{"id":12894,"date":"2016-06-13T15:40:02","date_gmt":"2016-06-13T19:40:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.megalextoria.com\/wordpress\/?p=12894"},"modified":"2016-06-13T15:40:02","modified_gmt":"2016-06-13T19:40:02","slug":"10-of-the-best-retro-gaming-consoles-available-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.megalextoria.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/2016\/06\/13\/10-of-the-best-retro-gaming-consoles-available-now\/","title":{"rendered":"10 of the Best Retro Gaming Consoles Available Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

Retro gaming is about as popular as it has ever been right now. (Well, at least since the games themselves were first released.)<\/p>\n

Kanye recently revealed he wants to name his next album after obscure late \u201980s games console the Turbografx 16, a new secret Mortal Kombat<\/em> menu has just been discovered \u2013 20 years after the game was released \u2013 and all-in-one game emulator OpenEmu recently unlocked the vaults of nostalgia with support for no less than 16 of the best classic consoles.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, there are new retro gaming festivals and expos popping up across the U.S. and Europe, while retro gaming channels such as YoVideogames and RetroLiberty have amassed tens of millions of views in the last few years.<\/p>\n

The simplistic side-scrolling allure of classic 8- and 16-bit games is a phenomenon that just won\u2019t disappear. For older gamers it\u2019s total nostalgia; for younger gamers it\u2019s history, whimsy and a cool insight into how rapidly games have developed since first emerging in the early 1980s.<\/p>\n

Whichever side of that divide you fall on, most can agree that retro gaming is reminder of just how addictive a simple, well-executed idea can be. These days there are many ways to re-live the experience \u2014\u00a0or indeed live it for the very first time \u2014 without having to seek out a 25-year-old cathode ray television to plug the console into.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re keen to dig through the annals of video gaming history yourself, or you\u2019ve got a perverse desire for carpel tunnel syndrome, check out these 10 awesome retro gaming machines available right now.<\/p>\n

They start as cheap as $35\u2026<\/p>\n

Retron 5<\/h2>\n
\"\"Amazon<\/a><\/small><\/figure>\n

Rewind: it\u2019s the \u201990s and kids are at war. The Xbox One vs. PS4 battle ain\u2019t nothing on the Sega Master System vs. NES, Genesis vs. SNES and Game Gear vs. Gameboy skirmishes that schoolyards saw during the tail end of the 20th century. Blood was shed, cheat codes were whispered and cartridges were furiously blown into in an attempt to prove whose console was stronger.<\/p>\n

Had you told us that, in 20 years time, there would be a machine that would play all of these games and cost half the price by today\u2019s standards, we would have called you a liar and hadoukened your ass out of town. Oh how wrong we would have been\u2026<\/p>\n

Okay, so the Retron 5 doesn\u2019t play Sega Game Gear carts, and it needs an adaptor to play Master System games, but that really is splitting hairs. All regions of all NES, SNES, Mega Drive, Gameboy (original, Advance and Color) cartridges can be played on the Retron 5 via a HDMI output, with upscaled 720 resolution on wireless controllers. This really would have blown minds 20 years ago.<\/p>\n

BUY NOW \/ $159.99<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

Super Retro Trio<\/h2>\n
\"\"Amazon<\/a><\/small><\/figure>\n

Similar to the Retron 5, but with no Gameboy functionality, Innex\u2019s Super Retro Trio is yet another wonder machine that could have solved all console war issues 20 years ago.<\/p>\n

Playing NES, SNES and Genesis games at under half the price of its beefy competitor, the main difference is that there\u2019s no HDMI connectivity, just A\/V and S-Video. This means no upscaled resolution, but the authentic retro gamers might argue that\u2019s a good thing.<\/p>\n

Its controllers are pretty much identical to those of the original SNES and there\u2019s a region switch on the machine meaning cartridges from all over the world are compatible, including the cheaper Famicom carts and European Mega Drive.<\/p>\n

Not bad for under $70\u2026All you need to do is start collecting the cartridges.<\/p>\n

$69.99<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

Sega Master System & Game Gear Portable<\/h2>\n
\"\"Wikipedia<\/a><\/small><\/figure>\n

While the Retron 5 caters for serious vintage game heads, AtGames\u2019 range of portables quenches a much more whimsical retro thirst. Especially those with a penchant for Sega\u2019s older models.<\/p>\n

Game Gears never really had a chance against the Gameboy (a limited amount of games and a higher price saw to that) and Master Systems (even though they were higher spec) couldn\u2019t match the clout of the Nintendo franchise.<\/p>\n

Still, they had some really great games; Alex Kidd may have seemed like struggle Mario<\/em>, but his side-scrolling challenges were just as addictive, and Nintendo didn\u2019t have a dolphin\u2019s-point-of-view game likeEcco<\/em>. By the time Sonic<\/em> came along in 1991, Sega fans really felt like they were winning at life.<\/p>\n

