Retroid Pocket have officially teased the new Flip 2 clamshell handheld, and they've taken inspiration from one of Nintendo's indigo icons for their colour scheme. I woke up this morning to a post on X showcasing the new handheld which has a definite GameCube vibe about it, with coloured A & B Buttons and Dual analog sticks - one grey, one yellow. It's instantly taken me back to the days of playing Super Mario Sunshine and I've not even turned it on yet! Is this a clear indication that we're going to get better GameCube emulation on this device than the previous one or a ploy to get us to part with our cash? Either way, it's working already.
Coming soon… pic.twitter.com/HSYWsBuUnw
— Retroid Pocket Official (@Retroid0fficial) February 14, 2025
The first thing that jumps out at me is the change in the position of the analog sticks. Finally, they're in a position that will feel more natural to use while holding a handheld as opposed to down at the bottom of the console. I'm going to take a good guess that these will be Hall effect analog sticks this time rather than the annoying sliders on the original Flip, and they look nicely recessed so as not to interfere with the screen. The same goes for the D-pad too - it's all looking a lot more thought out and well-designed compared to the first clamshell emulator, and I hope the hinge is better too...
We actually snapped our hinge on camera when filming the video review for the first Pocket Flip - build quality was one of the things we spoke out about most in that review, and fingers crossed that Retroid Pocket have taken that into consideration with this new build. Some people have already taken to X to complain about the fact that there's no second screen on this version, but personally, I think this could be a winner for anyone wanting a sleek emulator that they can shove in a pocket or bag without damaging the screen.
Screen-wise, it looks like we're getting a bigger offering than the 4.7" touchscreen on the previous model. I don't have any official stats as to upgrades on CPU or RAM at this point, but I'll update this article as soon as that arrives. All in all, I'm excited to get my hands on this handheld and test it out - let's just hope I don't have to handle it like a precious heirloom like the last one!
Retroid Pocket also teased a suspicious-looking handheld in the back of the photo too - a double Spring drop is exactly what we were hoping for!
