I have the Razer one. It said it was for Android, and I do have an Android phone, and it basically works, but back then, iPhones were using Lightning. For whatever reason, it does not support iPhones. My iPhone has a bigger screen (6.9" vs 5.8") and is more powerful. The Android phone is good enough for retro emulation, of course, but iOS wins Nintendo emulation with Delta, due to the Google Drive backup feature. I have a Flygrip on my iPhone, and I have an 8bitdo Bluetooth controller that can pair to the iPhone. I think Xbox controllers can, too. My old Xbox One controller pairs to my Macs just fine. Maybe it’ll pair to iPhone.
Fortunately RetroArch is on iOS as well. I don’t think it can use all the cores, but it can use the ones that count (like PS1 and prior). I know on Android you get all of them, including PS2, PSP, Wii, NGC, and so on. But my Android phone is a Galaxy S10 (2019), so I wouldn’t expect it to run the newer games. My iPhone 16 Pro Max is capable, but won’t run the actual cores due to iOS restrictions.
I wonder how hard it would be to homebrew a Raspberry Pi, a custom screen, and a custom controller. Though for what you’d spend doing it (and the value of your time!) there are existing devices (mostly from China, I think) that are meant to do exactly that. But I wouldn’t know where to start with those.
I can even play games on my Apple Watch, but you gotta think, with only one hand controlling it (assuming you’re wearing the watch), you can’t play too many games. I have Zelda, as a proof of concept, but Pokemon is far more likely.
These days, just about anything can emulate. Not too many of them can do it well. A good example is, the original Super Mario Bros… The latency is way too high to play it like you can on original hardware, and it sucks that as advanced as our tech is, the game is virtually unplayable in any emulator. It feels like you’re playing on an ice level (like in Mario 2) almost with how slow the game is to react. We didn’t have this problem in the 80s playing on an actual NES. Even the newer Nintendo consoles are just emulating, and they are subject to the same latency issue. Even first-party Nintendo games on modern consoles can’t beat the latency. For example, on Animal Crossing — fucking Animal Crossing — fishing is impossible to do if a fish has 3 (of 5) stars of rarity or higher. The fucking second it bites, you press the button, latency got ya — you were too late. But undock the Switch and I can catch 5 star sharks, whale sharks, the fucking Coelacanth — every time. It’s a game for grade school kids. It’s not hard. But latency makes it go from “tricky” to “what the fuck why is this game so hard?” real quick.
Thanks for bringing Delta to my attention! I use my Steam Deck for emulation - but now, I have another rabbit hole to go down for when I need to pack ultralight!
Any obvious iOS restrictions, assuming I’d be primarily interested in SNES gaming and have local access to any/every ROM file?
Okay, say we’re standing face to face and I’m showing you my iPhone. I swipe between library pages showing you my games. I go into Final Fantasy III and show you a 50 hour save. Then, to your astonishment, I swipe up to Home, then uninstall the app. “But your save!” you say, but I’m just smiling. I go into the App Store, re-download Delta. I show you my empty library. Then I go to sign into Google Drive, turning my back for privacy. I turn back and show you I’m hitting Enter/Submit/Log In/whatever. We watch as my games repopulate the library. I open Final Fantasy III. My save is intact.
You’re excited. You want Delta too. So you download it on yours. You have the games at home and you’ll load them up later, but you wanna get some time in on Super Metroid right now. So I scroll down to it, long press it, and tap AirDrop. You swipe down, long-press your connections widget, tap AirDrop, and change it to “Everyone for 10 minutes.” Your iPhone shows up, and I AirDrop you the game. Your iPhone receives it, and it opens in Files. You tap on it, it gives you the option to open it in Delta. It’s now in your library. And backed up to your Google Drive account, if you set that up.
Android guys have some better options than Delta, for sure, but they also kinda wish they had Delta.
Delta emulates only Nintendo and only up to the NDS. That said, as a Super NES gamer, you should be aware of better ports on later systems. Most notably IMO, Zelda 3 on Super NES vs Four Swords on GBA. Four Swords is a multiplayer thing, but it also includes Zelda 3 but with better translation, widescreen support, a better inventory, updated translations, and some other fixes. Of course, if you’re running a JP Zelda 3 1.0 for exploits and speed runs, well, that’s different. (You can do that, too.)
