I had this RS-1 Plus handheld gaming console. I liked it because:
- comes with lots of games
- cheap I think about $15
- fairly comfortable and has actual buttons not like trying to play a game on a phone
- fun to play for a little while but not toooo fun that it can't be put down
main problem was it wouldn't save any progress even when the game seemed to allow it. I guess it just doesn't have any writable storage or however they got the games didn't include that function.
is there something similarly low end and simple that allows saving? I don't want to DIY.
See this weirdly sarcastic blog post about the RS devices for some info hal of which I don't understand.
Any recs for the more advanced emulators?
I haven't personally used them, I either emulate on my PC or use hacked original hardware for more recent systems, but I can point you at some Youtubers who specialize in reviewing various emulator handhelds.
Taki Udon recently did a video listing his favorites across several categories, and tends to get new ones that come out early and review each one separately.
Retro Game Corps has a similar best of 2023 video and tends to go very into detail about the physical hardware of each machine.
Wulff Den is generally more about switch and pc handheld type machines than the super cheap dedicated emulator handhelds, but he has a best of 2023 too, and tends to have a more "normal guy" approach to these gadgets, with some basic guides to using them without prior knowlege.
I found YouTube links in your comment. Here are links to the same videos on alternative frontends that protect your privacy:
Link 1:
Link 2:
Link 3: