Is the RetroN 5 STILL WORTH IT?! The Good, the Bad & the LAME!
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- čas přidán 17. 08. 2017
- Hyperkin's RetroN 5 continues to be a popular yet decisive retro clone system that has many redeeming qualities...and a few things it needs to improve upon. Metal Jesus & Kelsey give you their honest opinion after using the Retron 5 for several years.
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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.
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 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
Can you two do an updated video in 2022? I just bought a Retron 5. Great video though.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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!!!!
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. 👍
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.
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.
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.
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 CZcams they might sleep with you :D
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!
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
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
I love these videos, they’re all just so passionate and genuine , they’re awesome to watch!!! Rock on, Metal Jesus! 🤘🏽
I love this channel, keep doing theese awesome videos guys! Greets from Chile!
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.
This is great info I'm going to buy on of these to play on and keep my OEM systems on display. Thank you.
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!
"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.
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
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!
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!
the best purchase I've made in years was my Retron5 - one unit connected to HD, soooo crisp
I've always had questions about this system but this clenched it for me. I'm buying one for sure
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
Thanks to both of you for this. The more videos I see on your channel the more I like it.
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.
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.
Awesome review, keep doing videos reviewing more products like this, jesus.
Greetings from spain!!!
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!
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. :)
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 good to revisit and update big purchases like the Retron5. Thank you for the video.
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 just got the 2019 version and I really dig it!
Did you have any problems?
thank you so much for using Tony Hawk's Pro Skater when talking about the Gameboy slot!! 12:47
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 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
Love my retron 5 but looking forward to the polymega.
2 years later....
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
About the Adapter thing for Game Gear and Master System, I wish there’s one adapter for Atari Lynx, TurboGraphix 16, 2600 and 7800
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.
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
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.
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 legal" umm not the part where the emulators were stolen though
Long flowing brown hair, an expansive knowledge of video games
And a beard
Great review I like the idea that you have been using it for some time and therefore can give an honest appraisal and nice having two opinions from experienced players thumbs up from me 😀
Thanks guys that was magic as usual . MJR & KL!! You guys rock!
Mine JUST died :'(
So the SD card will save progress for all the games?
Sad :(
Kelsey has that effect on men...
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...
fantastic review. this is the first video if yours ive seen. already a huge fan!
Liked the vídeo! The prices of some old consoles here in Brazil is too high sometimes, considering importing one.
I'm happy with mine.
yeh i love the retron 5. never had an issue. great console to have.
Game problems with the Retron 5 can easily be fixed by updating the firmware. I love my Retron 5! (I don't work for Hyperkin).
Hi there! Thanks for this video, I have been kind of entertaining the idea of getting one of these consoles. Was nice to hear more about it. I was also curious which game that was near the end of the video with what seemed like a robotic wolf around 16:48. Would love to check out more of that.
Thanks!
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.
The world needs more Plok!
I totally agree!!! I love plok
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 >.
Cool video. Good to see a follow-up review.
17:55 This sounds like a marriage gone wrong lol Anyway, the RetroN 5 looks like a really good deal for content creators, enthusiasts and collectors :D
I heard they are being sued for copying the emulator base.
I dont care what everyone says i love the creepy thumbnails of Kelsey.
Thank you for this video. I have been thinking about getting a Retron 5 and your information helped me decide to get one. You and Kelsey make a good team. Your presentations are thought out and very well done. One Question, What is El Gato motion capture and how does it work?
I would love to get one of these, thanks for the review, awesome👍
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
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.
Hey, big fan love your format & love the way you have your content. What advice would you give too an aspiring youtuber?
That is awesome. I learn a lot from you man. I gotta get one of those.
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
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.
This is awesome! With this kind of stuff I always just wonder how long it will last. Knowing it's been pretty good is really key info for me. I've been thinking of getting one of these recently because My HD TV simply won't work with anything but HDMI anymore... and I don't know why
Great video as usual MJR, what's that racing game at 2:30 called?
Metal Jesus is kinda hot. Had to mention it.
