Tag Archives: hyperkin

Faulty connectors push Retron 5 game console into early 2014 launch

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Everyone who wants to snag Hyperkin's Retron 5 this holiday season may want to look elsewhere for now, because the retro gaming console won't arrive in time for Santa's visit. Unfortunately, Hyperkin scrubbed the (already delayed) December 10th launch date after discovering faulty cartridge connectors in units already packed for shipping. The Retron 5, which we took for a spin at E3 this year, magically combines compatibility with several ancient gaming system cartridges, including those for the NES, SNES, Sega Genesis (plus Master System with a converter) and Game Boy Advance. While we bet this news breaks a lot of retro gamers' hearts, we hope they don't throw out those vintage games just yet. Sure, it'll take time to ensure all units are in working order, but the firm aims to ship out the first consoles within the first quarter of 2014.

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Hyperkin Retron 5 combines ten consoles into one on December 10 for $99

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We love what the Hyperkin Retron 5 brings to the table, namely compatibility with ten classic gaming system cartridges: NES, Famicom, Super NES and Famicom, Sega Master System, Genesis and Mega Drive, and Game Boy original, Color and Advance. The problem is, Hyperkin's played coy about it's price and availability... until now. It'll be available on December 10th, and it'll be on sale in both Europe (for €89.99) and in the US ($99.99). And, it turns out that the Retron 5 that'll go on sale will have a few more tricks up its sleeve than the prototype we played with back at E3. The exterior's been modified to better cool the internal components, and it'll pack a Sega Power Base Converter that lets you play Sega's Master System games. So, now you can officially start carving out space in your entertainment center for the Retron 5 -- which shouldn't be difficult once you've cleared out all the elder consoles it replaces. Less is more, people.

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Hyperkin teases pixelated SNES-style USB / Bluetooth gamepads at E3 (hands-on)

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Hyperkin teases pixelated SNESstyle Bluetooth gamepad at E3 handson

Are the Super Nintendo gamepad's smoothly curved edges just too darn comfortable for your palms? You might want to check out Hyperkin's Pixel Art controller, an SNES-inspired USB controller rendered in the style of its time. Hyperkin quietly unveiled it on the E3 show floor, scattering boxed prototypes throughout its booth. Despite our jest, it's actually quite comfortable to hold and use, and feels very much like a brand new SNES pad.

Unfortunately for retro gaming die-hards, this gamepad won't actually work on your classic game console -- the SNES compatible version of the product was nixed when the team decided to make it a Bluetooth gamepad instead. A bummer for some, but the design is still a hoot. Hyperkin didn't have a price for us, but the pixel-obsessed should be able to pick up the USB model of the gamepad (in eight colors!) later this summer, followed by a wireless version in the fall.

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Hands-on with Hyperkin’s Retron 5: emulating nine classic consoles with help from Android

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Hands-on with Hyperkin's Retron 5: emulating nine classic consoles with help from Android

This year's Electronic Entertainment Expo might be all about the next generation of gaming hardware, but not in Hyperkin's E3 booth: these guys are looking backwards. We dropped by to check out the Retron 5, the outfit's latest machine to traverse the library of older gaming titles. All told, this iteration strolls through half a dozen hardware cycles, offering compatibility for a full nine video game systems. It's more than a simple hardware emulator, however -- this machine offers save states, cheats and visual filters too.

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Hyperkin Retron 5 plays the cartridges of nine classic consoles (video)

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Hyperkin Retron 5 plays cartridges from nine classic consoles

Hyperkin has developed a reputation for modern takes on legendary game consoles that are often better than the real thing. If true, its just-unveiled Retron 5 is a nostalgia singularity. The hardware emulator can use its namesake five cartridge slots to play original games from no less than nine vintage consoles, including the Genesis (Megadrive), NES (Famicom), SNES (Super Famicom) and GameBoys from the original through to the GameBoy Advance. It keeps going: there's a custom Bluetooth controller that can handle every system, mix-and-match original controller support, save states and upscaling for both video (to 720p, through HDMI) as well as audio. While we'll have to see just how well the Retron 5 works whenever it exists as more than a conceptual graphic, that opportunity may come quickly when Hyperkin is tentatively shooting for a July release at less than $100. About all that's left for a follow-up Retron are Jaguar and Turbografx 16 slots -- pretty please?

