Another day, another RK3326 handheld. The GameForce RK3326 is gearing up for release, and it has at least one feature that sets it apart from the rest.
The Gameforce is currently in mass production but the software is still being tweaked. You can see from this older video that there were some rotation and scaling problems to overcome initially. However, those rotational issues hint towards the reason this thing is different from the others.
The Gameforce RK3326 has a 4:3 640×480 display, which is a first for any of the RK3326 machines currently available (although the upcoming RG351V will also have this resolution). The Odroid-Go Advance and all the other RK3326 handhelds have a 3:2 480×320 LCD. Whilst those screens are great for GBA and PSP emulators, for others you get odd scaling issues. A higher resolution LCD has been on many people’s wish list for these handhelds.
I’m sure the look of the Gameforce is going to be polarising to a lot of people, it reminds me of a GBA mixed with a Neo Geo Pocket Color. The aesthetic is straight out of the mid 2000s, for better or worse.
Here are the things we know about the Gameforce RK3326 so far:
- 640×480 4:3 IPS display
- Dual analog sticks (or maybe sliders)
- Dedicated hardware buttons for volume
- Dedicated Start and Select buttons
- Dual front facing stereo speakers
- R1/L1 as well as R2/L2 triggers
- Dedicated Home button
- Currently runs either EmuELEC or Retrobox.
- Built in WiFi
- RGB LEDs behind the buttons
It looks as though the GameForce will be released in a choice of 3 colours.
I must admit the design of this handheld has grown on me since we first saw it. It’s unashamedly chunky and retro looking. Those strange looking nipples on the back appear to serve a purpose too, at least in as far as comfort is concerned.
The GameForce is apparently in mass production now, and the OS is currently being smoothed out ready for launch. We can expect to see this device for sale sometime next month. I’ll be updating this post as more info comes in and you can get back to it quickly via the “Forthcoming Handhelds” menu.
In the meantime, there are a couple of new videos on YouTube of the prototype units.
Wait a mintue I wanted the silver one, will that not be available?
I guess the next best one is the white… but silver was probably best.
It’s possible the white one is just the base for the silver. I did message the got to ask but he didn’t reply yet.
Looks comfy, though I don’t love the colors.
I’d be in for one at $60-80.
This just doesn’t look appealing. It gets a few things right but looks like something Tiger Electronics would release in 1998.
Also, it’s been over 4 months since it was announced and it’s not out yet and the chipset has been in other products for 1+year? Unless it’s $60 or less it’s DOA.
The Game.com was the first thing I thought of when I saw the silver version of this for the first time but I googled it recently and it looks nothing like this. Weird. But yeah, this thing is very ugly compared to the RG351P/M and RGB10. I wish those would have come with this screen, or something similar, though. It’s looking more and more like I’m just going to skip the RK3226 family of handhelds entirely though.
Yeah, I’m with you there – although I did pick up the Pocket Go S30 for looks, I think I’m done with these handhelds until we’ve got something that can at least run through Dolphin titles without issue.
That means I’ll be waiting a while but in the meantime I picked up a cheap Moto G Fast ($80) for everything N64 – prior and a LG G8X with a Snapdragon 855 and it plays Saturn, Dreamcast and Gamecube titles like a dream. ($125 off eBay which is a steal)
I do love the form factor and all-in-one idea of these devices, it’s simply a waiting game and using xbox/telescopic controllers with a phone in the mean-time. I think we’ll eventually get there.
in purple (GBA style) with gray … but with the KTR1 chip it would be perfect because RK3326 no longer convinces me, oh and add HDMI and USB output
It sounds really promising, but I wish it didn’t have that blinking light.
That flashing status light is a deal breaker.
So annoying
Check my review, you can disable the light.
Huh, can’t believe I didn’t comment on this when it was first posted :O
I probably had my mind too set on the RG350, but this looks amazing!!
That design screams 2005, and I freaking love it. This is the handheld we wanted but never had, now’s the chance 😀
I am loving those specs. 640×480 sounds ideal! That button layout looks great!
I hope RetroArch is great on this.
I really love the speakers location. The perfect place
I love the fact it has two joysticks and the L1,L2,R1 and R2 buttons. And it looks kind of laid out similar to a playstation controller with the joysticks on the bottom and slightly towards the middle. Hopefully it will be a good price and have a good OS on it.
Its a shame most other handheld emulator makers don’t make handhelds with all the buttons and joysticks fpr the systems they are capable of emulating. Because it seems like a good chunk of the handhelds capable of emulating PS1 and above either have only have one joystick or no R2 and L2 buttons. Like for example the original retroid pocket, Odroid advance, and practically every handheld you can plug in a raspberry pi 3 or 4 into.It would be like if someone hooked up a Atari 2600 style controller with only one button and one joystick to a SNES to play Mortal Kombat or Super Mario Brothers with.
Loving the design (except for the back). If it’s cheap I may end up getting one to replace my RG350.
Off to a good start with the front facing speakers. This device really does have that retro look. Interesting device and interesting times.
Looks like the firmware is still treating the display as a 480×320 “chunk” as in the other OGA clones :O Other than that, I like it a lot!
I’m dreaming?! It has all the necessary buttons and triggers, the case leaves room to grip comfortably and also the 2 sticks are located correctly so as not to interfere with the other controls, bravo to the creators!
Basically they got all the design from the GBA, and positioned the analog sticks as in the playstation controller… no need to reinvent the wheel, no need to get fancy positioning, just copy from what really works!