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

Drclaw411

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.
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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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SaraAB said:
I am not sure if support for N64 systems is even necessary, it would be nice but all of the N64's I have run into are still working so its not like dead consoles are a problem there.

I would prefer if this would have regular RCA hookups so I could hook this up to my CRT instead of having multiple consoles and a million cords going. I don't think I would really want to play old games on my HDTV, also I am already over my quota for HDMI ports, so another thing that uses HDMI is not good for me.
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Yes, same (probably true for most of us?) My TV only has bloody 2xHDMI ports and one of them is ALWAYS connected to PC home media center so that leaves 1 shared between PS3, Wii U, and to-be Retron 5...Oy vey, I think I may need to invest in an external HDMI switch soon and now it's time to google whether they would add any noticeable latency.

 
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SaraAB said:
I am not sure if support for N64 systems is even necessary, it would be nice but all of the N64's I have run into are still working so its not like dead consoles are a problem there.

I would prefer if this would have regular RCA hookups so I could hook this up to my CRT instead of having multiple consoles and a million cords going. I don't think I would really want to play old games on my HDTV, also I am already over my quota for HDMI ports, so another thing that uses HDMI is not good for me.
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I like the N64 inclusion just because it's one less thing. granted it's easier to hook the N64 than say the NES but still.....the more the merrier.

while RCA hook ups would be nice I think the point of this thing is to play old systems hassle free on an HDTV. the hassle of hooking up old systems is why I barely bother with them in the first place. The NES works when it damn well feels like. the genesis works fine but the old plugs are a pain. the N64 while Im confident will survive a nuke, I simply don't like having to pull it out to play and not to mention it looks bad on an HDTV.

honestly I might retro game a bit with this system.

 
It actually only takes a minute or 2 to hook them up, but its the idea that you have to find somewhere to store them and the cords that is the problem. No matter what you do the gaming systems will be clutter and I haven't figured out a way to store them without causing a mess and I have tried everything. I don't have the room to make a custom entertainment center or money to buy something really expensive like most of us. I have a switchbox on my CRT TV but it filled up very quickly and doesn't have enough room for all my systems. I know its possible to chain together the switchboxes but again that creates its own mess.

I don't know of a TV that would fit my bedroom and have like 6-7 HDMI ports which is what I would need to accomadate everything, and I assume everyone else would need the same thing or else have multiple TV's in multiple rooms. Some TV's only come with one HDMI and I am lucky since my cable system does not require a HDMI. Most manufacturers of various devices don't recommend the switch, and again it creates ugly clutter when there could be none if manufacturers just included more ports on the TV's.

The controller that comes with this doesn't look good, but I do wish there was a way to hook up a gamecube controller to a N64 since lord the N64 controllers are horrible and I have a bunch that work with no loose joysticks. It would be a good thing if they came up with a controller that would work well for N64 games and not require a human to have 3 hands to use it.

 
The grey console looks a lot more white in that box picture then I've seen before lol, the black console box looks nicer to me with the colors they chose to use on it, I have a grey one ordered myself though

Either way, what the box looks like really doesn't matter to me, just typing a random thought

 
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I hope this comes out soon. Been really excited for this and wait to play some old games...easily.

 
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Dammit... I got tired of waiting for this and just purchased a Retro Duo since I needed something to play SNES/NES games (my brother has the originals). 

Well, I guess now it gives me an excuse to see if the thing actually delivers. 

 
Gray looks great, so glad I didn't change mine as I originally wanted black but that color was sold out. Of course later I could have got it changed but I thought the gray looked more retro and cool so I stuck with it.

 
Part of me thinks another delay will happen while the other part of me thinks the release will hit and will be riddled with a lot day 1 bugs. Since all of my retro games are in storage I kind of want to cancel my order for now but eh, I guess we'll see what happens. I mean April is only next week, lol.

 
This month? I'm gonna cancel my preorder then...  I wasn't ready to buy this so soon. I'll be able to buy it anytime, just like their other systems..

