Should You Buy the Hyperkin Retron 2 HD NES, SNES, & Super Famicom 720P Clone Video Game System

In this video, we test out and review the Hyperkin Retron 2 HD, 2-in-1 NES and SNES HDMI-equipped clone video game system.

At CES 2019, Hyperkin announced an update to their Retron 2 2-in-1 NES and SNES clone system, updating the look, controllers, and output to HDMI. The result was the Retron 2 HD, which began shipping towards the end of summer 2019. They followed up that release with the console you see here, the Space Black Retron 2 HD. It has all the exact same features as the Retron 2 HD, however, this console features a super cool looking transparent design for the controllers and the system itself.

Features:
• HD audio and video (720p) with 16:9/4:3 switch (HD cable only)
• High compatibility with (NTSC/PAL) NES, SNES, and Super Famicom cartridges
• Comes with a “Cadet” and a “Scout” premium classic-style controller
• Includes AV ports with AV cable

To see how the Retron 2 HD comes out of the box, check out our unboxing video at https://youtu.be/mJOLRFx3ZIc

Testing:
Having tested just a few clone consoles over the years, there are a few things I always look at when testing. I started this test with a new cartridge to me, a Retro USB copy of the Nintendo World Championships cartridge. What's great about this cart, for testing purposes, is that it verifies that the system can play reproduction carts, a type of multicart really, it demos how the system plays 3 different games, and it allows me to perform my Super Mario Bros Coin audio test.

The game fired right up, a good sign that game compatibility could be pretty high. I started the NWC game and dove right into Super Mario Bros to mixed results. The coin sounds, similar to when playing SMB on a Retron HD, were pitched high, showing signs that the audio wasn't quite right. I also thought that Mario looked smudgy and the colors seemed off, virtually identical to the Retron HD performance.

The Retron 2 HD played just about everything I threw at it, except for Battletoads, which most clones can't handle. On the SNES side, I thought the audio & video was more authentic than the NES side, but still a little dark. One surprise was when I put in my PAL Yoshi's Island. The audio wasn't sped up like on the NES side, which I didn't expect.

Why It RoX:
- Plays NES, SNES, & Super Famicom Carts
- PAL & NTSC Compatibility
- Transparent cases look awesome
- Plays Repros and Multicarts
- HDMI output
- Scout & Cadet Controllers are very good

What Could Be Improved:
- Audio is not as accurate as it could be
- Color pallet is on the dark side
- You cannot use SNES controllers with NES cartridges
- Battletoads locks up on level 2

Should You Buy One?
If you don't have an NES or SNES console and want to connect to an HDMI output, then the Retron 2 HD deserves a look. I could classify this as a more entry-level system, one that will get you up and running but, but the NES side of the system hampers things for me a bit. The audio is quite off on Super Mario Bros, and it doesn't play Battletoads. It does, however, do a pretty decent job on the SNES side of things, and I was surprised my PAL version of Yoshi's Island didn't play fast as my PAL Darkwing Duck did. The included controllers are pretty good, I just wish you could use the SNES controllers on the NES side. If you like the Retron HD or Supa Retron HD, you'll like the Retron 2 HD. If you didn't, you may be disappointed to see more of the same.

#HyperkinLabs #Retron2HD #HDMIRetroGaming

The footage used in this review are used under the Fair Use laws, referenced below:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/107

Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include—

(1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
(2) the nature of the copyrighted work;
(3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
(4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors.
(Pub. L. 94–553, title I, § 101, Oct. 19, 1976, 90 Stat. 2546; Pub. L. 101–650, title VI, § 607, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5132; Pub. L. 102–492, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3145.)

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