RetroN 5 $129.99 with free shipping @ ThinkGeek - The RetroN 5 deals thread

Drclaw411

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$129.99 with free shipping at ThinkGeek


Important Information
​Warranty registration - http://www.retron5.com/warrantyregistration_/
Patch Notes / How to Update (Last update 6/10/2014) - http://retron5.in/?src=98f13708210194c475687be6106a3b84

I've included the text from the pre-order era of this OP in spoilers for reference.
UPDATE 5/27/14: It's real this time. Hyperkin's June 6 release date is happening. Many mom and pop stores that have received their units have started selling them already, and many people who have ordered from Amazon (myself included) are reporting getting emails from Amazon notifying them that their orders qualify for release day delivery and are updating estimated delivery status to June 6th, no longer showing the "we need more time" placeholder. It's worth noting that so far only people who have ordered the grey unit from Amazon are receiving order updates (which coincides with Hyperkin reporting on their facebook page that they had shipped Amazon's grey preorder units, but Amazon had yet to place an order for the black units). All consoles that have been shown off online by reviewers, people who have been able to buy them before the street date, or Hyperkin themselves have all been grey consoles to this point. No word on black consoles. Another note: Chris Gallizzi of Hyperkin responded to an inquiry about Newegg orders by saying that he is not aware of any issues with Newegg's preorders, and they should be good to go for the launch.

UPDATE 5/22/14: Just one day after IGN and Polygon reported that Hyperkin would begin shipping units to retailers on May 22 (today as of this writing), Hyperkin essentially confirmed that. They have announced that the launch date for the long overdue RetroN 5 is June 6th, 2014. In a much quieter fashion (just by responding to a random person's comment) they confirmed this would be for North America only and that the console would launch in the UK in September. There is also one more small hitch. The rumor that the first batch of units would be only for mom/pop B&M retailers and that NO units from this batch would go to Amazon or Newegg has been gaining some serious steam. While Hyperkin has been responding to a decent amount of comments on their facebook page from excited fans, they continue to ignore questions about when Amazon orders will ship. So it seems those of us who preordered on Amazon still don't have a solid release date. Fulfillment could happen any time between June 6th through September or beyond.

UPDATE 5/21/14: IGN today reported that the RetroN 5 would begin shipping out on May 22 (tomorrow, as of this writing)! This coincides with Chris Gazzilli, Hyperkin's project manager, posting a picture on his facebook page of a massive shipping container full of RetroN 5 units. Ladies and Gentlemen, it seems hell may have just frozen over.

UPDATE 5/13/14: Hyperkin has listed the RetroN 5, and it's controllers, on their company wholesale store for authorized retailers to buy. The console (both colors) and controllers (both colors) are listed as sold out. I'm not sure if they were in stock and sold out quickly, or if they haven't been made available yet. Regardless, it's good news that the system is listed for the first time ever. Additionally, reviewers such as GameSpot and several youtube reviewers have received their review units, which appear to be retail units. The RetroN 5 seems to finally be around the corner. We'll see, but things look promising right now. One thing to note: the listing for the console on Hyperkin's wholesale page indicates that each wholesale box contains six units. If this is the case, it would seem to debunk the previous report of the console being shipped in quantities of four per retailer.

UPDATE 4/25/14: While this hasn't technically been confirmed by Hyperkin, I take it as fact. It's worth remembering that NOTHING has been officially confirmed by Hyperkin. Hyperkin has remained silent until unofficially confirming almost all known info in random interviews with various youtubers and forum members. Therefor, again, I take this as fact:

I spoke to Hyperkin today.

Here are the "unofficial" details.

The "end of May" release is a "soft" release. Meaning they really are waiting for the next batch due in the summer for the official real release. Amazon is NOT getting any of the units released at the end of May. Each retailer is only getting 4 units. Retail on the unit is $139.99 and $39.99 for the additional controller. The reasons for the price increase are both cosmetic and technical but if it works as it should then it should be a great retro system.

