Review Anbernic RG DS Plus - My New Favourite Way To Play Nintendo DS Games

I know there's a running gag about emulation handhelds dropping almost weekly, but the Anbernic RG DS Plus ($95) feels like it's launching uncomfortably close the its predecessor, the RG DS, which only arrived in December of last year.

Nonetheless, this dual-screen device has reconnected me with a wealth of Nintendo DS classics in a way which is refreshingly delightful – and offers some genuine improvements (and drawbacks) when contrasted with original hardware.

Is it worth a look if you already own the RG DS – or any other means of playing DS games? Strap yourselves in, because we're about to find out.

Anbernic RG DS Plus Review: Hardware & Design

You might assume that the 'Plus' in the name suggests additional processing power, but that's not the case; the RG DS Plus has the same Rockchip RK3568 chipset as the original model, and actually comes with 1GB of RAM – a drop from the 3GB offered in the RG DS.

So what's the 'Plus' all about, then? Simply put, this is a bigger device with larger displays. Both screens measure 4.3 inches from corner to corner and boast a resolution of 1024 x 768 – that's exactly four times the number of pixels on the original DS, so you get perfect integer scaling here. Anbernic removed touch functionality from the top display, but if you're mainly buying this for DS games, that's not a major issue. The hinge is one that can "lock" at any angle, and while I obviously haven't been able to stress test it over a long enough period to assess its ultimate robustness, it feels pretty solid so far.

While the sound of a bigger handheld might be slightly off-putting, it's important to remember that the RG DS was around the same size as the DSi XL, so the jump here isn't as pronounced as you might assume. It's big – there's no denying that – but not annoyingly so, and I found the increased size made the RG DS Plus really comfortable to use for prolonged periods.

Anbernic has shifted away from the bevelled edges of the RG DS (inspired by the Mk1 3DS, I'll wager) and opted instead for more comfortable rounded edges – another distinct improvement. You'll also notice the right-hand analogue stick has been removed, which makes twin-stick emulation less appealing; on the plus side, Anbernic did this to incorporate a capacitive stylus that slots into the right-hand side of the device.

It's quite stubby, and the rubber tip feels very different from an original DS / 3DS stylus (both of these systems utilised resistive touchscreen technology, which relies on pressure), but, on the whole, it performs well in-game.

There's a slight amount of latency but nowhere near enough to ruin your enjoyment, and I'd say the screen picks up your taps 99% of the time. The rubber on the end is quite stiff, however, so I'd recommend purchasing an official Switch stylus (exclusive to Japan) if you can find one, which not only 'feels' better due to the superior 'woven' tip but also seems to be more accurate and responsive (thanks to Russ at Retro Game Corps for recommending that).

Another change is the removal of internal storage; instead, the RG DS Plus runs its OS from the first MicroSD card, with a second slot present to boost storage. This – combined with the RAM decrease – makes the RG DS Plus feel like a reaction to the ongoing RAM crisis; Anbernic has pared back the memory here to perhaps save some cash or avoid potential production shortages in the future.

Finally, the D-pad and buttons are fantastic; the latter is especially good and does an excellent job of replicating the feel of the original DS pad.

Anbernic RG DS Plus Review: Software

Anbernic's stock software has gotten better over the years, and its new NNDDSS emulator is brilliant. If you just want to hop in and enjoy DS emulation, the RG DS Plus offers a perfectly agreeable experience right from the start – but, as is so often the case with emulation handhelds, custom firmware exists which elevates the user experience dramatically, as well as adding in new features not present in the stock firmware.

Literally the day after my RG DS Plus arrived, I modded it with GammaOS Nano. This is available for many different devices, but the one aimed at the RG DS Plus is built around those dual displays and offers loads of improvements and enhancements which make it almost essential, in my opinion.

For example, to get box art in the stock OS, you need to use a PC-based app to match your ROMs with the related cover art or manually find the covers online, rename them to match your ROM titles exactly and then drop them into an 'img' folder inside your ROM folder. GammaOS has built-in box art scraping, removing the need for this extra work.

That's just one very basic example of how it is superior to the stock OS, but a more important reason (for me personally, at least) is the fact that GammaOS supports RetroAchievements. It's only for 'softcore' achievements right now, but it's a big selling point for me.

Anbernic RG DS Plus Review: Emulation & Battery Life

The RG DS ran Android, but the Plus model has a Linux-based OS. This is one of the reasons why Anbernic was able to drop down from 3GB of RAM to just 1GB – without Android hogging all of the memory, it's perfectly possible to get the same level of performance from a single gigabyte of RAM (it's worth noting that the custom GammaOS firmware I just mentioned is running on Android, but a massively stripped-back variant).

The RG DS Plus is capable of emulating a wide range of systems, all the way up to N64, Dreamcast and PlayStation; it will even run PSP games, but don't expect consistent performance.

However, I see the RG DS Plus purely as a way to emulate Nintendo DS games, since that is where the handheld really excels. Whether you're using the stock NNDDSS or DraStic (the emulator that ships with GammaOS), DS games play beautifully on this thing.

I've got multiple DS systems lying around, from the 2004 original all the way up to the New 3DS, and this is now my preferred way to play these games. I'd even say the RG DS Plus beats the more powerful AYANEO Pocket DS for DS emulation, mainly because the case design is more evocative of Nintendo's hardware and the touchscreen works better with a stylus than the one on AYANEO's device (the Pocket DS has a superior OLED main screen and a far more powerful processor, however).

If you wish, you can use the RG DS Plus for emulating other systems, and I have to admit the idea of playing SNES and PS1 games on this thing is very appealing – but I already have handhelds which cover those bases, so I'll probably keep this as a pure DS-only device moving forward.

The RG DS Plus has a 4000mAh battery, which delivers around six hours of play per charge. It takes quite a while to charge up, though, due to the lack of fast charging support.

Anbernic RG DS Plus Review: Specifications

Anbernic RG DS Plus Review: Conclusion

On paper, you might look at the Anbernic RG DS Plus and wonder why it's worth a look when the original model exists. It has less RAM, no Android OS, one less analogue stick, no touch functionality on the upper display and no internal storage.

I'd argue that the positives outweigh the negatives, though. The larger form factor and bigger displays make this more pleasurable to use, and the rounded edges are a big improvement over the bevelled corners of the original model.

I rarely play anything that needs a single analogue stick on this device, let alone two, so that's not a problem – and the fact that Anbernic has included a stylus by default brings the experience closer to that of an authentic DS system.

To cap it all off, at $95, the RS DS Plus actually costs less than the previous model, so if you've yet to take the plunge, it's almost a no-brainer – even more so if you're willing to go the extra mile and install the superb GammaOS custom firmware.