What i love about this show more than almost anything is that when Metal Jesus features a guest host he lets them speak their minds and is always so respectful.
This was actually one of the first things I noticed and made me subscribe to the channel. He doesn't attempt to talk over people and really allows his guests knowledge shine through his channel. Fantastic work:)
Drugs are addictive please dont make comments like this i suffer a real heroin addiction and i suffer every day with my family and friends because of that
I wish she had an active youtube channel. I mean she has a channel but the last video was like a year ago, she only really appears on this channel. I like listening to her a lot, she knows her shit too.
Metal Jesus seems laid back, he appreciates retro titles like me. I’m 37 and I still have retro gaming go on in my man cave with friends I’ve had since first grade. Thanks for these awesome videos.
Absolutely! Rom hacks and translation patches are two of the best things about retro system emulation. I use them all the time on my modded Wii U in Retroarch and the Wii suite of emulators. They're great fun, especially when played with the official re-release of the SNES controller.
It's pretty decent, aside from the lag, poor controllers, stolen emulators, non-working homebrew and flashcarts, incompatibility with many NES and Famicom accessories, including an FDS, cheap built quality which often breaks, "load times" on cartridges (makes it feel like a cool CD system! ), and poor Android emulation. Aside from that it's cool! ;) Joking btw... But honestly why not stick with original 100% accurate game consoles?
I love the "after the buzz" reviews. They let me know if the device is going to hold up for me. As an N64 fan, I've considered getting one of these as an easy way to start expanding my collection out to other systems.
On my previous trip to Japan I picked up a Retro Freak. Well worth the money. It has a few distinct advantages over the Retron 5 IMO. 1. Can backup cartridge data INCLUDING SAVES 2. Games & Saves can be backed up to internal memory OR optional SD Card. 3.The addition of PC Engine,Turbo Grafx 16 & Super Grafx. systems 4. Cartridge slots detach (making it a more portable machine) 5. USB Controller adapter works with the Retro Freak & PC (to use original console controllers.) 6. Additionally you can use a USB/PS3/PS4 controller you probably already have. (better quality than included controller(s)
I got my retron 5 from Kelsey's store, Pink Gorilla in Seattle. I'm glad I had the opportunity to support her business and get a great retro console at the same time win win! .
Keep these types of videos coming! This was super useful. I wholeheartedly agree that the initial purchase of items can blind us with excitement, it's only after that thrill has worn off that we can truly get a more reasonable perspective.
I think that if Nintendo ever did that, it would only play consoles that have cartridges, because discs would take up space, maybe the gamecube though lol
Not so fast. I know that you're excited. I sure was when I wanted to buy mine but it is fraught with problems. Don't throw your money on this thing until you read about some reviews. Mine keeps on freaking restarting for no apparent reason. I know that there's got to be some solution PROBABLY but I don't know what the hell it is. So just take that into account
I would compare to a Retro-Bit system before buying one of these. They are true hardware clones and don't use emulation but you lose native HDMI but still get S-video and composite video so adapting it to HD will look better and not worse.
It's a piece of crap. Dont waste your money. It's cheap for a reason - the build quality is shite, they frequently break down, it has compatibility issues with certain games that flat out don't work, and it has emulation inaccuracies. It's also incompatible with flash cartridges.
I have a retron 3 and I love it I haven't run into any major issues yet and the controllers are much better than the retron 5 for some reason, they're just like the originals
+John Riggs: RIGG'd Games Hey John. A few weeks ago I gave you constructive critisism on your Castlevania 3 Open Cart Surgery video wondering why you'd not wait to make the video until you had your security bit to open the game. I believe you banned me from your channel since I can no longer see my comments on your videos/streams. Please tell me why you banned me if you did. Thanks.
I bought a Retron 5 in October of the year it came out and have used it at least once a week since. It lets me chill out and play retro upstairs on the HDTV and keep all my vintage consoles downstairs. Still works great, every slot is working awesome, and I even got a more recent emulation system, and I noticed the GBA and SNES games actually play quite a bit better and more authentic on the Retron 5 than this newer emulation system. The Retron 5 got a bad rap and is really underrated.
"If they can make it a little more expensive and up the quality a little bit more", that option pretty much exists already with the Retro Freak. Works exactly the same way the Retron 5 does with seemingly more quality control, a sturdier build, a better stock controller, ability to use straight roms without having to use a patch work-around (which also means better support for homebrew), but is more expensive with not just initial cost but having to buy the bundle with the controller port adapter if you want that too.
One thing I feel like you guys didn't mention on the negative, was that it doesn't play light gun games. It is kind of obvious since it outputs HDMI, but some people might not know how light gun games work.
it's 2019 and i like what you are doing with this video . was considering buying a Retron5 here in the EU but now i am sure.. i need one for my own recordings .. it saves a lot of hassle and i will be able to record more games since i don't need to get a rf to digital conversion kit now
These honest reviews after owning the console for a while are something I definitely appreciate. it helps me decide what the absolute value of a purchase would be over time!
"and it's Legal" That's debatable. when that system was launched it was discovered that it had stolen code from a Noncommercial emulator or 2 from Libretro. No it's not illegal to play games using this device, but it was illegal for Hyperkin to use the code that they used.
Finding a PS1/N64 is way easier than finding a NES for example as NES consoles are mostly faulty nowadays and the Retron 5 allows you to play NES carts without dealing with faulty hardware.
I would kill for an NEC console version of this that plays HuCards or anything later than TG16/PCE. I've been loving some titles from those consoles lately. Or a CD format version like a Saturn playing Retron.
Idk, if it's emulation I would just as soon use a retro pie. The whole point of owning the games and materials is to play them like they used to be played
While the framemeister isn't being produced any more, Micomsoft has said they'll have enough supply for the next year or two. Also if you buy it from the official source, Solaris Japan, it hasn't gone up in price at all.
