RetroN x86 (DOS console)

[TyrannicalFascist]

So Hyperkin just confirmed they are making a DOS console. HDMI 1080p. 512 MB Ram. Runs Linux and is thus also a starter-level Linux computer. Inspired by the design of the Commodore VIC-20. Has SD card slot, Bluetooth, WiFi and 2 USB 3.0 ports.

"Play anything from 1986 to 1999."

Apparently aiming for Fall, with a price point of $99.

http://youtu.be/zLgqsDNwaUg

Also they say RetroN 5 is coming within the next 30 days. The rep in the video claims that they were ready for April as promised but there was a shipping problem, but they are being shipped out now (yeah, we'll see). Apparently one of the firmware updates they were able to make during the delays now eliminates loading times and gives "instantaneous loading" of your games. Also customizable profiles. They also hinted that they are aware people want a RetroN 64 (portable most likely), and they are working on it.

The x86 sounds pretty good to me. I've recently been wanting to play all my DOS through Windows 98 games in one place with a keyboard, so it sounds like this could do it for a pretty reasonable price. I assume the USB slots would allow USB CD-Rom and Floppy drives so you can install your games. While their delays with the RetroN5 frustrate me (mostly their carrot dangling responses), I am still interested to get these things.

Assuming any of this comes out of course...  

[TDIRunner]

I don't own any clone or Retron systems, but I might consider this.  I will be watching this one.  I've never been that big into computer games, but the small handfull that I used to play, I loved. 

[McFlynn]

I'm glad the Retron5 is finally going to ship.  I was worried about the next delay would end up causing a raise in the unit's price so I went ahead and preordered through Amazon.

[TyrannicalFascist]

Here's a follow-up interview with Hyperkin. Mostly talk about the RetroN5 and more about what had changed since they delayed it.

http://youtu.be/dTWfprTiO7o

[Ozzy_98]

Sounds like they're just doing a dedicated dosbox console.  I doubt it'll run anything with extenders, 32-bit dos was always a pain for support.

[KalessinDB]

That's pretty cool.  I wonder if it'll be limited to DOS or what.  I'd love to set up the eXoDOS collection on a console on my tv.

[TyrannicalFascist]

There's some speculation that there could be some kind of Windows 9x support or at least workarounds. They said they got Quake III Arena running, and as far as I'm aware that's a game that requires Windows 9x. And even if not, this system runs on Linux, so how long before the tech savvy community figures out ways to make all the classics work?

[sLpFhaWK]

I played the Retron 5 today at Pax East. the thing that sold me on it was playing Gameboy Advance games with a SNES controller in HD. and the demo game was Pokemon Ruby and it was fantastic. I will definitely be buying one of them.

[SnesGuy]

I think I'm the one that started the first retron 5 topic and I just now pre ordered mine lol.

I think the x86 console is a cool idea, but lets see how it comes along. I may end up with one of those as well.
There's a bunch of games from the 90s I'd love to play again.

Better be nice at their $99 projected price for it. Feel like that's a little pricey for a dedicated dos box

[JDavis]

The x86 console is a cool idea, but I'll stick to my gaming PC for that stuff.

I've started having fun getting into "arguements" with the people who troll Hyperkin's facebook page constantly demanding the Retron5's release date and complaining about delays. Today's discussion (spawned by the new"30 days" window not matching the previous "April" window) included a few gems such as:

"You damn well knew you were going to delay it again" (because obviously Hyperkin psychicly new that the shipping issue would occur and did nothing to prevent it)

"if there's even a slight chance of it (a release date) being an impossibility you just don't announce it" (Sooo... this person wants to live in a world where no release dates are ever announced for anything?)

"We can go further than that.I'd rather them not have even announced the system at all if it mean't none of this garbage would have happened." (Because your life is so much worse off knowing that something could exist but isn't available to you yet?)

"Ubisoft delays a lot of their games, but you never see them doing anything remotely this terrible." (because cancelling a product after building up hype is not worse than just delaying it a few times)

"you may find one or two instances where a console was delayed, but never in this way." (I proceeded to bring up the Playjam Gamestick, which was delayed basically exactly this same way: A handful of delays leading to a release 8 months after the initial date (oh, look, that's even longer than the Retron 5 delays), as well as the Pandora Handheld whose 2 year delays and "still haven't shipped units to people who paid up front for a preorder five years ago" situation totally dwarfs the Retron 5 delays)

[Ozzy_98]

They should rename it the Retron 5 Forever. 

[KalessinDB]

They should rename it the Retron 5ever. 

Fixed that for you.

[Ozzy_98]

Mine was a duke nukem joke though.

[TDIRunner]

Mine was a duke nukem joke though.

I got it 

[KalessinDB]

Mine was a duke nukem joke though.

Ahhhh crap how did I miss that one?  *hangs his head in shame*