Hyperkin RetroN 3

Hyperkin RetroN 3

2009

Pros: It Works (mostly)

Cons: Imperfect NES Playback, Limited Peripheral Compatibility, Useless Proprietary Controllers, Inefficient Use of Space, Fit and Finish

     When I attended GMX 2012, I came across this device, and it intrigued me.  The ability to play NES, SNES, and Genesis games on one well-priced system was appealing to me.  This console seemed to have what I was looking for in a retro system while not being as expensive as the complex and shady RetroN 5.  Because the technologies on these consoles have expired patents, famiclones such as this are now perfectly legal.  I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to revisit some of the nostalgic Genesis games my family owns. 

     The RetroN 3 comes in rather neat looking-box with a corner cut out, and it was surprisingly compact in size.  The fit and finish, however, could use some work.  The quality of the plastic feels cheap compared to that of the mainstream consoles, and the cartridge ports seem to have an unusually tight grip on the cartridges that makes it slightly less convenient to insert them.  It almost feels like you’ll leave some contacts in the console when you take them out.  The Power/Reset buttons and selector knob feel good, though.  The styling of the console is disappointingly bland.  The RetroN 1, RetroN 2 and RetroN 5 are all available in great color schemes that are reminiscent of those of the NES, Famicom, and SNES.  The RetroN 3 only* comes in a dark gray or candy red.  If Hyperkin was trying to recreate the sleek, black styling of the Sega Genesis, it didn’t do a very good job.  The console does have a bit of a utilitarian charm (which the RetroN 1 does better), but this is discredited by its inefficient layout.     

The box looks better than the console.

     While the console is small, it doesn’t use space well.  People complain about how the XBOX One looks like a VCR, but that’s an efficient layout for its large size.  All the ports are in the front and you could put something on top of it in a pinch.  I was once able to lie my Wii flat next to my N64 on the bottom of my entertainment center (a nice wooden dresser I bought at a thrift store for $20), but I had to turn it on its side and mount it next to the PS3 to make room for the RetroN.   The PS3 and Wii share the space well, but the 64 and RetroN don’t.  One thing you’ll notice about the RetroN 3 is that each corner has a round little pedestal for a friction pad.  These protrude needlessly from the sides of the console as do two of the controller ports.  Without these, I would be able to fit the damn thing between my N64 and the inside wall in my entertainment center. 

Hyperkin’s decision to put controller ports for each system on each side of the console was dreadful; they should all be on the front.  This means that the R3 requires free space on all sides except for the bottom.  Not only do the ports themselves take up space, the controllers use up even more precious volume when they run out the sides.  This also reduces the effective length of the controller cords (The console does come with wireless controllers, but you’ll still need to use the original controllers.  I’ll get to that eventually).  This is particularly annoying with my Genesis controller, which has a shorter cord than the NES’ and has become permanently coiled from years of storage.  In order to play Genesis games comfortably, I have to push my couch forward or pull the console out of the cabinet (it has to lie diagonally because the video cables aren’t long enough).

This is particularly frustrating because in 2009, and people should know better than to design a console with such a poor layout.  Just because the system replaces three consoles doesn’t mean it should take up as much space as three consoles.

 

Not that you're completely off the hook, fatty.

Aside from its terrible use of space, the R3’s design also has a few more ergonomic problems.  Thanks to the NES/Genesis controller ports’ being on the sides, you have to lift the console and turn it around to see where you plug the controller in (and, yes, those are the two functions I intend to use the most on this console).  Being unable to mount the console flat makes it a bit awkward to insert and remove cartridges.  The cartridge ports are ordered from the NES in the back to the Genesis to the SNES.  I think it would make more sense to put the SNES in the middle since those cartridges are larger than the Genesis carts.  That would also put the two Nintendo ports next to each other.  The R3 has a knob in front of the cartridge ports that switches its function.  It would be better if the labels for this knob where on the front instead of behind it, but that’s a minor gripe.  I would also prefer the indicator lights on the front of the console instead of next to each cartridge port.      

