Like so many of us, I grew up loving classic games. So when I started seeing endless ads for this sleek little device called Retrosnap Play, promising “40,000 retro games” in one pocket-sized console, I couldn’t resist. The nostalgia in those ads really got me. They showed clips of old Nintendo and Sega games, and they made it seem like all my favorite childhood memories could fit into one tiny gadget.
The company claimed it would ship from a UK warehouse, arrive quickly, and let me play thousands of games instantly without any complicated setup. It sounded perfect for cozy evenings after the kids were asleep. So yes, I fell for the ads and decided to buy it.
Ordering and Delivery Experience
I placed my order directly from the official RetroSnap website ‘theretrosnap.com’ because I didn’t want to risk buying a fake one. The total came to around $74.97, which I thought was a fair price for something that promised such a huge game library. The site said it would ship from the UK, but in reality, my order took four full weeks to arrive, and from the packaging, it was clearly sent from China.
That was my first red flag. But I told myself to stay positive and hoped that maybe the long wait would be worth it.
About Retrosnap Play
RetroSnap Play is marketed as a handheld gaming console preloaded with tens of thousands of classic games; everything from Mario and Sonic to old-school Zelda and Pokémon. The company claims it can emulate multiple classic systems, all in one device, with smooth gameplay, save options, and long battery life.
They also make it sound simple: no WiFi, no downloads, just turn it on and play. The website showed glossy pictures of people holding it and playing happily, so I genuinely believed I was getting a quality product.
Unfortunately, reality turned out to be very different from the dream they sold.
My experience testing retrosnap game console
I started off excited. The first thing I did was fully charge the device through the DC port, as instructed. It took a while to charge, but when it finally indicated a full battery, I couldn’t wait to test it.
I started with one of my all-time favorite games, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons, and for the first 20 minutes, everything seemed fine. The nostalgia hit me hard; the music, the pixelated characters, the feeling of being transported back in time. I was actually smiling.
Then, out of nowhere, the console crashed. The screen froze, the sound stopped, and I couldn’t do anything but restart it. When it came back on, my progress was gone. All the data from that 20-minute session had completely vanished.
That was disappointing, but I thought maybe the battery had drained or it was a one-time bug. So I plugged it back in to recharge, hoping it would work better after a full charge.
I left it charging for six whole hours, but even after all that time, the red charging light never went off. It just stayed red, leaving me unsure if it was actually charging properly or not.
When I switched it on again, I noticed even more problems. The console wouldn’t go back to the main menu after finishing a game. No matter what buttons I pressed, it just stayed frozen on the last screen. Sometimes, when I tried to switch it off, it turned itself back on immediately. It took me seven attempts before it finally stayed off.
The next day, after it supposedly charged overnight, I started Zelda again. This time, I made progress, saved my data (by pressing Select and Start like the manual said), and exited properly. The following morning, I switched on the console, and to my surprise; my saved data was gone again. It was as if I’d never played at all.
That’s when I realized this console doesn’t really save anything. The save feature is there visually, but it doesn’t actually work. It’s all for show.
After trying several games, I noticed the same pattern. Some wouldn’t even load, while others ran painfully slow, stuttering every few seconds. The sound sometimes crackled or went completely out of sync.
At this point, it became clear that Retrosnap Play was not the premium nostalgic device I thought I was buying. It was more like a cheap emulator loaded with random ROM files that someone dumped into a memory card.
The Game Library
Let’s talk about the so-called “40,000 games.”
First, that number is misleading. When I went through the game list, I noticed countless duplicates. For example, “Super Mario Bros” appeared multiple times with slightly different titles, and the same happened with Sonic, Contra, and Donkey Kong.
Out of curiosity, I scrolled through hundreds of game titles, and I’d estimate that maybe only a few thousand are unique. The rest are repeated versions, regional variants, or broken files that don’t even load.
Many of the games were also untranslated, so unless you can read Japanese or Chinese, you’ll be confused half the time. The lack of organization makes it hard to even find what you’re looking for.
So while the idea of having all your childhood games in one place sounds magical, the actual experience is messy and frustrating.
Price vs Value: Is Retrosnap worth buying?
This is where I felt most disappointed. For something that cost me around $75, the quality is nowhere near worth it.
Later, I searched on Amazon and found similar handheld consoles priced at $50 or less, offering the same game library and even better customer return policies. On Amazon, at least, you can easily request a refund if the device doesn’t work as promised.
But with RetroSnap’s official website, the refund process looks complicated, and based on what I’ve read from others online, customer service isn’t responsive.
So not only was it overpriced, but it also lacked the peace of mind that comes with buying from a trusted retailer.
Better Alternatives
If you love retro gaming and want a more reliable experience, I’d recommend looking for alternatives on Amazon or AliExpress, where you can check reviews before buying.
Here are some better options:
- Miyoo Mini Plus – A fan favorite among retro gamers. It’s compact, fast, and has a loyal user community that provides updates and fixes.
- Powkiddy V90 – Budget-friendly and performs far better than RetroSnap Play.
All of these options cost about the same or less, but they actually deliver what they promise.
Final Thoughts
After spending a few days with the Retrosnap Play, I can confidently say that it’s not worth the hype.
Yes, it looks cute and the idea of having thousands of games in one tiny console sounds exciting, but the actual experience is filled with frustration. Between the crashes, poor battery life, broken save feature, and messy game library, it simply doesn’t live up to the promises made in the ads.
It’s especially disappointing because I wanted to love it. I imagined my husband and I reliving our childhood games together, but instead, we were stuck trying to get the thing to even switch off properly.
If you’re considering buying it, I’d say save your money. You’ll find better-built, more reliable retro handhelds on reputable platforms. At least there, you’ll have options for returns or exchanges if something goes wrong.
RetroSnap Play had potential, but in reality, it’s just another over-marketed gadget that fails to deliver. Nostalgia may have sold it, but disappointment is what it delivered.
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