And now they can win again, with 30 of the Game Gear and Master System\u2019s most popular games pre-loaded onto one device that can also be fed through A\/V cables to your television. From Sonic<\/em> to Shinobi<\/em> by way ofGolden Axe<\/em>, for the price this is portable retro gaming gold.<\/p>\n

BUY NOW \/ $34.99<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

Sega Genesis Classic Console<\/h2>\n
\"\"Amazon<\/a><\/small><\/figure>\n

If the Master System\/Game Gear games are a little too retro, then the Genesis is a meatier 16-bit alternative. Another Atgames retro adventure, Sega\u2019s most popular console has been revisited with 80 pre-loaded games and a slot for vintage cartridges.<\/p>\n

The slot is pretty handy if you want to take this console seriously. While the pre-loaded games (only 40 of which are actual Sega games, the other 40 are snake-level time-passers) include a strong selection of iconic \u201990s classics including the full Streets Of Rage<\/em>, Golden Axe<\/em>, Shinobi<\/em> and Sonic the Hedgehog<\/em> series.<\/p>\n

While there is a distinct absence of the sporting titles that really gave the Genesis (or Mega Drive, for anyone living outside the U.S.) its strong-armed status \u2014 games such as PGA Tour Golf<\/em> and the original FIFA<\/em> \u2014\u00a0 fortunately the cartridges are still readily available and compatible with this machine.<\/p>\n

BUY NOW \/ $49.99<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

Supaboy<\/h2>\n
\"\"Amazon<\/a><\/small><\/figure>\n

From the same manufacturer that gave us the multi-console beast that is the Retron 5 (that\u2019s Hyperkin) comes the Supaboy.<\/p>\n

No pre-loaded games here; instead, this is a SNES you can fit in your pocket. With its D-pad, face buttons and shoulder bumpers it\u2019s authentically styled like an original SNES controller, albeit with an added 3.5\u201d LCD screen in the middle. It also comes with two original SNES controller ports and a V\/A out, so you can play on your television and, most importantly, re-live the hours millions of us wasted in the \u201990s on Super Mario Kart<\/em>.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also fully compatible with the Japanese Super Famicom cartridges. This is cool for two reasons; Famicom cartridges are cheaper and there are several games that never saw release outside of Japan, including the infamous Mario & Wario<\/em>. Also, Street Fighter II Turbo<\/em>. Shoryuken!<\/p>\n

BUY NOW \/ $79.99<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

Neo Geo X<\/h2>\n
\"\"Amazon<\/a><\/small><\/figure>\n

Back in the \u201990s, while most of us were scrapping over Nintendo and Sega, the really lucky (read: rich) kids had a Neo Geo. Made by SNK, the same team behind some of the best coin-op games of the time, having a Neo Geo meant you lived in an arcade. While that doesn\u2019t seem particularly pleasant now, for a young teenager in the early \u201990s it was a dream location.<\/p>\n

The Ferrari of consoles, when they entered the market in 1990 a Neo Geo would set you back $650. Sound pricey? That\u2019s over $1,000 by today\u2019s inflationary standards\u2026Making the recently revitalized Neo Geo X console\u2019s $199 price seem relatively reasonable (although it\u2019s still pretty steep).<\/p>\n

What\u2019s interesting is that the Neo Geo X comes as two machines: you have the handheld portable device with 20 of the console\u2019s most popular games, but it also comes with a docking station and those classic chunky arcade joysticks that the original machines came with for full TV gameplay.<\/p>\n

Gamepacks are also available. But they won\u2019t be forever\u2026There\u2019s been all manner of legal licensing beef behind the Neo Geo reissue, and current manufacturers Tommo have discontinued them as of this year. Either grab one now or wait another 20 years for a retro-retro gaming experience.<\/p>\n

BUY NOW \/ $199.99<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

JXD S7800<\/h2>\n
\"\"Amazon<\/a><\/small><\/figure>\n

Something a little more contemporary and versatile: the JXD S7800 is an Android tablet that\u2019s fully optimized for gaming both internally, with its quad core, 2GB RAM processing unit, and externally, with its gyro-controls, dual joysticks, D-pad and face button configuration. It even has a dedicated button mapping function to ensure all games are completely playable.<\/p>\n

While contemporary gaming will all come through the app store, retro gaming on the JXD S7800 is all about the emulators. So, if you\u2019re cool with the legally grey area and the slightly less authentic gameplay, then the options are immense. From BBC Micro to Coleco to Dreamcast, the vintage gaming world is your oyster\u2026And you can check your emails between levels.<\/p>\n

BUY NOW \/ $154.98<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

GPD G5A<\/h2>\n
\"\"Amazon<\/a><\/small><\/figure>\n

Coming on strong like a mutant beefed-up PS2 controller with a 5\u201d HD screen on its chest, the G5A is pretty similar to the JXD S7800: it\u2019s an Android tablet with quad core processing that\u2019s optimized for gaming with its dual joysticks and button mapping. It sells itself, almost exclusively, on emulator functionality. Not all console emulators work smoothly on the G5A, but there\u2019s enough versatility and options to keep even the most hungry vintage gamer happy.<\/p>\n

