Grab a USB mouse and plug it into your TV. This gives you a cursor instantly.
There is a special kind of magic in playing Super Mario World on a 65-inch 4K screen, or booting up Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 on the living room projector.
However, setting up RetroArch on Android TV is not the same as setting it up on a phone or PC. The remote control changes the game. If you don't know the tricks, you will get lost in menus that weren't designed for a D-pad.