Our 4 are already taken with pre-orders. If you know any stores locally that are getting units, and you want one for end of May, then i suggest you contact them and put money down. Keep in mind that each store is getting 4 units only for the soft launch.
UPDATE 4/17/14: Hyperkin has increased the price of the RetroN 5, saying "north of $100, between $129.99 and $149.99". Alll pre-orders from Amazon should be honored via their pre-order price guarantee. I believe Newegg has the same guarantee, I am not sure about Stone Age Gamer or 8 Bit Classics. Think Geek still hasn't opened pre-orders on the unit, instead offering a link to be signed up for email notifications as to when it will be available. Also on the Amazon front, they have sold out or pre-orders. Furthermore, it is more likely you'll learn the ETA from Amazon, Newegg, or whoever you ordered it from. Hyperkin has gone on record of saying they will never again announce a hard release date for anything.

UPDATE 4/12/14: After Hyperkin denied the console was delayed again and vigoruosuly shoved the month of April up everyone's ass for half a year, today they delayed the vaporware console yet again. At the Midwest Gaming Classic, they did their annual presentation. They ignored the planned April 2014 release, but finally somebody in the crowd asked about it. The Hyperkin rep said it was releasing in "30 days, guaranteed". This is not the first time they used the word "guaranteed", last time was about April so this doesn't mean jack shit. So maybe it'll randomly show up at people's houses at the end of may, maybe it wont, and maybe my ass will fly out of my ass.

Retron 5 Delay History:
-Summer 2013 (which they continued to say after summer was over, claiming they meant "Indian Summer" or "California Summer"....i'm not making this up)
-December 10 2013
-Quarter 1 2014
-Quarter 2 2014
-First two weeks of April
-April 2014, guaranteed
-Gauranteed within 30-40 days of April 12, 2014
-June 6 2014

DELAYED. ANY UPDATES FROM HYPERKIN WILL COME ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/HyperkinGames

UPDATE: In a recent interview, Hyperkin confirmed that the initial batch of units WILL NOT BE ENOUGH to meet day ome demand. Also confirmed was the ability for the system to act as a multitap. Example: in a four player SNES game, two players could use snes controlles, one player could use the retron controller, and one player could use a genesis controller. Interview can be found here.


Pre-order at Amazon (SOLD OUT)
Pre-order at Newegg: Black (SOLD OUT) or Grey (SOLD OUT)
Pre-order at Stone Age Gamer (DUE TO HIGH DEMAND, RELEASE DAY DELIVERY NOT PROMISED)
Pre-order at 8 Bit Classics (DUE TO HIGH DEMAND, RELEASE DAY DELIVERY NOT PROMISED)





UPDATE: Hyperkin claims that they opened up some packaged retail units and discovered some units had faulty pins. because of this, the Retron 5 has been delayed. No new release date has been announced, although Hyperkin has stated the unit will release in 2014 and that they are aiming for Q1. This is the Retron 5's third delay.

EDIT: Preorders are sold out at Amazon and Newegg.

Retron5 pre-orders have finally (about damn time) opened.

For those of you who have been following this console, you know it's quite highly anticipated and looks to be far better than any clone system released before.

For those unfamiliar, here's a little info:

  • It's one system that plays games for the following systems: NES, SNES, Genesis, Mega Drive, Famicom, Super Famicom, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance.
  • Two controller ports for each console will be built in with the system. It will also come with one wireless universal controller.
  • Outputs in HDMI and upscales for HDTVs. Early impressions and videos of this have been extremley postive. From the website: "The RetroN 5 will up convert the video signal to show clearer and cleaner images, with vibrant colors on an HDTV with a resolution output of up to 720p through the use of shaders. You will also be able to select the aspect ratio in our GUI, from the standard 4:3 to the HD ratio of 16:9."
  • Features a user interface (dashboard. Somewhat similar of the PS3 interface in appearance, in my opinion).
  • Features save states. From the website: "Most games did not allow for you to freely save your games. The RetroN 5 will allow you to save their games at any point during gameplay, and will feature an autosave feature upon shutdown. You will be able to load your saves at anytime during gameplay."
  • Button reassignment supported. From the website: "Users will be able to program the controller to assign buttons to their preference. In turn, the RetroN 5 will save these custom layouts, so that users will not have to constantly reconfigure the button configuration. This feature will also be available to people wanting to remap their buttons on their original controllers."
  • 100% game cartridge compatibility, without lag.
  • Sega Power Base Converter compatible, allowing Sega Master System games to be played.
More information is here. It may be a bit dated since this was from back when they first announced the console, but I figured it was the best site to link since it also featured some screenshots as well. http://hyperkin.com/blog/2013/03/retron-5-details-revealed-from-the-midwest-gaming-classic/ There is also plenty of info on Hyperkin's facebook page.

