I've been spending a lot of time with the gkd mini plus lately, and it's honestly a pretty weird little device in the best way possible. If you've spent any time looking at the retro handheld market recently, you know it's getting crowded. It feels like every other week, a new company is dropping a plastic brick that promises to play your childhood favorites. But while most brands are busy copying each other's homework, GKD (Game Kiddy) decided to do something a bit more unconventional with this model.
When you first pull the gkd mini plus out of the box, the first thing that hits you is the form factor. It's a vertical handheld, which immediately brings back those Game Boy Color vibes, but it's wider and shorter than you might expect. It's got this chunky, solid feel that makes it seem more like a piece of tech and less like a cheap toy. But the real "plus" in the name comes from the fact that this thing is meant to be a step up from their original mini, and it brings some interesting ideas to the table regarding how we actually play these games.
That Quirky Design Choice
The most talked-about feature of the gkd mini plus has to be the joystick situation. Most vertical handhelds either omit analog sticks entirely to keep them pocketable (like the Miyoo Mini) or they cram them at the bottom where they're awkward to reach. GKD took a third path: they made them detachable.
Now, depending on who you ask, this is either a stroke of genius or a total gimmick. You can buy a separate "dock" that clips onto the bottom, giving you two full-sized analog sticks. Without the dock, it's a pure D-pad driven machine. Personally, I think it's a clever way to keep the device slim for when you're just playing SNES or GBA on the bus, but still giving you a real way to play PlayStation or Dreamcast games when you're hanging out at home. It's a bit goofy looking with the "ears" attached, but it works surprisingly well.
The Screen is the Star
Let's talk about the display, because if the screen is bad, nothing else really matters. The gkd mini plus features a 3.5-inch IPS display with a 640x480 resolution. This is basically the "golden ratio" for retro gaming. Since most consoles from the 8-bit era through the early 2000s were designed for 4:3 CRT televisions, these games look incredibly sharp on this panel.
The colors are vibrant without being oversaturated, and the viewing angles are solid. I didn't notice any major light bleed, which is a common complaint with some of the cheaper handhelds in this price bracket. Whether you're running through Chrono Trigger or trying to survive a round of Street Fighter, the pixels look crisp. There's something about a 3.5-inch screen that just feels right for handheld gaming; it's big enough to see the detail but small enough to keep the device portable.
Performance and the RK3566
Under the hood, the gkd mini plus is powered by the Rockchip RK3566. If you're a handheld nerd, you've seen this chip a dozen times before. It's become the industry standard for mid-range retro devices, and for good reason. It's a reliable workhorse that handles almost everything up to the 32-bit and 64-bit era without breaking a sweat.
PS1 games run flawlessly. You can even upscale some of them to make them look a bit smoother. When you move into N64, Dreamcast, and even some PSP territory, things get a little more interesting. Most of the library for those consoles is playable, though you might have to tweak some settings or deal with some minor frame drops on the more demanding titles. But honestly, for a device this size, the fact that I can play Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 or SoulCalibur on the go is still pretty impressive to me.
How the Buttons Actually Feel
I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to D-pads and buttons. If a D-pad is too stiff, my thumb gets tired; if it's too mushy, I can't hit my diagonals in Contra. The D-pad on the gkd mini plus is surprisingly good. It has a nice pivot and a tactile response that feels intentional.
The face buttons are also quite nice. They have a decent amount of travel and don't feel like they're going to get stuck after a week of heavy use. The shoulder buttons are located on the back in a stacked configuration, which is much better than the inline style some other handhelds use. It makes it way easier to hit R2 and L2 without accidentally bumping the primary triggers. It's clear that GKD put some thought into the ergonomics, even if the vertical shape is inherently a bit more cramped than a horizontal one.
Software and User Experience
One area where some Chinese handhelds struggle is the software. Right out of the box, the gkd mini plus usually comes with a Linux-based OS that is functional. It's not the prettiest thing in the world, and some of the translations can be a bit wonky, but it gets you into your games quickly.
The good news is that the community surrounding these devices is massive. There are usually custom firmware options that you can flash onto a new SD card to improve the interface, add better emulators, and generally make the experience feel more premium. Even if you stick with the stock software, it's mostly a "plug and play" affair. You load your ROMs onto the card, and you're good to go. The inclusion of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth is also a massive win here. It makes things like RetroAchievements and scraping game art way easier than having to tether to a computer every five minutes.
Battery Life for the Long Haul
Nobody wants a handheld that dies after two hours. The gkd mini plus packs a 3000mAh battery, which is pretty beefy for its size. In my testing, I was getting anywhere from 5 to 7 hours of playtime depending on the brightness and the systems I was emulating. If you're just playing Game Boy games, it'll last forever. If you're pushing the RK3566 to its limits with Dreamcast games at full brightness, you'll obviously see that number drop. It charges via USB-C, which is standard now, so you can just use your phone charger to juice it back up.
Is It the Right Choice for You?
So, where does the gkd mini plus sit in the grand scheme of things? It's not as tiny as the Miyoo Mini Plus, and it's not as powerful as some of the high-end Android handhelds that cost three times as much. It occupies this middle ground where it's focusing on a specific aesthetic and a unique modular gimmick.
If you're someone who loves the vertical form factor but wants a bit more power than the entry-level devices provide, this is a strong contender. The build quality is high, the screen is great, and the option to add joysticks gives it a versatility that most other vertical handhelds just don't have.
On the flip side, if you have huge hands, you might find the vertical layout a bit tiring for long sessions. That's just the nature of the beast with these compact devices. But for quick bursts of gaming or for someone who wants a dedicated machine for PS1 and GBA, the gkd mini plus is a really solid pick.
It's easy to get lost in the sea of specs and benchmarks, but at the end of the day, it's about how it feels to play. And playing on this thing is just fun. It doesn't take itself too seriously, yet it delivers a performance that makes it more than just a novelty. It's a capable, well-built little machine that honors the classics while adding its own weird flavor to the mix. If you can get past the oddity of the clip-on sticks—or if you actually find that feature as cool as I do—then the gkd mini plus belongs in your collection.