There is also the OSSC which is cheaper than the Framemeister and gets great support from the community. I got a FM but would like an OSSC as an alternative. The only possible downside I've heard regarding the OSSC is that it's not quite as user friendly as the FM, but I hear it produces great results. :)
They both have their pros and cons. The Framemeister will take Composite, S-Video, Component and RGB, but the OSSC will only take RGB and Component. The OSSC adds no lag, and the Framemeister adds about a frame. The OSSC has better colors, but the Framemeister is a better de-interlacer. Compatibility is improving with the OSSC too so that's good. The OSSC with psu, and remote is like 190 bucks, the framemeister is like 300. Not huge jumps from the cost of a Retron 5.
ShinJohnpv Thanks for the tips, I'd heard it was a lag free option of the two. Do you own both? Yeah I'm definitely thinking of picking up an OSSC in the future. The fact that it works with RGB is perfect for me as most of my systems output RGB, the only one that doesn't is me Famicom AV. I get it modded one day :)
Carn the Framemeister is a great bit of kit :). I've you downloaded the custom profiles by FirebrandX. They're really great and take the hassle out of setting up settings for each system.
I have never heard about this console. Now i feel like I miss a lot in my life. For what it can do, I don't think it is too expensive on ebay. I will buy one as soon as i can afford it. Also, with all the Chinese made game cartridges that have sd card slot for our roms. This console is gold. Thank you very much.
It's a bad emulation box with cart slots. I know people love playing their original carts but there's so many better options to actually play the games if you're going to go the emulation route.
I wasn't aware it was by emulation. Now I know why it's so cheap because you can get a modded Xbox with hundreds of games built in for that price. But it is neat that it can take cartridges.
I'm glad to hear that your controller was crap as well. Mine worked great at first, then shortly thereafter wouldn't respond to all button presses or directional movements until it was "warmed up" for awhile. Ended up buying extensions for my original controllers and ditched the pack in. Thought it was just mine. Thanks for the video!
Nice summary of it's strengths and weaknesses. I ended up getting a Retrofreak and selling off my Retron 5. They both do essentially the same thing, but it is nice to dump my carts and carry something small when I visit family.
It's always helpful to see how hardware has held up over time and the opinion of someone who's had it for sometime. I wanted one when it first came out but never pulled the trigger on it but I will soon!
Well, after a ton of research, I finally figured out what the game at 2:40 is (with the plane & bombs).... it's a "homebrew" for Sega Genesis called Bomb on Basic City. It was just put out in like 2016...quite the swerve here with this video that's supposed to be showing us how to play old favorites, via another mechanism. Hope I could help those trying to figure this riddle out.
These types of reviews are awesome, there are so many people that offer reviews of 'New' items but the review is usually done within a couple days of having the product, sometimes inside a few hours and like you mention you can not get a proper sense of everything inside this time. I would love to see more of these reviews as someone like myself that has always been unsure of these items gets to see how they stand up to continual use, Thanks, man!!
I much prefer rereviews cause you have less bias.. Much love for this video and please do more like this. Not enough people make 1 year later type reviews.
If you're going to emulate then you might as well just use ROMS and buy a USB retro controller for your PC or raspberry PI. Also this is not legal. I'm almost certain Retron-5 does not have the licenses to sell the open source software which emulates a lot of the games.
Depending on the open source license, it's perfectly legal to install it somewhere and sell it. If Hyperkin changes that software and doesn't publish the source of those changes, then that certainly would go against the spirit of most of the licenses and would be illegal for many of them. Distributing ROM files of games, however, is generally illegal--especially if the site offering downloads tries to sell ads as well. And ROM files aren't always available for everything. I was looking for something the other day and couldn't find it, but a cartridge was available cheaply on eBay.
What makes it perfectly legal is the fact that you have to have the games. You’ve already bought the games so you can play them how you want. Are you only allowed to play VHS, DVDs or Blu Ray on a Sony product?
which bit isn't legal? I meant emulation itself is legal, but hyperkin stole libretro's code which definitely isn't legal. why do you assume I'm a noob? I'm 37, been gaming since the 90s!. no need to go on the offensive, why don't you attempt to educate me instead of insulting me?
"It's was stolen"...implies something was taken without permission. But you can't steal something that is being given out and licensed for free. This is just as legal as any other emulator. Either way, it's not your place to police the internet.
One thing I like about the Retron 5 is that it has firmware updates from time to time. One update added different color options to the Gameboy games. You have default Gameboy Color, default Gameboy Advance, and default Super Gameboy pallets as well as others you can choose from. I'm pretty happy with it overall.
Great video! Awesome topic. Everybody reviews as new for the most part, never going back reviewing durability over time. I would watch these videos as much as new review videos. Thanks Metal Jesus and Kelsey! Much appreciated!
I'd try to find a cheap original NES "toaster" that looks good (working or not, as long as it turns on) and just get a Blinking Light Win replacement loading tray/pin connector (www.arcadeworks.net/blw). Super easy to install - only screws, no wiring or soldering.
Kendall Seabury my retron has bent snes pins...but still plays snes....but nothing else works even though the pins are perfect in the nes, famicom, and sega slots!
Order the Cybergadget NES adapter for the Retrofreak ($20 on Amazon Japan, or on eBay for a little more) and play NES games in the Famicom slot :) It's a great adapter, and you can even leave it plugged in all the time and the RetroN 5 will ignore it unless there's a game inserted. I would have done that from the beginning if I'd thought of it, since it's much easier to insert and remove NES games from the adapter.
I love your content, man. Your video quality is second to none. You clearly put a fuck ton of time into editing and preparation. Love it. Definitely one of the few patreons worthy of donations.
Awesome video Metal Jesus, thank you! The problem that some of us retron5 owners have, is that some slots stop working. For instance my Super Nintendo slot stopped recognizing any cartridges, which is really annoying.
Can you still buy one or are they developing it's successor? I never bought one due to the $60 price hike right before launch and all the outrage around the pins.
Thanks, i was looking at it for the Turbo graphics...as far as i know its the only "clone console" that will play turbo graphics and pc engine games...AND the ability to save the ROMs to the SD card
Matt Weatherly I own a RetroFreak too and its a more capable console. The console feel a bit cheap but the retron have the same issues. You can do much more with a RetroFreak
I'm just glad companies are still making consoles that can play multiple retro game systems in HD. I'll have to research them all and pick out the best. Thanks for the video!