I've been looking forward to this for a long time, and i'm extremley excited that pre-orders are finally open. For one console that not only plays all of these console's games, but upscales them and features save states (either to the cartridge (if supported) or the console itself)...this seems like a great deal. And if you've been following the hype for the console, there is a good chance it could end up selling out. Hyperkin isn't a huge company and this thing has a TON of pre-release demand (just check out the comments on the facebook page). I like the look of the black one a bit better, because it seems to be the traditional console color nowadays. But I opted for the grey model because the black console and controller seem like they'd be fingerprint magnets.

Preorder either color here at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hyperkin-RetroN-Gaming-Not-Machine-Specific/dp/B00DZIX3CQ/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1378958043&sr=8-13&keywords=retron+5 or here at Newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=retron%205&N=-1&isNodeId=1&RandomID=65244712392254220130925161655

Here are pictures of the two consoles, since the pictures on Amazon aren't that great:

Grey:
Retron-5.jpg


Black:
e3_retron5_03550.jpg

 
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Interesting.

I own all the systems this thing emulates...so I have 100's of carts, too. 

Actually pretty tempted in this, since I have a "free slot" in my entertainment center.  Something about playing this over an emulator on the computer appeals to me.  The only real reason I wouldn't drag out the old consoles individually is that it just requires too much space (while I live in an apartment).

Definitely gonna wait on reviews before getting one.  But, that gray one looks awesome!

 
I need to wait and see the reviews on this thing. The only way I'd bite is if they had a decent wireless controller that doesnt require a perfect line of sight. My TV is too far away from the receiver for me to use wired controllers and the wireless controllers on the retron 3 were all but useless, They used IR for wireless so you had to stay pretty close and hold them perfectly straight for anything to register.

 
This interests me quite a bit as I have lots of old NES, Genesis, super nes, and gameboy cartridges, will have to think on this, as that anytime save state is very appealing.

This controller uses blutooth so the range should be pretty extensive.

 
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I think I'm gonna wait for reviews. I want to know what the sound and video is like before plunking down money.

Also, will running this on a HDMI HDTV cause input lag? I hooked my NES up once to my HDTV and it was unplayable, went right back to the CRT.
 
I need to wait and see the reviews on this thing. The only way I'd bite is if they had a decent wireless controller that doesnt require a perfect line of sight. My TV is too far away from the receiver for me to use wired controllers and the wireless controllers on the retron 3 were all but useless, They used IR for wireless so you had to stay pretty close and hold them perfectly straight for anything to register.
They are said to be sporting Bluetooth technology, so expect it to work like a Wiimote or a Dualshock 3. :p

 
I think I'm gonna wait for reviews. I want to know what the sound and video is like before plunking down money.

Also, will running this on a HDMI HDTV cause input lag? I hooked my NES up once to my HDTV and it was unplayable, went right back to the CRT.
There shouldn't be any video/input lag, since there's no convertion being done through HDMI, all signals would be Digital....can't say the same if you try do downscale/Downconvert the HDMI signal to Analog and play it on a CRT TV, though. :p

 
The biggest I have with this is how the visual quality will stand out on LCD/LED/Plasma TV's.  I have only one CRT left in the house to play retro consoles.  If this thing can do a good job upscaling, I will bite.  Will take the "wait and see" approach as others have said and see what the consensus is on them.  I dont think they're going to be limited numbers of these things down the road and I'll just keep using my older tv to play nes games for now.  I would gladly pay $100 to consolidate the 8/16 bit consoles into one unit.