Genuinely curious, why would you use a capture device to capture emulated games? Why not just emulate it on the PC? The only advantages I see are using the original controller and not using pirated roms.
If you already have a large physical cartridge collection, as people like MJR and Kelsey do, it's a bit silly to use your computer because you won't be utilizing your collection.
@@mickeymouse12678 You can literally google any rom or back them up. These boxes are absurd and prey on the ignorance of people who don't understand PC emulation. Retroarch is free already.
There are adapters to use the original controllers and also the roms aren't necessarily pirated you can dump your own roms and use them
Yup no s**t, this things just fu*kn dumb😕
hey kelsey i got that same shirt.. I got it 2 days ago off amazon.. I love it too! mine is a blueish grey color
Seems awesome if I get back into retro gaming but I feel like the future may give way to a lot more easier ways to play these games. Nice video, guys!
The only thing missing is the 2600/7800 support.
That would have been Amazing!
Yes and sony lol
Man I would buy it if it only played n64 that’s the man one I missing lol
Great review I didn't know how bad the controller is. Thanks you all and keep on gaming!
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!
"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.
This has got to be the only positive review of the Retron 5 I've seen.
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.
I think it is a great idea to re-visit a review of anything a year on, always there is unforeseen things that happen
You have also the Retro Freak that is also a console like the Retron 5 it's a emulation machine as well and it's output 720p as well but I heard on CZcams that it is better than the Retron 5 well you can't play homebrews and rom hacks and the controller that comes with is wired and have the shape of a SNES controller and looks like a SNES controller and the controller is usb so you can use other controllers like the playstation 4 controller and there is also a box for the original retro controllers and the Retro Freak is smaller than the Retron 5 because you can play more than 9000 games I think with firmware updates more games and the game systems that you can play on it is Famicom,Nes NTSC and PAL with a adapter that they make those adapters are 10 dollars or something,Snes NTSC and PAL,Super Famicom,Genesis,Mega Drive PAL as well what a suprise😀,Turbografx,Pc Engine,Supergrafx,Gameboy,Gameboy Color and Gameboy Advance and Sega Master System with the Power Base Converter the company that make the Retro Freak Cyber Gadget they made also a adapter that you can play Sega Game Gear Sega Mark III maybe Mark II and Sg100 and Master System the card games as well but that adapter is I think kinda rare and expensive but you can use the Retron 5 Master System Game Gear adapter on the Retro Freak the Retro Freak is like the Retron 5 but better if you want to buy the Retro Freak you have the normal version that comes with the console and controller and the primium version that comes with the console the controller the NES adapter and the controller box/adapter
Romero Lemstra that was a lot to read. But very informative
Radical Reggie Thank you👍👍👍
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. 😏
Enjoyed the video keep up the good work. :-) My biggest complaint with my Retron 5 is the lag between the button-pushing and the action on the screen. Games like Super Mario and Street Fighter can be hard to deal with sometimes because of the lag. So that's my biggest complaint with the system other than that I like it really well. By the way I have a Mortal Kombat 2 rom hack for Sega Genesis which is called Mortal Kombat 2 Unlimited that it plays well. The Retron does not recognize the cartridge but it will allow me to play. Mortal Kombat 2 Unlimited for the Sega Genesis is worth checking out.
Wow I never knew that console was so huge till Kelsey held it up. I'm hoping to pick one of these up soon.
Why people are hating on metal Jesus and the retron 5 .Leave Metal Jesus and the retron 5 alone.
Retron 5 violates the licenses of noncommercial emulators, they need to face consequences for it
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.
Kelsey I'm so diggin that shirt.
M.J.R, I was watching your video about the LaunchBox some time ago and was thinking about getting it myself. I downloaded the free version but it does not come with the emulators. I believe the premier Edition comes with the emulators so all is good but, my question is...Do you still recommend it and how easy is it to play C64 and Amiga games that require multiple tapes and Discs? I have had emulators in the past but I just wondered if they had made it any easier. I really need to play some old school Boulderdash and Lemmings.