RetroN 5 is officially a thing, apparently

[dementia_]

Anyone try this out at the Seattle convention this past weekend? I'm curious to hear impressions from classic gaming enthusiasts.

[hellraiser]

Any one heard anything new about the retron 5? Seems like news stoped for awhile now...

[StoneAgeGamer]

Any one heard anything new about the retron 5? Seems like news stoped for awhile now...

David from Hyperkin was on the Video Game Rescue podcast last week. A few things of note from the podcast. They will NOT be supporting anyway to play ROMs on the R5, the current images of the R5 are no longer accurate they have changed the design a bit, and it sounds like they will be partnering with wholesalers in Brazil and Europe to allow people from those regions the ability to get the R5 and other Hyperkin products cheaper and quicker, they are shooting for $99.99 MSRP, and finally its been pushed back until October release at this time. You can video the podcast here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdYVC...ci-eiOAVA4Ufa0

To people who are antsy for this to get released, I would say be patient. I would rather release a polished product released than another junk clone.

[treismac]

.A few things of note from the podcast. They will NOT be supporting anyway to play ROMs on the R5...

No surprise. They have been toting this line for a minute now. Still it's a shame that Hyperkin hasn't grown a pair, but whatever.

To people who are antsy for this to get released, I would say be patient. I would rather release a polished product released than another junk clone.

Here, here. All the games it will be able to play aren't going anywhere, so what's the hurry?

[hellraiser]

Thanks for the update... i must admit im a excited for this thing. A few more months for a quality machine is nothing...

[PizzaKat]

Ah, I was looking forward to have it by the end of the summer. Oh well, I rather have it done right. While everyones anticipating the Xbox One and PS4 I can't wait to get this.

[Panzerfuzion]

Having a maxed out game room and not a whole lot of stuff I'm looking for, this is the most excited I've been for a peice retro gaming gear in a long time. I just hope it's put toghter well, I own a Generation Nex and it has many issues and it might be the best clone I've owned. So lets hope this thing is quality and not a peice of hardware to cash in on the retro gaming trend.

[TheRetroVideoGameAddict]

Lot's of talk about the Retron 5 on their FB page lately, I have the feeling we're close to getting a release date! Unfortunately I'm thinking the release date probably isn't going to be until sometime in October or November, their summer prediction is obviously not going to happen.

I wan't this thing badly.

[JohnHall]

I still have an affinity for physical products, it's ok if you don't though.

[Akito01]

I know this isn't something that's been talked about, but its an idea that's been lurking for me since the initial news that this was an emulation based console. What I'm wondering is if it isn't impossible for Hyperkin to produce adaptors for games for other systems, Retrode style. At this point is clear we may never get a clone for the Atari, TurboGrafx or other fringe systems, but a cartridge adaptor with a firmware update might be a low cost solution?

[MetalFRO]

I know this isn't something that's been talked about, but its an idea that's been lurking for me since the initial news that this was an emulation based console. What I'm wondering is if it isn't impossible for Hyperkin to produce adaptors for games for other systems, Retrode style. At this point is clear we may never get a clone for the Atari, TurboGrafx or other fringe systems, but a cartridge adaptor with a firmware update might be a low cost solution?

THIS

I would love to have that kind of option with TG-16!

[treismac]

I know this isn't something that's been talked about, but its an idea that's been lurking for me since the initial news that this was an emulation based console. What I'm wondering is if it isn't impossible for Hyperkin to produce adaptors for games for other systems, Retrode style. At this point is clear we may never get a clone for the Atari, TurboGrafx or other fringe systems, but a cartridge adaptor with a firmware update might be a low cost solution?

Yes, yes, and yes. That would be an awesome idea.

I do think that it is only a matter of time before one of the future Atari Flashbacks has a cartridge port popped in it.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

isn't impossible for Hyperkin to produce adapters for games for other systems, Retrode style. At this point is clear we may never get a clone for the Atari, TurboGrafx or other fringe systems, but a cartridge adapter with a firmware update might be a low cost solution?

Yes it's possible, but mark my words: it won't happen.

Hyperkin would need to devote considerable resources into R&D to even develop concept adapters, and then the potential market who would be interested in Atari, PC Engine, Master System, Jaguar, Neo-Geo or Neo-Geo Pocket Color carts would be so small it wouldn't make sense from a business standpoint. The five systems that they are including all have popular followings worldwide, which is why they were chosen.

Personally I agree that it would be awesome if the RetorN5 had optional adapters to enable additional systems to be played, but it doesn't make sense to do that from a business prescriptive because again, the potential market who would be interested (i.e you and me) are too small.

Maybe if Hyperkin came up with a plan and ran a kickstarter campaign. Otherwise......this won't happen.

[goob47]

Just saw an article about this in Retro Gamer magazine. To tell you the truth, it sickens me that people are making money off of copying old systems.

