The number of people jumping into vintage gaming grows in number by the day, but not everyone taking the plunge accurately remembers what playing games in the '80s or '90s was actually like. It goes without saying that video technology has changed a lot since the ‘80s, yet one of the first unexpected bumps in the road that many collectors run into is the realization that consoles built for analog tubes don’t always play nice with today’s digital displays. There are expensive solutions for upgrading an authentic systems’ video options, but not everyone wants to spend hundreds of dollars for an idealized retro gaming experience. Similarly, roms and emulators can’t match the feeling of holding a game in your hand--and are generally used outside of the law.
The other option is to look to a company like Hyperkin. Its Retron 5 console can play cartridges from numerous Sega and Nintendo game libraries over HDMI, and allow you to save your game on the fly, or capture screenshots to a memory card. Granted this is because the Retron 5 utilizes software emulation, but the support for real cartridges is enough to give many retro gamers the nostalgic experience they crave. But at $160, it’s also easy to see how this is overkill for someone who’s merely testing the waters, say with a few NES games found at a flea market or discovered in neglected storage spaces.
With the release up the new Retron HD, Hyperkin has a solution for this exact situation. The small, USB-powered console plays NES games (with extensive support for some historically idiosyncratic games such as Castlevania III) and can be used on either a CRT TV with composite video connections, or over HDMI at 720p on modern displays. It also supports both PAL and NTSC games, despite their inherently incompatible video standards. At a very reasonable $40, the Retron HD’s budget asking price is reflected in the finished product to a degree, but the system’s apparent compromises would only really matter to the dedicated purist who probably has access to a more authentic and capable solution already.
A so-called Nintendo-on-a-chip console, the Retron HD plays games via a processor that simulates NES hardware. It’s not quite software emulation, and it’s not quite hardware emulation--at least, not the likes used in the impressive and expensive Analogue Nt Mini. That said, unless you’re a staunch student of the 8-bit arts, you’d be hard pressed to notice minor differences between playing games on the Retron HD and on a real NES--though colors aren't always 100% accurate and sound effects do sound slightly different compared to authentic hardware.
The console itself is also notably different, both in its size, form, and operation from the NES, though it does bear similar colors and design details. Smaller and more efficient than the real deal, the Retron HD is roughly the size of a stack of three NES games. It has two standard NES controller ports on the front, HDMI and RCA (composite video and stereo audio) video connections on the back, and a PAL-NTSC switch on its underbelly. It also comes with a controller that’s a modern interpretation of Nintendo’s classic rectangular model, with with a longer-than-usual cable, newly modeled curves, and agreeable inputs that feel better than buttons on most aftermarket controllers.
Hyperkin's NES controller is surprisingly great.
Like most systems that play games directly from the cart--as opposed to dumping its content to RAM, as the Retron 5 does--there’s a good chance weathered NES carts will prove finicky on the Retron HD, exhibiting a jumbled picture, if not an entirely blank signal. It’s no fault of the console, but worth considering if you are under the impression that classic aspect of NES gaming will be totally resolved by new hardware.
Our general impression of the Retron HD is that it’s a relatively cheap but reliable means of playing original NES carts. It's also super convenient. Powered over USB, the Retron HD works when plugged into a TV, computer, and even modern consoles. Anyone who uses an original NES can attest to how appealing this sounds given the original “wall wart” power adapter was large, heavy, and prone to concerning levels of heat.
It’s also refreshing to see that the console supports both RCA and HDMI video connections. When connected to a CRT for a more authentic experience, the Retron HD performs as you’d hope, outputting an image with the normal amount of blur and color bleeding, typical of a stock NES. That sounds bad, but it’s got more to do with the limits of composite video than it doesn’t the Retron HD, and again, falls in line with the traditional NES experience.
The real caveat regarding video output is linked to the Retron HD’s HDMI output. Where pure emulation solutions (and expensive hardware upscalers) can make 8-bit, 240p games look crisp at 720p or 1080p, the Retron HD’s 720p output is slightly blurry. It’s not particularly harmful, a side effect of the system’s methodology for upscaling--cheaply expanding the video encoder’s RGB signal. Thankfully, getting ahead of the composite signal in the rendering chain means that, despite the blur, it’s miles ahead of playing over composite, with richer colors, no color bleeding, and no signal noise/interference. It’s worth mentioning that there’s also a toggle for either 4:3 (standard) or 16:9 (stretched) video output over HDMI, though the latter option will make games looks mildly distorted.
