Just gonna throw this out there, the emulation on the retro-freak is pretty spot on.

@outerspacekat1663

8 жыл бұрын

+David Garcia -Hey man small comments like this goes a long way. Always good to know!

@tightlypackedcoil

8 жыл бұрын

I've noticed no deficiency in the Retron 5 in that regard.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+tightlypackedcoil It seems like more hacked and repro games seem to work on the Retro Freak. But I haven't encountered many games that didn't work on either console.

@tightlypackedcoil

8 жыл бұрын

+Joe Goes Retro you're probably right about repro carts, etc, but I thought he meant in terms of replicating the visuals and audio of the supported games.

@RainerK.

6 жыл бұрын

I would reckon that they use the same software emulators.

I've been looking at buying one of these types of emulation consoles for a while but haven't decided which to get. Great comparison video, thanks for the info!

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+SUPERATOMIC hopefully the video helps you decide which is right for you!

Well done, Joe. This video answered a lotta my questions.

Retro Freak plays TG-16/PC-E and Super Grafx. There is no comparison.

Great review. I've had my eye on the retron 5 for a while and will probably pick one up at some point.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Retro Nonsense it's a great console.

Fantastic breakdown sir appreciated clear and consise. New sub. I like the idea of plugging the original carts in to play, without the fuss of connecting up all my separate machines. Leaning to the Retron 5 right now.

Joe, Love the intro music! That's what I call "Brown Tone"! Love it!

@joegoesretro

4 жыл бұрын

I’ve been meaning to re-record the song at a higher bit rate, the track was okay for home recording circa 2007, but it’s showing its age now.

Great Video, I'm still undecided between which console to get between the Retron 5 and Retro Freak.

@fhuckgoogle4171

5 жыл бұрын

It’s been 2 years. What did you go with?

At first I was not a fan of the Retro Freak mainly on the price point. But that TG16/Super Grafx might just lean me that way should I get an emulation system! Awesome match up bro!!! Thanks so much for taking the time to do this.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+The Atari Creep Yeah, the biggest negative about the Retro Freak is the price point. Especially if you want the add-ons too.

Thanks for cutting to the chase! Great review. Too many reviewers want to do schtik and never review. I'm looking at you, lord karnage.

Does the Retro Freak chew up the cartridge connectors like the Retron 5? It's the one reason I stopped using my Retron console.

@joegoesretro

6 жыл бұрын

I've never had either console damage my games, and I've had both for a long time. The pins on the Retro Freak are snug, but not as snug as the R5.

Great review Joe! I've had my eyes on the Retro Freak for a while and it looks like I'll probably pick one up before this summer. I'm also very excited that RF is putting out an adapter that let us play our Game Gear games on our TVs! I feel like that and the TG16 slots are huge selling points for me. But anyways, great channel you have and cool instagram account.

I love that stick/bass thing on the back, that was more interesting to me than the ending comparison of the video.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

I love it too, it's a lot more interesting than your comment.

I like the ability to save to SD card instead of the cartridge of the freak. I think I will go with that. Thanks for the review

@bdel80

4 жыл бұрын

Also if you search about there is a hack to dump the rom and able to use it on other systems. So bascily turning your RF into a cart dumper

Very informative I think you sir have earned new subscriber...

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+lamont8855 Thank you very much!

very informative vid, great work as always!

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+ShyGuyShawn82 Thanks a lot. I worked really hard on this video.

I bought a retrofreak based on your review and I love it! I was worried it would take an age to load my sd card but after a few issues its working brilliant!. make sure you get the latest firmware (mines 1.6 at time of comment) the older firmware had issues that lead to overheating and bricking of the unit in some cases. I have 1700 games on my sd card which is a class 10 speed and it takes less than 3 mins to load the contents. so very happy with this console!!!!

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

glad to hear you like it so much. Glad my videos were helpful! I'll have to look into that firmware update, I think I'm on 1.4 or 1.5 still.

@mountainbearoutdoors

8 жыл бұрын

yeah I think they released firmware 1.6 in april of this year. that's always a good thing being able to iron out the kinks with a console.

..saw retro freak yesterday up close and personal and it's been in my head up to this morning..i have 2 supergrafx game that's in storage for over a year now and getting an actual PCE-SG console is a pain..retrofreak is the best solution imo..need to get one asap!..you just earned a new subscriber Joe!

@joegoesretro

7 жыл бұрын

+Axcel RaVe Thanks! It's definitely a more cost effective solution. Super Grafx consoles are very hard to come by. Then add in all the other games that it can play.

Great review man. Subed!

Oh, and thanks for the comparison!

good video mate. I recently bought the Retron 5 (and the Retro trio) and i'm very happy with it, would have liked the PC Engine slot but the NES slot is more important to me (before we get into further adaptors). I do own all the original consoles but its great to be able to just plug and play on the main front room TV. Had some great games of EA Hockey and NBA Jam last week when a friend dropped by. You just gained a new subscriber my friend

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Gamer Si I too have all the original consoles, but being able to save shelf space with either of these consoles is a big plus. I feel the NES slot is probably more important to many people.

