Retro VGS: New Retro Game Console

[Shadowrunner]

Yep you read that correct, someone is trying to make a brand new cartridge based game console! Mike Kennedy, AKA @ReadRetro is the person behind it, and this is also the guy who runs the video game auction site GameGavel and the magazine Retro.

Here's a link to NintendoAge where it's talked about http://www.nintendoage.com/forum/messag ... did=141995

To be honest, it's not a bad idea. From what I'm reading it sounds like they want to get all the indie developers on board that make all these 8 and 16 bit style games that are all the rage right now. I'll admit, a lot of my favourite game of last gen were small downloadable games from these indie game studios, and a console that plays nothing but those type of games on cartridge is very appealing.

The look of the console will be very cool, as they have bought the original Atari Jaguar console and cartridge molds! For those who weren't aware, when the Jag went bust a dental company bought all the molds and started manufacturing dental equipment out of them. The company that owns them have been trying to sell them for a few years now, so it worked out pretty good.

I can't say I'm 100% sold on this though. I love the sound of it and really hope they can make it work, but I think the cost of the games on cartridge might be a big problem. Like I said, I love these retro style games that I can download on PSN, Xbox Live etc. They're great games that only cost a few dollars on IOS or Andorid, and a little bit more on the consoles. Would I still love these games if I had to pay $50 and up? Unfortunately I don't think I would for the most part. I don't know exactly how much games would cost if this went ahead, but cartridge components are expensive, just look at the price difference between homebrew games on CD and cart.

Anyway, just wanted to talk about this and see what everyone else thinks. Good idea or bad? Maybe ReadRetro will come around and fill us in a bit more

[WiggyDiggyPoo]

Well good luck to him but if its a new system with new games it not retro, even if its games are designed to look retro. It reads like it will be a low powered Ouya, but cartridge based.

If it stays as cartridges only it might succeed as a niche product, perhaps they can persuade some hipster types its the new thing to own alongside their reproduction walkmans and record players

[Ben]

Well good luck to him but if its a new system with new games it not retro, even if its games are designed to look retro. It reads like it will be a low powered Ouya, but cartridge based.

If it stays as cartridges only it might succeed as a niche product, perhaps they can persuade some hipster types its the new thing to own alongside their reproduction walkmans and record players

I think you hit the nail on the head here, and to me it misses the point of the "retro" scene.  I'd put it like this: Who is into retro gaming?

1.  The nostalgia oriented gamer, who wants new games for their old console.
2.  The gamer who has a philosophical issue with not physically "owning" games.
3.  The old school arcade gamer who doesn't care for the popular modern genres.

I think this console misses the mark there; it lacks nostalgia, and the people developing these iOS games aren't making shmups and other arcade style games on the level of a developer like NG Dev Team.  Only #2 really applies here, and as someone who fits all three groups, I'd rather just keep buying games for my old consoles and disc based Wii U games as long as Nintendo is still in the market.  iOS style games on cartridges, plus having to buy even more hardware?  No thanks.  Now, if they were going to try and use these to make new Jaguar cartridge games, I'd be all for it, but I don't get who the target audience for this is.

[AmigaJay]

I agree pretty much with Ben on this, though i would love such a console, i dont think these guys realise how much is involved getting a new console, cartridges, controllers, making it all work, ironing out bugs, dead boards etc, getting the games and devs to support it will be...i think the Pandora saga is proof it isnt easy!

Again think the idea in principle is ok, but in reality i cant see this working on any level.

[zapiy]

I agree with the above, but to me it's does have a fighting chance though, long as it's not ridiculously priced I can see plenty of people picking one up.

Can I smell a future Kickstarter.

[Shadowrunner]

Yeah, they are planning to go the Kickstarter route, and very soon according to the posts on NA.

Good points guys, and if this does go ahead it's not going to be easy. Still though, Mike seems to be very passionate about retro gaming and more power to him! People scoffed at his magazine idea too, yet it seems to be doing pretty good. 

If this goes ahead I'm sure there will be a lot of ports of simple IOS games, but let's not forget about all the indie games being made for consoles these days. There are some very impressive games on Xbox Live, PSN, and Nintendo e shop that are not available on physical media and would be perfect for something like this. Without the hardware specs it's hard to say what the quality of the games would be like.

At the very least I find it very cool that someone is even thinking about doing this!

[zapiy]

Yeah Mike has a passion for retro gaming thats for sure.. i wish them the best of luck and i have reached out to him because we dont want to be left behind on this lol.

[hamie96]

I can't see this really panning out well. Part of the reason people love cartridge-based games is due to the fact that they're usually collecting for a system that grew up with as a kid. In addition, the production of cartridges is really expensive in this day of age compared to the price of memory cards such as SD cards.

Combine all these factors with the fact that those who create retro video games generally either create it for systems they love (2600/NES etc.) or create it on open platforms such as Steam or Android where the install base is incredibly high.

Now we should also look at who this new system will target as an audience:
- Casual gamers (families/children) will most likely stick to the Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft products
- The Emulation Homebrew scene is currently focused on the GCW-Zero and Dingoo due to their open software and relative ease of porting emulators
- The PC gamers are generally contempt with Steam along with their massive catalog of PC games
- The Retro Hombrew scene generally does not deviate from their old-school consoles when creating games due to the large amount of documentation and software given in order to create homebrew

I really can't see who this new system will appeal to at all. Now with all this in mind, I still love the idea of a new console. Hopefully the SDK is released to the general public as I'd love to try and port Cave Story to the console.

[zapiy]

Some great points, i think the production costs could be cheaper than we think.. the cost to mold the plastics and the pcb's can't be huge these days surely?

[hamie96]

I'd imagine the games would have to at least be $30+ in order to compensate for the production of the cart. I guess we'll be able to better estimate when more details are revealed.

[TrekMD]

Well, that's interesting!  @ReadRetro, let us know any more information and about the Kickstarter.

[RPC_GAMES]

Hi Guys, does anyone have the specs on the RES machine? It's sounds interesting.

Pete

[ls650]

Personally I think it would make more sense to pick an existing retro system, and reintroduce it as a newly made box: something like one of the Flashbacks, but with a cart slot.  Imagine something like the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Flashback, but upgrade with better sound and controllers. 

[AmigaJay]

As much as the perfect 'retro' console for me would be a Neo-Geo type console, all 2D pixel-art, no 3D capabilities as such (though GBA style tricks could be possible) with slightly more capabilities...

The only way i see this going to keep costs down is either linux or android OS (hopefully not the latter as you lose so much going through Android) with a cheap system on chip and 8mb ram, but still way more powerful than any retro 2d game really needs and as such imo wont be as interesting because the fun was seeing the devs push the chips and getting results beyond what they should be capable of.

Also with the devs he stated and even Konami then its almost 100% Android a system on chip, so basically a cartridge based Ouya.

Again though nothings been confirmed, but i'm intrigued...for now

[zapiy]

Agreed I am very much intrigued by this. Hope for more details soon.