Cocoon 3.0 makes my Retroid finally feel like a "Console"
I think something that always made me stop using my emulation handhelds after a while (like my flip 2, or miyoo) is that they always felt like a "bootleg chinese handheld". Even though the power was there, and a lot of emulators have matured, the usability experience never felt console-like, where the UI of older devices like the PS Vita, PSP, Wii U, 3DS, and more did.
I've used ES-DE for over a year because it is one of the most recommended options, and I always thought it was pretty basic experience (which many people enjoy because it is reliable and more game focused). While reliable, I always ended up feeling like I was scrolling through those 1000-games-in-1 bootleg game cartridges, or those snes-mini/psx-mini game selection UI's. It never felt like I was playing on a "Console" (and on top of it all it cost 6 bucks).
Cocoon 3.0 is such a different beast. I've stopped thinking "I want to play ___ game" and instead now think "I want to play with my Retroid". The discord and steam integration, the insane customization, the widgets, it replacing the android quickstep launcher, allowing roms to be placed on the homescreen like apps, it makes the device finally feel like a console. It was never just about the games but all the communication features, apps, customization, and overall usability experience on top of the games that made the experience fun, at least for me.
And the best part? It's free!!!