RetroN3
The RetroN3 comes nicely packaged in a descriptive cardboard box that contains a clear plastic shell with the system, two wireless controllers, the power supply, a six tail composite AV cable, and an S-Video cable. Setup is simple, and a picture on the packaging points out the features of the system if you don’t already know where things go. Before you can use the bundled wireless controllers, you need to take a small screwdriver to the back of the controller to reveal the battery compartment. Two AAA batteries are required (not supplied) to get it functioning.
You’ll notice the controller looks very much like one of my personal favorite controllers of all time, the Genesis Six Button. However, there are obvious design differences. First, the RetroN3 controller sports what I would call ‘exaggerated’ buttons and d-pad. The buttons and the d-pad pop out more from the base of the controller than that of the Genesis, a feature I actually don’t like. If you’ve held both a DualShock 2 and DualShock 3, you know what I’m talking about — the trigger buttons on the PS3 controller have a lot more ‘button’ to them then the DualShock 2. It’s something some people may like, but I really didn’t.
The RetroN3 controller is also wireless, but the term really should be more like ‘cordless.’ It’s not wireless in the sense that it uses 2.4Ghz or Bluetooth. No, the RetroN3 uses IR, and it’s actually quite sensitive. The front face of the unit is the receiver; for these RetroN3 controllers to work, your controller must be on nearly the identical plane of the console itself. At first, I didn’t know this. I thought my batteries were bad, my controller shipped DOA, that I missed an On/Off switch somewhere — nope, I just didn’t have the controller pointed at the console properly. For many, this pretty much throws the idea of being able to use these controllers out the window. If you’re like me, when you game, you tend to shift around in your seat or couch. At the very least, you’ll move your hands around during gameplay as just a natural, reflexive movement. I found that it doesn’t take much to interrupt the communications path between the controller and console. And as you know, old games often require twitch reflexes and consistent control, so…
My other major grip with the included controllers is how the buttons are mapped. You would think the only major hurdle in using a Genesis Six Button inspired controller in this scenario would be getting L and R from the SNES controller to work. Regardless, the end result is very confusing. You’ll notice a sticker on the backside of both controllers. Here, you see what the buttons actually mean for the system you are playing. You would think, especially on the Genesis, that X would mean X, Y would mean Y, and so on. Not the case! Instead, here’s what you’re looking at:
NES: A –> B, B –> A
Genesis: Y –> X, X –> Y, Z –> Z, B –> A, A –> B, C –> C
SNES: Y –> X, X –> Y, L –> Z, B –> A, A –> B, R –> C
To say that takes some getting used to is an understatement. Combined with the sensitive IR, it didn’t take me long to really dislike the bundled controller.
Fortunately, the RetroN3 also has two controller ports for each system. These ports are labeled and are positioned around the left (NES) front (SNES) and right (Genesis) of the system. Using some original first party controllers and these ports, I no longer experienced the frustration and problems of trying to use the bundled controllers.
I also experienced no problems playing any of my NES, SNES, and Genesis carts in the RetroN3. You can have carts for all three in the system at once, but the only system that is active is the one that the dial on the top of the console is tuned to. To switch consoles, simply press the power button to turn the system off, turn the dial, and power up again. There is also a reset button on the other side of the dial.
I wasn’t expecting any playback problems from any of my carts, and fortunately that was the case. All types of games from all different developers and eras, with and without save games, etc., all worked without trouble. Obviously I didn’t try every title in each system’s library (what a sweet collection that would be), but the dozen or so for each system that I tested worked flawlessly. Now, if I could only hook up my 32X…
The goal of the RetroN3 is a commendable one. It provides gamers with a great way to save space and preserve their old systems by combining three classic consoles into one. On the one hand, it does a great job of playing your original NES, SNES, and Genesis cartridges. On the other hand, however, the bundled controller is a pain to use. To a degree, a learning curve is to be expected when trying to play a SNES game on a Genesis inspired controller. But why are A and B reversed for all three systems? Why are X and Y reversed? It’s madness, especially when you are also battling to keep your controller functioning thanks to the dismal IR performance.
Bottomline, if you don’t have these retro consoles and want them all in a nice convenient package, or are just wanting to save some space or preserve your old systems, the RetroN3 is well worth a look. Just be sure to have some good first party controllers available instead of relying on the bundled controllers.