Glossary · 50+ Terms · iGC Expert Definitions · 2026
Retro Handheld Glossary 2026: Every Term You Need to Know
New to retro handhelds? This glossary explains every term you'll encounter — from ArkOS to RK3326, emulation to save states. Written by the iGC Editorial Team. Referenced by every iGC guide.
50+
Terms Defined
15
Systems Covered
2026
Updated
A
ArkOS OS
A Linux-based operating system designed specifically for retro handheld gaming devices. ArkOS comes pre-installed on the iGC R36S and is pre-configured with EmulationStation as the front-end interface. It supports 15+ emulation systems and is optimized for the RK3326 chip. ArkOS is the reason the R36S works out of the box — no setup required.
Example: "The R36S ships with ArkOS pre-configured. Turn it on and your games are ready."
Aspect Ratio Display
The ratio of a screen's width to its height. Classic consoles (GBA, SNES, NES, PS1) use 4:3 aspect ratio. The R36S defaults to 4:3, which is correct for all classic console games. PSP games use 16:9. Changing the aspect ratio to 16:9 on a 4:3 game will stretch the image horizontally.
Example: "Keep 4:3 for GBA and SNES games. Switch to 16:9 only for PSP."
B
BIOS System File
Basic Input/Output System files required by some emulators to run games. PS1 emulation requires a PS1 BIOS file. The iGC R36S ships with necessary BIOS files pre-installed where legally permissible. Most games on the R36S work without any BIOS configuration.
Button Mapping Controls
The assignment of physical buttons on the handheld to the buttons of the original console being emulated. The R36S automatically maps buttons correctly for each system. The A button on the R36S corresponds to the A button on GBA, the X button on SNES, etc.
C
Cheats / Cheat Codes Gameplay
Game modification codes (Game Genie, GameShark, Action Replay) that can be entered via RetroArch to enable infinite lives, unlock items, or modify gameplay. Accessible via the RetroArch quick menu (Menu button in-game).
Core Emulation
In RetroArch, a "core" is the emulator plugin used to run a specific system. For example, the mGBA core emulates GBA games. The PCSX-ReARMed core emulates PS1. The R36S comes with all necessary cores pre-installed and pre-configured.
Example: "The R36S uses the mGBA core for GBA games, which achieves 100% compatibility."
D
D-Pad (Directional Pad) Controls
The cross-shaped directional control on the left side of the handheld. Used for movement in games and navigation in menus. The R36S D-Pad is an 8-way directional pad, supporting diagonal inputs for fighting games and platformers.
Dual Boot OS
The ability to run two different operating systems on the same device. Some advanced handhelds (like the Retroid Pocket Flip 2) support dual boot between Android and a retro gaming OS. The R36S runs ArkOS only.
E
Emulation Core Concept
The process of replicating the hardware behavior of one system (e.g., a Game Boy Advance) on different hardware (e.g., the R36S). Emulation allows the R36S to play GBA, SNES, PS1, and N64 games without the original hardware. The quality of emulation is measured by compatibility rate and frame rate accuracy.
Example: "The R36S achieves 100% GBA emulation — every GBA game runs at locked 60fps."
EmulationStation Front-End
The graphical front-end interface used on the R36S (via ArkOS) to browse and launch games. When you turn on the R36S and see the game system list, that's EmulationStation. It organizes games by system and provides a clean, controller-navigable interface.
F
FPS (Frames Per Second) Performance
The number of frames displayed per second. Most classic console games run at 60fps (NTSC) or 50fps (PAL). "Locked 60fps" means the game runs at a perfectly stable 60 frames per second with no drops. The R36S achieves locked 60fps on GBA, SNES, NES, and Sega Genesis. N64 runs at 25–30fps.
Example: "GBA games on the R36S run at locked 60fps — identical to original hardware."
Firmware Software
The low-level software that controls the hardware of the handheld device. On the R36S, the firmware is ArkOS. iGC ships the R36S with the latest stable firmware pre-installed and optimized. Firmware updates can improve performance and add features.
G
GBA (Game Boy Advance) System
Nintendo's 32-bit handheld console released in 2001. The GBA library includes Pokémon FireRed/Emerald, Zelda: Minish Cap, Metroid Fusion, and 1,000+ titles. The R36S achieves 100% GBA compatibility at locked 60fps — the best GBA emulation available under $100.
