You just unboxed your R36S. The screen is bright, the controls feel great in your hands, and suddenly you realize: what do I do now? If the menu doesn't quite make sense, if some games feel sluggish, or if you're wondering how to add your own ROMs, this guide walks you through everything you need to know — no prior emulation knowledge required.
By the end, you'll have your R36S configured properly, know exactly which SD card to buy, and understand what to do the first time something acts up. Let's get started.
What's Actually in the Box
Your R36S ships with the essentials — and unlike a lot of other retro handhelds, we make sure the important extras are already included. Every R36S box from Old Arcade includes:
- The R36S handheld console itself
- A pre-applied screen protector (already on the screen when you unbox — no need to buy one separately)
- A USB-C charging cable (roughly 3 feet long)
- A pre-loaded microSD card (usually 64GB or 128GB depending on the variant), often stored alongside the product guide
- A basic user manual (in tiny print — this guide is the version you actually want)
What's not in the box: a charger brick or a carrying case. You'll want to grab a case separately to protect against drops in transit. Any 5V USB-C wall charger works fine — the one that came with your phone is perfect.
First Boot: The 60-Second Setup
Check for the SD card first. On many units, the microSD card is packaged separately alongside the product guide rather than pre-installed. If your R36S doesn't power on out of the box, or you don't see a game menu after boot, the SD card likely needs to be inserted. Look for the T.F.1 slot on the right middle side of the handheld (facing the front of the device). Slide the card in gently until it clicks. It only fits one way.
Once the SD card is in place, press and hold the power button on the top-right edge for about 3 seconds. The screen will light up with a boot logo, then drop you into the main game launcher menu (called EmulationStation).
The R36S doesn't require any account setup, WiFi configuration, or updates before you can play. It's genuinely plug-and-play. When you first boot up, you should see a list of gaming systems on the left side — NES, SNES, Game Boy, PlayStation, and more depending on your model.
Language settings: Your R36S ships with English pre-selected as the display language, so the menu will be in English right out of the box. If you'd ever like to switch to a different language, navigate using the D-pad to the wrench (settings) icon, then look for the flag or globe symbol. Spanish, French, and a handful of other languages are supported.
Charging Your R36S the Right Way
The R36S has a 3200mAh battery that gives you about 5-8 hours of gameplay depending on screen brightness. A full charge from empty takes roughly 2.5 hours with a standard 5V charger.
A few charging tips that'll extend the life of your battery:
- Don't use fast chargers. The R36S doesn't support quick charge protocols, and using a 20W+ charger can generate excess heat.
- Charge with the console off the first time to condition the battery.
- Store it around 50% charged if you won't be using it for a few weeks.
The blue LED indicator will light up when charging and turn off when full.
The Menu System, Explained
EmulationStation is the front-end that lets you browse and launch games. Here's how it's organized:
- Main carousel: Each gaming system (NES, SNES, PS1, etc.) is its own tile. Scroll left/right with the D-pad.
- System view: Press A on any system to see all games available for that platform.
- Game view: Press A on any game to launch it. B goes back.
- In-game menu: Hold the Start + Select buttons at the same time to bring up the emulator menu (save states, load, exit, etc.).
The R36S menu can feel overwhelming at first because it shows every possible emulator, including ones for systems you'll rarely use. Feel free to hide systems you don't care about via Settings → UI Settings → Games Collection.
Adding Your Own Games (Legally)
The R36S comes with a solid preloaded library, but eventually you'll want to add your own ROMs. Here's the legal picture: you can legally emulate any game you own the physical cartridge or disc for, using a personal backup. You can also legally download and play any homebrew games or officially free titles.
What you shouldn't do: download copyrighted commercial ROMs from third-party sites you don't own. That's piracy under U.S. copyright law regardless of what forums might tell you.
To add your own ROMs:
- Power off the R36S completely
- Pop out the microSD card from the T.F.1 slot
- Insert into your computer with a microSD adapter
- Navigate to the correct system folder (e.g., /roms/nes/ for NES games)
- Drag your ROM files (.nes, .snes, .gba, .iso, etc.) into the appropriate folder
- Safely eject and reinsert into your R36S
The Best SD Card for Your R36S (and Which to Avoid)
Not all microSD cards are created equal, and the wrong one is the #1 cause of R36S problems. Here's what to look for:
- Capacity: 128GB is the sweet spot. Enough for thousands of ROMs across every system, without the compatibility issues that some 512GB+ cards run into.
- Speed class: Class 10 / U3 / A2 — these ratings mean the card can keep up with the R36S's read requests.
- Brand: SanDisk Ultra, Samsung EVO Select, and Kingston Canvas Select are the safe bets. Avoid unbranded Amazon listings.
Our top pick: SanDisk Ultra 128GB microSDXC. It's about $15 on Amazon and works reliably.