 
Brachabre said:
Yes, same (probably true for most of us?) My TV only has bloody 2xHDMI ports and one of them is ALWAYS connected to PC home media center so that leaves 1 shared between PS3, Wii U, and to-be Retron 5...Oy vey, I think I may need to invest in an external HDMI switch soon and now it's time to google whether they would add any noticeable latency.
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I was wondering the same thing. If you come across a good one, let me/us know :D

 
Think I'm gonna cancel this. I really have no desire to go and play my old games and I still have my old SNES stored away if I wanted to anyway,

 
I kind of wish people were able to use this to create their own roms. Otherwise this looks about as closed ended as the consoles it's emulating.

 
Thanks for the heads up on the Power Base Mini being in stock, just placed an order for one. Gotta be able to play Choplifter on the Retron 5!
 
Digital Devil said:
stoneagegamer posted a video of a Power Base Mini working on an R5 beta unit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQK4LuikR08
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Good, I kind of wondered whether or not the Power Base Mini would work on clone machines.

Drclaw411 said:
SAG's Power Base Mini is back in stock, and they do guarantee that it works with the R5.

http://www.stoneagegamer.com/powerbase-mini.html
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I might get this just in case my Power Base Converter kicks the bucket.

Now if only someone could make a device that could let you play Game Gear games on your Genesis/SNES. Playing my Game Gear game cartridges on a television screen would be nice.

 
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SaraAB said:
It actually only takes a minute or 2 to hook them up, but its the idea that you have to find somewhere to store them and the cords that is the problem. No matter what you do the gaming systems will be clutter and I haven't figured out a way to store them without causing a mess and I have tried everything. I don't have the room to make a custom entertainment center or money to buy something really expensive like most of us. I have a switchbox on my CRT TV but it filled up very quickly and doesn't have enough room for all my systems. I know its possible to chain together the switchboxes but again that creates its own mess.

I don't know of a TV that would fit my bedroom and have like 6-7 HDMI ports which is what I would need to accomadate everything, and I assume everyone else would need the same thing or else have multiple TV's in multiple rooms. Some TV's only come with one HDMI and I am lucky since my cable system does not require a HDMI. Most manufacturers of various devices don't recommend the switch, and again it creates ugly clutter when there could be none if manufacturers just included more ports on the TV's.

The controller that comes with this doesn't look good, but I do wish there was a way to hook up a gamecube controller to a N64 since lord the N64 controllers are horrible and I have a bunch that work with no loose joysticks. It would be a good thing if they came up with a controller that would work well for N64 games and not require a human to have 3 hands to use it.
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not entirely true....the NES for example works when it damn well feels like. that thing is so picky it gets on my nerves. while this may just be my NES I just assumed they were all picky. also in the case of my NES my controller cords are torn apart(well one might not be can't remember)

as for using a coaxiable cable cord....depending on how said HDTV is hooked up that can be a pain to shove in there or really easy. I'd rather not find out.

I can't comment on the controller too much probably without trying it but I suspect it will be fine for all but the n64 and the very least Im glad it comes with something.

it's funny I remember thinking several years back MY NEW TV HAS ONE HDMI SPOT HOLY ****.....now I have one with 3 HDMI spots and I think why are there not more of these....

the main reason I want this is so I can retro game with relative ease and not have to dig up old consoles and hope they still work(damn you NES....damn you) and not to mention it can play NES and genesis all in one so more switching between stuff when Im in that retro gaming mood. the lack of wires and having to put everything away too is also a plus.

 
anotherpoorgamer said:
Good, I kind of wondered whether or not the Power Base Mini would work on clone machines.

I might get this just in case my Power Base Converter kicks the bucket.

Now if only someone could make a device that could let you play Game Gear games on your Genesis/SNES. Playing my Game Gear game cartridges on a television screen would be nice.
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I managed to nab a model 1 power base converter for $40 some time ago. Was glad I still had a model 1 Genesis... but it did feel cool to play games on a card! As for Game Gear games, I totally agree with you. I bought Sonic Triple Trouble on the 3DS virtual console because it just sucks to actually play any game on a real GG.

 
I have a top loader NES that I hook up to my CRT TV with F-connector and a simple, single A/V Cord. That seems to work well.

I also have a front loader NES, that I replaced the connector on. Even after the connector switch they still seem to be picky, but I find inserting a Game Genie then inserting the game makes it work very well.  The game genie doesn't do anything unless you type in a code.

The games also have to be clean, as in open them up and remove ALL the dirt on the connector. Some of the game connectors are worn at this point which probably isn't helping. If you can't get it clean then its wear. Ideally the games are to be cleaned before inserting any of them into a NES with a new connector. 