The Retron 5 wasn't worth it the day it came out let alone today. It won't play repros and it won't play flash carts. So unless you want to spend tens of thousands of dollars to have every game on every system this thing plays (and have the space to display it all), you're going to have a small library. The only reason it works for Metal Jesus and Kelsey is because they both have huge libraries of games for all the systems it plays (and possibly EVERY game for all the systems). A much better buy is the Retro Bit Super Retro Trio. It plays all the original cartridges, it plays repros and it plays flash carts. You can get adapters so it can play all of the games the Retron 5 plays, or, you can get full libraries of games for all the systems on flash carts. The only downside is it's not HD but it still looks great on my HD TV with just the composite cables. I almost bought one of these when it first came out and I am so glad I didn't. Get the Retro Bit Super Retro Trio instead, it's a much, much, much better console..
Why has nobody mentioned the CRIPPLING input lag on the retron 5? I noticed it right away and there seems to be no fix...that in itself makes it a no go.
I was wondering the very same thing. The lag on the original Super Mario Bros. was so bad that I had to stop playing before I had even reached the end of the first level. On the same TV I had no lag whatsoever playing the very same cartridge on my original NES, so it's not a problem with the TV - it's definitely the Retron5 itself.
supersonics5000 of course. Even with my benq monitor, the same one used for professional Esports competitions for having the least lag, still the retron has unusable lag. It's pretty well documented at this point, and when someone reviews the console and doesn't mention it, they're leaving it out on purpose
I have danced around the Retron 5 for all the time it's been out. I own the three Retron HD consoles they put out, and what sucks is that only after I purchased the third one (SupaRetron HD), Hyperkin announces that they will be releasing an updated special edition of the Retron 5 called the 'Hyper Beach' edition. This version not only sports a sick 80's neon paint job, it will also come with one of their awesome Scout controllers in addition to the original garbage wireless all-controller. Needless to say, this is where I may finally hop onto the Retron 5 train. One thing that was talked about in this video that I'm hoping is part of the update is that they've implemented their new 'pin perfect' hardware into it to rectify the original's death grip issue.
Nothing wrong with admiring her beauty. Any human being not attracted to her has something wrong with them. Her cuteness defies all reason and logic it’s just not fair
I think the initial idea of this video was well intended BUT the fact that Kelsey sells these is only mentioned past the middle of the video. It's also not mentioned in the description. I've been following this channel for enough time to know there is no ill will here, but a lot of people could interpret this as deceitful. Be careful. You mention that because the ROM is dumped but not saved that makes it 100% legal. Could you cite sources? I have never heard that before. There are several arguments that prevent me from supporting this product: 1) Playing original carts. All physical games will deteriorate and fail eventually. It's just a matter of time. If you use them on a daily basis you're accelerating that process. That's why ROMs are a beneficial tool in assisting the in the preservation of these games. That "tight grip" you mention is not helping either. If you value your carts, don't use this device often or at all. 2) While it may be illegal to play ROMs of games you don't own in some areas, the final decision to play them or not is up to the user. The Retron is effectively dumping a ROM and then emulating it for you to play, so it's the same as playing a ROM on another emulation device (computer, raspberry pi, android, etc) for a game that you own, regardless of legality. 3) Using original controllers is essential to the experience, but there are alternatives to that. You can use USB adapters or USB versions of the controllers which are available pretty much everywhere. 4) Price. There are a lot of comparable alternatives for the price that are of much better quality. The obvious one being the Raspberry Pi + USB controllers. 5) There's nothing this device does that can't be done on another solution for the same price or less. That includes translations, patches, save states, filters, controllers, color palettes, etc. Furthermore, those other solutions offer a lot more options in regards to optimization, variety of emulators, quality of emulation. Also you don't have any of the problems associated with physical media like broken or dirty contacts on the carts. 6) Legality of the code used in the console. Hyperkin is notorious for using software that is not licensed for commercial use. 7) The quality of the hardware is questionable at best, take the included controller for example. 8) Not practical enough. I know many people are scared of the Raspberry Pi but it literally takes 5 minutes to read through a very brief setup tutorial. You download an image with the OS and all necessary software (LEGALLY), copy it to an SD card, run a guided first-time setup, and you're done. Finally, I sincerely hope you stop promoting this product. There's a reason that a lot of people have very strong feelings about it, and it's not because they are "purists", it's because they noticed stuff like I've mentioned on this long winded comment.
So how long does it take for these old carts to stop working? Out of genuine interest because I would like to buy some original Megadrive games. Obviously they don't last forever. You would probably get more entertainment from a baked clay Sumerian tablet of poetry in a thousand years. But how long are they supposed to last?
Don't support Hyperkin!!!!! They just took free emulators and slapped them into into a cheap case Seriously people make good retro 3rd party consoles that are actual hardware and not just faulty emulators
There are products that are actual hardware and not emulation. It's not even about the hardware vs emulation. They literally got involved in a lawsuit for stealing retroarc and selling it as this packaging. It's shit and faulty as fuck and is even known to rip pins out of cartridges and wipe them if it corrupts while trying to rip the rom from the cartridges. It doesn't play your cartridges it rips the data off them to run it as a rom. The retrotrio is a much better option and cheaper and doesn't run as an emulator and plays the actual cartridges.
@@TheNinjabunnyfufu I didn't follow this lawsuit, but I do own one. I'd be surprised if they didn't just use the defense of saying that they're selling the patented hardware and including the "free" emulation software (if properly credited), at no additional cost :-)
First of all nobody is bitching. If you got a console without these issues good for you. It's a well known issue. When you pay $150 for the console. You expect it to last for more then a few play throughs.
Haha. I'm telling people to stay away based on the build quality. That's MY experience and others as well. He's asking people for their opinion and so i'm giving it. You have a different experience and i'm happy for you.
@4k Films: The point is the Retron 5 is $140 and it shouldn't fall apart after just 5 uses, you might be willing to bend over and just take it up the butt but most people with a brain expect a certain level of quality at that price range and not have to deal with the hassle of returning it. Most of what Hyperkin and Retro-bit make are junk, why should someone be out more money on parts on a new item?, and why are you being defensive over someone warning others about a junk system?. @gonzo90017: I strongly recommend getting the RetroFreak instead, the plastic seems a little better, can dump your games or copy ROM's to a Micro SD card plus do all what the Retron 5 can, plays more systems than the Retron 5 and the cartridge base can be removed to make it even smaller.
