NPC is a podcast about one of the hottest corners of the gaming world: portable hardware. Every other week, Federico Viticci, John Voorhees, and Brendon Bigley cover portable gaming news and share their experiences with everything from the simplest retro gaming handhelds to cutting-edge handheld PCs.
The podcast NPC: Next Portable Console is created by Federico Viticci, John Voorhees, Brendon Bigley. The podcast and the artwork on this page are embedded on this page using the public podcast feed (RSS).
This week, Federico, John, and Brendon Bigley dive into Nintendo’s reveal of the Switch 2, analyzing the technical specifications, Mouse Control, the camera accessory, the new Pro Controller, Game Share, Nintendo’s strategy shift, and more.
Programming Note: We’re releasing this episode early while the Switch 2 news is still fresh. Therefore, there will be no episode on April 8th. Instead, we’ll be back on April 15th.
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Links and Show Notes
Nintendo Switch 2
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NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month.
Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the “regular” NPC episodes.
You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole
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Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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This week, Brendon, John, and Federico analyze the latest Nintendo Direct and what it reveals about the Switch 2’s rumored June launch. Then the trio dissects the many questions that Nintendo’s upcoming Virtual Game Cards system raises, explores the features of the Nintendo Today app, and debate the reported three-phase launch strategy for the next console. In the latest handheld news, they also cover the latest EmuDeck update, AYA NEO’s confounding mini PC, and an intriguing foldable from Huawei that’s perfect for DS emulation.
Links and Show Notes
The Latest Portable Gaming News
Subscribe to NPC XL
NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month.
Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the “regular” NPC episodes.
You can subscribe here.
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Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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This week, Brendon shares his surprising early impressions of the Ayn Odin Portal. Then Federico, John, and Brendon dive into Nintendo Switch 2 pricing rumors, explore the performance issues of Assassin’s Creed Shadows on M4 Macs despite being Steam Deck verified, and break down Qualcomm’s confusing new G-series chips powering upcoming handhelds. Then, the treo reacts to OneXPlayer’s chaotic ONEXSUGAR handheld and AYANEO’s new devices. Plus, Federico has exciting news about a DLSS plugin for Steam Deck that improves performance on games like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, turning blurry gameplay into a sharp, high-settings experience.
Links and Show Notes
Follow Up
The Latest Portable Gaming News
Topics
This week, Brendon, Federico, and John dive into the ongoing Retroid Pocket Mini controversy, discussing the scaling issues, community reactions, and what it means for consumers in the retro handheld space. After addressing Retroid’s troubles, they explore the Retroid Pocket Classic and pricing information for the Flip 2. To wrap up the week’s news, they cover SteamOS news, AYANEO’s confusing new teaser for the “Pocket Ace,” examine important new reports of Microsoft’s collaboration with ASUS on an Xbox-branded Windows handheld.
Links and Show Notes
Listener Question
Retroid Follow-Up
The Latest Portable Gaming News
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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John, Brendon, and Federico are back for another week of handheld news, including a tiny bit of Switch 2 news, an up and down week for Retroid, DS handhelds inch forward, Samsung wonders if thumbholes are the perfect complement to thumbsticks, and AYANEO decides thumbsticks aren’t worth the trouble. Plus, Brendon shares NextUI and the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Controller.
Links and Show Notes
The Latest Portable Gaming News
Topics
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Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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This week, Retroid Pocket Flip 2 specs are out, the Legion Go S disappoints, and we try to decipher what AYANEO is doing before reminiscing over a PictoChat clone on the iPhone and discussing the benefits of having a personal videogame shopper in Japan, and Brendon’s experience with the black Miyoo Flip.
Links and Show Notes
Introducing NPC XL - More NPC, Every Week
Follow-Up
The Latest Portable Gaming News
Topics
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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On the latest NPC, ASUS gaming phones, Retroid’s big surprise, and more Nintendo emulation drama, plus 8BitDo tries to solve the iPhone vertical controller problem, Federico weighs in on the Any Odin2 Portal, and the whole gang has nothing but love for the TrimUI Brick.