@GamerSi

8 жыл бұрын

agreed. I'll probably pick a Retro Freak when I get a chance. I'm a sucker for these things

thanks man didnt even know there was a retro freak i really like the plain look to the retro freak... it would be a awesome canvas for ur own personal system

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+zachary stidham I really like it too. No-nonsense, small form factor. Very clean.

I couldn't use the Retron 5 for the first year I had it because the input lag was so bad on my 2007 Sony Bravia. After getting a new TV with a proper "Game Mode," it works great. I am curious whether the Retro Freak has the same issues with older TVs. Anybody?

@dwaindibbley1965

7 жыл бұрын

Technically its the TV's problem, TV's these days do a lot of pre-processing before displaying the picture so unless there is a game mode the retro Console would need a Time travel chip. To my knowledge such a chip does not exist. In other words, its totally impossible to solve this problem on PS4 Xbox.. anything

@dethraid

7 жыл бұрын

i use it on my monitor (vg248qe) and my mitsubishi dlp 84inch tv with no percevable lag ...even with the included wireless controller i don't notice it on these....the tv and monitor have great inputs that dont ad a bunch of crap before the frame is displayed ....its looks plays and feels great on these.....i have a 32inch lg hdtv (lcd) and playing on it is absolutly terrible.... near unplayable ......game mode on it helps but even then still not as good as the mitsubishi tv or my asus monitor

@HamtaroSonicHedgehog

7 жыл бұрын

I hear that this console will suffer from input lag if you don't update the firmware, otherwise there's no input lag to my knowledge.

@dwaindibbley1965

7 жыл бұрын

***** That's not true, but certainly the latest firmware is much better than the very early version. Similar to how mobile phones work, new features are added and bugs are fixed over time. Mobile phones. Versions leaving the factory have the latest Firmware on now of course and upgrades are free.

@HamtaroSonicHedgehog

7 жыл бұрын

+Wayne Beckett I just mention that because there was a comment on how someone who owns a Retro Freak had to deal with input lag issues, but once this person installed the latest firmware update, the input lag was gone. I know that TV's are usually the source that causes the input lag, but I was just stating what I've heard.

Way u started seemed like u were trying to keep your voice lol good video thanks

hello, I'm thinking of buying one of these I just have one question. which has the smoother gameplay? I heard retron 5 is 60fps is that true?

Good video Joe, thanks!

Can the Gadget Retro Freak save directly into the cartridge or you need to save in the sd card and them replace the cartridge save file with the sd save file?

I own a few retro consoles and I love them to death. I enjoy the games that I own for them which is quite a few, but it's expensive to get clear picture on an HDTV and they all take up A LOT OF SPACE! *I would purchase a console like the retron & retrofreak to save space*, so if I can keep a library on an SD card and can program one controller to work with it, I will save space. I just feel like the Retron is somewhat inferior in what it offers for these reasons. I'd like to get this straight, so: Retron: - No reproduction carts - It's emulated but can't take from SD cards - Deathgrip on cartridges + NES cartridges + Easier access to classic controllers + Cheaper price Retrofreak: - Classic controllers require an adapter - Fairly steep price - No NES, but can use famicom->NES adapter for it + ..But PC Engine + SD card support

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

You've pretty much nailed the big points. Both have stock controllers which leave a bit to be desired, and a few other points, but you got the major ones.

@sarahd2623

8 жыл бұрын

Joe Goes Retro Oh one thing I'm dying to know is the input lag issues.. I browsed the internet but couldn't find a very good answer! I might buy one of these ;)

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Sarah Saurus in my opinion, the lag is minimal. It's there, but it seems to be barely noticible.

@sarahd2623

8 жыл бұрын

Joe Goes Retro Thanks very much :D It didn't seem like it would be an issue but it's good to ask!

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Sarah Saurus you're welcome. I totally understand why one would be concerned about it. It seems like these emulation based consoles that have HDMI connection try very hard to make input lag a non issue.

Does the Gadget Retro Freak allow you to use translation patches for Japanese games like the Retron5?

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

Yes, it does.

@WhiteJarrah

8 жыл бұрын

Joe Goes Retro And is it more reliable than the Retron 5? About half the reviews I've read complain about the games crashing on the retron 5.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

I've not had anywhere the issues with my Retron5 that others have. Never had a crash or anything, and I've had it since launch. But the Freak seems a bit better built overall.

Sorry two comments on one video, does the Retro Freak ever plan on allowing PC Engine CD games to work via an adapter ?

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Dustin Gibbons I don't think they'll ever do something like that via an add-on. There's a company making a CD-ROM based emulation console that runs off a Raspberry Pi called the IndieGO! which plays PC Engine CD, Sega CD, and PS1 games that just had a successful Kickstarter. I'm sure others companies will follow with their own soon.

quick question, i assume this both output HDMI without HDCP?