At only $40, the Retron HD is such a good deal that the ever-so-slight blur over HDMI isn’t that damning when taken in context. It’s also likely that the budget-focused crowd the console is aimed at won’t care, given the console's overall convenience. Chances are they will be more thrilled to have a new, reliable NES console that’s easy to power, with flexible video options, and a controller that’s surprisingly more comfortable and capable than it looks. In a sea of retro consoles, the Retron HD stands out as the best choice for NES collectors who are just getting started.
Bereits 24 Stunden nach der Öffnung des Online-Ticket-Shops wurden 42.000 Tickets für die gamescom 2017 verkauft - ein Rekordwert laut Veranstalter. Und mittlerweile (fast drei Monate vor Beginn der Messe) sind die Privatbesucher-Tickets im Online-Ticket-Shop für Samstag, den 26. August 2017 (letzter Messetag), im Vorverkauf ausverkauft. Zusätzlich sind wie in den vergangenen Jahren Tickets in ausgewählten Saturn-Filialen für Privatbesucher erhältlich. Codes für Tagestickets bei Saturn gibt es nur solange der Vorrat reicht. Für die Publikumstage Mittwoch, Donnerstag und Freitag soll die Nachfrage weiterhin "hoch" sein, heißt es. Die offiziellen Vertriebskanäle für gamescom-Tickets sind ausschließlich der Online-Ticket-Shop der gamescom und ausgewählte Saturn-Filialen.
"Wie in den vergangenen Jahren werden auch 2017 auf der gamescom Nachmittagstickets für den Samstag vor Ort erhältlich sein (Einlass ab 14:00 Uhr). Der Einlass ist allerdings abhängig vom Besucherstrom, sprich von den Austritten vom Gelände. Hierdurch müssen Wartezeiten in Kauf genommen werden."
"Auch für die gamescom 2017 wird ein Kartenkontingent exklusiv für Familien angeboten. Es richtet sich an Eltern und deren Kinder im Alter zwischen 7 und 11 Jahren (gültig für maximal fünf Personen, davon max. zwei Erwachsene). Das Familienticket wird ausschließlich im Vorverkauf angeboten und bis einschließlich Samstag, 19. August 2017, für Familien reserviert. Das Familienticket ist ausschließlich im Online Ticket-Shop der gamescom erhältlich. Das im gamescom Ticket-Shop erworbene Familienticket muss auf der gamescom vor Ort an den Kassen in Einlasstickets umgewandelt werden. Hierbei erfolgt auch die Kontrolle der Familienzusammensetzung. Wichtig: Es werden ausschließlich Familientickets, die im gamescom Ticket-Shop unter www.gamescom.de erworben wurden, vor Ort in Einlasstickets umgewandelt. Für einen möglichst stressfreien Einlass und direkten Zugang zur familiy & friends area sowie weiteren besonders familienfreundlichen Ausstellungsangeboten empfiehlt sich der Eingang Süd."
E-Mail für dich! Auf Amazons Entwickler-Blog wurde eine neues Feature namens Benachrichtigungen für Alexa angekündigt. Ist das nützlich oder könnte das womöglich nerven?
Auch im April 2017 war Switch die meistverkaufte Konsole in den USA. Laut den Marktforschern der NPD Group wurden mehr als 280.000 Exemplare in den Vereinigten Staaten verkauft (März: 906.000). Das meistverkaufte Videospiel im besagten Monat war Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, obgleich es nur zwei Tage erhältlich war, weil es erst am 28. April erschien. 460.000 Exemplare wurden im Einzelhandel verkauft; 90.000 Digitaldownloads kamen noch hinzu (insgesamt: 550.000). The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild belegt den dritten Platz der plattformübergreifenden Software-Verkaufscharts. Auch 1-2-Switch! und Snipperclips hätten sich "überzeugend" geschlagen, heißt es. Zählt man die Hardware-Verkäufe von Switch und von sämtlichen 3DS-Geräten (ca. 68.000) im April zusammen, dann hat Nintendo im besagten Monat mehr als die Hälfte aller Hardware-Verkäufe über alle dedizierte Video-Spielsysteme in den USA erzielt.
Zwar kein Reboot, aber immerhin ein Remaster
Microsoft schenkt seinen Usern das Action-Sammelkarten-Spiel Phantom Dust als gratis HD-Remaster für Xbox One und Windows 10.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.
Wie gut ist das für den Westen vollkommen neue Spiel? Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia erscheint am 19. Mai als dritter Ableger für den 3DS. Dabei handelt es sich um ein Remake des zweiten Teil...
