The RetroN is a series of video game consoles created and developed by Hyperkin which allows users to play old video games from consoles, such as the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Super NES. Since the release of the RetroN 5, they have been connected via HDMI. The latest in the series, RetroN 5, was released in 2014.
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RetroN
The original RetroN only played Nintendo Entertainment System games.
RetroN 2
RetroN 2 was released in 2012, and plays NES and SNES games.
RetroN 3
RetroN 3, supports Nintendo Entertainment System, Super NES (SNES) and Genesis games.
RetroN 4
The RetroN 4 was revealed at the 2013 Midwest Gaming Classic, on March 23. It used HDMI to run games from the NES, SNES, Genesis, and the Game Boy line of portable platforms (Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance). In March of 2014 it was announced it would not be released, but instead they would release a newer version of it called RetroN 5, because it now had 5 slots instead of four.
RetroN 5
The RetroN 5 was released in 2014. It is the latest console in the series. The console is designed to run games from nine different platforms: NES, Famicom, SNES, Super Famicom, Genesis, Mega Drive, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges via HDMI, similar to the RetroN 4. It was described to have a good feel and run smoothly, but the look of the console was as good as expected. The developers behind the RetroArch project claimed "the RetroN 5 violates several licenses". This was because the console used the Genesis Plus GX and SNES9x Next emulators to launch some games. Both of the emulators are filed under a non-commercial license, thus meaning they cannot be used in commercial products, such as the RetroN 5.
The RetroN 5 received a mixed reception from critics. Huffington Post writer Michael Rundle gave the console a 4.5 out of 5 but said he wished it looked better and had the ability to play more consoles, such as the BBC Micro, Amiga and the Atari. Brian Easton of BoingBoing said the quality is good although it "requires more force to remove [the cartridges] than feels comfortable".