Well, this looks like it's going to be the last news post we do of the Retroid Pocket Nova this week after the array of announcements and images that Retroid has shared. The final information we needed was the pre-order date, and that has been officially revealed.
The pre-orders for the Retroid Pocket Nova will go live on their official website (save this link) on 26th June 9 PM EST, which converts to:
- 🇺🇸 Los Angeles, USA (PDT) – 6:00 PM, Friday 26 June
- 🇺🇸 New York, USA (EDT) – 9:00 PM, Friday 26 June
- 🇨🇦 Toronto, Canada (EDT) – 9:00 PM, Friday 26 June
- 🇬🇧 London, United Kingdom (BST) – 2:00 AM, Saturday 27 June
- 🇫🇷 Paris, France (CEST) – 3:00 AM, Saturday 27 June
- 🇩🇪 Berlin, Germany (CEST) – 3:00 AM, Saturday 27 June
- 🇦🇪 Dubai, United Arab Emirates (GST) – 5:00 AM, Saturday 27 June
- 🇮🇳 Mumbai, India (IST) – 6:30 AM, Saturday 27 June
- 🇦🇺 Sydney, Australia (AEST) – 11:00 AM, Saturday 27 June
- 🇳🇿 Auckland, New Zealand (NZST) – 1:00 PM, Saturday 27 June
This hurts a little bit as I write this news post from the UK, but hey, it's coming! Though the shipping date has yet to be announced, it will likely be a week or two after if I had to guess. If you're on the market for one, the best time to buy is ASAP, we've all seen price increases across the board, and due to demand, many other manufacturers have started shipping batches, so if you want it, get your pre-order in to miss any disappointments. If you're on the fence, wait for our review and reviews from your trusted creators.
For those who purchased the Retroid Pocket Mini V1 back in 2024, you can actually get $3 off your order using the code V1SAVE3, but you must use the same account you purchased it from so that they can see the product in your order history. This is likely to apologise for the screen issue this handheld had at release. Customers who pre-order will also get a free bumper back shell that can replace your thinner back panel, and a screen protector too!
Retroid has also released a first hands-on video of an engineer prototype to showcase its emulation capabilities, a closer look at controls and proof that it works with Retroid's dual screen attachment that allows for seamless DS/3DS emulation. It's hard to deny how good emulation looks on this 4:3 display. I think this device is going to do really well.
It's likely because this is an engineering prototype, but I did notice that the DPAD is incredibly flexible. This is just me being picky, and it's incredibly likely this won't be the case in final units, but take a look for yourself. That said, I am very excited about this one. We'll have a full review when we get our hands on one.
