The RetroN 4 Gaming Console
The miracles of technology have, in the last few decades, brought us the amazing development of home gaming systems. Subsequently, every few years has seen our beloved systems replaced by a newer and better generation. Still, some of us love and cherish those games of old, even if our original systems did not weather the test of time.
Some choose to go out and hunt down the old systems, either paying way too much to buy refurbished consoles from specialty markets or trying their hands at fixing them up on their own. Luckily for those of us with little money and even less electronics skills, one company decided to take the footwork out of the equation.
The folks at Hyperkin decided to put together a combo-retro gaming system that allows people to play many of their old console games. It’s called the RetroN and it’s now about ready to move into its fourth incarnation. The same company, if you’re in the market, also sells a wide variety of retro-gaming accessories and equipment at their web site.
So what exactly can you do with this fine piece of equipment? Well, the RetroN 4 will allow people to play original NES games, SNES games, Sega Genesis games (my personal favorite), as well as games from the Game Boy Advance. The only great loss to this, in my opinion, would be the Sega Dreamcast, but then again the Dreamcast never received enough love in its too-short life.
The RetroN 4 is, of course, the next stage of the RetroN project, so it does more than its predecessor. Additions to the new console, aside from the GBA compatibility, include HDMI hook-ups, a Bluetooth controller usable with all the systems and a customized user interface that lets you remap your buttons for each game and control the console from afar.
There may be more too it as well, since the final product is still under wraps. Currently, Hyperkin plans on showing off their new baby at the Midwest Gaming Classic, come March 23. What’s more, the RetroN 3 sells for around $50, which is way less than I remember paying for my old Nintendo more than 20 years ago. Likely the fourth incarnation won’t be too much more.
Finally, there are others out there that don’t believe that just because it’s old technology that it’s bad technology and those people are willing to put together something like the RetroN so that the rest of us can relive our childhood without having to cruise the antique shops.
RetroN 3 photo courtesy of gdgt.com