The G5A is one of many devices from Chinese company Game Pad Digital (GPD) who have just succeeded in raising funds for what could be their most exciting project to date. Check their Indiegogo page for details on the GPD Win, a 5.5\u201d handheld PC that runs on Windows 10 and fits snuggly in your pocket!<\/p>\n

BUY NOW \/ $135.99<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

Recreated XZ Spectrum<\/h2>\n
\"\"Amazon<\/a><\/small><\/figure>\n

This one\u2019s for the UK heads: While the Commodore 64 ruled the rest of the wet-eared gaming world in the \u201980s, the Brits were salivating over the iconic rubber-keyed 48k Sinclair XZ Spectrum and its 128k predecessors.<\/p>\n

There was plenty of time to salivate too; games such as the legendary Horace<\/em> series, Jet Set Willy<\/em>, the Dizzy<\/em>puzzle odysseys and the outright classic Chuckie Egg<\/em> would take upwards of 10 minutes to load by tape and would frequently crash last minute.<\/p>\n

Last year, two retro models were introduced to the market and one was a very clear winner. The Sinclair Vega is a joystick-based unit packed with 1,000 games, but fell short off the mark due its connectivity issues; the USB port wasn\u2019t consistently powering the unit enough for slick gameplay (well, as slick as these games got), so users to had to resort to the old CRT aerial-cable connections \u2014 which was a little too retro.<\/p>\n

Elite Systems\u2019 Recreated XZ Spectrum, however, is much more appealing, due to its smart compatibility and Bluetooth connectivity. The keyboard, which is identical to the one used by our \u201980s gaming ancestors, links up to your tablet and TV, and allows for much more realistic gameplay. Many of the Spectrum\u2019s original games are available and the catalog is regularly updated on Elite Systems\u2019 website.<\/p>\n

Speccy fanboys have something else to drool over later this year, too: the handheld Sinclair Vega+ has maxed its Indiegogo campaign by almost 300 percent and is expected to launch this fall.<\/p>\n

BUY NOW \/ \u00a399.99<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

Neo Legend Arcade Cocktail Table<\/h2>\n
\"\"neo-legend.com<\/a><\/small><\/figure>\n

While the rest of the options on this list all weigh in under $200, if you want to do the retro game thing with real authenticity then you need a few hundred more.<\/p>\n

There are a few companies making old school gaming tables (Arcade Classics are the most active in the U.S.) but it\u2019s French company Neo Legend who remind us how to do things in real style with their range of cocktail tables.<\/p>\n

Loaded with 60 classic arcade games and dual face-to-face control, the cocktail table boasts sleek trims, chrome feet and a fully customizable color scheme. The stuff all \u201980s kid\u2019s dreams were made of, you have to admit this would look a lot cooler in your house than a collection of consoles stacked up under the television.<\/p>\n

BUY NOW \/ $1,999.99<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

For more gaming content, check out\u00a0The 10 Best Star Wars Video Games Ever<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

from HighsnobietyHighsnobiety http:\/\/ift.tt\/1plMmbd<\/a><\/blockquote>\n

https:\/\/www.megalextoria.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/category\/retro-games\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Retro gaming is about as popular as it has ever been right now. (Well, at least since the games themselves were first released.) Kanye recently revealed he wants to name his next album after obscure late \u201980s games console the Turbografx 16, a new secret Mortal Kombat menu has just been discovered \u2013 20 years after the game was released \u2013 and all-in-one game emulator OpenEmu recently unlocked the vaults of nostalgia with support for no less than 16 of the best classic consoles. Elsewhere, there are new retro gaming festivals and expos popping up across the U.S. and Europe, while retro gaming channels such as YoVideogames and RetroLiberty have amassed tens of millions of views in the last few years. The simplistic side-scrolling allure of classic 8- and 16-bit games is a phenomenon that just won\u2019t disappear. For older gamers it\u2019s total nostalgia; for younger gamers it\u2019s history, whimsy and a cool insight into how rapidly games have developed since first emerging in the early 1980s. Whichever side of that divide you fall on, most can agree that retro gaming is reminder of just how addictive a simple, well-executed idea can be. These days there are many ways to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[97,108,113,225,370,473,754,773,1199,1223,1441,1518,1523,1568,1674],"class_list":["post-12894","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-retro-games","tag-97","tag-108","tag-113","tag-atari","tag-c64","tag-commodore-64","tag-game-gear","tag-genesis","tag-n64","tag-nes","tag-retro-games","tag-sega","tag-sega-master-system","tag-snes","tag-supernes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.megalextoria.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12894","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.megalextoria.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.megalextoria.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.megalextoria.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.megalextoria.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12894"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.megalextoria.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12894\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.megalextoria.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12894"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.megalextoria.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12894"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.megalextoria.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12894"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}