My friend went through three Retron 5's. Of course, he's kind of careless. great video, Joe.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+The Side Quest Gamer Dang. I know that there were some lemons in the early batches, but I've not heard about any recently.

So the RF is better for playing roms? I basically want one of these just for roms, playing physical carts and extra controllers would be a bonus.

@joegoesretro

7 жыл бұрын

Pretty much, and you get it all in a smaller package than the Retron 5, which I also like.

@HashBandicoot356

7 жыл бұрын

Prolly will get the RF then, the controller looks good enough for me and if i dont like it i will use my ps4. The only thing that concerns me is i see reviews saying it gets hot because it has no fans...

@joegoesretro

7 жыл бұрын

+HashBandicoot I personally haven't had any problems with mine overheating. I actually like the bundled controller.

Hi there, I have some questions about the Retro Freak: 1- How is the lag with the Retro Freak compared to the RetroN5? I've noticed a lot of lagging with the RetroN5 compared to my original systems either hooked directly on my TV or via my XRGB-Mini. 2- Can I use an NES or SNES Multitap on the Retro Freak? If not, can I use a USB Hub? 3- Can the Retro Freak have an option to boot carts automatically when inserted without asking you questions? 4- How does VSync handle on the Retro Freak (for all the emulators)? Thank you

Is the only way to play master system games is by using the power base or will the adapter from them work with US master system games ?

@joegoesretro

4 жыл бұрын

The Retro Freak Mark III adapter wouldn’t accommodate Master System Games due to the cart being shaped differently. There is a Retron 5 adapter that’s basically the same device as the Mark III adapter but re-shaped accordingly. That’s not even mentioning the Power Base Mini that Stone Age Gamer sells, which is a Game Genie sized Power Base device which will works on real Sega hardware as well as these emulation based consoles. Lastly, you can just download the ROMs and install them to your SD card if you’re playing on a Retro Freak

great video. so, is it possible to save the roms on memory card and play them on retro freak without getting thise roma from original cartridge? I mean getting the roms Dowlanded from the internet.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+majed6368 That is exactly right. You can copy the ROMs from a computer to your SD card and play them on the console.

@majed6368

8 жыл бұрын

+Joe Goes Retro thank you very much. I believe the same is not possible with retron 5, right?

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+majed6368 I think it IS possible if you were to hack the Retron 5 console. But the Retro Freak can do it out of the box.

So if I want to play Turbografx 16 games I have to choose the Retro Freak and buy an adaptor to use it with a turbo game pad?

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Professor5180 if you pay a little extra and buy the deluxe version, it comes with an adapter, but I don't know if TG16 and PC Engine controllers have the same plug.

@americansupervillain4595

7 жыл бұрын

The plug for the pc engine is a different diameter than for the tg16. But you can buy a adapter cable off eBay.

hi, does anyone know the NTSC/PAL picture issue? pal has 25 fps, while ntsc has 30 fps... so we raised in europe on Pegasus (nintendo like contra super mario etc) are used to slower motion of games than in USA or Japan maybe - is it possible to adjust it in Retro Freak? the pitch/tempo of the game (sound and picture)? thanks

One thing I'm curious is which one is better for patching Japanese SF games with English Patches?

Now that the polymega is a thing...what do you think about it?

A year or so later I picked up the RF EU premium version for £99.00 it was discounted but now it's gone back upto £199 approx

I'm here in Japan and i'm kinda leaning on getting a retro freak premium. But the retron 5 seems to be a good deal as well and i hear it can apply translation patches to original japanese super famicom games cart via sd card.

@joegoesretro

7 жыл бұрын

Both systems can. I've not tried it, but with my ever-growing Famicom cart collection, I really should.

@betacrest10

7 жыл бұрын

Well back from Japan and after a good consensus of opinions i've gathered i ended up buying a Retro Freak premium. Thanks guys, majority of you said i made a wise choice.

@JasonStevens

6 жыл бұрын

I'm pretty happy with mine as well. The plastic case feels really cheap, but it does the job by letting me read and dump Asian carts, and load up roms from SD. Sure I could use a PC to emulate, but when playing with my wife or kids, it's so much easier to have a dedicated appliance that you just turn on and go.

why didn't you mention how hard the retron5 holds the carts in place,I had retron5 I pulled out the metal tabs holding the carts in a few plays

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Michael Smith I don't have that problem with my console. The carts are snug, but I never had any issue removing them from the console.

Where can you buy the Retro Freak? Does it work out of the box with USA power outlets?

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+DcsOrCity I bought mine from playasia.com, amazon.com had them as well, not sure if they still do. A few sellers have them for sale on eBay as well. Japan uses the same kind of power outlets we do, just US house voltage is a little higher (120v vs 100v) so the supplied adapter works fine.

@DSilvergun

8 жыл бұрын

+Joe Goes Retro Thanks! Did you get the premium console from Play Asia? What's included in the premium version vs. standard?

