Alfie Mercer - apkswarm

How to Connect Two Controllers for Local Multiplayer on Android

October 28, 2026 by Alfie Mercer

Two controllers connected for local multiplayer on an Android phone with two players in an emulator game

Both pads paired is not the same as both pads playing. Pair in order, assign players inside each app, and mix connection types for a reliable game night.

Fix Screen Dimming While Gaming on Android

October 28, 2026 by Alfie Mercer

Graphic of a phone dimming mid-game beside a controller, annotated with timeout, sensor, thermal and battery causes, branded APKSwarm

Fix screen dimming while gaming on Android by identifying which of four causes — timeout, adaptive brightness, thermal cap, battery rules — you have.

TrimUI Smart Pro Setup Guide with CrossMix OS

October 27, 2026 by Alfie Mercer

TrimUI Smart Pro handheld running CrossMix OS — trimui smart pro setup crossmix installation complete

CrossMix OS is the upgrade the Smart Pro deserves. This guide covers the safe install on a fresh card, the settings worth changing, and what the A133P honestly plays well.

Dolphin Per-Game Settings: Custom Configs for Problem Games

October 27, 2026 by Alfie Mercer

Dolphin emulator on Android showing a game's properties screen with per-game graphics settings overriding global options

Stop re-tuning Dolphin for every game. Set one global baseline, then save per-game fixes for resolution, bounding box, widescreen and controllers.

Dolphin Shader Stutter Fix: UberShaders and Hybrid Mode Explained

October 27, 2026 by Alfie Mercer

Graphic of a Dolphin game effect hitching at first use, then running smoothly behind an UberShader stand-in, branded APKSwarm

Apply the Dolphin Ubershaders stutter fix on Android: understand Hybrid and Exclusive modes, set them up in order, and verify on your own games.

AYN Odin 2 Portal Setup Guide: OLED and 120 Hz Settings

October 26, 2026 by Alfie Mercer

AYN Odin 2 Portal handheld with its 7-inch OLED display — odin 2 portal setup guide 120 Hz settings

A 7-inch 120 Hz OLED changes what setup means. This Portal guide covers refresh and latency choices, profiles matched to systems, stick calibration and the couch configuration.

How to Set Up RetroArch Playlists and Thumbnails on Android

October 26, 2026 by Alfie Mercer

RetroArch Android playlist screen showing a scanned game library with box art thumbnails for each system

Build clean RetroArch playlists with matching box art: database scanning step by step, thumbnail downloads, and fixes for missing games and art.

How to Update Controller Firmware Using Android and PC Apps

October 26, 2026 by Alfie Mercer

Update controller firmware using an Android app and a PC tool with Xbox, PlayStation, 8BitDo and GameSir controllers

Firmware fixes pairing, reconnection and disconnect bugs — if you use the right route per brand. Who updates from Android, who needs a PC, and the safe routine.

Anbernic RG Cube Setup Guide: Making the 1:1 Screen Shine

October 25, 2026 by Alfie Mercer

Anbernic RG Cube square-screen handheld running a Game Boy game — anbernic rg cube setup guide 1:1 display settings

The RG Cube’s 720×720 screen resolves retro’s oldest scaling argument. This setup guide covers per-system scaling, performance settings and the layouts this square panel does best.

Flycast Settings Guide: Dreamcast and Naomi on Android

October 25, 2026 by Alfie Mercer

Flycast emulator on Android showing video settings with Vulkan renderer and render resolution for Dreamcast games

A complete Flycast baseline for Dreamcast and NAOMI on Android: Vulkan rendering, resolution by chip tier, texture options and per-game fixes.