$150 for 5 uses gives them the god damn right to bitch. Dont be an apologist, especially not for this thieving company. Like having to buy a broken unit, that may have the same issues, is a solution. Sounds like the words of a child with a bank of mommy account.
Good vid and its good to know you used it a lot to get a good feel for it. That means quite a bit to those who are inquiring about a device they're curious about. Cheers
I'm currently thinking of buying a console for NES, the timing for this was great! I'm getting back into the games of my youth and trying to get into streaming. This answered a bunch of questions!
The retron is a cheap android device running stolen emulators. You can get the same thing from a 5 year old cell phone with hdmi out. It has all of the drawbacks of emulation with none of the benefits.
What i love about this show more than almost anything is that when Metal Jesus features a guest host he lets them speak their minds and is always so respectful.
She’s not really a guest
Totally agree! You've wrote 100% of my thoughts
Agreed seems like a good person
This was actually one of the first things I noticed and made me subscribe to the channel. He doesn't attempt to talk over people and really allows his guests knowledge shine through his channel. Fantastic work:)
Metal jesus isn't a know it all either, doesn't yell, moves his hands all crazy and seems like a genuinely likable guy.
She's so beautiful and so feminine i think that if she shaved that beard i'd marry her for sure.
Ivan Lopez most valuable comment
Yes....YES....XD
😅😅😅
Definitely looks better than that fat chick in the bowser dress he had for the gamecube video
@steve pitman Surely if you defend all those women you like watching on TH-cam they might sleep with you :D
Metal Jesus should be called Sweet Jesus instead hes got such a friendly tone to his voice.
Jesus was born a nerd and will leave a nerd
I wouldn’t want to see his intro
MJR, you and Kelsey are SO damn addicting to us old-school gamers! I was up till 4AM watching your vids!
*addictive
Drugs are addictive please dont make comments like this i suffer a real heroin addiction and i suffer every day with my family and friends because of that
Lmaaaaaaaao
Yup. I’ve been watching them yesterday and all day today. It’s 9:15pm right now. Lol
I wish she had an active youtube channel. I mean she has a channel but the last video was like a year ago, she only really appears on this channel. I like listening to her a lot, she knows her shit too.
Metal Jesus seems laid back, he appreciates retro titles like me. I’m 37 and I still have retro gaming go on in my man cave with friends I’ve had since first grade. Thanks for these awesome videos.
Being able to use Translations patches is a good selling point for this system.
Yep. Playing Final Fantasy III on the Famicom and Tales of Phantasia on the Super Famicom is awesome!
Absolutely! Rom hacks and translation patches are two of the best things about retro system emulation. I use them all the time on my modded Wii U in Retroarch and the Wii suite of emulators. They're great fun, especially when played with the official re-release of the SNES controller.
I heard certain games don't work, like Kirby super star on SNES.
Cristian Arreola NBA Jam tournament edition for the Super froze up my Retron every time, but so far everything else was alright.
It's very easy to patch a rom for use on a non-emulator / real consoles as well. I.E. Everdrives.
It's pretty cool. It feels cheap when you hold it. But it's great for capturing footage for retro games and I like the gameboy games.
Radical Reggie only major fault for me is the controller. It feels clock and cheap.
Jedidiah Young yeah, I have no idea why they thought it was a good idea, it I heard from a former employee that they go for the cheapest of cheap.
It's pretty decent, aside from the lag, poor controllers, stolen emulators, non-working homebrew and flashcarts, incompatibility with many NES and Famicom accessories, including an FDS, cheap built quality which often breaks, "load times" on cartridges (makes it feel like a cool CD system! ), and poor Android emulation.
Aside from that it's cool! ;)
Joking btw...
But honestly why not stick with original 100% accurate game consoles?
They mentioned something about 3d GBA games. The video you guys were talking about making during the GBA hidden gems confirmed?
Radical Reggie retro freak is better
I love the "after the buzz" reviews. They let me know if the device is going to hold up for me. As an N64 fan, I've considered getting one of these as an easy way to start expanding my collection out to other systems.
Most classic systems were weighted down by major RF shielding because the FCC was hardcore about that during the 70's/80's.
Fascinating. Thanks for sharing. 👍
Can you two do an updated video in 2022? I just bought a Retron 5. Great video though.
On my previous trip to Japan I picked up a Retro Freak. Well worth the money. It has a few distinct advantages over the Retron 5 IMO. 1. Can backup cartridge data INCLUDING SAVES 2. Games & Saves can be backed up to internal memory OR optional SD Card. 3.The addition of PC Engine,Turbo Grafx 16 & Super Grafx. systems 4. Cartridge slots detach (making it a more portable machine) 5. USB Controller adapter works with the Retro Freak & PC (to use original console controllers.) 6. Additionally you can use a USB/PS3/PS4 controller you probably already have. (better quality than included controller(s)
agreed I got one and its really cool to be able to use ps controllers on it, loaded all my games onto an sd card and have around 1800 preloaded now!
Sadly it seems #MetalJesusRocks never looked at this comment. too bad I would love to see what he has to say about it.
@MetalJesusRocks
Thanks for your comment, I think now I’ll buy the Retro Freak as after doing research it seems the better choice. Thanks again!
Nosh Abroad . Probably because of the illegal nature as demonstrated by a commenter in the thread.
I got my retron 5 from Kelsey's store, Pink Gorilla in Seattle. I'm glad I had the opportunity to support her business and get a great retro console at the same time win win! .
Malt Liquor Reviews Id agree with him having sex with Kelsey but not having sex with shit that's very disgusting you weird man
Fucks sake Malt
This man is going to be horrified when he returns to see what replies he's gotten on his comment.
STALKER
omg she's gonna see this and totally fall in love with you!!!!
Keep these types of videos coming! This was super useful. I wholeheartedly agree that the initial purchase of items can blind us with excitement, it's only after that thrill has worn off that we can truly get a more reasonable perspective.
