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I've been asking myself recently why I persist with retrogaming?
I started out about a decade ago with no real plan other than to try out the games and platforms I missed first time round, as well as revisiting old favourites. However, in the years that followed it has become an increasingly expensive hobby. This is typically the case when anything becomes prefixed 'vintage' and collecting inevitably transitions into investing - and that's when the hobbyists get priced out.
Equally, we've reached a point when much of the original hardware is reaching the end of its extended lifespan - at least to those of us who aren't so adept with a soldering iron.
Retro For All
Thankfully, all of the current gen platforms offer strong support for first and third party retrogaming through downloadable content such as Capcom Arcade Stadium. Nintendo Switch and the Steam Store for PC, in particular, have carved out reputations as havens for retro enthusiasts.
Some sections of the retrogaming community view emulation of this kind as a cheat, but collecting the original games and hardware requires a lot of space, as well as cash of course! My personal take is keeping the games alive means continuing to play them, rather than how you play them.
However, for me (and I suspect others who grew up before digital stores became the norm), there is still a thrill in a tangible product.
Since the NES Classic Mini was released in 2016, microconsoles have scratched this particular itch and offer a great value introduction to the many of the best games for a particular system. Ironically, these quickly became collectable in their own right and prices on the second hand market are often inflated.
Enter The Retro-Cade
The micro option doesn't always have to be expensive though, there are still occasionally bargains to be had. Which brings me to retro-bit's Super Retro-Cade. retro-bit has built a name for itself catering to that subset of retrogamers looking for physical (re)releases to play on original consoles, as well as producing 'clone' consoles for those unable, or unwilling, to pay a premium for the hardware.
It has built up an impressive roster of licenses from the likes of Data East and Jaleco. As such, retro-bit takes a similar approach to Evercade, albeit without the requirement to purchase a new console - at least if you still have the original.
Unlike other microconsoles on the market, the Super Retro-Cade is not tied to a particular system or publisher. Essentially it provides the means for retro-bit to compile all their licenses in one place, which makes for a slightly eccentric collection covering multiple platforms and publishers, but one that offers incredible value.
Quite frankly how retro-bit were able to secure many of the 90 titles on offer from the likes of Capcom, Technos, Irem and Data East is beyond me. I'm certainly not complaining though. The Super Retro-Cade offers a cost effective way to play big name games including arcade versions of Final Fight, Bionic Commando, Double Dragon, Mr. Heli, Strider, R-Type and Ghouls n' Ghosts, plus numerous NES and SNES games.
Offering a snapshot of '80s and '90s arcade and console gaming, the Super Retro-Cade provides a low risk entry point to retrogaming as a hobby. It also gives us an opportunity to experience titles that go beyond the more familiar series like Mario and Sonic.
This isn't to say the Super Retro-Cade is faultless, while the emulation is broadly good, there are occasional frame rate and sound issues. The small form factor and '90s stylings of the housing itself are well considered, but there's no denying it looks and feels cheap, more like the knock-off RetroPie based consoles to be found on eBay.
The same criticism can be leveled at the two USB controllers included, and while these feel a little flimsy, they are perfectly serviceable. Though wired, each has a generous 10-foot cord making them well suited to living room play - something more of the premium microconsoles could learn from! They are compatible with PC and Mac and, equally, the Super Retro-Cade will work with almost any generic USB controller you throw at it. So, there are plenty of options if you really aren't a fan of those that come bundled.
The Swiss Army Emulator
The little white box of Super Retro-Cade is in fact a secret weapon, an emulation Swiss army knife that can handle roms from pretty much any cartridge-based system of the '80s and '90s. This makes the Super Retro-Cade a particularly appealing proposition for retro gamers who might have existing 8-bit and 16-bit games collections - and want to give their creaking hardware a break.
It will comfortably run roms for Nintendo systems, the NES, SNES and Gameboy (including the Colour and Advance); Sega's Master System and Mega Drive/Genesis; and the less well-known Turbografx-16 (aka the PC Engine to UK gamers). Adding new games is as simple as loading roms onto a Micro SD card and adding the corresponding .png artwork file.
Sadly missing from the UK release, though possible on the US version, is the capacity to run MAME arcade roms. That said, it's unlikely even the most committed retro collector is going to have masses of cabinets to back up... and I suspect they probably aren't the Super Retro-Cade's target market anyway!
Essentially this functionality positions the Super Retro-Cade as a low cost, plug and play alternative to Raspberry Pi based set-ups, one that removes the complexity of building retro games libraries for less technically minded retro gamers.
Overview
You will be hard-pressed to find a lower-cost or more versatile microconsole on the market, save for building your own. The bundled games line-up is generous and covers a broad cross-section of popular titles and genres. However, the option to add your own games without having to resort to warranty voiding mods is what makes the Super Retro-Cade stand apart from the competition. Certainly the system is not without flaws, and retrogaming snobs might want to look elsewhere, however for casual gamers this microconsole is both cheap and cheerful.
