Gaming Handhelds Are Getting Really Funky—and We’re Here for It

Are you tired of the same old Game Boy lookalikes? One of the most prolific handheld makers around, Anbernic, is producing a device that’s far more pocket-friendly than a regular vertical handheld with a screen that rotates up and out to review regular device controls.

It looks like the April rains are living up to its name, as we’ve seen a monsoon of leaks thanks to Ambernik’s so-called “RG Rotate”. Last month, a Reddit user shared an early prototype of the handheld with a square screen that pivoted out and up, revealing the regular D-pad and A, B, X, and Y buttons below. It’s immediately reminiscent of early 2000s phones like the Sidekick and the Motorola Flipout. Retrododo has shared more shots and videos of the device taken from Chinese social media, revealing its name and flipping action.

High-resolution images of Anbarnik’s latest handheld console have been released. pic.twitter.com/nDRuLxoXZv

– mechdiy (@mechdiy) 3 April 2026

We’ve seen Ayano and other handhelds like the Sidekick with slide-up screens to reveal the keyboard. The Embernik’s design feels very small, making it perfect for those who need something more compact than a regular Game Boy. We should expect this handheld to arrive on the scene in the next few months.

More handhelds that are even weirder

Now, we come to the GAMENT E5 Modx. Just think of a squat, vertical handheld that can turn into a MagSafe phone controller if you want a bigger screen. The display separates from the main body, revealing a slot where you can attach the attached plate with a MagSafe attachment point for your phone. Although the device seems like a normal Game Boy size at first, it’s actually much wider than that, with a 5-inch touch display at a 1,024 x 768 resolution. The handheld is running on a MediaTek MTK6771 Helio P60, a smartphone chip used in 2018, and just 3GB of RAM. This means it could potentially be powerful enough to run games dating back to the PlayStation 1 era.

This new handheld is actually a modified version of the company’s previous E5 Ultra from 2024. However, that wide body means your phone shouldn’t look like it’s protruding too much on either side of the device. The MagSafe component of the E5 Modx reminds me of the first-generation MCON mobile controller. That device depends on a Bluetooth connection to your phone. It uses a spring-loaded ejection mechanism for that MagSafe plate, which helps keep the controller relatively pocketable.

Gaming handhelds are innovating at a faster rate than many other areas of technology. In March, Lenovo introduced the Legion Go Fold concept with detachable controllers and a screen that can be oriented vertically or horizontally. Last year, I tested a massive handheld PC called the AbiXalute 3D One with a stereoscopic 3D display.

Handheld manufacturers may need to place their bets on the weird and strange. For one thing, there are so many retro handhelds on the market that most consumers can keep track of, let alone handheld gaming PCs. What’s more, the ongoing memory crisis is putting pressure on the concept of “cheap” handhelds. Last week, Lenovo raised the price of its top-end Legion Go 2 by $2,000. Other handheld makers, such as Retroid, have similarly raised prices of their Pocket Classic to $150 and declared the Retroid Pocket G2 “temporarily” discontinued. If these handhelds are to remain relevant, they may need to re-invent how and where they can be used.