 
There's just one thing holding me back from getting this...No Sega Master System cart slot.  Unless I am missing something. 

 
So what do they mean by "Hardware emulation"? Is this just an android device loaded up with SNES 9X or whatever or did Hyperkin actually find a way to reproduce an approximation of the legacy hardware? For good enough emulation I have my PC or the virtual console on Wii, but if this thing is super accurate like BSNES and the like I will grab one. 

 
So what do they mean by "Hardware emulation"? Is this just an android device loaded up with SNES 9X or whatever or did Hyperkin actually find a way to reproduce an approximation of the legacy hardware? For good enough emulation I have my PC or the virtual console on Wii, but if this thing is super accurate like BSNES and the like I will grab one.
No, at $100 it doesn't have the hardware for accurate emulation. You are getting sloppy, hacked together approximations of how the games were.

Also why do people keep talking about patents running out like it means anything? This thing doesn't support N64 because the hardware requirements are too high and there is very little progress made on even "good enough" N64 emulation on PC.

I just hate to see people waste their money on these things. They are always produced as cheaply as possible and will probably break before the old hardware from the 80s and 90s that its imitating will.
 
Also why do people keep talking about patents running out like it means anything?

When you are talking about KIRFs sold in China or imported into grey markets yoh are right, patents do not matter. NES clones were available from shady means and imports before the NES patents expired but jumped into mainstream outlets once they did.

In this case this product is legal because of expired patents. It would not be if it included any way of playing N64 carts because that would necessitate using some part of nintendos still valid patents. That is why they matter and people were asking about itm

I cannot speak on the cost of supporting N64 but I truly cannot imagine it is that much since andriod on a stick emulation can do N64 now pretty well as far as emulation goes.
 
I don't see how it is a waste of money. I have multiple versions of all these original systems. A man my age (mid-thirties) gets funny looks from spouses and guests when the entertainment center is exploding with 25 year old gaming equipment. Elegant solutions are totally welcomed. Plus, retron has a great track record. I agree some knock off and all-in-one systems suck, but these people have positive buzz for a reason, quality. Also, totally legal is a plus.

I'll never get rid of my console collection, but it belongs in storage. I don't use anything enough to have them out all the time. This totally works for me.

I just hate to see people waste their money on these things. They are always produced as cheaply as possible and will probably break before the old hardware from the 80s and 90s that its imitating will.
 
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Wow. Normally as a purist I wouldn't touch one of these with a ten foot pole but after looking at the features I'm willing to give it a whirl. Upscaling and save states sound awesome. Considering I just spend ~$130 on a SMS a month ago, I can't really complain about the price for one of these. Preordered one of each till I can decide which color I want.

 
When you are talking about KIRFs sold in China or imported into grey markets yoh are right, patents do not matter. NES clones were available from shady means and imports before the NES patents expired but jumped into mainstream outlets once they did.

In this case this product is legal because of expired patents. It would not be if it included any way of playing N64 carts because that would necessitate using some part of nintendos still valid patents. That is why they matter and people were asking about itm

I cannot speak on the cost of supporting N64 but I truly cannot imagine it is that much since andriod on a stick emulation can do N64 now pretty well as far as emulation goes.
If "patents" matter then why does it support Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Color - they came out years after N64? Well, i hope the upscaling is very good on this, and i'm wrong, but never has one of these things been anything but a very poor replacement for the real thing.

The one thing that does interest me is the ability to play Famicom games on it, but I recently got a Gyromite with an NES to Famicom adapter for cheap so I don't even really require that.

 
Interesting.

I own all the systems this thing emulates...so I have 100's of carts, too.

Actually pretty tempted in this, since I have a "free slot" in my entertainment center. Something about playing this over an emulator on the computer appeals to me. The only real reason I wouldn't drag out the old consoles individually is that it just requires too much space (while I live in an apartment).

