Retro-Bit Super Retrocade with Capcom, Data East games

[Hwlngmad]

Actually, it isn't strange at all. The game lineup of its predecessor, last year's Retro-Bit Generations, wasn't solidified until after the system was released. Initially, three Alfred Chicken games were part of the game selection, but the IP owner (for undisclosed reasons) had actually decided against having the games be included on the system. Presumably, later production of the system removed those three from the lineup, but I never investigated further to confirm. In any case, the Generations' final game list was so elusive that I took to begging other AtariAgers for help. I'd have given in and just bought one (to be returned to the store for a full refund in short order, since I did not want one at all) and grabbed the info myself had I ever seen one in my area. Come to think of it, even now, I don't think I ever confirmed which game on the retail release was the one that couldn't boot up. One person said it was game X, and another said it was game Y. Maybe they were both right, but had different revisions?

 

It will be nice if they do some real quality control this time. They'll need it, what with the stronger competition in the market this year (no, of course I don't mean any of the NOAC-based plug-n-play money grabs that have been spewed onto store shelves in the past few months).

 

By the way, the Super Retro-Cade's Japan-exclusive counterpart, the Retro-Bit Generations II (レトロビット・ジェネレーション２, distributed by Jnnex), came out on schedule at the end of October. Strangely enough, though, I still haven't found any gameplay footage uploaded by actual buyers. None of the Amazon.co.jp user reviews mention the game selection being different from what had been announced months in advance, though, so I assume nothing changed there.

 

onmode-ky

 

Well, it is a little bush-league to not have your final game list done until after you have started shipping. Just my opinion though. From what an early reviewer said, the emulation looks to be corrected and things are a lot better than the hot mess that was Generations. I will wait until I see some more reviews, but I might have to pick this up as if this thing can play games/ROMs as easily as the one reviewer did. Definitely that would make it worth $60 on top of the pretty solid game line up they have planned.

[+phoenixdownita]

With an attempted release date of 15 dec (Amazon source) this thing is as good as dead for the holiday season.

I don't think any store would carry it that late (although it may appeal to late shoppers when all else is gone) ... and it's hard to guarantee a Xmas delivery so on-line also is tricky ...... don't know I am not them but they better hurry.

[Flojomojo]

Amazon pre-orders are up. $60, launch on Dec 15th.

https://www.amazon.com/Retro-Bit-Super-Retro-Cade-Plug-Play-Console/dp/B0774WLMPX/

I hope someone takes one for the team and tells us all about it!

[Hwlngmad]

Amazon pre-orders are up. $60, launch on Dec 15th.

https://www.amazon.com/Retro-Bit-Super-Retro-Cade-Plug-Play-Console/dp/B0774WLMPX/

I hope someone takes on for the team and tells us all about it!

 

I might pull the trigger. The review that was posted in this thread looked real good. I would like to see one or two more reviews and see what they have to say before I will really try and buy the sucker. Still, it looks very promising and it might be a really good diamond in the rough. Conversely, it could turn out to be a redux of the 'Generations' plug and play, too. Hopefully it is the former, rather than the later.

[+phoenixdownita]

 

I might pull the trigger. The review that was posted in this thread looked real good. I would like to see one or two more reviews and see what they have to say before I will really try and buy the sucker. Still, it looks very promising and it might be a really good diamond in the rough. Conversely, it could turn out to be a redux of the 'Generations' plug and play, too. Hopefully it is the former, rather than the later.

Well, if it is the latter I guess your nickname would be "for real"

[romeoteknik]

Whoa, I'm more interested in their multi-carts, looks awesome.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Retro-Bit-Collection-Cartridge-nintendo-entertainment-system/dp/B0777PY33X/ref=pd_sim_63_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=CF8917K5TWAB83GXZRPH

 

https://www.amazon.com/Retro-Bit-Jaleco-Brawlers-Pack-Cartridge-nintendo/dp/B0773V8VJ8/ref=pd_sim_63_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=PC4QFVQAAXDWV0PTQBFN

[Flojomojo]

I'm still thinking about this ... 2 USB controllers that also work on PC, plus all these games ... very tempting indeed, even though these aren't really from the arcade years that I liked best.

 

[+phoenixdownita]

There's some 50+ arcades ... as already stated if they keep the "RetroBit Games" directory on the SD and assuming the emulation this time is good enough ...