      As for plugging the system in, I found out that I had run out of plugs in my surge protector so I had to buy a basic extension cord to run through the passageway to my bedroom along with my broadband cable.  It was surprisingly unobtrusive since there’s no door there. 

Unfortunately, the plug comes with an AC adapter at the end of the cord.  This limits where you can plug the console in.  The game comes with composite video plugs and an S-Video plug.  At first I could just use the S-Video and not have a third set of composites competing for one TV input, but apparently you need to plug in both or else the games will either not work or work incompletely.

      Well, enough about setting the console up.  The truly important question is, “Does it work?”  Well, after some brief testing, I’d say yes.  All of my Genesis games work, and the one SNES game I bought (Star Fox) works.  The instructions clearly state that one should not insert the SNES cartridge backwards.  This is common sense, and the singling out of one port suggests that something horrible will happen if I disobey.  The processing speed doesn’t seem at all wrong when playing the Genesis games, except for one lag when I faced multiple enemies in Asterix and the Great Rescue.  Every NES game I’ve tried works, but the graphics seem slightly glitched. 

 It’s slightly annoying when playing Mario 3 and it makes me wish SuperMario All-Stars didn’t “improve” its graphics and sound effects.  The color, though, is attractively bright and vibrant.  For all the flaws, it’s still an improvement over the dark days of coaxial.  There may be some issues with the sound mixing.  Sonic 2 in particular has sound effects that are annoyingly louder than everything else, and I’m not sure if that’s just the game.  I really don’t know whether or not Famicom or Mega Drive games work on this (I don’t really care to be honest), and the info I’ve found online is scattered and varied.  There are a few games like Virtua Racer and Castlevania III which I’ve heard don’t work on this console, and I’m not sure if there’s an updated version of it that will play them.  I’ve heard that some peripherals don’t work.   For example, I’ve heard that the NES Zapper does, but (sadly) the Four Score does not.  Unless you are looking for these games and peripherals, the R3 seems to be a good substitute for all the consoles. I’ve noticed that sometimes I had to double-check to see if the controller was plugged in firmly enough before I started playing, but nothing serious.

 

The RetroN 3's useless proprietary controller.

        The RetroN 3 comes with two wireless proprietary controllers.  They are clearly based off the fine six-button Genesis controller, albeit with cheaper plastic.  They look clean, but they are complete garbage.  One thing you’ll notice when you put the AA batteries in your controller (besides the redundant use of a screw in addition to a latch for the battery panel) is a legend that helpfully educates you its unhelpful button layout.  The NES button layout makes enough sense.  The B and A are thoughtfully switched as they are on the original with appropriate positions for turbo buttons, which makes it so surprising that the SNES and Genesis layouts make no sense.  Because the R3 controller is based on the Genesis Controller, it has no index finger buttons, so the extra to buttons on the right take their place.  Fair enough, but the L and R positions are backwards!  Even worse, they switched the Genesis button layout even though the controller is modeled on a Genesis controller.

 Maybe Hyperkin wanted to encourage people to use the original controllers for an authentic experience so they purposefully half-assed these things.  The worst the part of these devices is not the layout, however.  The RetroN 3 controller’s wireless system uses infrared signals.  Like a TV remote.  This means you have to keep the controller pointed directly at the receiver in the front of the console.  Any slight deviation results in a loss of control.  And even when it works there’s a noticeable lag.  This makes these controllers thoroughly useless for their intended purpose.  This wouldn’t be quite as annoying if it weren’t for the console layout I complained about earlier.  Anyone considering buying this console had better invest in the original controllers.  I have, however, found that the RetroN 3’s controllers are useful as target practice for my .357.

Okay, I actually used .38 Special rounds.

The first hit was a bullseye.  Right through the D-Pad, which either flew off to parts unknown or shattered into a million pieces.

The exit wound.

Overall, the RetroN 3 is cheap and functional, but it takes up space and has its limits.  If I hadn’t already bought this console, I would have probably gotten something better.  But I already have it, and it works.  That’s what’s important.

Also, I can still close the cabinet neatly when it's not in use.

* Apparently, now there's a blue one that looks pretty good.