats wide-screen models outright: its 3.5″ 640×480 panel matches the 4:3 ratio of the TVs these games were designed for. Super Mario Bros. 3, The Legend of Zelda, Mega Man 2, Castlevania, Contra and Metroid fill the frame with no black bars and no stretching. Same on Super Nintendo with Super Mario World, A Link to the Past, Super Metroid, Donkey Kong Country, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI and Street Fighter II Turbo, and on Mega Drive with Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Streets of Rage 2, Gunstar Heroes, Shinobi III and Phantasy Star IV.
Arcade gets the same benefit. Neo Geo, MAME and CPS compatibility covers Metal Slug, The King of Fighters '98, Samurai Shodown II, Garou: Mark of the Wolves, Street Fighter Alpha 3, Marvel vs. Capcom and Final Fight — boards that were also built in 4:3. Our article on how to play Neo Geo games on a handheld console goes further.
Handhelds: Game Boy, GBC and Game Boy Advance
The R36S has the vertical shape of a Game Boy, and the use case follows. Tetris, Link's Awakening, first- and second-generation Pokémon, Wario Land, then the entire Game Boy Advance library: Metroid Fusion, Golden Sun, Advance Wars, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Pokémon Emerald. None of these need any tweaking. Our dedicated guide covers how to play Game Boy games on a handheld console.
PlayStation 1, and where it stops
PS1 is the R36S's comfortable ceiling. Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Final Fantasy VII and IX, Resident Evil 2, Metal Gear Solid, Tekken 3, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Gran Turismo 2 all run smoothly, with instant save states. The detail is in play PS1 games on a handheld console.
Beyond that, precision beats vagueness. The reference community test set for this chip — 290 N64 and 330 PSP games tested one by one — puts N64 at roughly 63% compatibility: Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, Kirby 64 and Pokémon Stadium run, Ocarina of Time slows down slightly, GoldenEye 007 lags, Perfect Dark is out of reach. PSP runs its 2D titles and some 3D at the cost of frame skipping. Dreamcast is not supported on this model. If those three systems matter to you, the R36S is not the machine — you need to move up a tier.
How many games are installed?
The 64 GB or 128 GB microSD card arrives preloaded and already inserted. Its exact contents depend on the production batch, which is why we document what the console runs rather than a frozen inventory: the first fact is stable, the second is not.
The order of magnitude is several thousand titles, sorted by original system inside the ArkOS front-end. Power on, pick the machine, launch the game.
Adding your own games
The card comes out and reads on any computer. ArkOS keeps one folder per system: drop a file in and it appears on the next boot. No installation, no unlocking.
On the legal side, the EU rule is the backup copy: you may make a digital copy of a game you physically own. Owning the console and the emulator is entirely legal; what matters is where the files come from. The full picture is in is retro gaming emulation legal.
R36S or a bigger model?
At €39.99, the R36S 3.5″ pocket retro console is the most complete entry point in the range: everything up to PS1 for the price of a new game. If you want a bigger screen and more battery on identical compatibility, the R36 Max moves up to 4″ and 4000 mAh — the detail is in our R36 Max game list. To compare all fifteen models line by line, the retro gaming console specifications page uses identical criteria.
FAQ — R36S game list and compatibility
What systems does the R36S emulate?
NES, SNES, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Mega Drive, Neo Geo, MAME, CPS and PlayStation 1 at full compatibility. Nintendo 64 and PSP partially. Dreamcast is not supported.
Does the R36S run PlayStation 1 games?
Yes, with very good compatibility across the vast majority of the library, including heavy 3D titles such as Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid and Tekken 3.
Does the R36S run Nintendo 64 games?
Around 63% of the library according to the reference community test set for this chip. Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, Kirby 64 and Pokémon Stadium are playable; GoldenEye 007 lags and Perfect Dark is out of reach.
What is the difference between the R36S and the R36 Max?
Compatibility is identical. The R36 Max adds a 4″ 1:1 screen instead of 3.5″ in 4:3, and a 4000 mAh battery instead of 3200 mAh.
How many games are on the R36S SD card?
Several thousand, sorted by original system, on a 64 GB or 128 GB card preloaded by our supplier. Contents vary by batch.
Can you add your own games to the R36S?
Yes. The microSD card is removable and reads on any computer; ArkOS keeps one folder per system. Files you add appear on the next boot.
What is the R36S battery life?
The 3200 mAh battery is rated for 4 to 6 hours of play. A PlayStation 1 title draws noticeably more power than a NES or Game Boy game.
What operating system does the R36S use?
ArkOS 2.0, a Linux distribution built for emulation, preinstalled and preconfigured on the card. Nothing needs setting up before you play.