[Akito01]

Just saw an article about this in Retro Gamer magazine. To tell
you the truth, it sickens me that people are making money off of copying old systems.

I'm not sure I understand the objection. This isn't a ROM player, after all, and neither Nintendo nor Sega is making this hardware anymore. For someone like myself, who have stacks of old carts, this is simply a way to play our legally purchased games where the original console hardware has become scarce or unreliable. If Nintendo started putting out NES's again, I'd buy one instantly, but they aren't, and my original NES rarely plays games anymore. Not everything is available on virtual console, so a machine like this is more of a boon to retro game players than an exploitation, at least as I see it.

[goob47]

I'm not sure I understand the objection. This isn't a ROM player, after all, and neither Nintendo nor Sega is making this hardware anymore. For someone like myself, who have stacks of old carts, this is simply a way to play our legally purchased games where the original console hardware has become scarce or unreliable. If Nintendo started putting out NES's again, I'd buy one instantly, but they aren't, and my original NES rarely plays games anymore. Not everything is available on virtual console, so a machine like this is more of a boon to retro game players than an exploitation, at least as I see it.

I guess the only nice thing about this is that since more people are bound to buy these things, the price of original consoles will most likely go down. As a collector, I have no desire whatsoever to own one. Be it the nostalgia of having to hook up each individual console before I could play the game, or just the different kinds of lights that would show when you powered it on, the convenience factor doesn't outweigh the awesomeness factor.

[Mangar]

I guess the only nice thing about this is that since more people are bound to buy these things, the price of original consoles will most likely go down. As a collector, I have no desire whatsoever to own one. Be it the nostalgia of having to hook up each individual console before I could play the game, or just the different kinds of lights that would show when you powered it on, the convenience factor doesn't outweigh the awesomeness factor.

I understand this logic, however..

As a collector, who would like to have a lot of his systems hooked up, I can see the appeal of this. Assuming of course that is has 100% compatibility. (A rather large assumption I must admit) Being able to take 3 consoles out of the living room, and replace them with one, AND being able to hook them up to the main house HDTV - That could be awesome. This is a product that I'll look at, and wait for reviews from people after it's released. As it stands now, I generally turn toward my living room HTPC and emulation for most of my classic gaming, and kind of going back to some form of "original" hardware with controllers and cartridges could be kind of fun.

Not that I'll be buying this at launch. I think anyone who blindly buys any clone, regardless of claims made by the manufacturer, without first waiting for reviews from early adopters regarding it's compatibility issues is simply wasting money. After all the horrible clones released, we should all know better. There has never been a clone with 100% compatibility and accuracy, and until there is - I see little point in purchasing one.

[JSoup]

There was a test model running at their booth at SanAnime this previous weekend. Seemed pretty neat.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

since more people are bound to buy these things, the price of original consoles will most likely go down. As a collector, I have no desire whatsoever to own one. Be it the nostalgia of having to hook up each individual console before I could play the game, or just the different kinds of lights that would show when you powered it on, the convenience factor doesn't outweigh the awesomeness factor.

I wouldn't count on that. The clone market is isolated from the original hardware market that one does not effect the other. The prices for the original hardware will stay the same. You say as a "collector" you have no interest in the RetroN5, but how is that relevant? One doesn't buy a Retron5 to "collect" it, it's for playing retro games in their original format on an HDTV in 1080p with emulator functionality rolled together with those who love their physical carts. It's also far more convenient, takes less room, and assuming it works as intended, makes the original hardware moot.

Not that I'll be buying this at launch. I think anyone who blindly buys any clone, regardless of claims made by the manufacturer, without first waiting for reviews from early adopters regarding it's compatibility issues is simply wasting money. After all the horrible clones released, we should all know better. There has never been a clone with 100% compatibility and accuracy, and until there is - I see little point in purchasing one.

Haha, I'll most definitively be one of those early adopters you speak of. I can't wait for to tear into the RetroN5 and see what it can and cannot do.

I think the big difference this time is this one is built around Android emulation, which for the most part is excellent. The difference between emulation and reverse engineered hardware as was previously in other clones is that emulators are as good as the programmer instead of as a good as the random chinese team that put together the glob top logic chips and called it a day without fully testing. Also, if there ARE any problems, Hyperkin can simply release firmware updates to patch and fix any issue that may arise.

[Tanooki]

I'm with mangar. I'm taking the wait and see approach as I really want to know where the level of accuracy falls on this. I think just hating on because it's an emulator box because it has no collector value is pure ridiculousness at its finest. Sure it's not for everyone, and I'm pretty touchy about accuracy too as I will wait and see on this, but if it is so called 100% on the nose I'd buy it. I like the idea that this thing is HDMI would could deal with latency issues over older parts and with a nearly 2 year old my duration of time I can play sucks so having a cart based system with save states into its storage would be a boon.