Product test
Nintendo’s Virtual Boy review: a (far too) faithful retro revival
by Domagoj Belancic
Ayn Thor review: two displays, endless possibilities
20.2.2026
Translation: Megan Cornish
Pictures: Philipp Rüegg
There’s no shortage of retro handhelds. But none combine as many great features as the Ayn Thor. It’s a dream for more than just Nintendo DS games.
There are no shortage of options for playing old games. Besides the original consoles, I can play Nintendo and Sega classics on my Analogue Pocket, countless mini retro consoles, or – thanks to emulators – on the Steam Deck. Do I actually do it? Occasionally. For five minutes. Most of the time it’s too cumbersome, incomplete or unsatisfying for other reasons. Besides the game selection, the gameplay experience is crucial. And nowhere else do all these elements come together as well as on the Ayn Thor.
Twice the display = twice the fun
The Ayn Thor’s an Android-based gaming handheld with two displays. It looks like a slightly thicker version of the Nintendo 3DS XL. With its dual-screen design, it fills an important gap that Analogue Pocket, Steam Deck and similar devices can’t: games that require two displays are really unsatisfying to play on a single screen.
The Ayn Thor runs somewhat outdated Android 13 – Pixel users are already on version 17. For this retro handheld, the four-year-old version is perfectly adequate. But I probably wouldn’t use it for banking.
You use the Thor’s physical buttons, which correspond to the typical controller layout on PlayStation and similar systems. The touch controls also work perfectly. Both displays are capacitive. On the Nintendo DS, the lower screen is resistive, so it responds to pressure rather than touch. This was needed for stylus input back in the day. The Thor doesn’t have 3D technology, but I don’t miss it in the slightest.
The user interface and navigation are almost identical to Google’s standard Android. The only difference is that pressing the Ayn button at the bottom of the screen opens a dedicated menu containing device-specific settings, information about performance, fan speed and fps.
You install apps as usual via the Play Store. You can then launch them on either the top or bottom screen. If you don’t just want to play Android games, you can also get emulators for your preferred retro systems this way – provided Nintendo hasn’t already sued them into oblivion.
If you don’t want to search for everything yourself, you can install Obtainium. This is an app that allows you to install a range of emulators, alternative launchers and other useful tools.
Easy setup and endless customisation options
With the Cocoon Launcher, you can transform your Thor into a genuine Nintendo DS. Not only do the icons and layout evoke the iconic handheld, you also get fitting clicking sounds for navigation. I prefer Emulation Station, which has been available for Steam Deck and similar platforms for some time now. It displays my emulators and ROMs nicely and clearly – including images, information and ratings. There’s already an extension that also uses the second screen.
Depending on how many emulators you need, the Thor can be set up in minutes. However, I still spent a few hours configuring specific settings for different emulators and customising the look. It’s all straightforward though. Even dual-screen games from the Nintendo DS and 3DS need only minimal adjustments with the right emulator.
One of the Ayn Thor’s greatest strengths is its multitasking capabilities. You can play a game on the main screen and watch a YouTube walkthrough or listen to a podcast on the lower screen. The second screen’s also incredibly useful when you’re configuring emulators, such as when you need to check certain settings or copy login credentials from your password manager.
Spoilt for choice
The Ayn Thor is available in four versions and four colours. The cheapest one costs 250 US dollars and the most expensive will set you back 450. Besides storage capacity, the main differences are in the RAM and the built-in chip. While the Lite version uses the Snapdragon 865, the other three models have the faster Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. They also come with up to 16 GB of DDR5 RAM instead of 8 GB of DDR4.
The extra performance comes into play if you want to emulate more modern console systems such as the Wii U or the Switch. Or if you want to upscale DS and 3DS games. If that’s the case, I usually go for four times the resolution – the Lite version should also be able to handle up to a threefold increase. I haven’t checked this myself, though, as I bought the fastest version. Even demanding Switch 1 games including The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild run perfectly, albeit only at 30 fps. But that’s all the original Switch offered anyway.
With the right emulator, I can even play my Steam games on the Thor. While I do have better devices with significantly more power, it’s perfectly adequate for games such as Hades 2 and Megabonk.
My model has 1 terabyte of storage, which is more than enough space for all my games. There’s also a microSD card slot. However, you can’t use physical game cartridges like you can with an Analogue Pocket.
The Hong Kong-based company makes no compromises when it comes to the displays either. Both are AMOLED. The top one measures six inches and has a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels and a refresh rate of 120 Hz. The bottom one’s just under four inches, with 1240 × 1080 pixels and a 60 Hz refresh rate. Since I tend to play games on the larger display and use the bottom one as a secondary monitor, these specs are fine.
From Game Boy to PC games
The games from Nintendo’s second most successful console of all time are certainly one of the highlights of the Ayn Thor. With higher display resolution and upscaling, DS and 3DS games look significantly sharper than on my various original DS systems. Especially if you look side by side, the old games on the Thor look like enhanced remasters. OLED displays also ensure more vibrant colours. What’s more, there are countless practical features such as fast forward and rewind, manual saving and retro achievements.
Just like with the DS, you can just close the Thor to put it in standby mode. This way, you can continue playing from where you left off.
For me, the enjoyment of a game’s all about the feeling a device gives me, and the Thor doesn’t disappoint. The device appears well made, and – unlike the DS – the screen doesn’t wobble. The buttons have just the right amount of resistance, and the recessed analogue sticks are also pleasantly precise. The handheld fits comfortably in the hand and weighs in at 380 grammes – only 50 grams heavier than the Nintendo 3DS XL.
The Ayn Thor is silent during most games. The fan becomes noticeable with demanding games or very high upscaling, but it’s barely audible with any game sound playing. The audio quality isn’t the best – the sound’s a bit tinny – but it’s still fine for a handheld device.
Battery life varies a lot depending on the games you play. With NES or Game Boy games, the 6,000 mAh battery easily lasts ten hours. With PC games or 3DS titles, it’s around six hours. Reducing the system’s refresh rate from 120 Hz to 60 Hz increases its battery life.
In a nutshell
This retro handheld has it all
Whether it’s Minecraft from the Google Play Store, Hollow Knight via Steam or retro games with an emulator, the Ayn Thor can do it all. And it does it with such ease that it’s a real joy. Until now, I’ve dismissed dual-screen handhelds. Who needs one, anyway? I do, as it turns out.
Not only does it allow me to rediscover long-forgotten Nintendo DS treasures, the secondary screen’s also invaluable in other ways. I love quickly looking something up online, moving a file, installing an app or streaming a series while playing a simple game on the main screen. Just as much as I love the customisation options you get with Android and countless emulators and launchers. The Ayn Thor’s a joy to use, and that’s exactly why I buy things like this.
Pro
- Nails most new and old games
- Perfect for multitasking
- OLED displays
Contra
- The speakers aren’t the best
Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chAs a child, I wasn't allowed to have any consoles. It was only with the arrival of the family's 486 PC that the magical world of gaming opened up to me. Today, I'm overcompensating accordingly. Only a lack of time and money prevents me from trying out every game there is and decorating my shelf with rare retro consoles.
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