Razer Kishi. That’s what I have — but mine only supports Android (I have one of each). It’s USB-C, but doesn’t support my iPhone 16 Pro Max. That being said, if your controller is recognised by iOS, it should work. I use the 8bitdo controller that looks like a Super NES controller, only it has analogue sticks and a second set of triggers (like a PlayStation controller). Works great.
But yes, since Apple revamped the Files app, every app that exposes its files to iTunes/macOS should have its files accessible right in Files, and you can move from the app folder to the download folder and vice-versa. It still isn’t as open as Android, but functionally, it’s just as good. I have no problem moving files between my iPhone and either my Android phone, or my wife’s. What you really need for this is an app that will set up a file host, and that app also needs to expose its files to the Files app. Have one host, have the other connect to it, two-way communication over WiFi. No AirDrop needed, they just have to both be on the same WiFi network (could be one’s hotspot).
Ya, whole show was kind of a let down, TankRat, from the Beginning no less, was the only one that really cought my eye. Oh well, at least Expedition 33 got its due & EVERYTHING ELSE SOMEHOW.
I really should play it already, if even the notoriously AAA subordinate Jeffy K. had to acknowledge those French people’s game so hard.
The Jabroni Mike one was done with Fredrik Knudsen like 4 years ago. Also if you want to watch Fredrick Knudsen do a Mage the Ascension game he does one with some of Bruva Alfabusas crew, also it’s on Bruva Alfabusas channel.
I personally use a PS4 controller with a phone mount. The weight distribution is maybe a bit less comfortable depending on what angle your hold it, but it’s pretty compact and the controller itself is great quality this way.
same setup here! only i’m using a ps5 controller. i actually swapped the clamp for a magsafe car adapter i had lying around, turned out it was the exact same thread size.
the main benefit really is that official controllers (switch pro, xbox, ps, whatever) just feel way better quality-wise. plus you can still use them on pc or the actual console. totally agree on the weight though, you definitely have to adjust the angle depending on how you’re sitting. and yeah it’s technically portable but i wouldn’t pull this out on a train lol, mostly just for the couch at home. and if you already have a controller lying around, the mount is only gonna cost a few bucks, even a used ps4 controller is super cheap.
Aside from the weight, I don’t know why but I felt my setup was more shaky this way… That’s why the telescopic controller is still my way to go when I want to properly play on mobile.
Same for FF but also no tactical shite either, turn based is fine but the damn chessboard shit was enough during the 3DS era, so many great stories ruined by the gameplay.
I haven’t played the tactics games yet (Ivalice right?) but you just broke my heart. I love tactics games man, and I feel like there’s not a lot of them outside of the Fire Emblem series. I haven’t gotten around to many to be fair though.
Larian’s next game is the teased statue that Keighley tweeted, so they’ll have something to announce tonight. The only thing they said it isn’t is Divinity: Original Sin 3, but it could be a different Divinity RPG, or a looter like the old-school Divinities, or a new Dragon Commander, or a new spin-off entirely. They’re also a multi-project studio now.
Starfield was undoubtedly inspired by Interstellar and such, which is extremely my style, but even though it had some ideas here and there, the execution was what bothered me, and that’s why I’d like to see Larian’s take on the same kind of setting.
Nah, Larian will jump the gun, release too early and have another bug infested game. They need to reduce their scope, actually take their time and make a great RPG. BG3 was too much for them, a smaller more refined experience would have been amazing, they shouldn't chase "bigger is better".
Ignoring all the problems, sure. You could get through it, but there were lots of bugs and inconsistencies. I played again recently after all the patches and while it was much better, it still had it's fair share of issues. The overall game, lore and story is very good, though I think DOS combat is far superior for a video game than DnD.
The factory building part in Factorio is way way deeper and far more complex. And if you add Space Age, five times so.
Mindustry is mainly a tower defense, and the factory part serves this mechanic.
You still need to mine resources and build stuff and bring the ammo to the turrets using conveyor belts and all that good factory things.
It’s a pretty fun game and you can play it even on mobile.
