Hey Folks,
i want to bring a brief review on the Odroid Go Super to you, as this handheld is already on the market for some years, but often doesn not get the appreciation it deserves.
I think it is safe to say that at least for the hobby devs and builder here Odroid as a name rings a bell, formerly an alternative to Raspberrys Pi single board computers, these days with a whole range of little helpers - Odroid by Hardkernel
One very cool thing about Odroid i want to mention is that the platforms are mostly community build. An Odroid does not always come with an OS preinstalled, as you get to have a chance to install an OS of your choice on a microSD to run the system. Obviously, usually Linux systems get modified to match the specific Odroid device or hardware, so you get a glimpse of Ubuntu and Debian, but also Android and for the games several platforms that are commonly delivered with retroarch-core.
In other words, you can always head over to the forums of Odroid and look up what's a good choice for your perferred use for the device.
Now, back to the mobile devices of Odroid: in 2019 first announced, the Odroid Go, Hardkernel started to offer DIY kits for users to assemble their handheld. The portable handheld options of Odroid gained a little success, but enough to keep the work going. One year later, the "Go Advance" version got presented, and in 2021 the "Go Super" was on the market. With the latter ones, you had the chance to also buy the handheld already pre-built, with you only having to install an OS on the microSD.
Another year passes by and Odroid announces the Odroid "Go Ultra" - which deliveres a massive hardware upgrade, being able to emulate up to GC/DC/PSP.
I got myself a DIY kit for the "Go Super" in 2021, after a german hardware supplier decided to also offer these devices in their stores - pretty neat, i thought to myself, and for 80 Euros i probably can't do anything wrong. What comes to the eye is that the handheld has some extra buttons, which are mostly used for the emulator settings, or to adjust brightness. Plus, on the top the device has a 10-pin connector. Next to the USB-C-port for charging, it also brings a USB-A-host - pretty cool eh? After having the device assembled it starts to get obvious how a console can be that budget: of course the housing is plastics, there are not hall effect sticks to expect and the screen doesn't seem to be a premium choice and there is no L3/R3. But do i mind these factors for having collections of retro games with me on the go? Not at all! The handheld fits about the size of a Switch Lite, and fits perfectly in any case made for the Switch Lite, which seems convenient for me.
With a tool called "Raspberry Imager" you get to format a microSD card and install the OS of choice. I decided myself to use Batocera. Batocera Linux is an open-source platform made for emulation gaming, and is provided to a wide range of devices. As well a platform with a wide community that provides good support. Batocera work with the retroarch-core, which guarantees us a wide compatibility list on games and emulators, settings to adjust and so on.
Having the OS installed and the device started and set up, i had to make sure to cover it up with games. Currently, i run a 128GB microSD in it, which is enough for months of playing. The install of the Batocera Linux formats the memory card into two partitions, which one is made for the OS itself, and the other for everything games related. At this point i should mention that, after the formatting and installing, the memory card with the Batocera OS can only be commanded aka be written on with superuser/root/admin rights - probably to avoid anyone accidently deleting something of the OS partition.
The file hierarchy though is pretty easy to understand, and all directories are pre-created, so you know directly where to put your games or databases, saves and cheats.
First loading into the freshly installed OS with the fully loaded memory card, i'd recommend to adjust settings in the OS first before you get to play.
Batoceras Interface is pretty self-explaining, but there are also ways to adjust it. Though, i must say, i like it a lot, and it gives a pretty arcade-y vibe!
On the Emulators: Settings mostly go directly to "auto", that means depending on what you want to play, the OS sets automatic settings that provide the best compatibility, speaking of emulated consoles that go up to N64 and PSX. It is said that the Go Super supports PSP games as well, but this heavily affected by settings to manually adjust. In this case, the forum is a good go-to option, or just messing around with it. I did not find the PSP support mandatory though, since i mostly use it for PSX, NES/SNES and Gameboy - which is absolutely perfect. You can say that basically everything that was around to and before PSX and N64 can be emulated on this device.
On Games: As this is a Linux platform, you are also able to install games or launchers that are made for other Linux systems. There are plenty ways to play games from Doom over OpenMorrowind to OpenTTD. Not just for Batocero OS, but also for other OS' on the device, you also have a chance to plug a wifi-usb-dongle to it and connect either to SAMBA networks, or directly to a software repository to install games available.
A little video of the console from boot over menu to run a psx and a psp game:
Conclusion: This device is in my eyes an underdog in a scene that has found stability just in the recent years. For being rather budget, you get a lot of functions, plus a lot of support. Even now that Hardkernel is not offering the handheld itself anymore, you can still get it from many other suppliers, in a range from 80 Eur/USD (DIY kit) to 120 Eur/USD (pre-build). Available in either a dim grey or a transparent clear case, it comes with a retro touch in terms of looks. Besides being a neato handheld, it also appears to be a cool choice for those who just get into emulation handhelds, or into development for those.
I carry it for about three years now daily with me, and i don't wanna miss it!
