I know the title is hyper specific but it gets even worse, lol.
Plainly speaking my "requirements" are as follows:
- Android operating system
- No joysticks
- As small as possible
The importance of the requirements are roughly in order (top being the most important). The second and third requirement roughly go hand in hand. The reason being that I want something I can stick in the pocket of a sports jacket or even somewhat tighter fitting pants and not have to worry about something catching or getting damaged.
The first requirement comes down to a custom "ROM" that started my desire and search for such a device.
Pokémon: Infinite Fusion
For those unaware this custom game isn't actually a ROM meant for a legacy game system but has actually been developed to run on a PC. However, it is possible to play the game on mobile via an app on Android called JoiPlay.
I have played it some on my phone and enjoyed it, but it's missing that tactile feel hence this rabbit hole.
The device that originally peaked my interest and started me on this search is the Ayaneo Pocket MICRO, but unfortunately it has joysticks. The Trimui Brick looks fantastic, especially with its battery, but as far as I can tell the OS is not Android based.
Based on what I have found in my searching so far if I had to buy something today I would likely buy the Ayaneo Pocket MICRO or Pocket DMG, and then open them up to desolder the joysticks, but if I can find an out of the box solution that would be great.
Thanks in advance, and for reading this far even if you don't have anything else for me.
I don't know of anything that fits your requirements. But, if you don't mind a tangent, it appears that Pokémon: Infinite Fusion has both Windows and Linux releases, would it be acceptable to run it under one of those OSs and use the applicable version of the application? There are a lot of Linux based handhelds on the market, and it should be possible to find something which works for you using Linux.
I thought about it, but it seems like battery life would be worse and the resulting device itself would either be bigger or more clumsy (e.g. Steam Deck for the former, GPD systems for the latter)?
I have a first generation Framework 13 mainboard I could hack into my own version of a Steam Deck if I did go that route.
That's not to say I'm not open to suggestions though.
There are a lot of Linux based hand-held devices which may be a better form factor for you. For example, something like this (I have not used this device, just picked an example) might not be a bad fit. At 12cm on it's long axis, it's not terribly big, and lacks a joystick. Looking out at reviews, the battery life seems to be in the 8-10 hour range.
Others in this community may have other, better recommendations. But, there are a lot of choices in this area. I recently bought two of these for my kids for Christmas. And after playing with them to set them up, I was impressed for what it was, at the price point it was offered.