I want to point out two things, one that's an amazing feature of the Retron 5 (But maybe the Retro Freak has it too?). Loading IPS patches from the SD card. That means that you can get a perfectly legal translation patch, and load it with the cartridge to have your favorite non-English game in English. Continuing from that, you can load roms on the Retron 5 too, but it's a little more complicated (just a little): You make an IPS patch of a complete other game, so instead of just changing the text, you change the whole game.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Tim Larsson The Retro Freak can do it too.

Does the retro freak play flash carts? And does it let you use light guns?

@joegoesretro

7 жыл бұрын

+Anthony Durant No to both questions. Light guns are not compatible with HD TVs. Flash carts are kind of redundant with the Retro Freak, as you can load your ROMs to the console from the micro SD slot. It's just not designed to work with Everdrives or Multi carts like regular carts.

Quick question. Seems as if I could download games off the internet slap'm onto the SD Card and go with it. Does it work that way?

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

Yes, it does. That's what I mean when I said the console "isn't too picky where it gets its game ROMs from."

@Bobby8451

8 жыл бұрын

+Joe Goes Retro Ahman this thing sounds like a win win to me. Like Gamester81 showed, u can actually use original message, sneakers, Sega, and tg16 game controllers. I just wonder too if it's possible to play Sega games and Mrs games with the sneakers controller, cause I have the super nes advantage controller with rapid fire. Oh Yeah! lol

@Bobby8451

8 жыл бұрын

+Joe Goes Retro sorry about comment above. Message meaning nes and sneakers meaning snes.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Bobby8451 If you have a controller to USB adapter, you can probably use whatever controller you like regardless of the game.

@intbn

6 жыл бұрын

JGR - Joe Goes Retro does that go for the retron 5(aswell as the retro freak)? You can load roms from sd card on both systems?

Your intros badass!

Do you know if both the MEGADRIVE Micro Machines games work?

@joegoesretro

5 жыл бұрын

I’m not sure, but knowing how these machines work, I highly doubt that the controller ports on the cartridge will work. I never owned either game, so I don’t know for sure.

Nothing in this vid about the audio.. I want to know which one sounds like the original consoles. And especially with Nes/famicom games with the extra audiochips inside the cartridges (like Gimmick -famicom- , Batman return of the Joker and other Sunsoft titles, castlevania 3 Japanese version etc). And what about the music from Streets of Rage 2 or Midnight resistance etc?

@joegoesretro

5 жыл бұрын

Nothing about the audio because they both do it spot on. There's no system on a chip hardware going on here to foul up the audio. It's all emulation based.

just picked up the Retro Freak and i am very happy with it. i wanted to get into pc engine games/turbografx 16 and i did not want to have to buy 2 systems or one and get it modded or buy a flash card to try out games before i buy them. the $200 price was worth it for me as i have all my older controllers and i love being able to rip my games to the system as well as moving the saves back and forth. only thing that would have made the retro freak better for me is having bluetooth

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Raziel Leonhart I agree completely. I regret not buying the premium version, but I probably will just buy the controller adapter eventually.

Hello Joe, I was wondering if the retro freak will load Sega 32X games ? I mean not physically inserting the 32X Cart but, bypassing and copying the 32X Rom directly into to the MicroSd Card? If you haven't tried yet will you give a shot ? Many Thanks!

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Strider 1978 I have tried it. The seems to load data from the cartridge, but it can't do anything with it.

@outerspacekat1663

8 жыл бұрын

+Joe Goes Retro Cool Thanks Joe - I have a feeling that we are gonna get more in the future from the Retro Freak over the Retron 5. Your video was great and you've helped me made a decision. It's Retro Freak for me!!!! :-)

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Strider 1978 That would be awesome if we did!

@outerspacekat1663

8 жыл бұрын

+Joe Goes Retro - I agree and I think its possible because it's emulation. I'm sure the "guys" are already working on it.

I think my wife and I are going to get the Retro Freak due to it's ability to play games off of an SD card. Does it need the power adapter to play master system games from an SD Card?

@joegoesretro

7 жыл бұрын

+Dustin Gibbons if you're going to just install the ROMs right to the SD card, you don't need any extra adapter. You will want to update your firmware, though

@joegoesretro

7 жыл бұрын

+Dustin Gibbons if you're going to just install the ROMs right to the SD card, you don't need any extra adapter. You will want to update your firmware, though

@fatenabu1

7 жыл бұрын

ok is firmware updates easy?

@joegoesretro

7 жыл бұрын

Yeah, if you do a google search, you should be able to find detailed instructions, I believe someone on the AtariAge forums posted them there. But if you use Chrome as your web browser, it can translate cybergadget.co.jp for you, and it's not too terribly hard to navigate.

Retro Freak having TG16 compatibility is awesome, but that price.. I'm going to have to look into this a little bit more, as I was considering getting a Retron 5 soon. Good reviews!

