MagicX Zero 40 The MagicX Zero 40 turns an aging Android operating system into the best Nintendo DS emulation handheld on the market. It's not great for anything else, but it beats the original hardware in significant ways, despite only having one screen.
The Nintendo DS was an absolutely groundbreaking handheld, and I have fond memories of sneaking a few turns of Advance Wars: Dual Strike under my desk in high school. Only a few companies have tried to recapture the two-screen magic, and aside from some prohibitively expensive devices, none have succeeded.
But the MagicX Zero 40 takes a different approach. Instead of opting for a clamshell form-factor with two screens, it combines them into a longer, vertical screen with a flat layout. It’s a novel approach, but is it good enough to replace the OG hardware from two decades ago?
For me, the answer is yes. However, there are many caveats that might be dealbreakers for hardcore DS fans.
Strange, but functional design
Ok, so maybe I fibbed a little in the intro. The MagicX Zero 40 has taken over my Nintendo DS game time, but not from the original hardware. My Nintendo DS Lite has been in storage for well over a decade, with the Nintendo 2DS taking up the mantle. I know the screen isn’t perfect for DS games, but the convenience beats pixel-perfect graphics for me.
But in a way, the Nintendo 2DS is a more apt comparison. They’re both flat slabs with the same general layout (although the joystick is at the bottom on the Zero 40). MagicX’s handheld looks strange at first, with all sorts of bumps and curves, but I find it much more comfortable to hold.
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It’s also smaller, although I’m not sure pocketable is the right word. It’s roughly the same size as an old CD jewel case or a slice of bread, neither of which I’d recommend stuffing into your pockets.
That smaller footprint also reduces the effective screen size. For DS games, the vertical panel is split in two, giving the same effect as two 2.6-inch panels. The original Nintendo DS had two 3-inch screens, although the resolution is noticeably worse, and the panels themselves really show their age.
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