With Legend of Zelda Amiibo figures perpetually sold out and fetching prohibitively high prices on eBay, many fans are turning to bootlegged “Amiibo cards” instead. Many sellers of these cards see themselves not as mere pirates, but as modern-day Robin Hoods, providing fans with the in-game content that Nintendo won’t…
Media Markt hat ein neues Prospekt veröffentlich, in dem es sich lohnt zu stöbern. Zu den Angeboten zählt nämlich z.B. die Nintendo Switch (online sofort verfügbar!) für 326 EUR oder Prey (One/PS4) für 44 EUR uvm. Letzteres gibts zwar auch für 41 EUR in UK, wir berichteten, jedoch muss man dort auf deutschen Ton verzichten.
A demo for Disgaea 5 Complete, the over-the-top tactical RPG for Nintendo Switch, is now available to download in the US from the eShop. The demo goes live in Europe on May 19.
As its name implies, Disgaea 5 Complete is a "definitive" version of Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance, which was originally released for PS4 in 2015. The game includes all of the DLC that was released for the original title, though it doesn't add any brand-new content.
Along with the demo, publisher NIS America has released an overview trailer for the game, which gives fans a more detailed look at the series' quirky sense of humor and extensive RPG mechanics. You can watch the trailer at the top of this story.
Disgaea 5 Complete launches in North America on May 23, with a European release following on May 26. We enjoyed the original PS4 release, awarding it 8/10 and called it "the biggest and most satisfying installment in the series to date."
Game Description: Phantom Dust for Xbox One and Windows 10 PC is a re-release of the original Xbox classic, now returning with full Xbox LIVE support and a host of enhancements, including Xbox Play Anywhere, cross-device multiplayer, achievements, and 16×9 presentation. It features new gameplay enhancements including multiplayer starter decks that let you jump straight into multiplayer, improved frame rate, and adjustments to overall game balance. Experience the cult classic that’s kept a passionate community playing to this day and a unique multiplayer experience that’s never been duplicated.
Für den PC ist der futuristische Hovership-Racer Redout bereits seit September vergangenen Jahres via Steam erhältlich und wird noch in diesem Jahr in der erweiterten „Lightspeed Edition“ auch für die Konsolen erscheinen. Nun gab der Entwickler 34BigThings schon mal den Veröffentlichungstermin für Xbox One und die PS4 bekannt. Das Spiel wird demnach ab dem 31.
Planet der Affen: Survival startet am 03. August 2017 in den deutschen Kinos und Andy Serkis verspricht als Caesar, dass er den Krieg zu einem Ende bringen wird.
Der Media Markt Gönn Dir Dienstag ist gestartet und es gibt wieder ein paar Angebote, wenn auch keine absoluten Kracher -aber das ist nur meine Meinung.^^
With only 114 U.S. game releases and fairly reasonable aftermarket prices, the Sega Master System is an increasingly popular target for collectors who want to try amassing a single console’s entire library. But as soon as you start, you find out that it’s a lot more of a pain in the ass than you’d imagined.
Apple könnte zur WWDC in drei Wochen ein iPad mit einer neuen Display-Größe vorstellen das randlose 10,5-Zoll-iPad. Gleichzeitig soll das Unternehmen die Entscheidung getroffen haben, sich von einem Modell zu verabschieden: dem iPad mini.
After lots of rumors and a few leaks, Ubisoft has confirmed a new Assassin's Creed will be out during the current fiscal year, which runs through March 31, 2018.
The news was shared as part of Ubisoft's earnings report today. The company subsequently shared a GIF on Twitter with the game's logo and the words "a new era begins."
Ubisoft CFO Alain Martinez strongly suggested during an earnings conference call that the new game will have some kind of live aspect to it, which has become a major component of other Ubisoft games like Rainbow Six Siege and The Division. CEO Yves Guillemot also said the new game will be revealed "soon" and declined to say if the franchise will return to an annual release slate.
On May 9, reports indicated that the follow-up to Assassin's Creed: Syndicate would be called Assassin's Creed: Origins. The title, it was suggested, reflected Ubisoft's intention to reboot the series, and the text in the image above further suggests that will be the case.
Ubisoft did not release a mainline entry in the Assassin's Creed series in 2016. This, it said, was so that it could leverage new technology and "give the brand a new dimension."
"Since the release of Assassin's Creed Unity, we've learned a lot based on your feedback," said the company's CEO, Yves Guillemot. "We've also updated our development processes and recommitted to making Assassin's Creed a premier open-world franchise.