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+The Game Grinder Both are great consoles. I don't regret buying either!

@TheGameGrinder

8 жыл бұрын

I've had growing interest in getting a TG16, so I'd probably get the Retron 5 and a TG16 for about the same cost as the Retro Freak. Maybe.. the most attractive aspect of both is the built in upscaling.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+The Game Grinder With the TG -16 only having RF output, it's definitely more convenient to record gameplay from one of these.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+The Game Grinder With the TG -16 only having RF output, it's definitely more convenient to record gameplay from one of these.

@TheGameGrinder

8 жыл бұрын

Hm, yeah that's a good point.

How do the cart ports compare on the Retro Freak to the Retron 5? I've had my 5 since launch (The controller died just after a year but I preferred to use original controllers anyway) now the Genesis port has failed and my Famicom port is struggling to read carts. I tend to use my original hardware over the Retron 5 so it's not had a ton of use. Tempted by Retro Freak since it was announced but don't want to buy another clone which will last just past the warranty.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+GauBan2501 The cartridge ports are not as snug on the Retro Freak. The overall build quality is slightly better on the Freak to me. I have mainly used my Retron 5 for game play capture, so I rarely use it more than a few times per month. I use the Retro Freak a few times per week.

@GauBan2501

8 жыл бұрын

Cheers, Does the Freak work fine for transferring saves back to the original carts? My main reason for getting the Retron was to have a backup of my saves so when the batteries dry out I could then just replace the battery and restore them. It saved me once as my Link's Awakening ran flat and was able to replace the battery and then restore the save.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

I've never tried it, but I'm pretty sure it does. Most of the same features the Retron 5 has, the freak does too.

@GauBan2501

8 жыл бұрын

+Joe Goes Retro cool. if Hyperkin are not willing to play or it is a hardware fault I'll pick one up

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

Good luck. I've heard Hyperkin's customer service is absolutely terrible!

I'd be happy with either or, but seeing g as I'd like to put my turbo grafx in storage, I think I'm gonna go with the freak.

@joegoesretro

7 жыл бұрын

I'm going to be putting my Genesis, Turbo Grafx and SNES in storage...and since I have a Wii set up (and either console playing GBA games), I can probably put my GameCube away as well now!

Hola tengo un problema con retrofreak los archivos rom con extensión bin de sega mega drive no me lo detecta la consola alguna forma de que los detecte la consola?

how are the pins on the freak? tight as the Retron?

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

They're a bit tighter the original consoles in the case of the MegaDrive/Genesis and Super Famicom/SNES slots, but nothing like the Retron's.

The first retron 5 that I got ended up ruined within a day because it kept a death grip on the cartridges and simply trying to remove the games ruined the pins on the console. Hyperkin did replace my console and the one i got works drastically better but still, pretty glaring design flaw.

I forgot to comment when I initially liked this. I would definitely go with the retro freak if I had to choose one. The whole not having to keep inserting your games in the console again and again is a huge plus, plus ya know , dubious means and what not. Great comparison man.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+PK's Retro Reviews I'm in the process of installing the ROMs I put on my hacked Wii on the Retro Freak. It's will be nice to have more reliable means of emulating certain consoles.

@PKInTheUniverse

8 жыл бұрын

+Joe Goes Retro Niiiice. I just played my hacked Wii the other day after a long hiatus. The whole region free thing is a huge plus. I recently ordered an Everdrive for my genesis from aliexpress which also plays master system roms which is very cool. My main reason for getting it ( besides that I am totally burned out of collecting genesis games) is that it has a CD Bios loading function . I've always been curious to play other Sega CD game from other regions. I think my Sega CD is the reason I can never abandon the genesis for a clone console.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+PK's Retro Reviews One day I'll be picking up a Sega CDX one of these days. I really want to play some of those games again.

@PKInTheUniverse

8 жыл бұрын

I'd love to get one of those bad boys. I wish I had between $200- 400 to spend on such an item. Another thing I thought was cool is the everdrive has 32X support if you have a 32X. I really wish I had bought one of those when they were less expensive.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+PK's Retro Reviews I've been on the fence about getting an everdrive too, 32x support is a HUGE selling factor there.

Do any of these multi consoles play Atari games my mum really would like to play Defender 1981 . In time for Christmas 🎄

can you play with a ps3 controller on the retrofreak with USB cord

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Steven Bryant yes, I haven't tried it, but others have informed me that it works

my retron 5 lasted 4 months... as of last week- Dead. mind of it's own. no technical support.. nothing...might as well emailed my cat.

Retrofreak Can do a savegame dump from sd to the cartridge?

@joegoesretro

7 жыл бұрын

It's supposed to be able to yes, but in my own experiences, it doesn't always work.

