Hyperkin is turning my favorite retro console into a handheld, and my backlog is grateful

HardwareHandheldsHyperkin is turning my favorite retro console into a handheld, and my backlog is gratefulWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. HardwareHandheldsHyperkin is turning my favorite retro console into a handheld, and my backlog is gratefulWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Hyperkin) Looks like theSegaGenesis is ready for a 2024 comeback, as Hyperkin has revealed a new handheld version of the iconic console. Naturally, I’m very hyped, as the 16-bit powerhouse is probably my favorite retro system. Yet, unlike previous iterations of the ‘90s platform, this latest version is a handheld that can run original cartridges, and an included dock grants it Nintendo Switch-esque superpowers. Thebest gaming handheldbattlefield is already busier than ever, and there are plenty of retro gaming options already clashing it out. That said, I’m a sucker for all things Sega, and even though I have a million ways to play my Genesis (Mega Drive) collection, I’ve got a serious backlog problem when it comes to physical games. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve completed all my childhood favorites multiple times throughout the years, but I’ve obtained several other 16-bit classics and hidden gems too, and I only really get to whittle the pile down when I’m sitting at my original console setup. (Image credit: Hyperkin) Clearly, The Retron 95 is targeting handheld lovers, wanderers, and those who like to press screens up to their faces in bed alike (I’m certainly in the latter camp). However, the retro console makers have clearly been doing their homework when it comes to the modern portable space, as docking stations are big business. Just like the best Steam Deck dock and the cradle that comes with the Switch, the new Sega system’s base uses USB-C to link up to agaming monitoror TV, but also boasts 8-pin controller adapters at the front to keep things extra authentic. I’m a huge fan of this approach, as the all-in-one nature of previous handheld efforts like the SupaBoy Portable always proved slightly off-putting. That’s admittedly a very subjective opinion, but I’ve become very used to hybrid setups that expand ports and functionality with a single connection. It’s worth noting that the Retron 95 is set to use the same emulation-based approach as the company’s previous systems. Simply put, if you’re looking for next to 100% compatibility and accuracy, you’ll still want to stick with your OG console to divert your attention to FPGA devices that accurately mimic the innards of original systems. Otherwise, you’ll be able to pop in a cartridge to the top of this handheld, temporarily upload its ROM, and jump into pixelated capers like it’s 1995. Only this time, Hyperkin says you’ll be able to play for 10 hours on a shiny new IPS display (sorry, Nomad). Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more In association with ROG Ally. Today’s best retro gaming dealsAtari 2600+$96.60ViewSee all pricesHyperkin RetroN 77$89.67ViewSee all pricesSega Genesis Mini$144.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Today’s best retro gaming dealsAtari 2600+$96.60ViewSee all pricesHyperkin RetroN 77$89.67ViewSee all pricesSega Genesis Mini$144.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Today’s best retro gaming dealsAtari 2600+$96.60ViewSee all pricesHyperkin RetroN 77$89.67ViewSee all pricesSega Genesis Mini$144.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Today’s best retro gaming deals Atari 2600+$96.60ViewSee all pricesHyperkin RetroN 77$89.67ViewSee all pricesSega Genesis Mini$144.99ViewSee all prices Atari 2600+$96.60ViewSee all prices Atari 2600+$96.60ViewSee all prices Atari 2600+ Atari 2600+ $96.60View $96.60 $96.60 See all prices Hyperkin RetroN 77$89.67ViewSee all prices Hyperkin RetroN 77$89.67ViewSee all prices Hyperkin RetroN 77 Hyperkin RetroN 77 $89.67View $89.67 $89.67 See all prices Sega Genesis Mini$144.99ViewSee all prices Sega Genesis Mini$144.99ViewSee all prices ![SEGA Genesis Mini Asia… Sega Genesis Mini Sega Genesis Mini $144.99View $144.99 $144.99 See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Looking to turn your portable PC into a desktop rig? Check out thebest Steam Deck dockand give your handheld hybrid superpowers. Alternatively, take a peek at thebest Nintendo Switch bundlesfor something more console flavored. TOPICSSega TOPICS More about handheldsThis handheld is the same size as an NES controller, but I use it to play 30 years worth of retro classicsWill the next Lenovo Legion Go actually be a Steam Deck? It certainly smells that way to meLatestI didn’t know how badly I wanted to grill and gobble up monsters until this upcoming survival roguelike made it look so tastySee more latest► More about handheldsThis handheld is the same size as an NES controller, but I use it to play 30 years worth of retro classicsWill the next Lenovo Legion Go actually be a Steam Deck? It certainly smells that way to meLatestI didn’t know how badly I wanted to grill and gobble up monsters until this upcoming survival roguelike made it look so tastySee more latest► More about handheldsThis handheld is the same size as an NES controller, but I use it to play 30 years worth of retro classicsWill the next Lenovo Legion Go actually be a Steam Deck? It certainly smells that way to me More about handhelds This handheld is the same size as an NES controller, but I use it to play 30 years worth of retro classicsWill the next Lenovo Legion Go actually be a Steam Deck? It certainly smells that way to me This handheld is the same size as an NES controller, but I use it to play 30 years worth of retro classics This handheld is the same size as an NES controller, but I use it to play 30 years worth of retro classics Will the next Lenovo Legion Go actually be a Steam Deck? It certainly smells that way to me Will the next Lenovo Legion Go actually be a Steam Deck? It certainly smells that way to me LatestI didn’t know how badly I wanted to grill and gobble up monsters until this upcoming survival roguelike made it look so tastySee more latest► Latest I didn’t know how badly I wanted to grill and gobble up monsters until this upcoming survival roguelike made it look so tasty I didn’t know how badly I wanted to grill and gobble up monsters until this upcoming survival roguelike made it look so tasty I didn’t know how badly I wanted to grill and gobble up monsters until this upcoming survival roguelike made it look so tasty See more latest► Most PopularLeague of Legends co-creator responds to report that Arcane was a “financial miss,” says “people think we make things like Arcane to sell skins, when in reality we sell skins to make things like Arcane"After hours of number-crunching, one Marvel Rivals player has laid out the true meta – and Iron Fist’s ranking feels alarmingJames Gunn says his DC shows will likely stick to the “one episode a week” 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You might be ready for Elden Ring: Nightreign, but not as ready as this streamer who completed the RPG like it was a roguelike – 207 bosses, random items, and permadeath The team behind the unofficial Zelda Ocarina of Time PC port just modernized another Nintendo 64 classic, and the original creator is “very happy” about it Nosferatu’s Bill Skarsgård was so happy to shed the Orlok character when filming wrapped: “It was an immense sense of relief” Warner Bros. is inexplicably delisting a bunch of games without warning, again, and devs are once again distraught: “We are heartbroken” Marvel Rivals joins Manor Lords, Palworld, and Helldivers 2 as one of Steam’s best-selling and most-played new releases of 2024 despite launching at the end of the year GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1 Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2 Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3 Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5 Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2 Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3 Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 1 Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 2 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 3 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5 Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”