retroshelf

Product Introduction

1. Overview: Retroshelf is a cloud-based gaming session tracker and social discovery platform specifically designed for retro handheld consoles like the Miyoo Mini, Anbernic RG series, and AYN Odin. It functions as an automated gaming journal.
2. Value: It transforms fragmented play sessions across multiple devices into a unified, searchable history, while providing a community-driven view of game popularity within the retro handheld ecosystem.

Main Features

1. Automated Session Logging: A lightweight plugin (compatible with muOS and OnionOS) runs on the handheld's SD card, passively capturing metadata (game title, play duration, device model) and syncing it to the user's personal shelf without manual input.
2. Unified Gaming Timeline: Aggregates all captured sessions into a chronological, browsable history, allowing users to review what they played, on which device, for how long, and any personal notes attached, making their year of play "legible."
3. Social Discovery & Contextual Data: Public shelves display real-time trends ("Popular this week"), filterable by specific handheld devices. Game reviews and popularity metrics are tagged with the specific hardware (e.g., "Played on Miyoo Mini Plus"), adding crucial context for the community.

Problems Solved

1. Challenge: Retro handheld enthusiasts lack a unified way to track their gaming history across multiple, often offline, devices, leading to forgotten playthroughs and fragmented data. Community game discovery lacks hardware-specific context.
2. Audience: Owners of Linux-based retro handheld consoles (Miyoo, Anbernic, Retroid, Odin) who play ROMs and homebrew games and want to document their journey or discover what's trending in their specific hardware community.
3. Scenario: A user finishes "Chrono Trigger" on their Anbernic RG35XX over several weeks. Retroshelf automatically logs each session. Later, they can browse their timeline to see the total time invested and the completion date. They can also browse the "RG35XX" device page to see what other players on that hardware are currently playing.

Unique Advantages

1. Vs Competitors: Unlike manual trackers like Backloggery or general platforms like HowLongToBeat, Retroshelf offers fully automated, device-level data capture for a niche hardware segment. It provides discovery data filtered by exact console model, which broad platforms cannot.
2. Innovation: The technical edge lies in its minimalist, OS-specific plugins for muOS and OnionOS—the two dominant custom firmware ecosystems for retro handhelds. This deep integration allows for passive, background data collection that requires no in-game hooks or manual saves.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How does Retroshelf automatically log my games? It uses a small, open-source plugin placed on your handheld's SD card that integrates with custom firmware (muOS/OnionOS) to detect game launches and session duration, syncing this data when the device connects to Wi-Fi.
2. Which retro handheld devices are supported? Retroshelf currently offers official plugin support for devices running muOS (e.g., Anbernic RG ARC) and OnionOS (e.g., Miyoo Mini Plus), with plans to expand to other Linux-based handhelds like those using JelOS or ArkOS.
3. Is my game library data private? Your personal play timeline is private by default. You choose which games or devices to share publicly on your shelf to contribute to community trends and discovery features.