They need to make an all Nintendo console. NES, SNES, N64, etc all in one.
Hell fuck yes. NES, SNES, the 500 Game Boy systems, GameCube, N64, Wii, Wii U, switch....even VIRTUAL BOY
They did its called a pc
I think that if Nintendo ever did that, it would only play consoles that have cartridges, because discs would take up space, maybe the gamecube though lol
It's called a switch
@@lloydtshare ....which accepts the authentic time-period cartridge of each. Thought that was pretty obvious after watching this video.
I watched two minutes before I was convinced that I need one of these. I only needed to hear the amount of systems it plays and that it's HD.
Not so fast. I know that you're excited. I sure was when I wanted to buy mine but it is fraught with problems. Don't throw your money on this thing until you read about some reviews. Mine keeps on freaking restarting for no apparent reason. I know that there's got to be some solution PROBABLY but I don't know what the hell it is. So just take that into account
I would compare to a Retro-Bit system before buying one of these. They are true hardware clones and don't use emulation but you lose native HDMI but still get S-video and composite video so adapting it to HD will look better and not worse.
@Anon Nimus you thief
It's a piece of crap. Dont waste your money. It's cheap for a reason - the build quality is shite, they frequently break down, it has compatibility issues with certain games that flat out don't work, and it has emulation inaccuracies. It's also incompatible with flash cartridges.
I have a retron 3 and I love it I haven't run into any major issues yet and the controllers are much better than the retron 5 for some reason, they're just like the originals
Always love seeing Kelsey on a Metal Jesus Rocks video, keep up the great job you two!
Kaiser499 I could watch Kelsey all day. So knowledgeable and nice to look at.
Homebrew games depend on what mapper they use. Haunted Halloween uses a different type, but the pokemon hack was probably TLROM.
John Riggs: RIGG'd Games Riggs!!
+John Riggs: RIGG'd Games Hey John. A few weeks ago I gave you constructive critisism on your Castlevania 3 Open Cart Surgery video wondering why you'd not wait to make the video until you had your security bit to open the game. I believe you banned me from your channel since I can no longer see my comments on your videos/streams. Please tell me why you banned me if you did. Thanks.
ditc210 Fuck You! That's all.
I get it, if these games use custom mappers not supported by the emulator = outta luck
the best purchase I've made in years was my Retron5 - one unit connected to HD, soooo crisp
I bought a Retron 5 in October of the year it came out and have used it at least once a week since. It lets me chill out and play retro upstairs on the HDTV and keep all my vintage consoles downstairs. Still works great, every slot is working awesome, and I even got a more recent emulation system, and I noticed the GBA and SNES games actually play quite a bit better and more authentic on the Retron 5 than this newer emulation system. The Retron 5 got a bad rap and is really underrated.
"If they can make it a little more expensive and up the quality a little bit more", that option pretty much exists already with the Retro Freak. Works exactly the same way the Retron 5 does with seemingly more quality control, a sturdier build, a better stock controller, ability to use straight roms without having to use a patch work-around (which also means better support for homebrew), but is more expensive with not just initial cost but having to buy the bundle with the controller port adapter if you want that too.
You can also detach the cart slots and have it take up far less space under your TV.
One thing I feel like you guys didn't mention on the negative, was that it doesn't play light gun games. It is kind of obvious since it outputs HDMI, but some people might not know how light gun games work.
You should make a Sega Genesis buying guide and a SNES buying guide, as I dont think you have videos on it...
original genesis are known to die
nobody special thats why you buy a retro con
joe noone right on !
He did a SNES guide, but yeah I agree, he really needs to make a Genesis guide.
it's 2019 and i like what you are doing with this video . was considering buying a Retron5 here in the EU but now i am sure.. i need one for my own recordings .. it saves a lot of hassle and i will be able to record more games since i don't need to get a rf to digital conversion kit now
These honest reviews after owning the console for a while are something I definitely appreciate. it helps me decide what the absolute value of a purchase would be over time!
I rent a room to a friend and he has one of these... Ive never even asked about it... watched this vid... and we are firing it up after work!
cool story bro
Goddamn right
I use the SNES controller for all my games. :) Saves plugging in too many. :)
I've always had questions about this system but this clenched it for me. I'm buying one for sure
"and it's Legal"
That's debatable. when that system was launched it was discovered that it had stolen code from a Noncommercial emulator or 2 from Libretro. No it's not illegal to play games using this device, but it was illegal for Hyperkin to use the code that they used.
I love the Retron 5. Kind of wishing for a Saturn/N64/PS1 version but I'm sure that would be too expensive to produce.
Finding a PS1/N64 is way easier than finding a NES for example as NES consoles are mostly faulty nowadays and the Retron 5 allows you to play NES carts without dealing with faulty hardware.
only saturn because ps1 can be played alot already and N64 is hard to emulate
Check out the Polymega.
@@Princescyther yea release date 12/2040
I would kill for an NEC console version of this that plays HuCards or anything later than TG16/PCE. I've been loving some titles from those consoles lately. Or a CD format version like a Saturn playing Retron.
Idk, if it's emulation I would just as soon use a retro pie. The whole point of owning the games and materials is to play them like they used to be played
Unless youd prefer on have 8 systems linked to a single crt...
Thumbs up because you used the best NES game ever made for this video. Dragon Warrior 4 is still the greatest. I played it today already, no joke.
While the framemeister isn't being produced any more, Micomsoft has said they'll have enough supply for the next year or two. Also if you buy it from the official source, Solaris Japan, it hasn't gone up in price at all.
There is also the OSSC which is cheaper than the Framemeister and gets great support from the community. I got a FM but would like an OSSC as an alternative. The only possible downside I've heard regarding the OSSC is that it's not quite as user friendly as the FM, but I hear it produces great results. :)
They both have their pros and cons. The Framemeister will take Composite, S-Video, Component and RGB, but the OSSC will only take RGB and Component. The OSSC adds no lag, and the Framemeister adds about a frame. The OSSC has better colors, but the Framemeister is a better de-interlacer. Compatibility is improving with the OSSC too so that's good.
The OSSC with psu, and remote is like 190 bucks, the framemeister is like 300. Not huge jumps from the cost of a Retron 5.