 

 

.... 2 USB controllers that also work on PC, plus all these games ...

wrt the USB controllers I don' think they're gonna be that good, or in other words I would not consider this package based on those, they should be decent for this unit but not much more than that.

 

 

I still think that waiting until the 15Dec to ship with slim chance to deliver any of it by Xmas (this is my wild guess I know nothing of logistic so maybe the warehouse down the street already has them in stock) may prove its undoing ... I plan to pick one up heavily discounted next year at this point, let's see.

[Hwlngmad]

I'm still thinking about this ... 2 USB controllers that also work on PC, plus all these games ... very tempting indeed, even though these aren't really from the arcade years that I liked best.

 

Games_List_Landing_Page.jpg

 

This is a pretty solid list, but the real matter is how well can this do emulation via the SD card. I prefer to wait for additional reviews to confirm its flexibility in playing other games from Genesis, SNES, NES, etc. However, it does look really tempting and I will make sure to keep track of this.

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-mfvHJsIPg

[+phoenixdownita]

Looks pretty good, including the android icon ..... let's see if it sells briskly or if I can pick it up cheaper.

I wonder if the 6 buttons controllers of the old RetroBitGen would work ... some fighters are better played with 6 face buttons rather than 4 + 2 shoulders.

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8tqtg4h7eM

[Hwlngmad]

The only problem with both Rerez and John Hancock's review is that both do not discuss nor explore the SD card slot and how well it works. Kinda shocking that neither one went over that, but I guess they were just going over the 'plug and play' aspect of the console and nothing else. Still, it looks like it is a pretty good little system, but I would like to see how the SD card slot works before I'll commit to buying one.

[Krathoon]

I am curious if the NES Bionic Commando emulates right.

 

The really messed that up on Generations.

[Krathoon]

One drawback to this system is that the graphics are slightly fuzzy. It may be due to a filter. The Rerez review points it out.

 

The waterfall seems like a different shade of blue on Mega Man 2 as well. That could be a color setting on the TV that they used.

Edited December 11, 2017 by Krathoon

[JagCD]

Just ordered mine. $53 with free shipping from Castlemania...... Works for me.

[onmode-ky]

After finally coming across a YouTube video that had footage recorded from a retail copy of the Super Retro-Cade (rather than videos from people who received review copies from Retro-Bit), I was able to get a list of what games are on the system. The list on Retro-Bit's website is missing two titles (MotoRace USA (arcade) and Spartan X 2 (Famicom), both by Irem), and the review copies don't have Spartan X 2. Here's what will go into my plug-n-play data website, at some undetermined future time, for the Super Retro-Cade:

 

1942, 10-yard fight, 1943: the battle of midway, air duel, armored warriors, bad dudes (nes), bad dudes vs. dragonninja, bionic commando (nes), bionic commando, blade master, boogie wings, buggy popper (fam), burgertime (nes), captain commando, cobra command, code name: viper (nes), commando, congo's caper (snes), dark lord (nes), double dragon, double dragon 3: the rosetta stone, dragon breed, exciting hour - the prowrestling network, exed exes, fighter's history (snes), fighter's history: mizoguchi kiki ippatsu!! (sfc), final fight, final fight 2 (snes), final fight 3 (snes), forgotten worlds, ghosts 'n goblins, ghouls 'n ghosts, gun.smoke, hammerin' harry (nes), hammerin' harry, heavy barrel, holy diver (fam), image fight, joe & mac (snes), joe & mac 2: lost in the tropics (snes), joe & mac returns, joe & mac: caveman ninja, karate champ - player vs player, ken-go, meikyuujima (listed as: kickle cubicle), kid niki: radical ninja, kaiketsu yanchamaru 2: karakuri land (fam; listed as: kid niki radical ninja 2), knights of the round, legend of hero tonma, legendary wings (nes), magical drop (sfc), magical drop, magical drop 2 (sfc), [the irem] major title (sfc), mega man 2 (nes), mega man 3 (nes), mega twins, mercs (gen), mercs, midnight resistance, mighty final fight (nes), motorace usa, mr. heli no daibouken, mutant fighter, mystic riders, ninja spirit, pirate ship higemaru, renegade, rocky rodent (snes), r-type iii: the third lightning (snes), secret agent, section z (nes), side arms, side pocket, sonson, spartan x 2 (fam), street fighter 2010: the final fight (nes), strider (nes), strider, super birdie rush (sfc), super burgertime, super dodge ball, super ghouls 'n ghosts (snes), super r-type (snes), side pocket (snes; listed as: super side pocket), the combatribes, three wonders, thunder blaster, trojan (nes), varth: operation thunderstorm, vigilante, wizard fire, xmultiply

