Flojomojo Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 Posted on Hyperkin's Facebook yesterday with a "happy Friday" tag, so I assume it's not an April Fool's joke. It seems very plausible and feasible. I prefer my GameBoy games portable, but they seem to have the other details right. It occurs to me that I have more GB/GBC/GBA cartridges than any other platform, including Atari. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 Interesting. I thought they already had something like this in the works? Or was that just for use with smartphone emulators? I don't remember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldLeader Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 That seems really cool! I hope it really plays them, rather than emulating them...(Not sure why it would, but if they re-used the emulator from the RetroN 5, I could see it happening). I think the first thing I'd do would be to plug in Wario Blast and see if it plays correctly or if the bombs have no explosion sound like on RetroN 5... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keepdreamin Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 Seems like Hyperkin still hasn't found an answer to their mission statement. "How many redundant pieces of hardware can we shovel on gamers?" 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanooki Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 If that's not BS that's fantastic if the price point is solid. It's basically a stripped R5 from the looks of it custom for just Gameboy lovers and thankfully with what appears to be a non-garbage painfully annoying to use controller too. Looks like they got smart on this one as it's both RCA and HDMI, small usb power port there, and with a classic DMG design right down to the scheme and on/off switch. Looking at proportions it can't be all that large, Ouya sized perhaps given the width and depth of a GB game cart. The downer would be this thing costing say $50 or more, but on the up it is unique as usually it's more of a shoehorned in after thought slot on a swiss army knife box. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godslabrat Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 1) April fools my ass... they're ready to crank these out. 2) not really interested until they cover systems they couldn't in the past. Seriously, they know there's a market for Tg16... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toptenmaterial Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 I've authentic games on a Game Boy Player, and emulated them on my Wii. The Wii ones are unplayable, as if the original screen were stretched. I'm hoping that this isn't like this. And I do enjoy playing GB/GBC/GBA on the big screen; its helpful in Metroidvanias so I don't have to squint to see the map! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted April 2, 2017 Author Share Posted April 2, 2017 Interesting. I thought they already had something like this in the works? Or was that just for use with smartphone emulators? I don't remember. That phone case thing built to look like the bottom half of a brick GameBoy? That was due out months ago. I wonder if it's dead, perhaps thanks to the lawyers at Nintendo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeeperofLindblum Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 I'd definitely love something like this. Regardless of how well it does, it'd be the easiest method of playing Game Boy material on a modern TV while using actual cartridges. Would hope it would run better than the Retron 5 as well... But it'll probably be the same thing. -_-I keep wanting a Retron 5 almost exclusively for this, so I'm hoping this is better and cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toptenmaterial Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 My question is this: if it does indeed use emulation, will it stack up to the Game Boy Player? Or will it look like a super enlarged GBA screen? I'm wondering if emulators have compensated by using some sort of upscaler or filling in technique for lack of better terms. In other words the GBP looks great and emulators (from the limited ones I've used) on the TV look like ass. And not Kim Kardashian ass, more like Ron Jeremy ass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimjans Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 I'd definitely love something like this. Regardless of how well it does, it'd be the easiest method of playing Game Boy material on a modern TV while using actual cartridges. Would hope it would run better than the Retron 5 as well... But it'll probably be the same thing. -_- I keep wanting a Retron 5 almost exclusively for this, so I'm hoping this is better and cheaper. Yes I also hope its better than the retron 5. Because if the input lag is as awful as the retron 5 I should not buy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StopDrop&Retro Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 They're really going to town with GB/GBC/GBA emulation. This is pretty much their SmartBoy thing without a screen or battery. Their hardware is always eye catching but I lose all interest when they say nothing about the software, which only confirms they're using Android. I wish there was a company on Hyperkin's scale that was focused on FPGA emulation hardware. If this thing is cheap, like $50 or below, it might be worth checking out but fat chance of that happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted April 2, 2017 Author Share Posted April 2, 2017 What do you think it will sell for? Any more than $80 seems like too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godslabrat Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 Honestly, $60 is not unreasonable, considering that it's about 1/5th of a Retron 5, and would be about half the price. If it's any more than that, you might as well upsell yourself to the R5. And no, I'm not even humoring the notion that it will be anything more than an R5 with fewer slots. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanooki Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 I'd consider anything over $50 a slap in the face really given what more the Retron 5 can already do including all 3 gameboy systems. They have a fine line to walk with this one before casual purchase and ponying up for a low 3 figured swiss army knife android box. That said though, already having the R5 and the fact I'd at this rate if it had the NES port and controller adapter module port included and the price was acceptably low enough (R5 comparable) I'd ebay fodder the turd for the retrofreak instead. I see this probably just being the R5 firmware/GUI tweaked to just support gameboy which is cheap, lazy, and easy so it would make sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godslabrat Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 I see this probably just being the R5 firmware/GUI tweaked to just support gameboy which is cheap, lazy, and easy so it would make sense. Hyperkin has a remarkable ability to market themselves as being a boon to classic gaming fans, while in actuality delivering on very little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zaineb Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 I don't think I'd be willing to pay more than $40-45, but then again I already have a GBA player for GameCube. It does look pretty cool, though. