Hyperkin RetroN 1 HD Gaming Console for NES (Black)

Important to note that this newer version Retron 1 HD does work with the everdrive n8. The older version was not compatible. You can tell the difference by looking at the logo on the console. The new version says “Retron 1 HD” on the console. Old console just says “RetronHD” (no number one in the name). Also note that the newer everdrive N8 Pro did not seem to work.

Works exactly as I had hoped, using HDMI to connect to an LCD TV. Do note that it can require quite some force to put the cartridge in, I don't know if that was also the case for the original NES. I would recommend wiggling the cartridge left and right while pushing, then you will feel it sink slowly.

Games don't fit well in top slot. Also, after about one year of owning it and very little use, the part of the casing that connects the power cord, broke on the inside, so you can no longer attach the power cord. This is poor workmanship.Update:Pros: I contacted Hyperkin directly concerning the one-year warranty and even though it is slightly past the one-year mark, they are going to go ahead and replace my unit with a new one.Con: Even though the reason for replacing the unit is that it is defective/poor workmanship, Hyperkin is still requiring me to ship back my original unit to them, at my cost, rather than sending me a pre-paid shipping label, like just about any other company would do, especially when resolving their own defective product. It does not seem right to charge the customer to ship back a defective product under the warranty, however it is apparantly their company's policy to do so and it is listed as such in their warranty details.So, future potential buyers beware: This product is made very poorly and though they have a one-year warranty, they will make you pay shipping cost to return their defective unit to them, to process the warranty claim.When I addressed how this did not seem right to their warranty representative, he basically said he understood my point of view, but that this is what they require of all of their customers. I am going to return the product under warranty and then they may lose me as a future customer. I told them this potential and that I was writing this review and they did not seem to care, valueing the cost of a shipping label above the loss of their customers. Buyers Beware!!

Just received my Hyperkin today and I have to report that it is worth every penny. Having missed the whole Nintendo Classic Mini fiasco, I bought this system as a reasonably priced replacement for it. I'm happy to report that it arrived in perfect condition, was very easy to hook up, and works like a charm. Only have four games for it - Popeye, Donkey Kong Classics, Burger Time, and Super Mario Bros. 3 - and found that all four so far work perfectly. One note though, I did clean the connections before I played them just to be on the safe side so I would recommend doing this. As a casual gamer who hasn't played a NES game since probably the early 90's and was looking to "relive the nostalgia", this does the job. I didn't notice any lag to the game play, and I know that some people have mentioned the color differences but I'd have to compare the two side by side to even notice them and they really don't make much of a difference to me for what I want the system for.To all of you that missed the Nintendo Classic and are, like me, just looking to play the original NES games again, I can recommend this system. I can't wait to get more games and play them again!

Whether or not this system works for you is entirely a question of what you want out of your retro gaming. If you found a few of your old NES games in the attic or basement or grabbed something at a garage sale, this device will get you up and running on modern televisions without a tremendous outlay of cash. If you're that person, this is hard to argue with. It will play your Tetris or Super Mario Bros. cartridges and you'll probably be pretty happy.However... if you see yourself as a "serious collector" either now or in the future, you will likely find yourself dissatisfied with some of its limitations. For many games the colors and sounds are just a bit left of normal, and flash carts won't work either.I'm personally in the first camp. I have a few carts around and I wanted something to play them on my modern television. I'm not actively collecting for the NES, and for that reason this is okay for now. There will probably eventually be an upgrade to an AVS, but for now this is a pretty solid first step.

So this thing could not play about a third of my NES games. At first it seems like a compatibility issue but I discovered that's not the case. When I removed the boards from the carts and plugged them in without the case they worked. The design doesn't allow certain carts to go all the way down to make full contact. It's a design flaw. I'm not willing to open my carts up every time I want to play because it ruins the ease of use which is the reason I bought this thing in the first place. I'll probably be returning it. Two stars because it does play some games.