I think the games oxidoze over time as well, as I swear I cleaned every game I own to perfection before putting them into the drawer, but the dirt seems to have magically reappeared even after just sitting in a drawer and never being played...

 
SaraAB said:
The controller that comes with this doesn't look good, but I do wish there was a way to hook up a gamecube controller to a N64 since lord the N64 controllers are horrible and I have a bunch that work with no loose joysticks. It would be a good thing if they came up with a controller that would work well for N64 games and not require a human to have 3 hands to use it.
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I found this awhile back and ordered a cable, have yet to test it.

http://www.raphnet-tech.com/products/gc_to_n64_adapter/

 
I got the chance to play an OUYA today.  And well, after playing the emulators/roms on it I cannot even justify getting the R5 anymore.  My wife agreed and she was all about me getting one.  The cost of an Ouya $100 and then nothing after that or a R5 which is $100 and then the price of games which can get into the hundreds for just 1 game.  I will be cancelling my pre-order.  It is unfortunate as it looks sweet but is not smart money wise ever and this is CHEAP ASS GAMER after all.

 
if you are going the ouya route why not just build a cheap pc?  that way you can use any emulator instead of just whatever is available on the ouya.  the retron is a different animal.  it plays the actual cartridges.  Some of us still enjoy playing the games we actually own.  I'd take a retron any day over an ouya.  then again I have hundreds of cartridge games so I'll actually likely make use of the retron.

 
I feel for you if you are using that craptastic Ouya controller. I have a softmodded Wii with emulators but I think a Retron 5 is more for the people that actually either held on to their games or they want nostalgia without having to buy a bunch of retro consoles. If you don't want to invest in retro games, I don't blame you. As we mentioned already, the retro game market is booming and a lot good games are becoming retarded expensive. If you don't want to buy games, then an emulator is your best route.

(But then again you spent $100 on a Ouya...)

 
I agree emulators and the retron 5 are not the same thing. truthfully I just want to be able to hook up the old games and play them without dealing with finding emulators and roms and such. not that I can't find those things I just don't want to be hassled with it. furthermore say I have a friend or two computer emulator co-op is terrible where as Retron 5  co-op would be amazing.

 
SaraAB said:
I have a top loader NES that I hook up to my CRT TV with F-connector and a simple, single A/V Cord. That seems to work well.

I also have a front loader NES, that I replaced the connector on. Even after the connector switch they still seem to be picky, but I find inserting a Game Genie then inserting the game makes it work very well. The game genie doesn't do anything unless you type in a code.

The games also have to be clean, as in open them up and remove ALL the dirt on the connector. Some of the game connectors are worn at this point which probably isn't helping. If you can't get it clean then its wear. Ideally the games are to be cleaned before inserting any of them into a NES with a new connector.

I think the games oxidoze over time as well, as I swear I cleaned every game I own to perfection before putting them into the drawer, but the dirt seems to have magically reappeared even after just sitting in a drawer and never being played...
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Have you guys tried this eraser method with any success? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEd_8XGHCWY

I sat there and watched this whole 24 minute video because I thought it was interesting. I haven't tried it yet, but I like the idea because I hate the smell of chemical cleaners.

 
SonictheHedgehog1337 said:
Have you guys tried this eraser method with any success? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEd_8XGHCWY

I sat there and watched this whole 24 minute video because I thought it was interesting. I haven't tried it yet, but I like the idea because I hate the smell of chemical cleaners.
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Yeah, I tried that method and it works fine. It's just a little more time consuming though. I bought this cleaning mix via some website a few years ago that had a clean/rinse cleaning liquid (custom made for NES cart cleaning of course) with some wipes and I got the custom bits that got me into the cartridges. After I got that, I I never had any trouble with my NES games working. I later did it with some of my Genesis/SNES games too.

 
Idk about you guys, but I've kept up with the Retron iterations over the years, and accounts and reviewed have been mixed to say the least. On the surface, it's an amazing product and concept. On the other, every iteration has seen large amounts of reports of certain ports in the device malfunctioning or just not working, period. In fact, the only glowing reviews are from people who had only owned it for a few weeks, while the long-term owners (more reliable, applicable, and informative) seem to have complaints of ultra fast wear and tear.

so that I say, thanks, early adopters (Guinea pigs)- I'll be waiting a year for your reports. Who's to say this model isn't made with the same cheap parts? It seems that the original consoles are still more reliable today than this retron.

