Roses are red, this retro handheld is blue, and I'll be using it this Valentine's Day to play Street Fighter 2

If I had it my way, I'd be getting my ass kicked at Street Fighter 2 with my beloved on an actual arcade machine. However, she's not able to assume her role as Chung Li Lighting Kicking my head in, so I'll be taking myself on a date to my couch with the wonderful Super Pocket.

It's no secret that I think the Super Pocket is one of the best retro handhelds to grace the scene in recent years. It helps that it's only $59.99 at Amazon, as that price is sure to get you hot under the collar when you realise it's a fully-fledged console with Evercade cartridge support. It also has zero reliance on the internet, which is honestly enough to woo me in a world where AI is seeping into everything and game ownership is becoming a thing of the past.

I usually find myself gushing about the Super Pocket every couple of months, but I feel like Valentine's Day is a great time to bring it up again. It's cheap enough to be suitable as a substitute for overpriced flowers, chocolates, and restaurant food, and it could be a gateway to a bunch of the best retro consoles for your loved one. Really, if someone gave me this gaming handheld as a romantic gesture, I'd probably be head over heels.

Alright, let me dive into what makes the Super Pocket such a catch. It's not the flashiest handheld out there, and while its 3.5-inch LCD screen feels pretty basic, it's still serviceable when it comes to running old games at 480p. The thing that will ultimately reel you in with this retro gadget is that aforementioned Evercade cart compatibility, as it'll let you play over 500 games on something that feels like a Game Boy, fits nicely in your pocket, and is far studier than a $60 has any right to be.

Yes, the reason I'd give the Super Pocket a second date is that it's a stable, reliable option that sticks to a traditional formula. It's easy to settle down with something that costs under $60 and can play Tomb Raider, but at the same time, it's easy to see why your head might be turned by more emulation-heavy options like the Anbernic RG28XX since they tend to come in at around $40 and can emulate many of the same retro systems, provided you have your own ROMs backed up from physically owned games.

In fact, there are a million ways you could choose to play Street Fighter 2 this Valentine's Day. Trust me, I test the latest plug-and-play systems and specialise in using original retro consoles with modern gadgets, so I'm not short on ways to play Capcom's iconic fighter. Still, there's something to be said about ignoring all those other options and just playing on an officially licensed, standalone handheld that has 12 classics included all in, including Mega Man and Strider.

What I'm saying is that the $60 Super Pocket can still exist in a world where the Steam Deck OLED can run most of your PC library and the Anbernic RG Cube can serve as a retro powerhouse. I personally enjoy using the Evercade portable in specific scenarios, and its impressively robust battery life and offline nature mean it usually lives in my backpack for instances where the internet or power outlets can't reach me.

This Valentine's Day, though, the Super Pocket will be joining me on the couch for a bit of me time. My plan is ultimately to brush up on my basic Street Fighter 2 skills so that when I am actually reunited with my parter, I'll stand a chance at beating her playing two-player on the Evercade Alpha. If you do have $270 to splash out on what is a full-blown arcade machine with similar, but expanded Evercade functionality as the handheld, I would consider that too. But, as a starting point, you'll want to at least consider the $60 portable console as a treat, even if it's just for the novelty of owning a specific handheld for Capcom romps.

• More retro handhelds at Amazon
• Retro consoles at Amazon

Looking for more ways to play on the go? Swing by the best gaming handhelds for emulation devices and portable PCs. You'll also want to check out the best Steam Deck accessories and best Steam Deck docks if you're already rocking Valve's powerhouse.