I'm surprised you didn't mention the patch support on the Retron 5? Does the retro freak allow you to patch your games the same way as the Retron does? If it doesn't then it's of no use to me at all. I like that the freak can play TG/PC-E games, and I also like the included controller much better, however I would never use it since I use the snes controller for everything except for fighting games, which I use the Genesis 6 button for. I would say the Retron has some mandatory features that the freak is missing: NES Support (I understand that it's not made for our market, and this wont be an issue in Asia) IPS Patching Support (Maybe it's not missing? you didn't mention it and I don't have a unit to test) Original Controller Support (I would perfer to not use a USB hub, even if one exists) Forcing the original cart to be used I know that not everyone has all the carts in the world, and for that person roms are easier and cheaper, but I do have a huge library of carts, and this arbitrary mandate of having the cart forces to be pick from my personal library rather then the libraries as a whole. My take away from this video is that while the Retron is the right device for me, it can be better. GG support and TG-16 support would be awesome, and if N64 support is doable in the next year or two depending on the age of the IP then that would be cool too! Thanks for the video!

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+OAIHY both consoles support patches, that's why I didn't mention it. I am not sure, but I believe that they are based on similar software running in the background.

@EatingCtrlV

8 жыл бұрын

Good to hear, that feature is critical for a emulation box.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+OAIHY they also both run cheats as well. That's something they both prominently feature.

Awesome review, really appreciate the opinion coming from a player as opposed to just from a technical standpoint. Emulation will always be a sore subject, but for i'd be 95% of people I'd bet they wouldn't be able to tell the difference between something like this and something that is cycle accurate. Much more interested in the Retro Freak, shame it is so much more expensive. Guess I'll end up sticking with native hardware for now for most.

@joegoesretro

7 жыл бұрын

To me, for the versatility, it's worth the extra money. Since this video, I've opted to put my NES, Genesis, SNES, TurboGrafx-16 and even my GameCube (I can play GC discs on my Wii) into storage and keep the Retro Freak in my main setup permanently. For someone who does KZread videos (like myself), it's an awesome solution for being able to play and capture footage for these consoles with the quality that both the Retro Freak and Retron 5 put out. Since it wasn't available when I did the video originally, it's worth noting that the awesome 8BitDo NES30 or FC30 wireless controllers are compatible with the Retron 5. Which is a huge plus as that controller kicks ass.

we have both and the 'Freak is the clear winner. It also won't eat your carts like the R5, and works flawlessly with a Dualshock 3/4 or Saturn style USB controller.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Steve Thompson I've been thinking about getting a USB Saturn style controller since I bought the freak. Good to know it works.

@kaikiske7436

8 жыл бұрын

+Joe Goes Retro cool channel by the way. just subscribed

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Steve Thompson Thank you!

@robertcarldecker

5 жыл бұрын

Will it work with Sega Genesis, SNES, and NES USB controllers?

so do either of these play multicarts

To me, the RetroFreak wins for the following reasons -- *You can use the SD card without inserting the specific cartridge for each console. *USB controller ports.

the freak doesn't play nes genesis or snes or master system games? doesn't allow for original controllers?

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

It plays SNES, and Genesis games right from the box. It plays Master System and NES games with an adapter. It will accept original controllers with an adapter. You can install the game ROMs for all of those consoles directly to the console as well.

Yo, I got this system a few days ago and was wondering if anybody here had trouble with GBA Pokemon games as far as saves went. I have multiple cartridges that don't upload the saves at all and when trying to save to the cartridge, it pops an error up.

@joegoesretro

7 жыл бұрын

Which system? The Retron 5 or the Retro Freak? I've not had good luck with the Retron 5 and saved games to cartridge, especially on OG Game Boy.

@bryceman660

7 жыл бұрын

Oops, thought I posted my question on the retro freak hardware review video lol. Anyway, I got the Retro Freak and have a bunch of GBA Pokemon cartridges. I have a couple extras of each version and had tested each of them, and it looks like only a handful of them seem to upload/download saves successfully. I tried e-mailing the company, but so far no response on it. Was kind of wondering if anybody else had trouble like this, or if I should be trying to return and rebuy it.

@joegoesretro

7 жыл бұрын

It's funny, I've never actually tried copying a save over from a GBA game to the Retro Freak. I'm going to be busy working on my next video tomorrow. I don't have any Pokemon games, but I can try a few others to see what happens.

@bryceman660

7 жыл бұрын

No worries! I actually tested MegaMan Zero and it worked fine. I'm going to try the rest of my collection in a few. It's so bizarre that one working game with a save transfers successfully, but another same working game won't.

with the turbografx games do you have trouble playing them on the retro freak?

@joegoesretro

7 жыл бұрын

+lu low I haven't experienced any trouble at all.

@luelaify

7 жыл бұрын

ok cause i just can not get any turbo games to play even after i cleaned them with a q tip

@joegoesretro

7 жыл бұрын

+lu low that sounds like there's something wrong with that cartridge slot.

@luelaify

7 жыл бұрын

i got one game to play but that is it

@JomasterTheSecond

7 жыл бұрын

Did you put it in upside down?

Haven't seen a video from you in a while. Hope you are doing ok Joe.

does it take english patch like retro 5 does?