Definitely gonna wait on reviews before getting one. But, that gray one looks awesome!
I also have hundreds of carts for all the systems it supports. This would be perfect for me since I have limited space in my entertainment center. The save state feature and the ability to upscale things on my main HDTV are pretty darn near selling points for me, but I want to know how well it runs games.

I'm going to preorder with the hope that some previews come out before launch.

 
I just hate to see people waste their money on these things. They are always produced as cheaply as possible and will probably break before the old hardware from the 80s and 90s that its imitating will.
Your concern is appreciated. But at $100, it's also a little unfounded. Hyperkin has a reputation in the Famiclone scene for making better, sturdier reproduction systems. This is compared to other famiclones, obviously, and not compared to the original Nintendo hardware. (which is legendary for its durability)

While you are correct about this product not providing much more than emulation does, it still has value to collectors. I collect the original carts. And a device like this provides a capable test bed that works on modern screens. For a collector like me there is ample value right there. Hyperkin is also going out of their way to incorporate most of the advantages that emulation usually provides into a device that runs the original cartridges. This at least places their Retron 5 at parity with the standard emulation approach. The custom-designed controller is the icing on the cake. They are designing it based off of the Neo Geo Pocket's directional pad. It should prove quite comfortable for a lot of different classic games.

For my part, I will hold off on pre-ordering until we get an official release date. The October 31st listed on Amazon is filler. Hyperkin themselves haven't announced when the Retron 5 is being released. I'll pre-order one of these when we get a hard date from the company itself.

 
Maybe that Sega Power Base Converter can be shaved to fit onto this thing??? Just a thought.
They do work but you have to disassemble them to get it to fit or buy a smaller Master System converter that's just a pass-through. But you won't be able to use the game card games with that. And the compatability isn't great, it's not perfect on a real genesis and it's lesser here because of the emulation going on.

Also look at some comparison videos for the previous versions of this product. Ugh, that sound..

[MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdajtv0P2mw[/MEDIA]

[MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP3t7an7Oh8[/MEDIA]

 
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And the compatability isn't great, it's not perfect on a real genesis and it's lesser here because of the emulation going on.
Compatibility isn't likely to be an issue with the Retron 5. It's been a major issue with previous FamiClones. The usual example is Castlevania 3. (which never runs properly on famiclones) The more emulation-centric approach the Retron 5 is taking will actually mitigate a lot of the worry with compatibility. Not only should compatibility be much higher than usual with the system, but it will be possible to improve compatibility over time with firmware updates.

At the same time, I seriously doubt that you will be able to jury-rig Master System compatibility into the Retron 5. It's clear that Hyperkin is targeting the retro consoles with the largest install bases with this release. The Genesis, SNES, and NES were obvious choices. the GBA slot and Famicom/Super Famicom support are a nice bonus. (especially the GBA slot, I have a lot of classic portable games to use with that)

While there might be some demand for more obscure systems, I seriously doubt that Hyperkin will be in any hurry to support them in future iterations. My guess is that their next project after this one would be to release a retro-focused optical system. (for playing classic disc games)

 
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Compatibility isn't likely to be an issue with the Retron 5. It's been a major issue with previous FamiClones. The usual example is Castlevania 3. (which never runs properly on famiclones) The more emulation-centric approach the Retron 5 is taking will actually mitigate a lot of the worry with compatibility. Not only should compatibility be much higher than usual with the system, but it will be possible to improve compatibility over time with firmware updates.

At the same time, I seriously doubt that you will be able to jury-rig Master System compatibility into the Retron 5. It's clear that Hyperkin is targeting the retro consoles with the largest install bases with this release. The Genesis, SNES, and NES were obvious choices. the GBA slot and Famicom/Super Famicom support are a nice bonus. (especially the GBA slot, I have a lot of classic portable games to use with that)

While there might be some demand for more obscure systems, I seriously doubt that Hyperkin will be in any hurry to support them in future iterations. My guess is that their next project after this one would be to release a retro-focused optical system. (for playing classic disc games)
I'm talking specifically about compatibility when using a Power Base Converter on a Retron in Genesis mode - it's already imperfect on a real genesis and probably even worse for Sega Master Systems through Power Base+Retron.

