Hyperkin has been producing hardware clones for a few years now — clones which provide a decent alternative for those moments when your trusty SNES dies on you and you can't abide the feeling of buying a second-hand replacement. We've already covered the RetroN 3 and SupaBoy Portable on this site, and found them to be cheap and reliable pieces of tech.
Hyperkin is currently working on its next system, which is set to be the most versatile yet. The RetroN 4 will allow you to play NES, SNES, Genesis / Mega Drive and Game Boy Advance games, as well as use your existing controllers for that authentic feel. The addition of HDMI output should appease AV experts, and the console will even have its own user interface with "modern" features — one of which is rumoured to be the ability to use save states, like the ones on the Wii U and 3DS Virtual Console services. The RetroN 4 will be compatible with NTSC and PAL software and will also ship with a wireless Bluetooth pad.
Here's the full press release from Hyperkin:
EL MONTE, CA (MARCH 2013) – Hyperkin will be unveiling their new console, the RetroN 4, at this year’s Midwest Gaming Classic at the Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield Hotel in Brookfield, Wisconsin, on Saturday, March 23, 2013 at 11:00 AM CST. The RetroN 4 plays NES, SNES, Genesis and GBA cartridges all in one convenient console.
The RetroN 4 will have four cartridge slots as well as two controller ports for each system, allowing for users to use their original controllers. What will differentiate the Retron 4 from other iterations of retro consoles currently in the market are several key additions that add a modern twist. The RetroN 4 will have an HDMI output, which will allow for users to play their games on high-definition televisions. When users boot up the machine, they will find the “Perdana” digital user interface which opens a wide variety of modern gaming features such as selecting systems, button reassignment and other features that will be named at the Midwest Gaming Classic. The console will also allow users to play both NTSC and PAL cartridges and will incorporate Bluetooth technology, with a completely new, redesigned wireless Bluetooth controller.
“We have had great success with the SupaBoy and RetroN 3, and we wanted to create an entirely new console that has the modern amenities that will allow users to utilize current technology,” stated Steven Mar, Hyperkin’s Executive Director. “As this is an ambitious project for Hyperkin, our goal for this system is to combine modern gaming convenience to not only cater to the retro gaming community, but to also introduce a new generation of gamers to the classic games that have shaped the present gaming landscape.”
RetroN 4 Points of Interest:
- 2 Original Controller Ports for Each Platform (6 Total)
- Wireless Bluetooth Controller
- 4 Cartridge Ports for NES, SNES, Genesis and GBA cartridges
- HDMI Output with Digital Signal Conversion
- “Perdana” Digital User Interface
- PAL and NTSC compatible
Will you be saving your pennies, or do you prefer original hardware?
[source gonintendo.com]
Comments 32
Wow this almost sounds too good to be true! I usually stick with original hardware when buying, but the inclusion of GBA and HDMI out has me sold.
I have over 40 Sega Genesis games and a ton of GBA games, will pick up a couple of SNES games off of half.com and ebay and some more genesis titles. This sounds like an awesome system.
Very interesting, looking forward to it.
I will definitely buy this! HDMI, save states, and bluetooth controllers have me sold!
Call me a stubborn purist but I prefer to just play them on the original consoles
I have the RetroN 3 and each of the original consoles, but i much prefer using my RetroN 3 because it reads the games much easier and faster. With the NES I might have to take the games in and out 10 times before it works, rarely happens on RetroN 3. SO GBA games is the next step up, if it plays GBC and GB games along with it it will be an instant buy, if it doesn't I will have to think about whether or not it's worth the upgrade.
this is going to be at Midwest Gaming Classic
How convenient, supports PAL and NTSC, big plus for me as my region converter doesn't work for certain games
Shut up and take my money!
I love my RetroN3 (I just used it yesterday, too) and I'll most likely upgrade to the RetroN4, just for that GBA support!
Wow, as long as its not too expensive, I could consider it.
Tempting, but I'm holding out a little longer for the N64 copyrights to expire (2-3 years away? Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong). You gotta think then that the next version of the console will include N64 games.
GBA support.
What else does Nintendo need in order to include the GBA in the 3DS VirtualConsole??
I keep hoping for one that supports n64 games!
Yeah a console that can play all the cartridge Nintendo games.
this is great news! i wanted to start collecting retro hardware just to play games i really want, but when this comes out, i will order one and can start imediatlly play classic games like killer instinct, tmnt, gba zelda's and metroids etc.
If it plays GBA games, then can can it also play GB and GBC games as well??
@UnrealDan
Nah it won't be able to play GB and GBC games, this console used software emulation rather than actual spec of those consoles to play these. Just because it had a GBA slot doesn't mean all Game Boy games would work, even Game Boy Micro, DS Lite, and the Advance Game Port all of which had a GBA slot doesn't support classic Game Boy and Game Boy Color games though I'm sure some of them would be supported in the next redesign. If you want to play all GB games on an actual console, just get a GameCube and the Game Boy Player instead.
how much is this?
I had been meaning to get one of these for a while. If it can run certain games that were incompatible on the previous version, I'll be happy.
Contra, Bionic Commando, Donkey Kong Country and NHL 95 here I come!
This would've been REALLY cool if it played GB & GBC games too, but you can't have it all I suppose...
Does the RetroN3 use HDMI or Composite?
Whoa, temper your excitement commenters. The last Retrocon was TERRIBLE! The emulation performed mediocre at best and the sound was terrible. I wasted my money on one so I urge you to read the reviews before you buy the 4th iteration of this device
I went from meh... to OH MY GAWD GBA WITH HDMI! Day one purchase for me.
Sounds good, as retro consoles are a lot harder to find in Britan (Gaming only took really took off in the PS1/N64 years and even before that it was microcomputer dominated during the NES era and Sega dominated during the SNES era)
No thanks. I remember the RetroN3 couldn't play games like Star Fox or Castlevania III, I am sure that this one will be the same. Besides you can get the original systems alot cheaper than this thing.
Whoa, it has HDMI?! And possible has save-states that make me want to buy this!
Can't you just use the Snes super gameboy player forgb classic games?
even though i have all the original systems times 2, including the gba gamecube player, ill be getting the retron 4 as well. the retron 3 is a good backup system. i actually had both versions of retron 3.
I dig the Retron gaming consoles, but I feel like I've invested far too much into the Virtual Console (for Wii and soon for Wii U) to buy yet ANOTHER system to pour my money and retro gaming passion into...guess I'm gonna have to look forward to playing GBA games on the Gamepad....darn
@bahooney does it have to be an hdmi cord or can it be the red white and yellow component cords?
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