If your R36S is running slowly, the SD card is almost always the culprit. Reformatting or replacing it fixes 80% of performance complaints we hear from customers.
Common Setup Problems and How to Fix Them
My R36S won't turn on
First, check that the SD card is installed in the T.F.1 slot — the console may fail to boot without it. Second, try holding the reset button for 3 seconds before pressing the power button. This forces a fresh startup and clears any bad state, and it's especially important if you initially tried to power on the unit without the SD card inserted. If that doesn't work, charge it for at least 30 minutes with a known-good USB-C cable. The included cable is decent but some units ship with a defective one — try a different cable before assuming your R36S is broken.
Some games don't load or crash
Two possibilities: bad ROM file (redownload from a reputable source) or the emulator needs a specific BIOS file (research the system — PS1 and N64 specifically often need BIOS files placed in a specific folder).
The screen looks dim or washed out
Brightness controls are in Menu → System Settings → Brightness. Max it out to 100% for indoor use. The IPS screen is capable of great colors when properly calibrated.
Games run slow or with audio pops
Your SD card is likely too slow — this is the most common cause. Upgrade to a Class 10 / U3 card as described above. It's also worth knowing that some of the more demanding titles from the later retro-era systems (late PS1, N64, more graphically intense PSP games) may not run as smoothly as the earlier 8- and 16-bit classics, regardless of your SD card. The R36S is optimized for the classic era of gaming and can be pushed with more modern retro systems.
The controls feel unresponsive
Some games have input lag by default. Try enabling Run Ahead in the emulator settings (Menu → Latency → Run Ahead → 1 or 2 frames).
I want to reset to factory defaults
Full factory reset: Turn off, then hold Start + Power at the same time for 8 seconds. Note this erases any games you added, so back up your ROMs folder first.
Should You Upgrade the OS?
Short answer for most users: no. Our R36S units ship pre-loaded with ArkOS, which is widely considered the best emulation software for this device. It's actively maintained by the community, offers strong performance across every system the R36S supports, and has a clean, easy-to-navigate menu. There's really no reason to change it for the vast majority of users.
If you're a power user with a specific reason to try alternatives (a preference for the JELOS interface, for example), the flashing process is straightforward but does require downloading an image file and swapping SD cards. Just know that reinstalling ArkOS later is possible but takes a bit of effort. For everyone else, leave the OS alone and enjoy the games.
What to Do Next
Now that your R36S is set up, here are the next things worth doing:
- Grab a carrying case — the screen protector is already applied out of the box, but a case protects against drops when you toss it in a bag
- Explore all the systems included, especially the ones you'd never buy hardware for (Neo Geo, Sega CD, PC Engine)
- Join the r/RetroPie or r/EmulationOnAndroid subreddits for game recommendations
- Bookmark this guide — come back when you inevitably want to try new ROMs
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the R36S run PSP games?
Yes, mostly. The R36S can emulate PSP games via the PPSSPP emulator. Simple 2D and lower-end 3D titles run great. High-end 3D titles will run at reduced framerates — for the most demanding PSP games, higher-end handhelds like the Anbernic RG40XX or Retroid Pocket 5 will give you noticeably better performance. But for the majority of the PSP library, the R36S handles it well.
Can I play Nintendo DS on the R36S?
Not well. The R36S wasn't designed for DS emulation, and while it's technically possible, performance is poor and the dual-screen setup isn't ergonomic on a single-screen handheld.
Does the R36S get official firmware updates?
Occasionally, from the manufacturer. But most improvements come from the community. Since our units ship with ArkOS, you're already on the best-in-class OS.
Can I connect my R36S to a TV?
Yes — the R36S comes with an OTG port that supports video output to a TV or monitor. The one thing to note: our system does not include the OTG adapter cable required to make the physical connection. You'll need to purchase one separately (any generic USB-C to HDMI OTG adapter should work). Once you have the cable, plug it into the OTG port and connect the other end to your TV's HDMI input.
Is the R36S good for kids?
We don't recommend the R36S for children under 13. It's a delicate device that doesn't hold up well to rough handling, and the emulation software plus menu navigation can be too complex for younger users. For teenagers and adults, it's a fantastic introduction to retro gaming.
How long does the battery last?
5-8 hours of active gameplay at moderate brightness. Turning brightness to max reduces this to about 4 hours.
Where can I buy replacement parts?
Most parts (charging cable, screen protector, SD cards) are widely available. For proprietary parts, contact us — we can source replacements for our customers.
Wrapping Up
The R36S is one of the best value retro handhelds you can buy in 2026 — the reason it's blowing up on TikTok and Instagram right now is because it delivers 90% of what a $200 dedicated device does for around $40. Once it's set up properly, you have decades of gaming in your pocket.
If you're just getting started and want to explore our current lineup, check out our retro handheld collection. And if you run into an issue not covered in this guide, drop us an email — we help our customers get the most out of their consoles.
Happy gaming.