 
I'm talking specifically about compatibility when using a Power Base Converter on a Retron in Genesis mode - it's already imperfect on a real genesis and probably even worse for Sega Master Systems through Power Base+Retron.

Omg get over it already. Lol...
 
I'm talking specifically about compatibility when using a Power Base Converter on a Retron in Genesis mode - it's already imperfect on a real genesis and probably even worse for Sega Master Systems through Power Base+Retron.
I believe I already addressed this in my post. For all we know, rigging a Power Base Converter up to the Retron 5 might be impossible, even if you disassembled it. Most Genesis emulation software doesn't automatically support Master System games. And as you pointed out, the Master System had two different cartridge slots. Providing space for both on the Retron 5 would be overkill. I for one have no intention of trying to shove my Power Base Converter into the Retron 5. (those things aren't easy to come by)

100% compatibility is unlikely no matter how you slice it. Even the Retron 5 probably won't be 100% compatible with the systems it's designed to support. There will almost certainly be a few titles that don't work properly. As long as they manage to get up in the high 90% range, it should still be a viable FamiClone.

There are also the various games that won't be possible to play properly on the Retron 5, even if the sofware itself runs fine. I would point to WarioWare Twisted and Kirby's Tilt & Tumble as examples. Both of those games will most likely run on the Retron 5. But both of them are dependent on tilt controls built into the cartridges themselves. In order to play them you would have to pick the console itself up and shift it around. You also wouldn't get the same effect, since the screen wouldn't shift with you.

Perfect 1:1 compatibility is a pipe dream, especially considering the breadth of gaming history, and the sheer variety that exists within it. I just need them to hit a decent chunk, and provide solid performance and hardware.

 
Right. They have stated themselves that it's just not going to work, so don't expect it to. They also don't really comment on peripherals. The gyro games will work, but exactly as you say, we're not going to be rotating this device.

And, just to add, I don't know about all you, but a good chunk of my Game Boy and Snes games don't save any more. The same system here is a big deal for me.

I believe I already addressed this in my post. For all we know, rigging a Power Base Converter up to the Retron 5 might be impossible, even if you disassembled it.
 
Why would you compare this product to the RetroN3? They have completely different approaches for both hardware and software.

 
Q: Why buy this when you can just purchase the original consoles?

A: Have you seen the ebay prices for a perfectly working NES, SNES, Famicom, Super Famicom, Genesis, Megadrive, and Gameboy Color?  Not even going into the HDMI ports, trying to position wires for 10 systems in your living room, etc

Q: Why not just get an emulator?

A: Because sometimes its fun to play the original game with the original controller. Sure, its not exactly the same.. but It does the job well, its a dedicated console, (so I don't have to leave my gaming PC in the living room when company comes over) and its only $100 to play my extensive collection of both American and Japanese NES/SNES games.

 
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I preordered the grey unit.

I played their prototype at Midwest Gaming Classic and liked it. The interface does feel like PS3's. I'm not so hot on the wireless controller, but that's no issue since I'll just plug in one of my retro game pads anyway. I'm getting it to play original black & white Gameboy games and SNES reproductions.

Personally, I think Nintendo should have bought the rights to this and called it "Nintendo Generation". They could have re-released the best of their games on cartridges (or flash chips inside cartridges) to work with it. They could have even left the Genesis slot to make comparisons among the generation. Instead Nintendo does virtual console, which in my mind seems to kill the whole concept of retro. If I can't hold a cartridge in my hand, it's just not the same.

 
If this system gets enough buzz, it's going to revitalize the resale shop market. So many stores are sitting on classic plastic and don't know what to do with it all. They sell earlier Retron variations, but none of them have the features and accessibility this one should have.

 
I have all of these systems currently hooked up to my TV, but I'm really excited about this release! I'm stoked to finally be able to use HDMI.

 
I own all these systems but still wouldn't mind not having to have them all hooked up and just this one.

I'll hold off till some comparisons are made.