All titles are arcade unless otherwise noted with nes/fam/snes/sfc/gen tags. If anyone sees anything wrong, please let me know; for example, it looks strange that there is only one Genesis/MD game in my list. Incidentally, if you want to break down the list by IP owner, here you go (the numbers at the ends are the game counts):

 

capcom - 1942, 1943: the battle of midway, armored warriors, bionic commando (nes), bionic commando, captain commando, commando, code name: viper (nes), exed exes, final fight, final fight 2 (snes), final fight 3 (snes), forgotten worlds, ghosts 'n goblins, ghouls 'n ghosts, gun.smoke, knights of the round, legendary wings (nes), mega man 2 (nes), mega man 3 (nes), mega twins, mercs (gen), mercs, mighty final fight (nes), pirate ship higemaru, section z (nes), side arms, sonson, street fighter 2010: the final fight (nes), strider (nes), strider, super ghouls 'n ghosts (snes), three wonders, trojan (nes), varth: operation thunderstorm = 35

 

irem - 10-yard fight, air duel, blade master, dragon breed, hammerin' harry (nes), hammerin' harry, holy diver (fam), image fight, ken-go, meikyuujima (listed as: kickle cubicle), kid niki: radical ninja, kaiketsu yanchamaru 2: karakuri land (fam; listed as: kid niki radical ninja 2), legend of hero tonma, [the irem] major title (sfc), motorace usa, mr. heli no daibouken, mystic riders, ninja spirit, rocky rodent (snes), r-type iii: the third lightning (snes), spartan x 2 (fam), super r-type (snes), thunder blaster, vigilante, xmultiply = 25

 

data east - bad dudes (nes), bad dudes vs. dragonninja, boogie wings, buggy popper (fam), burgertime (nes), cobra command, congo's caper (snes), dark lord (nes), fighter's history (snes), fighter's history: mizoguchi kiki ippatsu!! (sfc), heavy barrel, joe & mac (snes), joe & mac 2: lost in the tropics (snes), joe & mac returns, joe & mac: caveman ninja, karate champ - player vs player, magical drop (sfc), magical drop, magical drop 2 (sfc), midnight resistance, mutant fighter, secret agent, side pocket, super birdie rush (sfc), super burgertime, side pocket (snes; listed as: super side pocket), wizard fire = 27

 

technos - double dragon, double dragon 3: the rosetta stone, exciting hour - the prowrestling network, renegade, super dodge ball, the combatribes = 6

Across the Pacific, JNNEX released the Retro-Bit Generations II, exclusively in Japan, on October 28th. Along with the console's original announcement in June, they had claimed that Generations III and IV were on the way. I wouldn't have guessed "within two months" for the next iteration in the series, but on November 24th, they announced that Generations III would release on December 23rd (I didn't find out about the announcement until yesterday, when I came across it by accident). The Generations II contains games by Capcom, Athena, Woodplace, and Coconuts Japan/Soft Vision; the Generations III will contain games by Data East, CultureBrain, and Technos.

 

onmode-ky

[Inky]

Hmm. I'm VERY interested in this now.

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lBgXk8beA4

[Flojomojo]

There's one of these under my Festivus tree.

[+phoenixdownita]

There's one of these under my Festivus tree.

"General Kenobi. Years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars. Now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire. I regret that I am unable to present my father's request to you in person, but my ship has fallen under attack, and I'm afraid my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed. I have placed information vital to the survival of the Rebellion into the memory systems of this R2 unit. My father will know how to retrieve it. You must see this droid safely delivered to him on Alderaan. This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope.

 

 

 

tl;dr;

 

test and report, maybe they got something worth of our time.

The SoC is an AllWinner H3Q (as seen in the OldSchoolRetroGamer review) which is basically the same as the R16 in the (S)NES mini

(by one of the dev in Armbian

https://forum.armbian.com/topic/745-what-about-h8-soc/?do=findComment&comment=5603 )

which puts this on par with an Orange Pi One SBC or similar.

 

So really nothing mind-blowing, yet another RPi 2 class SBC .... but if it works reasonably well who cares.

In the end according to OldSchoolRetroGamer review it is running a "modified" version of Mame (I hope the Mame devs are in on it) so likely any RetroPie or similar setup would match it .... but it seems more convenient this way (with case and pads and preconfigured software and .... unsoldered pins ... lol).

