By Super Asurada 77 | Retro Joy Lab
Hello everyone, this is Super Asurada 77.
The G350 is a 3.5-inch vertical retro handheld console —
essentially a strong contender against the popular R36S.
It costs about 10,000 KRW (≈ $7 USD) more than the R36S,
but it’s absolutely worth it.
The D-pad and ABXY buttons are miles better than those on the R36S —
they’re quiet, firm, and satisfyingly tactile.
You can easily play shooting games on the subway
without making any noticeable button noise.
However, note that the L1, L2, R1, and R2 shoulder buttons
still make a distinct “click” sound.
I tested it with Street Fighter II,
and both the Hadouken and Shoryuken commands came out perfectly.
It’s extremely light — just 189 grams (under 200g).
If you plan to play for long sessions,
I recommend getting a dedicated grip attachment for comfort.
With the grip attached, it weighs about 233 grams.
Even without the grip, short gaming sessions are perfectly fine.
In terms of performance, I recommend limiting gameplay to PS1 and below.
Some Dreamcast titles run decently (like Sonic Adventure, Virtua Striker, Virtua Fighter 3),
but others show noticeable lag.
Berserk (Dreamcast) runs smoothly,
but heavier 3D games like Dead or Alive will struggle.
PSP emulation is hit or miss —
3D titles like Ridge Racer stutter,
but 2D games like Super Robot Wars run fairly well at 2× resolution.
Performance-wise, it’s identical to the R36S,
but the buttons and D-pad feel so much better that
I find myself picking this one up more often.
One downside: the stock OS isn’t great.
You can’t assign emulator cores per game,
which limits customization.
I personally replaced it with ArkOS (for RG351MP)
and used a custom DTB file for G350 compatibility.
However, there’s one critical bug:
if you plug in wired earphones right after booting,
sound plays from both the speaker and the headphones simultaneously.
The built-in speaker is located at the bottom.
Sound quality is average — not great, but acceptable for casual gaming.
Neo Geo games run beautifully.
Super Famicom (SNES) games like Yoshi’s Island
run smoothly without any lag.
MAME arcade games also run fine — Run and Gun 1 plays great,
but Run and Gun 2 simply won’t run — the device just can’t handle it!
Both 3-pole and 4-pole earphones work perfectly.
Use only 5V 1.5A or 5V 2A chargers
with proper KS safety certification (or UL equivalent).
⚠️ Do not use:
- 9V or mixed 5V/9V fast chargers → can fry the board.
- 5V 1A chargers → may overheat or fail.
- Charging while powered on or overnight → unsafe.
Always turn off the device before charging,
and avoid leaving it plugged in while you sleep —
you never know what might happen.
Final Verdict
If you’re a beginner looking for a retro handheld under $50 (≈ ₩60,000)
and mostly plan to play PS1 or older titles,
the G350 is an excellent choice.
If you dislike the button feel on the R36S,
just spend a little more — this model’s controls are worth it.
Lightweight, compact, and built for quiet retro fun.
Enjoy your retro gaming life!
🎮 — Super Asurada 77
Original article in Korean: [link]