Retron 3 NES/SNES/Genesis Triple System - Vector Red-Cloned System

Retron 3 NES/SNES/Genesis Triple System - Vector Red

List Price:	$59.99
Price:	$52.73

Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Ships from and sold by WorldWide Distributors
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Average customer review:

Product Description

Tap into the joy of your childhood with the RetroN 3 gaming system. Capable of playing Nintendo, SEGA Genesis and Super Nintendo cartridges, the RetroN 3 is the only system you need to play thousands of classic games.
Absolutely the best clone console
I'll start off by saying this console is built better than other clone consoles. The video and audio glitches and differences are far less noticeable. Unlike other clone consoles, the Retron 3 doesn't put a death grip on your cartridges.

So let's look at the bad side of things. Like many other clone consoles, the Retron 3 controllers are terrible BUT it is saved by an ingenius design. The wireless controllers are useless. They use infrared, which means you have to have them right in front of the console, and even at that they're not responsive. They just fail. The reason this doesn't kill the console is because there are controller ports on 3 sides. One side for Nes, one for Snes, and one for Genesis. I'd rather use my original controllers than any clone console controllers. But if you don't have original controllers, it may be a turn off to basically have to buy them. It doesn't come with a light gun, but like I said it has the original controller ports so you can get a Zapper and play it.

Outside of the crappy controllers, there's really nothing I can complain about. I've heard it has compatibility issues with a few games The only one of my games it won't play is Castlevania 3 (which was disappointing) but it plays all of my other games perfectly. The dust covers on the slots aren't flimsy. The buttons are absolutely amazing (it may seem pointless to rave about that but on other clone consoles I've had problems with the reset button and the dial to switch between the consoles, not on this one). It also comes with an S-video connector which allows better video quality.

Overall, this console is worth the money, and you can't beat it. Paying $50 for a clone console that is well built and functions well with nearly all of the games is a lot better than hunting down an NES, then having to deal with the 72 pin connectors failing in the old consoles as well as the fact that these old console parts are in very limited supply. If I were to recommend a clone console, this would be the one.

By far the best clone system.
I got my Retron 3 today and it already replaced my Genesis and SNES. It's very lightweight and the build quality is definitely not up there with Nintendo or Sega, but it looks decent (the gray one, not the red one) and does what is advertised. It's very convenient to go from playing Genesis to SNES with just a flick of the knob instead of having to plug and unplug av cables, in addition to how much shelf space and power outlet space it saves.

On the NES side, there is composite video and dual mono output (s-video doesn't work on NES). For Genesis and SNES, there is composite video, s-video, and stereo audio output. Composite video on NES is ok, but it's very dark for Genesis and SNES. It's not really a problem since it's better to use s-video for Genesis and SNES anyways. Compared to composite, s-video output is very sharp and bright. Even the standard Genesis systems don't feature s-video output, so this is a very nice feature of the Retron 3. Since the NES side doesn't work with s-video, it is a bit annoying to have to plug and unplug the s-video cable to play NES games.

The Genesis sound is a little inaccurate. I noticed in Sagaia that the sound effects are louder than the music and a bit of the soundtrack is off key. Also, there is a little buzzing noise on NES and Genesis games. I can live with it. At least it doesn't sound totally butchered up like the Atgames Genesis clones. Most of my other games don't sound too different than on a model 1 Genesis. SNES sound is perfect. I don't know how accurate the NES sound is since I never owned one.

The packed-in wireless controllers are only good for NES games. For Genesis, not only are the A/B buttons swapped, but so are the X/Y buttons. Sometimes I forgot and pressed the wrong buttons. For SNES, L is C and R is Z, unlike what the box and the back of the controller suggests. These controllers don't work too well for games like F-Zero or Mario Kart where you have to use L/R and the face buttons at the same time. The controllers use IR so you have to point them at the system. I would have gladly paid more for RF controllers like the ones that are included with Yobo's FC-16 Go. I also noticed the problem with rapidly pressing a button or the dpad and not having all the presses registered. Also, the diagonals on the dpad aren't very good. This controller is totally useless for fighting games and beat-em-ups. Fortunately the controller ports don't have any problems so you'll want to use your original NES/SNES/Genesis controllers.

