Guide: Iconoclasts on Retro Handhelds (via PortMaster)

UPDATE: PortMaster has recently created a one-stop shop for all things related to running ports on retro handhelds. I recommend checking out their website and my most recent PortMaster guide instead of the guide below; I’m leaving this page up for posterity’s sake only. To get started, head over to their Games tab, find the game you want to run, and check out their instructions on that page. If you run into any issues, their discord server is also a great place to start.

Today we’re going to set up the indie game Iconoclasts to work on RK3326-powered retro handheld devices such as the RG351MP and the RG351V, as well as the RG552, RG503, and RG353P devices running PortMaster-friendly custom firmware. This port is available thanks to the PortMaster platform, which is available on the ArkOS, Retro Arena, JELOS, and AmberELEC firmwares.

Some notes

• The video guide shows you how to set up the device on ArkOS, but the process will be the same for the other firmwares.
• This game isn’t meant to play on low-resolution screens, and so the text is mostly illegible on 480×320 displays like on the RG351P, RG351M, and RGB10. In general, I would recommend this game for the RG351MP, RG351V, and the Chi GameForce.
• As of making this video, the port doesn’t work on RetroOZ, so there is no option to play this on the RGB10 Max or ODROID Go Super.

Setup instructions

• Purchase Iconoclasts via Steam or the Humble Store. Be on the lookout for sales! The simplest way to set this up is to buy it via the Humble Store, since that will allow you to download the Linux version directly and it will also generate a Steam redemption code so that you can use the game on that platform, too. However, if you purchase it directly from Steam, it’s simple to grab the Linux version (see the box below!).

How to download the Linux version of Iconoclasts via Steam on PC

– On your PC, press Win+R and type: “steam://open/console” (Steam will now show console command)
– In the Steam console, type: “download_depot 393520 393524”
– After a minute or two, it will show you the location of the game files on your PC. Navigate to that location and grab those files!

For future reference, this method can be done when trying to download the Linux version of other games via Steam. The App ID and Depot ID of the game can be found on the site steamdb.info. When you search for a game on this site you’ll immediately see the App ID. Scroll down a bit and click on Depots. Here you’ll find all the available OS versions of the game and the corresponding Depot ID. The download command in the steam console is: “download_depot <appid> <depotid>”

If you are using a Mac computer, the process is the same, other than how to open up the Steam console. To do so, open the Terminal app and type the following line of code:

/Applications/Steam.app/Contents/MacOS/steam_osx -console

• Once you have the Linux version of the game downloaded, let’s set up your device. You’ll want to have PortMaster installed on your device, and be sure to update it to the latest version.
• Within PortMaster, install the Iconoclasts backend files.
• Remove the SD card from your device, and plug it into your PC. Inside the Ports > Iconoclasts > gamedata folder, move over all of the Iconoclasts game files from your Linux version.
• Put the SD card back into your device, navigate to the Ports section, and boot up the game
• Have fun

Note: if your game is missing music, we’ve recently learned that it’s because the music files don’t properly download from the Steam Console method above. To get the music files working, install the Windows-based version to your PC, and then navigate to the game file directory at Local Disk > Program Files (x86) > Steam > steamapps > common > Iconoclasts > data and then add the “music” folder to the Ports > Iconoclasts > gamedata > data folder on the SD card.