NPC: Next Portable Console

4.7 (25)
VIDEO GAMES
UPDATED BIWEEKLY

NPC is a podcast about one of the hottest corners of the gaming world: portable hardware. Every other week, Federico Viticci, John Voorhees, and Brendon Bigley cover portable gaming news and share their experiences with everything from the simplest retro gaming handhelds to cutting-edge handheld PCs.

1D AGO

Pictonico! Is WarioWare in Disguise

This week on Next Portable Console, RG Rotate anticipation, a newish Powkiddy handheld, Pictonico and an MCON beta app, plus surprising Lenovo news. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News Taskmaster Anbernic RG Rotate Anbernic RG Rotate Powkiddy Royabilla Powkiddy Royabilla (P36S) Pictonico! Website Trailer Also mentioned: Face Raiders Super Mario Run (iOS) Fire Emblem Heroes (iOS) Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete (iOS) MCON Controller App MCON MCON iOS Beta Also mentioned: Backbone Dusklight Lenovo's Low-End Handheld Is Real and It Releases Bigger, Premium Android Tablets Lenovo Responds To That "Fake" Handheld - Yep, It's Official & Illegally Loaded With Games Lenovo launches Legion Y900 gaming tablets with 11 and 13 inch screens Subscribe to NPC XL NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month. Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the "regular" NPC episodes. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole Leave Feedback for John, Federico, and Brendon NPC Feedback Form Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy

34 min
MAY 19

The Steam Controller's Comfort and Compromises

This week on NPC: Next Portable Console, Federico has hands-on first impressions of the Steam Controller, follow up on our RG Rotate purchases, Dusklight, CrankBoy, and more. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News Valve Steam Controller Steam Controller SteamOS Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 Bazzite Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller 8BitDo Ultimate 3-mode Controller Handheld and Controller Follow-Up ANBERNIC RG Rotate MOBAPAD M12 HD NYXI Hyperion 3 Dusklight Twilight Princess Port Dusklight Dusklight on GitHub AltStore AYN Odin 3 Lenovo G02 retro handheld Switch 2 Price Increase Notice Regarding Price Revisions for Nintendo Products and Services (Nintendo) Nintendo just announced a $500 Switch 2 bundle that includes a first-party game (Engadget) Crankboy for Playdate Playdate Crankboy Crankboy on GitHub Subscribe to NPC XL NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month. Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the "regular" NPC episodes. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole Leave Feedback for John, Federico, and Brendon NPC Feedback Form Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy

42 min
MAY 12

Is the Steam Machine Just Around the Corner?

This week on NPC: Next Portable Console, mysterious Valve shipments are heading to the U.S., GameHub hits 6.0, one of us got multiple Steam Controllers, and plastic versus aluminum. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes Steam Controller Pre-Orders Steam Controller Steam Deck Steam Deck Docking Station Valve Hardware Speculation Valve Imported 50 Tons of Game Consoles (The Verge) Anbernic RG Rotate Anbernic RG Rotate Retro Game Corps First Impressions Lenovo Legion Tab Lenovo Legion Tab (US, $849) Game Native and Android PC Emulation Game Native (Android) AYN Odin 3 AYN Thor AYN Odin 2 Mini Lossless Scaling LSFG VK (Vulkan Frame Generation) Lenovo Legion Go 2 Subscribe to NPC XL NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month. Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the "regular" NPC episodes. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole Leave Feedback for John, Federico, and Brendon NPC Feedback Form Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy

36 min
MAY 5

The Weirdly Wonderful RG Rotate

This week on Next Portable Console, we finally have RG Rotate specs and prices, get excited for the Steam Controller, update listeners on the latest grips available for the Switch 2, and cover the GameHub for Mac beta. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News Anbernic teases the RG Rotate with gameplay demo showing PSP, 3DS, GameCube, and PS2 running Dbrand's Joy-Lock gives Switch 2 Joy-Cons an adjustable ratcheting grip Genki Grips Development Update: Locking In The Details GameHub brings Windows PC game compatibility to Mac in an early beta with solid early results Subscribe to NPC XL NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month. Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the "regular" NPC episodes. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole Leave Feedback for John, Federico, and Brendon NPC Feedback Form Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy

