Multi Game System MGSP

The Multi Game System MGSP is a horizontal retro handheld released in 2018, built around the Broadcom BCM2837 SoC. It sits in the $300 - $400 price bracket, with a reference price of around $350, and stands out with a rare feature: dedicated support for vertical (tate) play.

The BCM2837 packs four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.2 GHz, paired with a Broadcom VideoCore IV GPU running at 300 MHz and 1 GB of DDR2 RAM. In practice, the console runs 8-bit and 16-bit systems at 60 FPS, including SNES Super FX titles, as well as 3D PlayStation games. Nintendo 64 and Nintendo DS are playable, but can be laggy. The supported library is very broad, ranging from Atari, Commodore and MSX computers to arcade platforms such as MAME, Final Burn Neo and Neo Geo.

The 3.2-inch TFT screen offers a 320 x 240 (QVGA) resolution, a 4:3 aspect ratio and a 60 Hz refresh rate, at roughly 125 ppi. The native 4:3 format suits classic consoles very well, and the panel is protected by a plastic lens. Brightness is adjusted from the menu.

Controls include a clicky 4-way thumbstick-style d-pad in the upper position, six face buttons, L1 and R1 shoulder buttons and two extra buttons for vertical tate mode, perfect for vertical arcade shooters. There are no analog sticks and no rumble. The plastic body measures 179 x 80 x 32 mm and weighs 300 g, with a volume wheel and a physical power switch.

The 2400 mAh battery is swappable, so you can always carry a spare. Charging is handled via Micro USB, and the device also offers USB, WiFi, Bluetooth, microSD storage, HDMI video output and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Sound comes from a single front-facing mono speaker.

The MGSP runs Linux and supports RetroPie, providing a familiar, highly configurable frontend and a wide ecosystem of emulators and engines such as ScummVM, Pico-8, TIC-80 and EasyRPG.

Ideal for: arcade fans who want to play vertical shoot 'em ups in tate mode, retro collectors looking for a rarer device with HDMI output and a swappable battery, and players focused on systems up to PlayStation.