AYANEO Pocket Ace Review: Not Quite One & Done

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AYANEO Pocket Ace Review: Not Quite One & Done

https://retrohandhelds.gg/ayaneo-pocket-ace-review/

Let’s be real: if you’re buying a handheld just to play Golden Sun and PokĂ©mon Emerald, the AYANEO Pocket Ace is basically a love letter to your inner 12-year-old.

It’s got a gorgeous 4.5” 3:2 screen—perfect for GBA, DS, and PSP games—and controls that feel like a warm hug from your favorite childhood console. The triggers? Delightfully squishy. The D-pad? Pure nostalgia. The analog sticks? Forget they exist. They’re tiny, useless, and honestly, kind of rude.

But here’s the kicker: it costs $350–$700. For that price, you could get a Konkr with an 8 Gen 3 chip
 or even an Odin 3. And sure, it runs Switch and GameCube games—but with black bars everywhere, like a widescreen movie on your old CRT. Not bad
 just not great.

The real magic? It’s the best 3:2 handheld on the market. If you’re all-in on GBA, it’s your unicorn. But if you want one device to rule them all? Nah. The Pocket Ace isn’t the last handheld you’ll ever need—it’s just the one that makes you forget you ever needed anything else
 for a while.

Bottom line: Buy it if you love GBA. Skip it if you’re chasing 16:9 perfection. And if you just want a sleek, affordable GBA beast? The Pocket Micro does 90% of the job for half the price.

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