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Hyperkin RetroN 5 Console Announced, Skipping RetroN 4

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If you recall, a few weeks back, we mentioned that Hyperkin was working on an update to their popular retro multi-console, the RetroN. Well, today, they officially showed off the console, and it’s been renamed the RetroN 5, since it has five cartridge slots.

hyperkin retron5

Hyperkin Retro N 5 rendering

Announced at this weekend’s Midwest Gaming Classic, the RetroN 5 made an appearance as both a rendering (shown above), and as a shiny red prototype console, still bearing the RetroN 4 badge, and without the promised GBA slot.

retron4 1

Hyperkin Retro N 4 prototype

The five-slotted console will be able to play original cartridges from the NES, SNES, Genesis, Famicom, Super Famicom, Mega Drive, Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Color and Game Boy. In addition, it will offer an HDMI output for playing games on today’s HDTVs, and a special video enhancement circuit to ensure high quality playback at resolutions up to 720p.

The RetroN 5 will also offer technology to improve the audio quality compared to what you’re used to hearing from emulators, with the ability to increase playback frequency if you so choose. While you can play games using the original controllers from the various retro systems, the RetroN 5 will ship with a Bluetooth wireless controller(s?), complete with a lovely clicky microswitch D-Pad.

retron4 controller

Hyperkin Retro N 4 prototype wireless controller

Hyperkin has also suggested that you’ll be able to use controllers from different systems on each other’s games. For instance, you could play an NES game with a Genesis controller. The system will also have its own custom interface, which will provide the ability to save states, map buttons, and tweak gameplay speed by “overclocking” the game systems. You’ll also be able to assign settings to macro keys on the sides of the controller for easy access. While the menu UI I saw was clearly in the early stages of development, it was already accessible on the prototype system.

retron5 proto interface

‘ Hyperkin RetroN 5 Prototype UI

Hyperkin hasn’t revealed the pricing or an exact release date for the RetroN 5, but they’re hoping to release the system this July – though they were clear they want to give their development team enough time to put a shiny coat of polish on the finished product, so that date isn’t carved in stone.

Here’s video from today’s announcement for more details on the system.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Hyperkin RetroN 4 to Play Original NES, SNES, Genesis, and GBA Carts via HDMI

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Fans of classic gaming systems will be happy to hear that HyperKin is working on their latest retro console, and this one has a couple of new tricks up its nonexistent sleeves.

hyperkin retron 4a

The latest system, dubbed the RetroN 4, leverages today’s technologies to bring improvements to retro gaming. Like the RetroN 3 before it, the new console can play NES, SNES and Genesis cartridges, but can also play Game Boy Advance carts too. It can also handle both NTSC and PAL formats. But the big upgrades come in the form of Bluetooth wireless controllers, and an HDMI output for use on today’s HDTVs.

In addition, the new console will sport an interface called “Perdana,” which is expected to provide capabilities like button reassignment and “other features” to be announced. Personally, I’m hoping for some sort of ability to save game states or run cheat modes, but those aren’t confirmed.

The RetroN 4 is expected to be revealed at the Midwest Gaming Classic in Brookfield, Wisconsin on Saturday, March 23 at 11:00am Central.

[Midwest Gaming Classic via Wired]

Game Genie Coming to PS3: The Cheat Is on

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A while back we told you about the return of the Game Genie for Nintendo DS devices, but now the Game Genie is coming for those of us who use the PS3. As I said back then, many of today’s games just aren’t very hard compared to way back when, but if you do want lots of ways to cheat on your PS3 games, you will soon be in luck.

game genie ps3
Hyperkin’s new PS3 Game Genie will arrive as a USB drive and will allow you to do all kinds of saved game editing. Just transfer saved games to the Game Genie USB, plug the USB into a computer, use the built-in software to write cheats onto your save, and then plug it back into your PS3.

That’s not exactly convenient, but at least you can beat that boss now and have infinite lives. The Game Genie for PS3 will break cover at E3 next week, with an expected release in early July.

[via Kotaku]