Check availability
Reported shipments Oct 21 Nov 8 124 reports

Retroid Pocket Nova Starter Guide

Retro Game Corps · Setup tip · Aug 15, 2026 · 129 min

Nova setup guide with CRT, handheld LCD and GBA shader preferences. Watch the full video on YouTube ↗

Retroid Pocket Nova Starter Guide, by Retro Game CorpsWatch on YouTube

Only the shader sections are written up here; the other chapters are there to watch. Filmed on a Nova, with the CRT preset, parameters and RetroArch 1.22.2 on screen.

Jump to a chapter

  1. 0:00 · introduction
  2. 1:14 · initial setup
  3. 2:23 · setup roadmap
  4. 3:10 · completed example
  5. 4:04 · storage options
  6. 5:15 · Android configuration
  7. 11:41 · install apps and emulators
  8. 29:26 · add games and BIOS
  9. 34:50 · RetroArch (retro systems)
  10. 68:46 · Dolphin (GameCube and Wii)
  11. 82:08 · ARMSX2 (PS2)
  12. 89:31 · HakuX (Xbox)
  13. 91:58 · MelonDS and Azahar (DS/3DS)
  14. 97:06 · Cemu (Wii U)
  15. 103:57 · PPSSPP (PSP)
  16. 106:28 · Eden (Switch)
  17. 111:29 · GameNative (PC games)
  18. 115:57 · ES-DE configuration
  19. 124:13 · JamesDSP (audio fix)
  20. 127:43 · summary and conclusion

Settings and findings

What the reviewer found in this video at the time. Newer app versions can behave differently.

Tested hardware: Retroid Pocket Nova

Russ’s Nova CRT preference is GDV Mini Ultra Trinitron, with Y curvature 0 and saturation 1.1.

preset
crt/crt-gdv-mini-ultra-trinitron.slangp
curvature y
0.00
saturation adjustment
1.10
retroarch version
1.22.2, visible in selected footage
Retro Game Corps · 49:00 ↗Tested: RetroArch 1.22.2

Taken from what the reviewer says and shows.

More detail
  • Russ’s picture preferences on a Nova, not tried on a Duo.
  • The preset name, curvature and saturation menus appear at 49:20, 50:13 and 50:38.
RetroArch

Tested hardware: Retroid Pocket Nova

Russ compares LCD3x with Simpletex LCD and prefers Simpletex’s lighter Nova appearance for Game Boy and Game Boy Color.

presets
handheld/lcd3x.slangp,handheld/simpletex_lcd.slangp
simpletex darken grid
0.2, as described
simpletex darken colours
0.25, as described
Retro Game Corps · 53:59 ↗

Taken from what the reviewer says; the settings on screen weren't checked.

More detail
  • Russ’s picture preferences on a Nova, not tried on a Duo.
  • Shader names match the official shader library. The parameter values are as the reviewer gave them.
RetroArch

Tested hardware: Retroid Pocket Nova

For GBA, Russ loads NSO GBA Color and appends LCD3x in the Nova starter guide.

ordered presets
handheld/color-mod/NSO-gba-color.slangp,handheld/lcd3x.slangp
Retro Game Corps · 57:51 ↗

Taken from what the reviewer says; the settings on screen weren't checked.

More detail
  • Russ’s picture preferences on a Nova, not tried on a Duo.
  • Libretro says directory and game presets are core-specific, so a saved preset will not follow a game to a different core.
RetroArch

Tested hardware: Retroid Pocket Nova

For their OpenGL N64 setup, Russ uses GLSL CRT Geom rather than the Slang CRT preset.

renderer context
N64 OpenGL setup in this recording
preset
GLSL crt-geom
curvature
Disabled, as described
Retro Game Corps · 66:07 ↗

Taken from what the reviewer says; the settings on screen weren't checked.

More detail
  • Russ’s picture preferences on a Nova, not tried on a Duo.
  • This does not mean OpenGL renderers cannot use Slang presets: Libretro lists OpenGL Core among the renderers that support Slang.
RetroArch
About these notes

Taken from what the reviewer says in the video. App and driver versions appear only when the reviewer names them, and each link jumps to that moment.

All reviews