32 min
APR 28

Triggers, Tico, and the Thor Tax

This week on Next Portable Console, OnePlus makes a phone controller with only triggers, Tico 0.7.0 brings GameCube and Wii emulation to the Switch, Ayn raises prices, and Steam comes to Android via ROCKNIX. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News OnePlus reveals Marksman Gaming Controller alongside Ace 6 Ultra smartphone Tico 0.7.0 brings experimental GameCube and Wii emulation to Nintendo Switch via Dolphin AYN raises Thor Max price and downgrades storage to UFS 3.1 Valve's Proton 11 beta enables Steam on Arm-based Android handhelds via ROCKNIX Subscribe to NPC XL NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month. Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the "regular" NPC episodes. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole Leave Feedback for John, Federico, and Brendon NPC Feedback Form Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy

31 min
APR 21

Forty Thousand Steam Controllers

This week on Next Portable Console, TrimUI's slow drip of details on the Brick Pro continues, shipping manifests suggest the Steam Controller may beat the Steam Machine to market, and OnePlus makes a strong bid for weirdest handheld announcement of 2026. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News The TrimUI Brick Pro nears official release with packaging revealed ONEXPLAYER teases X2 Mini handheld with Ryzen AI Max+ 395 and 8.8-inch OLED Shipping manifest leak suggests Steam Controller launch is imminent Lenovo teasing larger Legion Tab gaming tablet OnePlus reportedly developing an Android gaming handheld targeting FPS games with purple faux leather grips Subscribe to NPC XL NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month. Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the "regular" NPC episodes. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole Leave Feedback for John, Federico, and Brendon NPC Feedback Form Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy

31 min
APR 14

The RG Rotate Gets Real

This week on Next Portable Console, the SN Operator is delayed, an Ayn Odin non-drama, a new contender for weirdest handheld of 2026, even more on the RG Rotate, and how we find retro game shops. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News GAMEMT E5 ModX is a modular handheld that converts between controller, horizontal, and vertical form factors AYN Odin 3's "Snapdragon 8 Elite" is actually a Qualcomm Dragonwing Q8 IoT chip Genki launches Covert Dock 3 and ShadowCast 3 Pro for Switch 2 and modern handhelds Anbernic RG Rotate new photos More on whether the RG Rotate has a headphone jack Subscribe to NPC XL NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month. Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the "regular" NPC episodes. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole Leave Feedback for John, Federico, and Brendon NPC Feedback Form Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy

41 min
APR 7

PAX, the Pocket Taco, and a $900 PlayStation

PAX, the Pocket Taco, and a $900 PlayStation This week on Next Portable Console, Brendon reports back on the hardware he saw at PAX East, John gives the Pocket Taco a try, and with Federico, they cover the latest handheld news. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News More videos of the Anbernic "RG Flic" AYANEO Pauses More Handhelds More PlayStation Handheld Rumors Dolphin Now Supports Game Boy Player Brendon on PAX East John Reviews the GameSir Pocket Taco Subscribe to NPC XL NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month. Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the "regular" NPC episodes. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole Leave Feedback for John, Federico, and Brendon NPC Feedback Form Credits Show Art: Brendon Bigley Music: Will LaPorte Follow Us Online On the Web MacStories.net Wavelengths.online Follow us on Mastodon NPC Federico John Brendon Follow us on Bluesky NPC MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Brendon Bigley Affiliate Linking Policy

41 min

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TRAILER

Welcome to NPC

NPC, or Next Portable Console, is a podcast about the games we take with us. Every other week, Federico Viticci, John Voorhees, and Brendon Bigley will cover portable gaming news and share their experiences with everything from the simplest retro gaming handhelds to cutting-edge portable PCs.

05/31/2024

•

4 min

4.7

out of 5

25 Ratings

Love the podcast.Have request!

08/19/2024

Connor!!!.

This is such a great podcast. I’m so happy you’re doing it. I’ve been a fan of retro handheld for a long time and I’m very interested in the topics you’re talking about. I have a request. Will you do a review or talk about the Odin pro? I’m deciding if I want to buy it and I’m designing between the Retroid Pocket 4 pro or the Odin pro. Thank you!!😄
Half a Show, Twice the Audacity

Feb 26

BadLeRo

As soon as they launched their Patreon, normal episode lengths dropped by half, the back half paywalled to pressure you into paying. They framed it as a bonus episode every week, but it’s really just the second half of what used to be a full show.
Combining My Two Loves

06/22/2024

TheLogan117

This show combined my two loves: Into The Aether and MacStories. Great to have the low key of Brendon Bigley mixed with the chaos experimentation of Federico Viticci. OTJ is here to bring balance to the force.

NPC is a podcast about one of the hottest corners of the gaming world: portable hardware. Every other week, Federico Viticci, John Voorhees, and Brendon Bigley cover portable gaming news and share their experiences with everything from the simplest retro gaming handhelds to cutting-edge handheld PCs.