The Q4 RH Update (Happy Holidays!) (Patreon)

Well, ok its been a while since we've had a proper one of these hasn't it? I suppose this is as good a time as ever to let you all know these big updates will now be quarterly rather than monthly. I'm not saying we were all hibernating through the hot Summer, but I'm also not NOT saying that. I'm also not saying that Stubbs doesn't tighten the cuffs enough to keep me chained to the keyboard in his attic, but I'm also not NOT saying that. The occasional dead man's sprint through the woods as Stubbs unleashes his pack of mutant wolfbears is as much a taste of freedom as I need to keep hope alive that I might someday escape, before they lightly maul me and drag my barely breathing carcass back to that dark musty dungeon. I'm in FINE health. Where was I? Oh, yeah, patron update.

We've been hard at work turning this fledgling little choo-choo into a proper content train, and oh man are we making some tracks. YouTube keeps on a-growin', attracting the partnerships we need to bring you even more of the latest and greatest the retro handheld world has to offer. Our team barely cooled down from reviewing the Odin 2 before we got the exciting update that AYN was ahead of schedule and SHIPPING EARLY. Check your email, maybe your unit is shipping by now! Make sure to also check out the solid 1, 2, 3 punch we've got going with Stubbs, Zu, and Aish as they make our YouTube content machine chug. Also be sure to check out our YouTube partner content as Russ from Retro Game Corps, Rob (The Retro Tech Dad), Joey's Retro Handhelds, TeamRetrogue, and Shem from Retro Breeze are firing on all cylinders (congrats on the channel milestones too!). They not only have been putting out top quality Odin 2 content, but many other fun videos as well. We've also had a blast sharing the screen for livestream collabs and podcast episodes these last few months. Also if you missed it, a few of our staff and partners have been interviewed by up and comer Adin Walls, who is quickly becoming the scene historian (congrats on 10K!).

Speaking of the Podcast, here's a look at our upcoming guests:

11/3 - Mr. Sujano
11/17 - Black Seraph
12/1 - Retro Oasis
12/15 - Jutleys & RG Handhelds
12/31 - Rapid99 & Axryn

TBA:

Adin Walls
Franco Catrin (RetroX)
Team Pandory
SWPL Gaming
Wicked Gamer
Nara Makes Games / J. Dewitz

Stopping off in community update territory, the Discord continues to steadily grow, and we're seeing more shiny new faces all the time. This is in no small part due to Rapid99 and his unending conquest to monopolize our every free moment with his various GOTX programs. RPGOTQ, GOTW, GOTM, he's a tireless community engagement machine and we love him for it. We can't possibly see how he could expand his empire any further, but let's not give him any more ideas. Some people are having to invest in hyperbolic time chambers just to get through the mountain of games on offer. If you're just tuning in now in November, we're having a month celebrating Mechas. Y'know, like, big robots with people in em? Our three games this month are an old SNES classic called Cybernator, an obscure PS1 gem called Tail Concerto, and mecha juggernaut Armored Core 3. Come on in to the Discord and have some fun with us! Also be sure to check out the tireless efforts of our community devs. So much awesome firmware, frontend launcher, and port master content updates!

Now for the website. If you haven't been lately, it's all shiny and new, and it has a new domain as well: https://retrohandhelds.gg/ . Ever since the change-over, which took a lot of time and work from such website wizards as Regs and Azile, we've been pumping out oodles of new written content. Our team has expanded, with news and updates and reviews and think-pieces and so much more coming from the likes of RocketMan, Raven Mage (that's me!), Ban, Aish, Azile, even a guest-written guide from Dan W, along with Joseph White's unhinged masterpieces, and  Team Retrogue's always helpful guides! It's certainly poppin' in the website these days. We don't want you fine folks to miss a single step in this fast-paced electronic buffet of gaming handhelds, and the site is the quickest and most comprehensive way to get your peepers on the latest updates as they come in, and also we host a fun Game Randomizer there to play with. So come on down, it's a lot of fun.

Lastly, we want to hear from you. What would you like to see from RH in 2024? We'll be covering CES once again, but maybe you'd like to see more retrospectives? How about Zu in a wig? Maybe more Discord events (we have a Smash Bros tournament November 4th by the way, courtesy of TeamRetrogue, and a new tournament will be happening monthly with the voted on game!). Perhaps some more RH Music Jams (check out the latest one, hosted by PlayStateWolf!). Finally, you know that Stubbs will be selling his Acupressure Joystick Caps soon, affectionately and unfortunately dubbed 'Stubbs Nubbs', courtesy of The 3D Printed Studio. I'm sure there are other things, we'd love to hear your ideas!

Well, that's about enough from me for now, I think I hear one of the wolfbears leaving my evening gruel outside the door. You won't be hearing from me for about three months, so in that time you've got a lot of excitement coming. The 11.11 sales, Singles Day, Turkeys and mashed taters, Black Friday, that little holiday with the fat guy in the red suit. Kreesnas? Cripsmat. Christmas! That's the one (also Happy Holidays in general!). And then of course the New Year (with our annual Livestream giveaway and Retro Game Awards!), which we sincerely hope will be an even bigger and more action-packed year for Retro Handhelds and for all of you along for this journey with us. So until the next update, make sure to stay tuned in on all of our other ways of keeping you informed, and we'll make sure to keep building that train track straight to your heart. And as always, take care of each other, take care of your handhelds, and stay hydrated.

With love, Raven Mage, and the Retro Handhelds Team.