Don't get me wrong - I want to have and love one of these so badly, but reality tells me to not front the money until true, heavy testing of the product takes place.
 
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tcleary said:
if you are going the ouya route why not just build a cheap pc? that way you can use any emulator instead of just whatever is available on the ouya. the retron is a different animal. it plays the actual cartridges. Some of us still enjoy playing the games we actually own. I'd take a retron any day over an ouya. then again I have hundreds of cartridge games so I'll actually likely make use of the retron.
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Actually you can kind of get the best of both worlds. A Retrode can be hooked up to an Ouya to play your actual game carts.

 
Retron is a different beast. Its not for the emulator crowd. If you have a ton of classic systems hooked up to CRT TV's you can finally put those away and use the Retron with your HDTV. Saving space as well with just one system rather than many. You can now play the same games you already owned and played previously on the original system.

If you want to play classics cheaply there are other ways. This is not for you.

 
For me, the convenience of having all the systems in one, with the original feel of the controller and cart is the biggest reason to buy this. You can't get that on a PC or Wii or any other recent device. You need the original controller in your hands. And the built in save-states, cheats, and HDMI support just seal the deal.

That's just why this system feels special/different to me at least.

 
Boss said:
Retron is a different beast. Its not for the emulator crowd. If you have a ton of classic systems hooked up to CRT TV's you can finally put those away and use the Retron with your HDTV. Saving space as well with just one system rather than many. You can now play the same games you already owned and played previously on the original system.

If you want to play classics cheaply there are other ways. This is not for you.
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This is why my wife is excited about the console. We have 8 consoles in my man cave and this thing will eliminate 6 of them and add a few more. We plan on buying an entertainment center or speaker stand with glass doors and use the other consoles as display pieces.

 
Not everyone wants to sit at a PC or have a handheld to play emulators.  It's not the same to me at all.  If I want to play old console games, I want it to be just as when I was a kid and teenager, on the couch with the original controllers.  Plus the legal aspect of roms and such too. 

 
Blumpkin said:
The Wii doesn't have an HD output. Sure, it might be easy to mod to run roms, but why bother if it looks like crap?
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I lol at this because are your 15-30 year old games in HD? Why would that even matter?

With that said, they run fine and the Wii emulators are actually really good. The only thing is softmodding your Wii which could be difficult for some people.

 
ssjChris said:
I lol at this because are your 15-30 year old games in HD? Why would that even matter?

With that said, they run fine and the Wii emulators are actually really good. The only thing is softmodding your Wii which could be difficult for some people.
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Well I think that is kind of one of the points of Retron 5...It allows you to play retro games on an HD TV and not look like crap. If you tried emulating off the Wii onto an HDTV, the picture would be awful.

 
Nax5 said:
If you tried emulating off the Wii onto an HDTV, the picture would be awful.
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This is true. If you want to go with official Nintendo-supported emulation, you're best bet is to purchase your retro games on the Wii U. Nintendo's emulators for the Virtual Console are quite good, and will upscale your games properly through HDMI on the Wii U. Going through a regular Wii you aren't going to get better than 480p. Even considering the quality of the emulators you still aren't going to be getting the best scaling.

For dealing with modern fixed-resolution displays, you need to be feeding in the proper resolution. Letting the screen handle the scaling is never the right way to go. This is part of the appeal of the RetroN5.

That said, an early poster pointed out that he would rather not re-purchase a bunch of cartridges. This is a valid point. For users who just want to play old games, something more along the lines of the OUYA or a PC might be the way to go. I don't think the RetroN5 is going to be for those who aren't already interested in collecting classic games. If all you want is to play the games, there are plenty of cheaper and even legal options. Classic game collecting is pricey.

The RetroN5 is an easy sell for me, because I've been collecting those games for years. In my case it adds utility and convenience to a hobby that I'm already invested in.

 
I thought I read somewhere they said that the RetroN 5 is meant to play cartridges games but in theory with its usb support that rom is a possibility too. It just that Hyperkin is not pushing it for legal reasons.

