This Handheld Concept Swaps Between Gamepad, D-Pad, and Keyboard - Yanko Design

The retro handheld market is becoming more varied in form factors, but control layouts often remain fixed. The RG Modular concept addresses this by using a core 4-inch IPS square display unit with swappable controller modules that slide into side and bottom rails. The device runs Android, supports sleep mode properly, and includes Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless streaming, plus a 3.5 mm headphone jack. A bottom D-pad module suits arcade and beat-'em-up play in portrait mode. A horizontal setup adds left and right modules with analog sticks and face buttons, enabling more demanding games and wireless streaming while using the same screen unit.

"The retro handheld market has rarely been this crowded or creative. Manufacturers are shipping devices with sliding screens, dual-display clamshells, and rotating form factors, all competing for a growing nostalgia-driven audience. Yet for all that variety in hardware, the controls themselves rarely change. You get what you get, and if the layout doesn't suit how you like to play, that's not the manufacturer's concern."

"At the center of the RG Modular is a 4-inch IPS display running at 1080×1080 pixels, a square format that works cleanly for both retro and modern titles. Android powers the device, offering full app access, proper sleep mode behavior, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless streaming, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack for when you'd rather keep the audio to yourself."

"Rather than locking players into a single control layout, the concept centers on a core screen unit with swappable modules that slot into side and bottom rails. The game dictates the controller, not the other way around. At the center of the RG Modular is a 4-inch IPS display running at 1080×1080 pixels, a square format that works cleanly for both retro and modern titles."

"Pop on the horizontal configuration for something more demanding, and the RG Modular begins to feel like a contemporary gaming device. A left module with a D-pad and analog stick snaps to one side, a right module with face buttons and a second stick clicks onto the other, and suddenly the same screen unit that ran retro arcade titles now handles 3D games and wirelessly streamed content."

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