Best GBA & Android Games for the Retroid Pocket 5

Reading time: 5 min

Okay, listen.

After digging through PS1 and PS2 nostalgia and PSP chaos, it’s time to talk about the legends: the pixel-perfect GBA titles and the modern Android games that somehow run on the RP5 like it’s a flagship smartphone.

This is the stuff I load up when I want to feel something fast — no 20-minute intros, no 50GB patches, just gameplay.
If you skipped the GBA and you’re only using your RP5 to emulate big-name consoles, you’re doing it wrong.
And if you didn’t know, you could run Doom and Genshin on this handheld? Buckle up.
This is Part 3 of the stuff I actually play — no fluff, no flex, just the good sh*t that keeps me from touching grass.
Let’s go.

GBA — Pixel Power, No Excuses

Sometimes, all you need is some chunky pixels and a decent soundtrack to feel alive.
The GBA had no right being that good, and yet here we are — still playing it in 2025 because it’s just that clean.
And on the RP5? It runs like butter. These games boot instantly, look sharp as hell at 3x scale, and never crash.
Here’s what’s on my rotation:

Spider-Man: Mysterio’s Menace

This one’s slept on like it owes people money.
It’s a side-scrolling Spider-Man game with tight animations, punchy controls, and some genuinely cool boss fights.
You swing, you kick, you punch, you vibe.
Not everything needs to be open-world with 500 side quests.
Sometimes you just want to beat up Mysterio and move on with your life.

Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3

Yeah, it’s Mario 3. On GBA. With some extra polish.
What do you want me to say? It’s a classic. It plays perfectly.
Just go save that damn princess…

Metroid Fusion

This one hits hard.
The atmosphere is dark, eerie, and SA-X will ruin your damn peace of mind.
You’re stuck in a space station full of infected horrors while your own clone hunts you like a T-800 in a space suit.
It’s one of the best GBA games ever made, period. Play it.

Metroid: Zero Mission

This is how you do a remake.
Takes the original NES Metroid and turns it into a proper game with actual pacing and good controls.
Fast, responsive, sharp-looking — and then it throws in an entire post-game stealth section just to mess with you.
Pair it with Fusion and you’ve got a solid back-to-back Metroid run.

These games just work. No config, no hassle. Load and go. And they look better on RP5 than they ever did on a real GBA.

Android — This Shouldn’t Work, But It Does

Modern mobile games on a retro handheld? Yes.
And not just garbage cash-grabs — I’m talking full games that look and run like a dream.

Doom I & Doom II (Android Ports)

These are the best versions of Doom ever made.
Yes, I said it.
Full controller support, buttery-smooth frame rates, fast loading times — this is Doom the way God intended: on a small screen, in your hands.
At 60fps, proper sounds, and everything in between, this is probably the most glorious retro experience ever.
Play Doom like it’s 1993, but in 2025. You’ll thank me later.

Streets of Rage 4

This game should not run this well on a handheld like the RP5… and yet it does.
Stunning visuals, clean animations, ridiculous combos, and actual challenge.
It’s like someone took everything good about beat-’em-ups and cranked it to 11.
Also, it has style. Every punch feels like art.

Minecraft (Official Android version)

Look, it’s Minecraft. You already know what it is.
It runs great, it eats your time like nothing else, and it’s probably the only game where I can go from “just 5 minutes” to building a fortress at 3 AM without realizing it.
And since it is essentially the Bedrock Edition, you get some proper updates that were only in the Java edition, like Hardcore mode (finally), and proper mechanics like its PC and Console counterparts, and best of all, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Yup!

Genshin Impact

Yup, it runs. And not just barely. I’m talking full 60 FPS on max settings, no stutters, no compromises.
The RP5’s active cooling (set to Smart) keeps the temps chill — no heat, no throttling, no freak-outs.
And with that controller support?
You can glide through Teyvat like it’s a casual Friday, no issues whatsoever.
The only real trade-off? Battery life gets clapped. You’re basically slicing your playtime in half. But plug it in, and this thing turns into a legit Genshin machine that’ll make your phone jealous.
It’s wild to me that a device meant for retro gaming can handle one of the most demanding mobile games out there — and do it better than some phones I’ve used.

Wrapping up

The RP5 is supposed to be a retro gaming device — and sure, that’s the main deal.
But when you realize it can crush Game Boy Advance and run modern Android games in the same session? That’s wild.
This isn’t just nostalgia.
This is convenience, power, and style — in your damn pocket.
If you’re not mixing in some GBA magic or Android madness into your daily rotation, you’re only using half the device.

Happy Gaming!