You have one of, if not the best starting points for Final Fantasy in the whole series on this system with X. Just play it. There’s no mainline numbered Final Fantasy game that ties together. They’re all separate stories. A few share a common setting with Ivalice, but that’s about it. Hop on X now. I know there’s a PC version, and that’s probably the recommended way to experience that game at this point, but I don’t really care how you start it. If you ever wanna experience Final Fantasy, FFX is the one a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooot of people will say start with.
Radiata Stories - a looker even for a PS2 game.
NFL 2K5 - the greatest NFL game ever made.
Jak and Daxter - This console’s Crash Bandicoot.
Rachet and Clank - I actually have the same problem you have with Final Fantasy with this series. Just pick one.
Need For Speed Underground 2 - One of the best arcade racing games ever made.
Burnout 3 Takedown - Same as above except you crash the cars instead of pimp them out.
SSX3 - Some say Tricky is better, I like them both but usually give 3 the edge.
Soul Calibur II - Best Soul Calibur game IMO
Dragonball Z Budokai 3 - Played the shit out of both this and Budokai Tenkaichi 3
Probably the best list imo. I remember picking Radiata Stories up, at random, for my birthday. It blew me away. The story, combat and recruitment mechanic are different from everything else I experienced at the time.
And a few suggestions also:
Def Jam: Fight for NY. Lowkey my favorite fighting game, with 4-players simultaneously beating the crap of each other.
Battle Stadium D.O.N… Fighting/smash bros style game with the biggest jump stars at the time (Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto).
Dokapon Kingdom. Board/rpg game with a lot of fun mechanics.
Fuck yes, Fight for NY was amazing. I love the idea of a fighting game where you have to end the fight, not just knock the other guy’s health bar down to zero so he falls over. So satisfying to put your opponent down with a haymaker or chucking him in front of a subway train
Re: Final Fantasy games not tying together or having continuities.
Yes. Except, ironically, specifically Final Fantasy X, which had a direct sequel in X-2. Final Fantasy XIII also managed to have a direct sequel in Lightning Returns. Thankfully, if you care to think of it that way, it was crap and can be safely ignored.
Anyway, have an upvote for not blithely suggesting that everyone start with VII.
Yes and they’re all neatly contained in their numbered entry which is why I say no mainline numbered games tie together. And all the 2s are optional IMO. Especially X-2, which always seemed like a cash grab to capitalize off of X’s success to me. As much as I love, love, love X, I’ve never touched X-2 and probably never will.
Link special character was best special character… because… it was a great meming time when people realized there were what appeared to be the silhouette of his tower and bases visible during certain moves.
That’s the thing. PS2 at one time was the best selling system of all time. I forget if that record still holds up. I know the DS oversold it, but thats not a tv console.
Point is, with any console that had that big of an impact on gaming, it’s going to have a ton of bangers that still hold up 20+ years later.
And boy howdy if that ain’t true!
I’m honestly surprised there aren’t independant projects releasing new PS2 games today, in the same way you see occasional new releases for NES and Game Boy Color.
Jak and Daxter are better played via OpenGoal - a modern open source engine implementation that runs natively on Steam Deck and includes fixes, graphics improvements, proper widescreen, etc.
NFS Underground 1 is better than the sequel IMO. The open world is empty and tedious filler vs just loading directly into the tracks.
Best NFS on the PS2 is Hot Pursuit 2 however. Made by Black Box, it’s vastly superior in every way to the other console versions and the PC version made by a different company despite sharing assets.
Great list! I totally agree with FFX being a fantastic starting point for the Final Fantasy series. It’s such a solid entry that so many people love. Also, Jak and Daxter and NFS Underground 2 are classics!
I also wanted to throw in a game I recently came across called Naruto Senki. It’s a fun Naruto-themed mobile game where you can engage in 3v3 battles with characters from the anime. It’s not as big as the others on your list, but it’s definitely a great choice if you're a fan of Naruto and want something casual and action-packed. Thought it’d be worth mentioning if you’re looking for something new to try from here !
Did you play BS F-Zero? It was only available as a streaming service in Japan in the 90s, but someone managed to put a rom together a couple years ago. It mostly just feels like a remix of the first game, but it’s still some new content
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