Yep I bought one recently. Solaris Japan still selling them, import tax/shipping free if you're in Europe as well which is really nice.
ShinJohnpv Thanks for the tips, I'd heard it was a lag free option of the two. Do you own both? Yeah I'm definitely thinking of picking up an OSSC in the future. The fact that it works with RGB is perfect for me as most of my systems output RGB, the only one that doesn't is me Famicom AV. I get it modded one day :)
Carn the Framemeister is a great bit of kit :). I've you downloaded the custom profiles by FirebrandX. They're really great and take the hassle out of setting up settings for each system.
I have never heard about this console. Now i feel like I miss a lot in my life. For what it can do, I don't think it is too expensive on ebay. I will buy one as soon as i can afford it. Also, with all the Chinese made game cartridges that have sd card slot for our roms. This console is gold. Thank you very much.
About the Adapter thing for Game Gear and Master System, I wish there’s one adapter for Atari Lynx, TurboGraphix 16, 2600 and 7800
Metal Jesus is kinda hot. Had to mention it.
It's a bad emulation box with cart slots. I know people love playing their original carts but there's so many better options to actually play the games if you're going to go the emulation route.
I wasn't aware it was by emulation. Now I know why it's so cheap because you can get a modded Xbox with hundreds of games built in for that price. But it is neat that it can take cartridges.
Also the HDMI is nice.
Playing a NES game on an Xbox controller sucks though
I'm glad to hear that your controller was crap as well. Mine worked great at first, then shortly thereafter wouldn't respond to all button presses or directional movements until it was "warmed up" for awhile. Ended up buying extensions for my original controllers and ditched the pack in. Thought it was just mine. Thanks for the video!
Nice summary of it's strengths and weaknesses. I ended up getting a Retrofreak and selling off my Retron 5. They both do essentially the same thing, but it is nice to dump my carts and carry something small when I visit family.
I'm happy with mine.
yeh i love the retron 5. never had an issue. great console to have.
Love my retron 5 but looking forward to the polymega.
2 years later....
The only thing missing is the 2600/7800 support.
That would have been Amazing!
Yes and sony lol
I really enjoyed this look at the Retron 5. I'm considering buying one and this answered many of my questions about it. Thanks!
It's always helpful to see how hardware has held up over time and the opinion of someone who's had it for sometime. I wanted one when it first came out but never pulled the trigger on it but I will soon!
I just got the 2019 version and I really dig it!
Did you have any problems?
This has got to be the only positive review of the Retron 5 I've seen.
I love this channel, keep doing theese awesome videos guys! Greets from Chile!
Well, after a ton of research, I finally figured out what the game at 2:40 is (with the plane & bombs).... it's a "homebrew" for Sega Genesis called Bomb on Basic City. It was just put out in like 2016...quite the swerve here with this video that's supposed to be showing us how to play old favorites, via another mechanism.
Hope I could help those trying to figure this riddle out.
These types of reviews are awesome, there are so many people that offer reviews of 'New' items but the review is usually done within a couple days of having the product, sometimes inside a few hours and like you mention you can not get a proper sense of everything inside this time.
I would love to see more of these reviews as someone like myself that has always been unsure of these items gets to see how they stand up to continual use, Thanks, man!!
I dont care what everyone says i love the creepy thumbnails of Kelsey.
I heard they are being sued for copying the emulator base.
"it's legal" umm not the part where the emulators were stolen though
Iv never had any issues with mine, Love it.
This is great info I'm going to buy on of these to play on and keep my OEM systems on display. Thank you.
You guys should really list the games you show...
What's the game at 2:40 with the plane dropping torpedos?
Good question its killing me
I just solved it... took a bunch of effort, but it's a "homebrew" called Bomb on Basic City. Just came out in 2016. Hope this helps!
Wow thanks, no wonder I couldnt find it, its a french homebrew >.
Make MJR wear a box on his head for making kelsey stand on a box.
Not sure he is making her she probably just wants to fit onto the camera. They could sit but she probably prefers to stand.
Man I would buy it if it only played n64 that’s the man one I missing lol
I like mine, bought mine after I seen prices for hdmi top loader nes's! This thing works great!
Long flowing brown hair, an expansive knowledge of video games
And a beard
The world needs more Plok!
I totally agree!!! I love plok
Retron 5 is just a super expensive emulator machine that has a place holder for your cartridge, might as well get a raspberry pi.
Except can the pi hook up to the TV and use standard controllers
I much prefer rereviews cause you have less bias.. Much love for this video and please do more like this. Not enough people make 1 year later type reviews.
I love these videos, they’re all just so passionate and genuine , they’re awesome to watch!!! Rock on, Metal Jesus! 🤘🏽
If you're going to emulate then you might as well just use ROMS and buy a USB retro controller for your PC or raspberry PI.
Also this is not legal. I'm almost certain Retron-5 does not have the licenses to sell the open source software which emulates a lot of the games.
Also there are adapters for just about any controller format you can think of, so you can use the originals.
Depending on the open source license, it's perfectly legal to install it somewhere and sell it. If Hyperkin changes that software and doesn't publish the source of those changes, then that certainly would go against the spirit of most of the licenses and would be illegal for many of them.
Distributing ROM files of games, however, is generally illegal--especially if the site offering downloads tries to sell ads as well. And ROM files aren't always available for everything. I was looking for something the other day and couldn't find it, but a cartridge was available cheaply on eBay.
What makes it perfectly legal is the fact that you have to have the games. You’ve already bought the games so you can play them how you want. Are you only allowed to play VHS, DVDs or Blu Ray on a Sony product?
John Miller What game we’re you looking for?
@@LuccianoNova Final Fantasy Adventure for Game Boy. Wasn't on the ROMs site I checked, but was on eBay for less than $10.
Wherent they the ones who where breaking GPLv3 licenses of the retroarch emulators?
... YES ...
www.libretro.com/index.php/retroarch-license-violations/
key word is "were". It's in the past
Indeed they are
legal, except the emulation software used in it was stolen......
which bit isn't legal? I meant emulation itself is legal, but hyperkin stole libretro's code which definitely isn't legal. why do you assume I'm a noob? I'm 37, been gaming since the 90s!. no need to go on the offensive, why don't you attempt to educate me instead of insulting me?