@joegoesretro

7 жыл бұрын

Yes, it does. A lot of the background stuff the two units can do are exactly the same.

hi does anyone know the answer to my question below

but have they fixed the pin issue on the retron 5? I'm always less skeptical of a product made in Japan vs China, where I would assume the retron is made. retron price is much better but not if it lasts 6 months.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+The Fresh Peddler - Beats For People Who Hate Radio I believe they did fix the pin issue, but I hear really mixed things still. I've had my Retron 5 since launch and I've not had any issues with the pin connectors, but that could be just me.

@TheFreshPeddler

8 жыл бұрын

+Joe Goes Retro they def should have used the r & d from the original hardware when it comes to the pins. very few things are made to last nowadays, cheap capacitors ect.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+The Fresh Peddler - Beats For People Who Hate Radio I agree, but that goes with everything, not just video games.

when did u get the retron5?

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Michael Smith I preordered it and got it about a week after it launched.

Wasn't Hyperkin getting in trouble for using SNES 9x code without permission or something?

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Dustin Gibbons yes, but after acknowledging what emulators they borrowed code from, everything seemed to calm down. I think you can still find a list of what emulators they copied code from on Hyperkin's website.

@Libretro

8 жыл бұрын

More like we don't like wasting money on court cases on a fraudulent garbage company and we took our losses and let it go.

I was fortunate enough to get a Retro Freak for an equivalent of less than $100 earlier today, outside of TGS.

@joegoesretro

7 жыл бұрын

+KoushiroIzumi85 That's awesome. Enjoy it. Mine has become my most used console!

@KoushiroIzumi85

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks. It sounds like a neat little system from the sound of things.

@HamtaroSonicHedgehog

7 жыл бұрын

Where did you get that deal?

@KoushiroIzumi85

7 жыл бұрын

CYBER Gadget had a stand set up between the Kaihin-Makuhari Station and Makuhari Messe, where the Tokyo Game Show was being held.

@HamtaroSonicHedgehog

7 жыл бұрын

KoushiroIzumi85 Ooh it was at an event? Darn! TwT I'm starting to get interested in getting a Retro Freak, but I wanted to see if I can find one at a deal.

What about Famicom controller on Retron 5

@joegoesretro

7 жыл бұрын

+Joseph Gray original Famicom controllers were hard wired into the console. The later AV Famicom's controllers were the same as the NES as far as I know. The other peripherals that use the 12 pin accessory port on the Famicom are not compatible with the Retron5.

Correction, Game Freak on PlayAsia is 363.99 as of March 19th 2021 vs Retron's 135$ locally for me.....Pardon the Retron 5 nails it on price in 2021

My big plus is the smaller size of the RF.... R5 is strange shape for a console needs way more cord room.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+ian comer Same here. I'm eventually going to put my Genesis, SNES, NES, TG-16 and even my GameCube (I can play GC games on my Wii and GB/GBA games on this), and free up some space for other consoles... which ones, I'm not exactly sure, yet.

The best killer feature of the retro freak is that it can save the cartridges to ROM files on a SD flash card. Even better is that you can copy ROM files to the SD card, and play them on the retro freak...

@joegoesretro

6 жыл бұрын

Yes! Also instead of patching a ROM, you can find one hacked for translation, which saves a step!

how can you play Game Gear on the Game Freak?

@jacobscarberry4799

8 жыл бұрын

sry Cyber Retro Freak*

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Jacob Scarberry CYBER Gadget is producing a cartridge adapter which will plug into the Genesis/Mega Drive slot and accept Sega MyCard, Sega SG-1000, Sega Mark III and Game Gear carts. It should be out in Japan later this month. Also you can just install Game Gear ROMs on the SD card if you want to go that route.

how can you play super grafx on the 5?

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Matt Thomas on the Retron 5, no. But you can on the Retro Freak.

@ItsMisterBluray

8 жыл бұрын

Ah thought I mixed up the two... how can yu play super grafx on the freak then? The hue cards? would be cool if you can play the super cd games on these...

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Matt Thomas it would be great to have a CD based retro console. But yes, the Retro Freak has a HuCard slot for PCE, TG-16 or Super Grafx games

Really want a retro freak for playing gameboy advance games.

so I could play game hacks on the reto freak I am so down for that

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Dick Grayson that's right

@boukenred1242

8 жыл бұрын

+Joe Goes Retro sweet

@boukenred1242

8 жыл бұрын

+Joe Goes Retro and by the way you just got one new subscriber

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Dick Grayson Awesome! Thank you very much!

Great comparison. I have both but I lean towards the Retro Freak due to it's overall versatility. Also for those who do buy one make sure you grab the most recent update. It fixes many of the bugs the console had early on. It's damn near perfect now. The update link is here. www.cybergadget.co.jp/support/retrofreak/update/

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+74Vidgamer I too lean towards the Retro Freak. I still have to get the newest update.

i love my retron but id get the retro freak for tg 16 alone

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Console Kev being able to play TG-16 games is a HUGE selling point for the Retro Freak. I didn't even know that you could rip the game ROMs from the carts or load ROMs to the console until after I got it. Huge bonus!