Links and Show Notes
Follow-Up
The Latest Portable Gaming News
8BitDo Micro Clip
Federico’s First Impressions of the Ayn Odin2 Portal
TrimUI Brick
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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This week, Brendon, Federico, and John consider how the Switch 2 will impact the wider handheld market, recap the specs and benchmarks for the Legion Go S and 2, and cover new devices coming from Anbernic and AYANEO. Then, Brendon shares his experience running Bazzite on the ASUS ROG Ally X.
Links and Show Notes
The Latest Portable Gaming News
Running Bazzite on the ASUS ROG Ally X
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Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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It’s a packed episode with a post Switch 2 reveal vibe check and more on iPhone game controller innovation, plus John’s early impressions of the Ayn Odin2 Portal, Brendon’s review of the Miyoo Flip, and Federico’s long 2DS/3DS emulation journey.
Links and Show Notes
iPhone Controller Innovation
Ayn Odin2 Portal
Miyoo Flip
Federico’s 3DS Journey
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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On this special edition of NPC, Federico, John, and Brendon react to Nintendo’s video announcement about the Switch 2, dig through every detail of the video for clues, and consider how things are likely to play out in the coming months.
Nintendo Switch 2 Announcement Reactions
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Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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In the first NPC episode of 2025, Brendon and John recap their CES experience with Federico, highlighting AMD’s new Z2 chips, the SteamOS-powered Legion Go S, and more. Together, they explore the technologies and trends poised to define the next generation of portable consoles.
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Links and Show Notes
Unpacking CES 2025
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Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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To close out 2024, Federico, John, and Brendon present the first-ever HOTYs: the 2024 Handhelds of the Year awards, celebrating the best handheld gaming devices, custom firmware, and, of course, the Handheld of the Year.
Links and Show Notes
The 2024 Handhelds of the Year Awards
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Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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As the year comes to a close, handheld makers haven’t slowed down. We have new devices in hand and on the horizon, plus Legion Go S and Switch 2 rumors, Brendon’s first impressions of the TrimUI Brick, Federico’s latest NDI streaming experiments, new AR glasses and more.
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Links and Show Notes
The MacStories DS Skins for Delta
Follow-Up
The Latest Portable Gaming News
Topics
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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Tencent and Intel announce a huge handheld, Sony is taking its time, reviewers share early hands-on testing of the Ayn Odin Portal, the Miyoo Mini Flip is spotted across the Internet, Samsung files an intriguing portable gaming patent, and a new eGPU is on the way. Plus, Brendon revisits the Anbernic RG35XXSP, Federico has a mini-surprise, and John and Federico share their first impressions of the Retroid Pocket 5.
Links and Show Notes
The Latest Portable Gaming News
Topics
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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For the latest episode, Brendon explains the cronut, the AYANEO 3 Windows handheld has been announced, we consider Anbernic burnout, Federico shares his PS5 Pro first impressions, we speculate about Microsoft’s handheld future, and on the heels of Brendon’s trip to France, we have thoughts on traveling with handhelds and downsizing our handheld setups.
Links and Show Notes
Is the Cronut from New York?
The Latest Portable Gaming News
A Travel Handheld
Games Mentioned
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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This week, we have lots of smartphone gaming news, console mods, a first peek at the future of Windows handheld gaming, and more. Plus, John shares his first impressions of the Ayaneo Pocket Micro, while Brendon digs into OG hardware with the Nintendo DSi and Sony PSP.
Links and Show Notes
The Latest Portable Gaming News
New Handhelds
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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This week, Federico and John carry on without Brendon and profess their love of all things OLED. Plus, Federico shares a shopping confession, Anbernic is back to its bi-weekly ways, we explore inventive controllers and answer a listener question about the Ayn Odin 2, before Federico tells the origin story of his Wii, which he modded to offload his game library to his collection of handhelds.