[Krathoon]

Here is what I noticed after playing the Retrocade.

 

- The arcade Bad Dudes has some noise in it's sound.

- The Spartan X 2 game has some graphics corruption in the title screen and the first cutscene.

- Double Dragon has slow down. This may be accurate for the arcade version.

[Flojomojo]

test and report, maybe they got something worth of our time.

It's "fine." Not amazing, not sucktacular. It's certainly worth sixty bucks in my opinion. I'm keeping mine. The SNES Classic is nicer. RetroPie is more versatile. This is easy and has a lot of licensed stuff on it, and in my opinion is worthy of support in terms of money and attention. It would be nice to see some written (not video, please) documentation about what works best. In my opinion, this raises the bar for AtGames, not least because it runs Genesis ROMs natively. SNES too.

 

It's funny looking (someone said it looked like their carbon monoxide detector -- that's fair)

It has AV output as well as HDMI (HDMI cable included, but bring your own AV cables if you need to go analog)

Controllers are USB and are okay, kinda reminiscent of third-party Saturn controllers. I don't hate them. Someone out there will, because some people hate everything.

I'm pretty sure it's running Android, but the OS is sufficiently obscured it doesn't feel like a phone to me

There are a bunch of good games onboard already, they run well. If you like Capcom and Data East, this is for you.

 

I bought one of these $11 cases to store the thing.

The wires are LONG and it's a bit cable-happy. Maybe that's why Nintendo opted for shorter controller wires on its mini consoles?

 

If you want to add more games, you can either:

- watch some long-winded jerkstore video about how to do it, or

- just make a folder called "retrobit games" on an SD card, and put your files in there. Unzip your cartridge ROMs, leave MAME ROMs zipped. Add a matching image file if you want to be able to actually find stuff if you're adding more than a few files.

- honestly "tubers," you're completely annoying to me. I know you want to get hits and ad revenue, but posting a written blog article would be a much better thing to do for the community.

 

There's already drama about the potential use of Libretro. It gets nerdy and complicated very quickly. Someone who just wants to play games probably won't be concerned with the politics of it. It probably doesn't help that I got a ranty email from LaunchBox about their fight with a pirate ... perhaps that's for another thread, but I don't much feel like stoking that particular drama.

 

tl;dr as you say ... It's good. It won't change your life if you already have a nicely set up Pi or PC emulator "rig," but it's a nice self-contained, plug-n-chug way to play many old games. Donkey Kong Arcade runs like a champ on it.

 

edit for SEO: This is how you add extra games to Retrobit Super Retrocade. Extra games in Retrobit Super Retrocade! Just make a folder on your SD card called "retrobit games," and copy your ROM files to it. Done!

[+swlovinist]

I have had time to check by adding additional games to the console. It is very easy to do. I tested several roms and many work, some do not, case by case basis.

 

 

 

 

If you want to add more games, you can either:

- watch some long-winded jerkstore video about how to do it, or

- just make a folder called "retrobit games" on an SD card, and put your files in there. Unzip your cartridge ROMs, leave MAME ROMs zipped. Add a matching image file if you want to be able to actually find stuff if you're adding more than a few files.

- honestly "tubers," you're completely annoying to me. I know you want to get hits and ad revenue, but posting a written blog article would be a much better thing to do for the community.

 

 

If you don't want to watch YouTuber so be it. You don't have to be curt on someone else giving back to the community their own way. Honestly sharing a video on YouTube is going to reach a much wider audience and help more people. Some people don't like to write. Easier to me to talk in front of a camera.

[Flojomojo]

I have had time to check by adding additional games to the console. It is very easy to do. I tested several roms and many work, some do not, case by case basis.

 

 

 

If you don't want to watch YouTuber so be it. You font have to be curt on someone else giving back to the community their own way. Honestly sharing a video on Youtube is going to reach a much wider audience and help more people. Some people don't like to write. Easier to me to talk in front of a camera.

 

Yes, it is easy to add ROMs. I wish I understood the logic of what works and what doesn't.

 

In terms of game consoles, NES, SNES, and Genesis seem fine. I haven't tried anything else yet. Star Fox loads, with full geometry, but runs slowly.

 

I can and will say what I want about YouTube. It takes a single line of text to explain how to load ROMs to an SD card for this. The only hits I found on a web search on this topic are 10+minute videos. That's ridiculous.