I don't know if the Retro Freak has a similar feature, but the Retron 5 also allows for firmware updates, and built in cheats. The biggest advantage being that the Retron 5 allows you to play games with translation patches, or some rom hacks through the SD card.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+SaviorGabriel The Retro Freak is able to do all of those things.

@SaviorGabriel

8 жыл бұрын

Joe Goes Retro Okay. Good to know.

My only problems with the Retro Freak is the lack of an NES slot and the lack of OG controller ports, but it's forgiven cus it's a Japanese console and the USB ports allow for some good gamepads. I'd say the Retro Freak is the superior console, and it looks better tbh. I'd love to save some space with the Retro Freak.

@therealdeadpen

8 жыл бұрын

+LovelyProductions I don't know if he went over it but you can use the PlayStation 3 and 4's controllers if you use a USB cable with the retro freak so that is a pretty good plus. though I really like using my Super Nintendo Turbo Controller (AsciiPad) on the retron 5 for all my games.

@TheT3rr0rMask

8 жыл бұрын

therealdeadpen Huge plus, they're pretty awesome gamepads! The R5's original ports is it's best feature IMO, just because you can use what you're used to or may already own

@therealdeadpen

8 жыл бұрын

+LovelyProductions Yea I miss having ports built in, I bought a third party SNES to USB device and I've not got it to work right on the freak yet (had for 2 days).

@TheT3rr0rMask

8 жыл бұрын

therealdeadpen Hope it works eventually. I'd love to try a Saturn controller adapter to see if it works

@JomasterTheSecond

7 жыл бұрын

Simply use a 72 pin to 60 pin adapter if you wanna play 'Murican games on the Japanese console.

Have a Retron 5 not impressed, lots of problems with megadrive carts freezing resetting. Famicom games run some don't, Starfox pal doesn't run properly. But the snes and gba besides starfox run really well. Intend on buying a retro freak hopefully with better results.

@joegoesretro

4 жыл бұрын

I’ve never had any problems like that myself, might be a thing with PAL versions, also the QC of Hyperkin is really hit or miss. So I’m not surprised that you are having issues.

@Ohh_Is_That_Sooo...

3 жыл бұрын

Have you had a change of heart on either??

is there any one of these consoles plat TG16

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Gaming Dreamer Yes, the Retro Freak plays TG-16 games.

@GamingDreamer

8 жыл бұрын

Joe Goes Retro What about the TG-16 CD ? And what will you recomand for a new Let's player like me?

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Gaming Dreamer I don't think there's currently a console that can play the Turbo CDs. There's a Raspberry Pi-based emulation console with an optical drive called the IndieGO! that had a successful kickstarter recently, which they claim will play Sega/Mega CD, Turbo CD, and even PS1, among other consoles.

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

As for what I'd recommend, I'd probably pick the Retro Freak, since it's a bit more versatile with the games it plays.

@GamingDreamer

8 жыл бұрын

Joe Goes Retro thanks ill try picking up one next time

does it play roms from sd ?

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Artëm Maksimov Yes, the Retro Freak will play ROMs from the SD card, it doesn't matter if you save the ROMs to the SD card or save them to the SD card from a computer.

@enkidux88

8 жыл бұрын

well thats great . thanks :)

Its not "out of the box" if you have to purchace a seperate perepheral...

@joegoesretro

3 жыл бұрын

It is if you install the ROMS direct to the SD card.

Ive got a Retron 5, no complaints here except the controller...

3:40 as i hear guile theme i start keep adiction to music

Nice shirt

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+3killabytes Thanks! Gamester rocks!

To be clear, if you use the sega mastersystem player attachment in the retro freak, it will play master system . I found it played master system almost perfectly. Better than it plays nes games with virtually no lag.

I've been looking forward for this video since you teased it. I am not dissappointed, good job on it! But I have to say that these consoles are'nt anything for me, I like the original hardware to much for any of them to be worth buying. I would recommend someone that is getting into retro gaming to buy one anyhow. A cheap and easy way tog get alot of consoles to play, and they work fine on a modern TV. You probably answered this one on another video, but how's the lag on them compared to plugging some original hardware to the TV?

@joegoesretro

8 жыл бұрын

+Stefan Johansson Having a relatively affordable way to get high quality video footage of all of these different consoles is what makes these consoles for me. Of course not everyone is a KZread game reviewer. I don't really notice very much lag myself, but I might just be used to it now.

@prozzac85

8 жыл бұрын

Sounds good. If I ever where to make any game related videos I would consider getting the Retron 5, so I understand what you mean.

@tightlypackedcoil

8 жыл бұрын

I've shelved my original hardware in favor of these more compact solutions, and thoroughly enjoy the HDMI output.