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanooki Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 Hyperkin has a remarkable ability to market themselves as being a boon to classic gaming fans, while in actuality delivering on very little. Very well said. I'm quite aware of their inner shenanigans. Back when the R5 had come out I was friends with the coder of their firmware/system firmware updates and we'd chat nightly on facebook. I helped with some bug checking and even got a pirate multicart added to it for support. I had problems with their crap quality original model and I saw a big rabbit hole of stupidity go down over that. The Asian branch doesn't seem to fond of how the US branch handled stuff or behaved. They kept dicking me around on my system that had some problems, eventually the HK office stepped in and made them give me one of the first shipped systems of their revision model to fix the problem (and it has been solid for 2 years now.) The friend kept talking about the problems between both sides and the internal arguing about things, eventually the US office suddenly got very nice and friendly, even got on the phone instead of email and corrected the issue. The US office is all about minimal service, everything on the cheap, designing stuff to reuse whatever possible for the least amount of effort. The main office seems more keen to make something that works nice and gets closer to their vision so it's a competition a bit I think. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godslabrat Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 Very well said. I'm quite aware of their inner shenanigans. Back when the R5 had come out I was friends with the coder of their firmware/system firmware updates and we'd chat nightly on facebook. I helped with some bug checking and even got a pirate multicart added to it for support. I had problems with their crap quality original model and I saw a big rabbit hole of stupidity go down over that. The Asian branch doesn't seem to fond of how the US branch handled stuff or behaved. They kept dicking me around on my system that had some problems, eventually the HK office stepped in and made them give me one of the first shipped systems of their revision model to fix the problem (and it has been solid for 2 years now.) The friend kept talking about the problems between both sides and the internal arguing about things, eventually the US office suddenly got very nice and friendly, even got on the phone instead of email and corrected the issue. The US office is all about minimal service, everything on the cheap, designing stuff to reuse whatever possible for the least amount of effort. The main office seems more keen to make something that works nice and gets closer to their vision so it's a competition a bit I think. Ironically, the stereotype is that the US wants the best quality, and the Chinese manufacturers continually try to cut corners to save a tenth of a penny. I certainly don't know anything close to what you know ( and I appreciate you sharing what you did) but the pre-release spectacle of the R5 made it clear that someone up top didn't know what they were doing. I like my FC Mobile II, it's fine for what it is. But I'm very leery of anything the company has released since. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj_convoy Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 I have a few different ways to play Game Boy games, including a Retron, so this isn't for me, but it could be cool for someone who doesn't have so many options. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSchoolRetroGamer Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 It was just another April Fools prank by HYPERKIN, come on gang...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted April 4, 2017 Share Posted April 4, 2017 (edited) The proprietary controller doesn't help it any, even if the rest is actually well done. Should've put a single SuperNes controller port on there (And allow us to select between A/B and Y/B options, Super Game Boy style). Edited April 4, 2017 by Atariboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanooki Posted April 4, 2017 Share Posted April 4, 2017 Ironically, the stereotype is that the US wants the best quality, and the Chinese manufacturers continually try to cut corners to save a tenth of a penny. I certainly don't know anything close to what you know ( and I appreciate you sharing what you did) but the pre-release spectacle of the R5 made it clear that someone up top didn't know what they were doing. I like my FC Mobile II, it's fine for what it is. But I'm very leery of anything the company has released since. No problem and yeah it is which is why I shared because usually it is the stuff out of China that ends up being the complete garbage, or the effort as much being so and the hit and miss quality speaking to it, but it was kind of the reverse here which was spooky weird. I do agree on the handheld, I have the next model of that the FC Mobile 88 which is mostly fantastic, but a damn shame it gets pissy about various special mapper titles. I can't run Yuukai Dochuuki, Final Lap (both Namco chip), and Castlevania 3 (VRC6), yet earlier VRCs and other chips do and do it well. I keep it my desk to meddle with stuff now and again, but mostly just keep my super games 500in1 parked in there. Probably going to pull it out in a bit, got the Famicom version of Panic Restaurant in the mail today! Funny thing is that controller it reminds me kind of of that Gameboy hori controller for Super Gameboy back in the day the Japanese only got. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeeperofLindblum Posted April 4, 2017 Share Posted April 4, 2017 (edited) Damn it. It's fake. EDIT - This is from their actual Facebook page... WHY WOULD YOU FAKE THIS? D:I'd TOTALLY buy that over the Retron 5... Edited April 4, 2017 by KeeperofLindblum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSchoolRetroGamer Posted April 4, 2017 Share Posted April 4, 2017 Damn it. It's fake. Fakedamnit.png EDIT - This is from their actual Facebook page... WHY WOULD YOU FAKE THIS? D: I'd TOTALLY buy that over the Retron 5... Shocker! As i already pointed out in my post # 21 WHY WOULD THEY FAKE IT? Because it is HYPERKIN, they did it before, NEW PRODUCT ANNOUNCED APRIL 1st, does not take a genius. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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