It's legal
Prove it punk!
BuzzaB77 And you posting this comment will change that, Robocop...
"It's was stolen"...implies something was taken without permission. But you can't steal something that is being given out and licensed for free. This is just as legal as any other emulator. Either way, it's not your place to police the internet.
One thing I like about the Retron 5 is that it has firmware updates from time to time. One update added different color options to the Gameboy games. You have default Gameboy Color, default Gameboy Advance, and default Super Gameboy pallets as well as others you can choose from. I'm pretty happy with it overall.
Great video! Awesome topic. Everybody reviews as new for the most part, never going back reviewing durability over time. I would watch these videos as much as new review videos. Thanks Metal Jesus and Kelsey! Much appreciated!
She is cute but like anybody, deserves respect.
You're confusing respect with common decency
My retron 5 has stopped reading NES carts :(
Same here, along with two other slots. No children ever touched the thing. It was always used gently. Crappy product.
J3R3MY and now I don’t have anything to play any of the new games that I recently got.
Currently saving for a real NES now.
I'd try to find a cheap original NES "toaster" that looks good (working or not, as long as it turns on) and just get a Blinking Light Win replacement loading tray/pin connector (www.arcadeworks.net/blw). Super easy to install - only screws, no wiring or soldering.
Kendall Seabury my retron has bent snes pins...but still plays snes....but nothing else works even though the pins are perfect in the nes, famicom, and sega slots!
Order the Cybergadget NES adapter for the Retrofreak ($20 on Amazon Japan, or on eBay for a little more) and play NES games in the Famicom slot :) It's a great adapter, and you can even leave it plugged in all the time and the RetroN 5 will ignore it unless there's a game inserted. I would have done that from the beginning if I'd thought of it, since it's much easier to insert and remove NES games from the adapter.
5:54 - so I can use an NES game to play a Game Boy game, eh? lol
I love your content, man. Your video quality is second to none. You clearly put a fuck ton of time into editing and preparation. Love it. Definitely one of the few patreons worthy of donations.
Awesome video Metal Jesus, thank you! The problem that some of us retron5 owners have, is that some slots stop working. For instance my Super Nintendo slot stopped recognizing any cartridges, which is really annoying.
Its 2019 and I am still loving my Retron 5 👍
Can you still buy one or are they developing it's successor? I never bought one due to the $60 price hike right before launch and all the outrage around the pins.
@@Sirg17xThe mega drive pins did bend. But apart from that I have had no problems. Its great for playing Japanese games with translation patches 👍
Same!
have either of you used the retro freak? If so how does it compair?
Matt Weatherly retro freak is slightly better
Thanks, i was looking at it for the Turbo graphics...as far as i know its the only "clone console" that will play turbo graphics and pc engine games...AND the ability to save the ROMs to the SD card
Retro Freak is so much better
Matt Weatherly I own a RetroFreak too and its a more capable console. The console feel a bit cheap but the retron have the same issues. You can do much more with a RetroFreak
Kelsey is cute, and Metal Jesus is chill af
You guys make such great videos! Keep up the fantastic work! Thank you... thanks guys (and gals) for all that you do. I just love this channel so much
I'm just glad companies are still making consoles that can play multiple retro game systems in HD. I'll have to research them all and pick out the best. Thanks for the video!
It took me forever to figure out that it was Mario on her shirt 😂
The Retron 5 wasn't worth it the day it came out let alone today. It won't play repros and it won't play flash carts. So unless you want to spend tens of thousands of dollars to have every game on every system this thing plays (and have the space to display it all), you're going to have a small library. The only reason it works for Metal Jesus and Kelsey is because they both have huge libraries of games for all the systems it plays (and possibly EVERY game for all the systems). A much better buy is the Retro Bit Super Retro Trio. It plays all the original cartridges, it plays repros and it plays flash carts. You can get adapters so it can play all of the games the Retron 5 plays, or, you can get full libraries of games for all the systems on flash carts. The only downside is it's not HD but it still looks great on my HD TV with just the composite cables. I almost bought one of these when it first came out and I am so glad I didn't. Get the Retro Bit Super Retro Trio instead, it's a much, much, much better console..
or just emulate on a box. Avoid these illegal boxes like the plague.
5:54 You can play a nes Game to play game boy game what?
Pyro Playz She meant you can use a NES controller to play a Gameboy game. 😏
Really helpful video! I have been umming and ahhing over getting one of these for ages. I hope to do so based on this now. Thanks MJR and Kelsey!
Thanks to both of you for this. The more videos I see on your channel the more I like it.
This channels comments "OMG GRIL GAMER fedora tip!"
kelsy is so adorable!
Why has nobody mentioned the CRIPPLING input lag on the retron 5? I noticed it right away and there seems to be no fix...that in itself makes it a no go.
I was wondering the very same thing. The lag on the original Super Mario Bros. was so bad that I had to stop playing before I had even reached the end of the first level. On the same TV I had no lag whatsoever playing the very same cartridge on my original NES, so it's not a problem with the TV - it's definitely the Retron5 itself.
Yeah! For me it just cripples the nes games... Megaman became just impossible to play with this...
Did any of you guys set game mode on, on your HDTV's?
I myself play on a 60inch TV.
supersonics5000 of course. Even with my benq monitor, the same one used for professional Esports competitions for having the least lag, still the retron has unusable lag. It's pretty well documented at this point, and when someone reviews the console and doesn't mention it, they're leaving it out on purpose
Xaphan Vassago but not having game mode on adds more lag... why be such a bitch about it?
Awesome review, keep doing videos reviewing more products like this, jesus.
Greetings from spain!!!
I have danced around the Retron 5 for all the time it's been out. I own the three Retron HD consoles they put out, and what sucks is that only after I purchased the third one (SupaRetron HD), Hyperkin announces that they will be releasing an updated special edition of the Retron 5 called the 'Hyper Beach' edition. This version not only sports a sick 80's neon paint job, it will also come with one of their awesome Scout controllers in addition to the original garbage wireless all-controller. Needless to say, this is where I may finally hop onto the Retron 5 train. One thing that was talked about in this video that I'm hoping is part of the update is that they've implemented their new 'pin perfect' hardware into it to rectify the original's death grip issue.