Also, the NES and Genesis cartridge slots have some sort of deathgrip. I have to press against the system so that I don't lift the whole thing while I attempt to yank the cartridge out. The SNES slot is surprisingly smooth and easy to insert and remove cartridges.

I've heard from other Retron 3 owners that Street Fighter Alpha 2 (SNES) doesn't work, but it works perfectly fine on mine.

Here's my game compatibility list:

Working:

Genesis:
Air Diver
Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle
Alien Storm
Altered Beast
Art of Fighting
Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP II
Battletoads
Battletoads/Double Dragon
Beyond Oasis
Bimini Run
Bonanza Brothers
Bubsy II
Budokan: The Martial Spirit
Burning Force
Championship Pro-Am
Chase H.Q. 2
Chiki Chiki Boys
Columns
Comix Zone
Crossfire
Cyborg Justice
Dashin' Desperadoes
Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf
Double Dragon
Double Dragon 3: The Arcade Game
Double Dragon V: The Shadow Falls
Dungeons & Dragons: Warriors of the Eternal Sun
Ecco the Dolphin
El Viento
Elemental Master
Eternal Champions
Gadget Twins
Ghouls 'n Ghosts
Golden Axe
Golden Axe II (pack-in controller's Mode button doesn't seem to do anything, so you have to use original Genesis controller)
Gynoug (European)
The Humans
Jungle Strike
King of the Monsters
Lotus II: RECS
Lotus Turbo Challenge
Marble Madness
Mega Bomberman
Mercs
Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat II
Ms. Pac-Man
Paperboy
Paperboy 2
Phantasy Star IV
Phelios
Pit-Fighter
Populous
Ranger X
The Revenge of Shinobi
Road Rash
Road Rash 3
Road Rash II
Rocket Knight Adventures
Sagaia
Samurai Shodown
Saturday Night Slam Masters
Shadow Blasters
Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Maste
Sol-Deace
Sonic & Knuckles (and any lock-on combination)
Sonic 3D Blast
Sonic Classics
Sonic Spinball
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Space Harrier II (European)
Steel Empire
Street Fighter II -- Special Champion Edition
Streets of Rage
Streets of Rage 2
Streets of Rage 3
Strider
Sub Terrania
Super Hang-On
Super Monaco GP
Super Street Fighter II
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist
Thunder Force II
Thunder Force III
ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron
Top Gear 2
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Urban Strike
Valis III
Vectorman
Virtua Fighter 2
Virtual Pinball
Whip Rush

SNES:
Darius Twin
Donkey Kong Country
Gradius III
HyperZone
Mario Paint
Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat 3
PilotWings
Sim City
Star Fox
Street Fighter Alpha 2
Street Fighter II
Stunt Race FX
Super Bomberman 2
Super Double Dragon
Super Mario All-Stars
Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World
Super Mario Kart
Super Mario RPG (I heard only version 1.0 of the game works, so mine must be one of them)
Super Mario World
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Super Nova
Super R-Type
Super Star Wars
Thunder Spirits
Top Gear
Top Gear 2
U.N. Squadron
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game

NES:
Batman
Pro Wrestling
Ring King
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 3

Non-working:

Genesis:
Ecco: The Tides of Time
Virtua Racing

NES:
Dragon Warrior
Laser Invasion

Accessory compatibility list:

Working:
official controller (SNES)
Performance Superpad (SNES)
official 3-button controller (Genesis)
official 6-button controller (Genesis)
official 3-button Megafire controller (Genesis)
official/Majesco 6-button turbo controller; 6-button-style casing (Genesis)
official/Majesco 6-button turbo controller; 3-button-style casing (Genesis)
official 6-button arcade stick (Genesis)
Game Genie (Genesis)

Non-working:
official wireless controller (Genesis) - controller port spacing is different so receiver won't fit; might work with extension cables
Acclaim Dual Turbo wireless controller (Genesis) - same issue as above