 
Don't want to spend the money but damn the HD the all in one the wireless controller those are sweet features. I own most of the systems but I'd rather put them in a class case and love them from afar instead of watching the slowly die as I play them to death.
 
been waiting to get this, just wish the system didn't look so hideous, hope they add the option to use Dualshock or WiiU controllers since its uses bluetooth

 
Something that hasn't been mentioned yet...you can use any controller to play anything. So if you want to play NES with a Genesis controller, you can.
 
Ive been antiquated this greatly aswell, Im not getting a PS4, or XBone, I will be getting this

i HOPE that other places besides amazon will have pre orders ready to go.

 
Hyperkin continues to tout 100% compatibility, confirms Castlevania 3 works on the Retron 5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t03Te6Ln79c
 
They do work but you have to disassemble them to get it to fit or buy a smaller Master System converter that's just a pass-through. But you won't be able to use the game card games with that. And the compatability isn't great, it's not perfect on a real genesis and it's lesser here because of the emulation going on.

Also look at some comparison videos for the previous versions of this product. Ugh, that sound..

[MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdajtv0P2mw[/MEDIA]

[MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP3t7an7Oh8[/MEDIA]
Yikes at that sound. Also, is it me or did the mode 7 background on Axelay look like it was scrolling faster on the Retron3?

 
It looks like unlike the older products, it's going to follow the trend of Android based set top boxes except that it plays real carts, especially considering it does have a menu. They also built in an SD Card slot, but it's for saving games when the battery just won't do.

I'm going to be interested to see how far this thing will go.

 
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Why would anyone pre-order this? Why not wait for it to release and see if it gets decent reviews? I mean, it's not bringing any new games to the table like a PS4 or Xbox One. It plays old games, so why not wait and see if it does a decent job before throwing away $100? I'd rather own the old consoles individually anyway...

I won the old consoles but this is a very interesting piece of equipment and IMo worth a 100 to try. Plus with the hd TV's hdmi is a nice option to have. It will be interesting to see hoe star fox does.

 
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And, just to add, I don't know about all you, but a good chunk of my Game Boy and Snes games don't save any more. The same system here is a big deal for me.
This is a great point. I have some Genesis carts whose batteries are surely dead by now (Master of Monsters, and I think one of my Shining Force games). Heck, I'm really, really sure most, if not all, of my NES games with batteries don't save anymore, either.

I went in for a grey one earlier today. Having save states sounds terrific to me. I, for one, wouldn't miss entering in one of those insane passwords for River City Ransom ever again (okay, that's a lie - I miss that in a nostalgic way). :)

The main question in my mind right now is how do the save states work. I'm assuming that they'll be nice and allow someone to save multiple states per game. I just want to be able to finally finish The Lone Ranger (NES) once and for all on my TV in my living room. :)

 
This is a great point. I have some Genesis carts whose batteries are surely dead by now (Master of Monsters, and I think one of my Shining Force games). Heck, I'm really, really sure most, if not all, of my NES games with batteries don't save anymore, either.

I went in for a grey one earlier today. Having save states sounds terrific to me. I, for one, wouldn't miss entering in one of those insane passwords for River City Ransom ever again (okay, that's a lie - I miss that in a nostalgic way). :)

The main question in my mind right now is how do the save states work. I'm assuming that they'll be nice and allow someone to save multiple states per game. I just want to be able to finally finish The Lone Ranger (NES) once and for all on my TV in my living room. :)
I read something on their Facebook a while back that said something about 10 save states per game iirc.
 
Something that hasn't been mentioned yet...you can use any controller to play anything. So if you want to play NES with a Genesis controller, you can.
You can also map buttons however you want. The system also has a SD slot but nobody knows why... Hyperkin said they might make the platform open ended, which would be awesome.

I still can't decide if I want the black or SNES color scheme.

 
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It would be really cool if they allowed you to put custom post-process shaders on the SD card. That way you could add your own list of custom rendering shaders to the system, and activate or deactivate them as you please. I'm thinking sepia-tone, CRT-swell, and scanlines. Then possibly some fun alternative shaders just to play around with things, like a GameBoy-style shader for use on Super Nintendo games.

 
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