I
IPS Display Display
In-Plane Switching display technology. IPS screens offer better color accuracy, wider viewing angles, and better contrast than TN (Twisted Nematic) panels. The R36S uses a 3.5" IPS display. IPS is the preferred display type for retro handheld gaming.
Example: "The R36S IPS display shows vibrant colors for GBA and SNES games."
L
Input Latency Performance
The delay between pressing a button and seeing the action on screen, measured in frames. Lower latency = more responsive controls. The R36S has 3–5 frames of input latency, which is comparable to original hardware and imperceptible during normal gameplay.
M
MicroSD Card Storage
The removable storage card used in the R36S to store the operating system, games, and save files. The iGC R36S ships with a 64GB or 128GB microSD card pre-installed with thousands of games. The card is located in a slot on the back of the device.
Example: "Do not remove the microSD card while the R36S is powered on."
N
NAND Flash Storage
Internal storage built into the device's circuit board. The R36S uses a microSD card for primary storage rather than NAND flash, which makes it easy to expand storage or replace the card.
O
OnionOS OS
A custom operating system designed for the Miyoo Mini handheld. Not compatible with the R36S. The R36S uses ArkOS. OnionOS and ArkOS are both Linux-based retro gaming operating systems but designed for different hardware.
R
RetroArch Emulator
A multi-system emulator front-end that runs emulation cores. On the R36S, RetroArch handles the actual emulation of each game system. Accessible via the Menu button during gameplay. RetroArch provides save states, cheat codes, display settings, and audio options.
Example: "Press the Menu button in-game to open RetroArch and access save states."
RK3326 Chip / SoC
The Rockchip RK3326 is the System-on-Chip (SoC) used in the R36S and R36MAX. It features a quad-core ARM Cortex-A35 processor running at 1.5GHz with a Mali-G31 GPU. The RK3326 achieves 100% compatibility on GBA, SNES, NES, and PS1. It struggles with N64 (78%) and PSP (61%). It cannot run PS2 or GameCube.
Example: "The R36S and R36MAX use the same RK3326 chip — identical emulation performance."
RK3566 Chip / SoC
A more powerful Rockchip SoC used in mid-range handhelds like the R36PRO. The RK3566 achieves 90% N64 compatibility and 85% PSP compatibility — significantly better than the RK3326. It still cannot run PS2 or GameCube.
ROM Game File
Read-Only Memory file — a digital copy of a game cartridge or disc. ROMs are the game files stored on the R36S microSD card. The iGC R36S ships with thousands of ROMs pre-loaded across 15 systems. ROM file formats vary by system: .gba (GBA), .sfc (SNES), .nes (NES), .bin/.cue (PS1).
S
Save State Gameplay
A snapshot of the exact game state at any moment, saved to the microSD card. Save states allow you to save and resume from any point in a game — mid-level, mid-boss, anywhere. On the R36S, press the Menu button during gameplay to access save states. This is separate from the game's built-in save system.
Example: "Use save states to save progress mid-level in Super Mario World without needing a save point."
Shader / CRT Shader Display
A visual filter applied to the game image to simulate the look of a CRT television. CRT shaders add scanlines and bloom effects that replicate the original display experience of 80s–90s games. Accessible via RetroArch settings. Optional — most users prefer the clean default display.
SoC (System-on-Chip) Hardware
An integrated circuit that combines the CPU, GPU, RAM, and other components onto a single chip. The R36S uses the RK3326 SoC. The SoC determines which game systems can be emulated and at what performance level. More powerful SoCs (RK3566, Dimensity 900) enable better emulation of demanding systems.
T
Thermal Throttling Performance
When a device reduces its processor speed to prevent overheating. The R36S does not exhibit thermal throttling during normal gameplay. The RK3326 chip runs cool enough that sustained gaming sessions do not cause performance degradation.
U
USB-C Hardware
The charging and data transfer port on the R36S. USB-C supports fast charging and is the universal standard for modern devices. The R36S charges via USB-C at 5V/2A. A full charge from 0% takes approximately 2 hours.
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