There's a lot of perverts commenting here.
Go away.
How bout you go away. Problem solved🤣🖕🏻
Mwehehe
Nothing wrong with admiring her beauty. Any human being not attracted to her has something wrong with them. Her cuteness defies all reason and logic it’s just not fair
ckrustin Riiight?
Tyler Robison seriously. Wtf?!?!
I think the initial idea of this video was well intended BUT the fact that Kelsey sells these is only mentioned past the middle of the video. It's also not mentioned in the description. I've been following this channel for enough time to know there is no ill will here, but a lot of people could interpret this as deceitful. Be careful.
You mention that because the ROM is dumped but not saved that makes it 100% legal. Could you cite sources? I have never heard that before.
There are several arguments that prevent me from supporting this product:
1) Playing original carts. All physical games will deteriorate and fail eventually. It's just a matter of time. If you use them on a daily basis you're accelerating that process. That's why ROMs are a beneficial tool in assisting the in the preservation of these games. That "tight grip" you mention is not helping either. If you value your carts, don't use this device often or at all.
2) While it may be illegal to play ROMs of games you don't own in some areas, the final decision to play them or not is up to the user. The Retron is effectively dumping a ROM and then emulating it for you to play, so it's the same as playing a ROM on another emulation device (computer, raspberry pi, android, etc) for a game that you own, regardless of legality.
3) Using original controllers is essential to the experience, but there are alternatives to that. You can use USB adapters or USB versions of the controllers which are available pretty much everywhere.
4) Price. There are a lot of comparable alternatives for the price that are of much better quality. The obvious one being the Raspberry Pi + USB controllers.
5) There's nothing this device does that can't be done on another solution for the same price or less. That includes translations, patches, save states, filters, controllers, color palettes, etc. Furthermore, those other solutions offer a lot more options in regards to optimization, variety of emulators, quality of emulation. Also you don't have any of the problems associated with physical media like broken or dirty contacts on the carts.
6) Legality of the code used in the console. Hyperkin is notorious for using software that is not licensed for commercial use.
7) The quality of the hardware is questionable at best, take the included controller for example.
8) Not practical enough. I know many people are scared of the Raspberry Pi but it literally takes 5 minutes to read through a very brief setup tutorial. You download an image with the OS and all necessary software (LEGALLY), copy it to an SD card, run a guided first-time setup, and you're done.
Finally, I sincerely hope you stop promoting this product. There's a reason that a lot of people have very strong feelings about it, and it's not because they are "purists", it's because they noticed stuff like I've mentioned on this long winded comment.
So how long does it take for these old carts to stop working? Out of genuine interest because I would like to buy some original Megadrive games. Obviously they don't last forever. You would probably get more entertainment from a baked clay Sumerian tablet of poetry in a thousand years. But how long are they supposed to last?
@@ishmaelforester9825 Gameboy games are beginning to wipe so that should give you a rough idea.
All this talk of pulling in and out of tight and loose slots...I need a lie down!!
It's always good to revisit and update big purchases like the Retron5. Thank you for the video.
Years later- good resource 👊🏼
Don't support Hyperkin!!!!! They just took free emulators and slapped them into into a cheap case
Seriously people make good retro 3rd party consoles that are actual hardware and not just faulty emulators
There are products that are actual hardware and not emulation.
It's not even about the hardware vs emulation. They literally got involved in a lawsuit for stealing retroarc and selling it as this packaging.
It's shit and faulty as fuck and is even known to rip pins out of cartridges and wipe them if it corrupts while trying to rip the rom from the cartridges.
It doesn't play your cartridges it rips the data off them to run it as a rom.
The retrotrio is a much better option and cheaper and doesn't run as an emulator and plays the actual cartridges.
Pretty sure using original hardware would be illegal
@Jason Jason nah we are pissed because they are profiting of other people's work against their wishes
@@TheNinjabunnyfufu I didn't follow this lawsuit, but I do own one. I'd be surprised if they didn't just use the defense of saying that they're selling the patented hardware and including the "free" emulation software (if properly credited), at no additional cost :-)
@@jasonmurphy6253 nope the consoles are so old
If kelsey says it's still worth it than it's still worth it.
NO. I used the Genesis slot less than 5 times and it no longer reads cartridges. Terrible build quality. Stay Away people!!
First of all nobody is bitching. If you got a console without these issues good for you. It's a well known issue. When you pay $150 for the console. You expect it to last for more then a few play throughs.
Haha. I'm telling people to stay away based on the build quality. That's MY experience and others as well. He's asking people for their opinion and so i'm giving it. You have a different experience and i'm happy for you.
@4k Films: The point is the Retron 5 is $140 and it shouldn't fall apart after just 5 uses, you might be willing to bend over and just take it up the butt but most people with a brain expect a certain level of quality at that price range and not have to deal with the hassle of returning it. Most of what Hyperkin and Retro-bit make are junk, why should someone be out more money on parts on a new item?, and why are you being defensive over someone warning others about a junk system?.
@gonzo90017: I strongly recommend getting the RetroFreak instead, the plastic seems a little better, can dump your games or copy ROM's to a Micro SD card plus do all what the Retron 5 can, plays more systems than the Retron 5 and the cartridge base can be removed to make it even smaller.
$150 for 5 uses gives them the god damn right to bitch. Dont be an apologist, especially not for this thieving company.
Like having to buy a broken unit, that may have the same issues, is a solution.
Sounds like the words of a child with a bank of mommy account.
ClassicGamer Retro Freak is the best. Love that little miracle box.
Good vid and its good to know you used it a lot to get a good feel for it. That means quite a bit to those who are inquiring about a device they're curious about. Cheers
I'm currently thinking of buying a console for NES, the timing for this was great! I'm getting back into the games of my youth and trying to get into streaming. This answered a bunch of questions!
The retron is a cheap android device running stolen emulators. You can get the same thing from a 5 year old cell phone with hdmi out. It has all of the drawbacks of emulation with none of the benefits.