That's it so far, thanks for the attention, and if there are questions on it, just let me know!
i want to bring a brief review on the Odroid Go Super to you, as this handheld is already on the market for some years, but often doesn not get the appreciation it deserves.
I think it is safe to say that at least for the hobby devs and builder here Odroid as a name rings a bell, formerly an alternative to Raspberrys Pi single board computers, these days with a whole range of little helpers - Odroid by Hardkernel
One very cool thing about Odroid i want to mention is that the platforms are mostly community build. An Odroid does not always come with an OS preinstalled, as you get to have a chance to install an OS of your choice on a microSD to run the system. Obviously, usually Linux systems get modified to match the specific Odroid device or hardware, so you get a glimpse of Ubuntu and Debian, but also Android and for the games several platforms that are commonly delivered with retroarch-core.
In other words, you can always head over to the forums of Odroid and look up what's a good choice for your perferred use for the device.
Now, back to the mobile devices of Odroid: in 2019 first announced, the Odroid Go, Hardkernel started to offer DIY kits for users to assemble their handheld. The portable handheld options of Odroid gained a little success, but enough to keep the work going. One year later, the "Go Advance" version got presented, and in 2021 the "Go Super" was on the market. With the latter ones, you had the chance to also buy the handheld already pre-built, with you only having to install an OS on the microSD.
Another year passes by and Odroid announces the Odroid "Go Ultra" - which deliveres a massive hardware upgrade, being able to emulate up to GC/DC/PSP.
I got myself a DIY kit for the "Go Super" in 2021, after a german hardware supplier decided to also offer these devices in their stores - pretty neat, i thought to myself, and for 80 Euros i probably can't do anything wrong. What comes to the eye is that the handheld has some extra buttons, which are mostly used for the emulator settings, or to adjust brightness. Plus, on the top the device has a 10-pin connector. Next to the USB-C-port for charging, it also brings a USB-A-host - pretty cool eh? After having the device assembled it starts to get obvious how a console can be that budget: of course the housing is plastics, there are not hall effect sticks to expect and the screen doesn't seem to be a premium choice and there is no L3/R3. But do i mind these factors for having collections of retro games with me on the go? Not at all! The handheld fits about the size of a Switch Lite, and fits perfectly in any case made for the Switch Lite, which seems convenient for me.
With a tool called "Raspberry Imager" you get to format a microSD card and install the OS of choice. I decided myself to use Batocera. Batocera Linux is an open-source platform made for emulation gaming, and is provided to a wide range of devices. As well a platform with a wide community that provides good support. Batocera work with the retroarch-core, which guarantees us a wide compatibility list on games and emulators, settings to adjust and so on.
Having the OS installed and the device started and set up, i had to make sure to cover it up with games. Currently, i run a 128GB microSD in it, which is enough for months of playing. The install of the Batocera Linux formats the memory card into two partitions, which one is made for the OS itself, and the other for everything games related. At this point i should mention that, after the formatting and installing, the memory card with the Batocera OS can only be commanded aka be written on with superuser/root/admin rights - probably to avoid anyone accidently deleting something of the OS partition.
The file hierarchy though is pretty easy to understand, and all directories are pre-created, so you know directly where to put your games or databases, saves and cheats.
First loading into the freshly installed OS with the fully loaded memory card, i'd recommend to adjust settings in the OS first before you get to play.
Batoceras Interface is pretty self-explaining, but there are also ways to adjust it. Though, i must say, i like it a lot, and it gives a pretty arcade-y vibe!
On the Emulators: Settings mostly go directly to "auto", that means depending on what you want to play, the OS sets automatic settings that provide the best compatibility, speaking of emulated consoles that go up to N64 and PSX. It is said that the Go Super supports PSP games as well, but this heavily affected by settings to manually adjust. In this case, the forum is a good go-to option, or just messing around with it. I did not find the PSP support mandatory though, since i mostly use it for PSX, NES/SNES and Gameboy - which is absolutely perfect. You can say that basically everything that was around to and before PSX and N64 can be emulated on this device.
On Games: As this is a Linux platform, you are also able to install games or launchers that are made for other Linux systems. There are plenty ways to play games from Doom over OpenMorrowind to OpenTTD. Not just for Batocero OS, but also for other OS' on the device, you also have a chance to plug a wifi-usb-dongle to it and connect either to SAMBA networks, or directly to a software repository to install games available.
A little video of the console from boot over menu to run a psx and a psp game:
Conclusion: This device is in my eyes an underdog in a scene that has found stability just in the recent years. For being rather budget, you get a lot of functions, plus a lot of support. Even now that Hardkernel is not offering the handheld itself anymore, you can still get it from many other suppliers, in a range from 80 Eur/USD (DIY kit) to 120 Eur/USD (pre-build). Available in either a dim grey or a transparent clear case, it comes with a retro touch in terms of looks. Besides being a neato handheld, it also appears to be a cool choice for those who just get into emulation handhelds, or into development for those.
I carry it for about three years now daily with me, and i don't wanna miss it!
That's it so far, thanks for the attention, and if there are questions on it, just let me know!
