A Review of the Hyperkin RetroN 3

By: Superman

You might recall that the NES Classic Mini caused quite a stir last year before immediately being sold out everywhere. 30 classic Nintendo games for $60? The deal seemed almost too good to be true, and for many (like me) it was. Many of us were all too willing to fork over the cash for the system, but we couldn't find it ANYWHERE. I even tried buying it online when I heard that they would be available from a certain retailer at a certain time. The system sold out within seconds.

Since I was unable to attain this awesome retro console, I bought myself an alternative system instead, the Hyperkin RetroN 3. The system does have some benefits when compared to the NES Classic Mini, but there are also some drawbacks.

Pros

It plays not only NES games, but also SNES and SEGA Genesis games. With three different systems worth of games, you can definitely get a lot more out of it than you can with the NES Classic Mini.
You can play a lot more than 30 games on it. Whereas the NES Mini Classic limits you to the 30 games loaded to the system, you can play almost any NES, SNES, or SEGA Genesis game imaginable on this system.
I heard that the NES Classic Mini had a short cable. No such problem with this system. The controllers that it comes with are wireless, and you can also use your old NES, SNES, or SEGA Genesis controllers with it.

Cons

It doesn't come loaded with 30 games. Whatever you play, you have to either own already or be willing to buy it. That obviously gets pretty pricey, especially if it's your goal to play all of the 30 games that were available on the NES Classic Mini.
The controllers it comes with are modeled after the SEGA Genesis controllers. If you aren't used to playing with that system, it can be difficult. Fortunately, you can use NES or SNES controllers with it, but you will have to either own those already or be willing to buy them.
The materials it is made from are cheap. I've heard some stories from people that said that the controllers it came with broke. I didn't have this problem personally because I mostly have used my old SNES controllers with it, but if you don't have the original controllers or don't want to pay more money to buy more controllers, it's definitely something to think about.

Personally, I found the system to be a fine alternative to the NES Classic Mini that I was unable to find. It's not perfect, but neither is the NES Classic Mini. With the follow-up to the NES Classic Mini coming out soon, I would recommend looking into this system if the same problems arise as what happened last year. Supposedly, the supply isn't going to be nearly as small as what it was with the NES Classic Mini, but you never know.

Looking for more from Superman?

READ 97207 TIMES

Benjanime Posted on Jan 10, 2019 at 10:46 PM

i've heard mixed opinions over the retron 5, but i'm still getting one regardless.

RIP TOYS R US - I LOVE THE VIRTUAL BOY

RIP TOYS "R" US/I LOVE THE VIRTUAL BOY.A picture of me, a buddy of mine drew for this memory. He used to work at IDW, and was friends with the creator...

Antique Store Super Fun Run

Lots of people have a happy place, mine just happens to be filled with decades old "junk" that brings out a flood of wonderful memories. Of course I'm...

Retro Comic Book Ads and Commercials

It's been quite a while since I went digging for old TV, toy and candy ads hiding within the pages of my rapidly aging comic book collection in this a...

VHS Odyssey

Since last year I have been on a treasure hunt for VHS tapes to add to my collection. Some are nostalgic favorites, some are films I always wanted to ...

Tales of a Picky Eater

From one gross looking food to another, it's difficult to grow to like a food when you're in your youth. Does that stew look appetizing? no? How about...

MOST RECENT RETRORATING FEATURED OFFICIAL

Go to page: