The Prime Day retro gaming deals have started already, and this recommended handheld is at a clearance price for £26

R36S retro gaming handheld on a wooden desk — (Image credit: Deluisho / Amazon)

I have been writing and collecting retro gaming devices for many years, and so I find myself scouring online retailers each big sales period for new models to add to my lineup.

That's lead me to check out Amazon once more, as its Prime Big Deal Days sale will start once more – for two days from 6 October 2026 – and I've already spotted a perennial favourite at a great price.

The R36S might not be the most powerful or famous retro gaming handheld out there, but is capable of emulating classic systems up to original PlayStation. I own a couple of them already, in fact.

This particular model comes with many thousands of classic games on a microSD card, so what's not to like at just £25.99? Most other retailers are listing it for at least £39.99.

One thing to note is that as the R36S is such a popular device, whenever I find it for under £30, it gets snapped up sharpish. So be quick with your order – it's unlikely to hit a price lower than this.

Also, while the white model is at the unbelievable price of under £26, you can pay a little more to get the colour of your choice. That includes the great-looking transparent black model for just £1.49 more – at £27.48.

What is the R36S retro gaming handheld and is it worth it?

The R36S is a decently spec'ed gaming handheld with a 3.5-inch 640 x 480 4:3 display. It runs on the Rockchip RK3326 processor, which has been the bedrock of retro gaming devices for a few years.

That means it is capable of playing all the 8-bit and 16-bit games comfortably – such as NES, SNES, Master System and Mega Drive – as well as original PlayStation titles.

You might even be able to eke a bit of PSP or N64 gaming out of it.

Most suppliers include a card filled with dubiously sourced ROMs (the games) and so it comes largely plug-and-play.

Rik is T3’s news editor, which means he looks after the news team and the up-to-the-minute coverage of all the hottest gadgets and products you’ll definitely want to read about. And, with more than 35 years of experience in tech and entertainment journalism, including editing and writing for numerous websites, magazines, and newspapers, he’s always got an eye on the next big thing.

Rik also has extensive knowledge of AV, TV streaming and smart home kit, plus just about everything to do with games since the late 80s. Prior to T3, he spent 13 years at Pocket-lint heading up its news team, and was a TV producer and presenter on such shows as Channel 4's GamesMaster, plus Sky's Games World, Game Over, and Virtual World of Sport.