"We're taking [2016] to evolve the game mechanics and to make sure we're delivering on the promise of Assassin's Creed offering unique and memorable gameplay experiences that make history everyone's playground."
It is not the first, but one of the more memorable failures in Keiji Inafune’s growing history of cancellations and shortcomings: “Kaio: King of Pirates” was announced for the 3DS in 2011, and was planned to not only be a launch title for Nintendo’s wildly popular handheld, but also to spawn an own multimedia franchise with anime, manga and toys. The project was the first game that Comcept, Keiji Inafune’s new studio, should develop after he left Capcom. Looking for an alternative way to achieve his visions and free himself from restrictions, he decided to found Comcept and Intercept, two new game development companies to work on his own ideas and titles.
Kaio: King of Pirates was the first game to be developed by Comcept and Intercept. Marvelous had acquired the rights to fund and thus publish the game. It was planned as the first part in a trilogy of games that would recount the infamous Romance of the Three Kingdoms tale, similar to other Japanese games like Dynasty Warriors. In this case, the scenario was that of pirates, ships and sea monsters, albeit with the twist of anthropomorphic characters. The main character Sangokushi is a penguin, and in the trailer one can spot numerous other animals such as lions, snakes, parrots, cats and even dragons. There is not much else to be found on the internet: the first and only trailer with English subtitles from 2011 is everything that is left of Kaio: King of Pirates.
Gameplay was planned to be quite like the Dynasty Warriors series, with the ability to pick up and play for longer sessions without problems. This is also one of the reasons why Keiji Inafune chose the 3DS as main platform, as opposed to mobile phones. The game was announced almost around the same time that the 3DS was unveiled, and was planned for release in 2012. Later, it was delayed to 2014, before being cancelled by Marvelous in the beginning of 2015. The company stated it had lost around 3.8 million dollars (or 461 million yen) in the 4-year-period of Kaio’s development.
Keiji Inafune has since turned to crowdfunding for his newer projects, but it seems the former Mega Man-talent cannot reach the glory of his past projects: Mighty No. 9, despite being a successful Kickstarter campaign, has received rather mixed and average reviews after release in 2016. Other Comcept games are Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z from 2014 for PS3, X360 and PC, as well as the Microsoft Studios-published ReCore, which also released in 2016 for PC and Xbox One. Let’s hope Inafune’s bad luck will end soon, because his next project Red Ash: The Indelible Legend is described as the spiritual successor to the Mega Man Legends titles. Despite causing some controversies in its Kickstarter campaign, which ran when Mighty No. 9 was still in development, the game is planned for a 2017 release on PS4, Xbox One and PC.
Nintendo Switch: Neue Firmware 2.3.0 veröffentlicht. Allerdings gibt es wohl wieder nur kleinere Änderungen. Die Nintendo Switch ist nun etwas über 2 Monate auf dem Markt. Vor dem Launch hat Nintendo versprochen, dass man der Switch noch viele Funktionen nachliefern werde. Seit dem ist auch schon die ein oder andere ...
Echte Kostüme statt CGI
Ein erstes Set-Foto zum kommenden Predator-Film zeigt: Shane Black hält seine Versprechen, Kostüme Computer-Effekten vorzuziehen.
Die Jagd geht für Geralt von Riva weiter.
Netflix wird ein TV-Drama basierend auf den Romanen des The Witcher-Autors Andrzej Sapkowski produzieren.
Zwar kein Reboot, aber immerhin ein Remaster
Microsoft schenkt seinen Usern das Action-Sammelkarten-Spiel Phantom Dust als gratis HD-Remaster für Xbox One und Windows 10.
Overwatch – Origins Edition für 27 EUR
Overwatch – Origins Edition für 27 EUR
Logitech G430 Headset inkl. G502 Gaming Maus für 69 EUR
Planet der Affen: Survival startet am 03. August 2017 in den deutschen Kinos und Andy Serkis verspricht als Caesar, dass er den Krieg zu einem Ende bringen wird.
Two And A Half Men – Komplettbox (DVD) für 44 EUR
Breaking News: Es sind nicht nur Zwölfjährige.
Dank eines Leaks interner Dokumente von Microsoft erhalten wir Einblicke in die Userbase der Xbox One.
Echte Kostüme statt CGI
Ein erstes Set-Foto zum kommenden Predator-Film zeigt: Shane Black hält seine Versprechen, Kostüme Computer-Effekten vorzuziehen.