 
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Sizemore44 said:
This is why my wife is excited about the console. We have 8 consoles in my man cave and this thing will eliminate 6 of them and add a few more. We plan on buying an entertainment center or speaker stand with glass doors and use the other consoles as display pieces.
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What a great idea. I have 8 or 9 systems hooked up to a 30in tube HDTV. I was going to redo the whole thing with the retron5 coming with a LED TV and was going to put all consoles away. Might just get a glass tower from Ikea and display the ones that will be stored. Hmmm.....

 
Richard Kain said:
This is true. If you want to go with official Nintendo-supported emulation, you're best bet is to purchase your retro games on the Wii U. Nintendo's emulators for the Virtual Console are quite good, and will upscale your games properly through HDMI on the Wii U. Going through a regular Wii you aren't going to get better than 480p. Even considering the quality of the emulators you still aren't going to be getting the best scaling.

For dealing with modern fixed-resolution displays, you need to be feeding in the proper resolution. Letting the screen handle the scaling is never the right way to go. This is part of the appeal of the RetroN5.

That said, an early poster pointed out that he would rather not re-purchase a bunch of cartridges. This is a valid point. For users who just want to play old games, something more along the lines of the OUYA or a PC might be the way to go. I don't think the RetroN5 is going to be for those who aren't already interested in collecting classic games. If all you want is to play the games, there are plenty of cheaper and even legal options. Classic game collecting is pricey.

The RetroN5 is an easy sell for me, because I've been collecting those games for years. In my case it adds utility and convenience to a hobby that I'm already invested in.
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Same here. I have a ton of cartridges for all of my classic consoles. The only console supported by the Retron 5 that I cannot currently play with the use of my old systems is the Famicom, although I could if I purchased an adapter. (And yes, I do have a couple of Famicom games that I'd like to play)

I view the Retron 5 as an upgrade to using the original hardware because the original hardware doesn't display very well on HDTVs. Save states and internal Game Genie (I can't use my game genie on my top loader NES... I'd have to buy a very rare/stupid expensive adapter) are also huge pluses in my eyes.

 
You guys must of misunderstood on what I was getting at. I was referring to emulation through the Wii (via emulators through softmodding). Yes, it will always be 480p but it's not going to matter if you're running a retro game in 480p, 720p, 1080p, etc -- it will still look the same. The Wii for emulation works fine and displays games with no problem. The Ouya's emulators probably work with similar results.

Emulation aside, the Retron 5 is obviously the perfect choice for people that buy physical games. 

 
ssjChris said:
Yes, it will always be 480p but it's not going to matter if you're running a retro game in 480p, 720p, 1080p, etc -- it will still look the same. The Wii for emulation works fine and displays games with no problem. The Ouya's emulators probably work with similar results.
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Allowing the television you are displaying a signal on to handle the scaling for you results in graphical artifacts. It's like trying to blow a low-resolution JPEG up on a computer. You can do it, but you will start to see some of the compression artifacts. When you feed a 480p signal into a 1080p screen, this sort of graphical shenanigans is unavoidable.

Some of the highest quality of screens will have the necessary hardware to handle that scaling effectively, with minimal effect. But the majority of screens just don't bother. This is part of the reason why composite and older connections looks so crappy on HD screens.

The original Wii has component output, and I would strongly recommend it for anyone who has a Wii. But it still tops off at 480p, which is not optimal. You would be better off with an OUYA, which can output full 1080p via HDMI, and will handle all necessary scaling itself. (rather than letting the screen handle it) Most standard PCs and laptops would also be better options. The Wii is a fine system, but it is not high definition and was not designed to play well with HD screens. It's part of the reason why it's popularity tapered off as HD screens became more affordable.

The whole standard vs. High Definition issue is one that continues to trouble the industry. Back when the most recent console cycle started, HD screens were a lot less common and usually a lot smaller. Now 46" and up is becoming affordable, and more and more people are getting larger screens. The disparity in resolutions and rendering becomes a lot more obvious with larger screens.

 
ssjChris said:
You guys must of misunderstood on what I was getting at. I was referring to emulation through the Wii (via emulators through softmodding). Yes, it will always be 480p but it's not going to matter if you're running a retro game in 480p, 720p, 1080p, etc -- it will still look the same.
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You are wrong. There is a very noticeable difference in sharpness and color. Not to mention screen stretch for modern displays.

 
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