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The Latest Portable Gaming News
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This week, Federico, Brendon, and John cover the latest in Nintendo emulation, a mysterious Nintendo device appears at the FCC, John has a Switch surprise, Microsoft reveals its best-looking controller yet, and Federico mods his Legion Go.
Links and Show Notes
Intro
The Latest Portable Gaming News
Topics
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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This week, our thoughts on Nintendo Switch 2 rumors, Sony’s PS5 nostalgia-fest, and more handheld news. Plus, Federico explains how Astro Bot makes sense of the PS Portal, a look at the Anbernic RG40XXV retro handled, and we reach peak Joy-Con with Mobapad’s M6 HD.
Links and Show Notes
Federico’s Espresso Machine
The Latest Portable Gaming News
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Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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This week, Anbernic comes through with another retro handheld, PC makers announce new Windows handhelds, an iPhone case built for the Delta emulator, and Federico declares his love for a gaming pillow.
The Latest Portable Gaming News
Gaming Pillows
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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This week, Brendon, Federico, and John cover newly announced handhelds, a gaming pillow, and other news before covering how Federico is dual booting Windows and SteamOS on his ASUS ROG Ally X and an update on retro handhelds from Brendon and John.
Links and Show Notes
The Latest Portable Gaming News
Dual Booting Windows and SteamOS on the ASUS Ally X
A Retro Handheld Check-In
Games Mentioned
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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This week, Federico returns to join John and Brendon to recap the latest portable gaming news before Federico drops a massive GameCube surprise on his co-hosts.
Links and Show Notes
The Latest Portable Gaming News
Ticci’s Surprises
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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In the latest episode, Brendon and John go it alone without Federico with Powkiddy V10 follow-up, a report on Brendon’s first week with the Nothing CMF Phone 1 and a first look at the Ayn Odin2 Mini. Along the way, they also consider the less-than-stellar sales of AAA games on the iPhone, Analogue’s spendy aluminum Pocket, and the Xreal Beam Pro, before veering into a philosophical discussion of gaming on phones versus dedicated devices, comparing notes on their Miyoo Mini A30 setup experiences, and mulling over whether to start modding handhelds.
Links and Show Notes
Follow-Up
The Latest Portable Gaming News
New Gear
Modding
Games Mentioned
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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It was a busy news week in the world of portable gaming hardware, plus Federico’s quest for cable perfection continues, a return of the Steam Deck, and a look at mobile phone gaming, controllers, and more.
Links and Show Notes
News
Federico Dips Back into the Steam Deck
Mobile Phone Gaming
Games Mentioned
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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For episode 3 of NPC, we cover the latest news about the Ayn Odin2 Mini, ONEXPLAYER X1 Mini, Asus ROG Ally X, the Anbernic RG Cube, and more, John finally received his transparent blue Anbernic RG35XXSP, Brendon got a surprise in the mail, and Federico shares his first impressions of the Powkiddy RGB30.
Links and Show Notes
The Latest Portable Gaming News
Anbernic RG35XXSP Follow-Up
Brendon’s First Impressions of the Lenovo Legion Go
Federico’s Powkiddy RGB30 Purchase
Games Mentioned
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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This week, Federico takes us on his journey to build the world’s best eGPU, and we take a first look at the Anbernic RG35XXSP, a foldable retro handheld that two out of the three of us have received.
Links and Show Notes
Building the World’s Best eGPU
The Anbernic RG35XX SP: First Look
Games Mentioned
Odds and Ends
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
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This week Federico, John, and Brendon introduce NPC, compare handheld gaming origin stories, and share their current setups before Federico springs a surprise on the others.
Links and Show Notes
About the Hosts
Federico Viticci
John Voorhees
Brendon Bigley
Our Portable Gaming Histories
Brendon
John
Federico
Current Setups
John
Brendon
Federico
Games Mentioned
Other Links
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte
NPC, or Next Portable Console, is a podcast about the games we take with us. Every other week, Federico Viticci, John Voorhees, and Brendon Bigley will cover portable gaming news and share their experiences with everything from the simplest retro gaming handhelds to cutting-edge portable PCs.
En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.