ANBERNIC's new Nintendo 3DS lookalike brings modern flourishes to a classic form factor

Nintendo may have moved on from the 3DS, but many of us still find something appealing about flipping open a handheld with two screens. ANBERNIC certainly seems to agree. The company has just unveiled the RG DDS, a flagship clamshell gaming console that looks remarkably like Nintendo’s old portable, right down to the stylus. It’s also got some thoroughly modern touches, including a dedicated AI button.

ANBERNIC showed off the RG DDS in a new YouTube video, with plenty of attention given to its two custom IPS displays. The top screen measures 4.7 inches with a 5:3 aspect ratio and a 1,200 x 720 resolution, while the bottom screen is a 4-inch, 4:3 panel with a 960 x 720 resolution. According to a specs breakdown shared by @forthenextlive on X, the screens support 3x integer scaling for 3DS games, allowing them to look sharper than they did on Nintendo’s original hardware.

The company says it has carefully matched the screens for brightness, color, refresh rate, and pixel density, so the two displays feel like one setup. And while there’s certainly an element of recreating the 3DS experience, the RG DDS has dual analog sticks and a new control center for managing performance, cooling, and dual-screen settings.

There’s also some serious hardware under the hood. The RG DDS is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 chipset, backed up by active cooling and a 6,000mAh battery. You also get front-facing stereo speakers and a new Z-axis linear vibration motor for haptic feedback. And then there’s that AI button — an intriguing addition to a retro-inspired handheld, but almost inevitable for a flagship device in 2026. ANBERNIC doesn’t elaborate on what the AI features will be, but you’ll have quick access to them.

This isn’t ANBERNIC’s first attempt at reviving the dual-screen formula. Just last month, the company showed off the RG DS Plus, another Nintendo-inspired handheld with two screens and a built-in stylus. That model runs Linux and has just one analog stick, while the RG DDS looks to have considerably more powerful hardware.

The RG DDS will be offered in blue, white, and black, all of which look very familiar if you’ve ever owned a Nintendo 3DS. There’s plenty to like here on paper, but ANBERNIC is keeping us waiting on the price and release date.