Portable Handheld Master System/genesis/megadrive?

[dnlgreenwood]

I am looking around for something modern, handheld, and portable that plays actual Master System and Genesis (aka Mega Drive) cartridges. I have quite a few of these cartridges, and want to take them on the go or at home. (I don't even have the Master System or Genesis)

I have found a few things, but I don't know what to buy. I primarily want to play Master System games, but I also want to play Genesis games.

Things I've found: (in $CAD)

Gen Mobile
-20 built-in games, though I have some of those on cartridge
-the sound is kind of off
-some games don't work
-plays genesis and master system
-uses emulation (system-on-a-chip kind of deal)

Retrogen ($38.36 from sethco on amazon)
-no build-in games, but it has the same problems as the gen mobile.

Dingoo A320 ($89.84 at shoptemp.net, free shipping)
-I already have an 8GB Class 4 Kingston MicroSD Card and a MiniSD adapter.
-I already have game images for most of my games, so I can live without using a cartridge I guess.
-fm radio (not that I need it)
-supports a whack load of emulated systems and homebrew (great)

Dingoo A330 ($115.20 at shoptemp.net, free shipping, out of stock)
-an extra $25 more than the A320
-same resolution and screen size
-2.4 GHz receiver for wireless controllers
-basically the same thing as teh a320.
-better hardware?

Caanoo (~$158.28 from play-asia)


I think I would get the most of my money if I buy the Caanoo; it's not some cheap-feeling Chinese import (it's Korean, lol.) and it's made by GPH and there is a subforum for it on this site, so it must be a good product. 


since they all use emulation anyway, I think id be more comfortable with the Caanoo, or the Dingoo A320.

any other suggestions? any good places to buy a caanoo?

 

[second exodous]

I've heard really bad things about both the Gen Mobile and the Retrogen. Although one of them has a licensed chip from Sega they both have low compatibility. In the case of handheld retro gaming it is actually better doing emulation over using a modern device that accepts carts. The sad thing is you don't get any closer to the real thing with original carts combined with new hardware, sound and color is off. For 100% accurate playback spend $5 on a real Genesis/Mega drive from the 90's at a thrift shop and for mobile 16bit Sega gaming just use emulation.

There is the Nomad, that will give you 100% compatibility with 100% accuracy but eats 6 AA batteries in an hour. I had one and loved it but the contrast wheel broke.

Seriously though, all these new handhelds that accept old carts are just silly since they have compatibility and accuracy problems, what is the point? I guess there is the nostalgia of handling and inserting the carts but why not leave the real carts with the real system under your TV and just put the entire collection on one SD card and play them on a modern emulation machine when on the go?

Anyway, that is how I feel about these systems.

 

[dnlgreenwood]

I've heard really bad things about both the Gen Mobile and the Retrogen.  Although one of them has a licensed chip from Sega they both have low compatibility.  In the case of handheld retro gaming it is actually better doing emulation over using a modern device that accepts carts.  The sad thing is you don't get any closer to the real thing with original carts combined with new hardware, sound and color is off.  For 100% accurate playback spend $5 on a real Genesis/Mega drive from the 90's at a thrift shop and for mobile 16bit Sega gaming just use emulation.

There is the Nomad, that will give you 100% compatibility with 100% accuracy but eats 6 AA batteries in an hour.  I had one and loved it but the contrast wheel broke.

Seriously though, all these new handhelds that accept old carts are just silly since they have compatibility and accuracy problems, what is the point?  I guess there is the nostalgia of handling and inserting the carts but why not leave the real carts with the real system under your TV and just put the entire collection on one SD card and play them on a modern emulation machine when on the go?

Anyway, that is how I feel about these systems.

You know of any good emulation handhelds? (inexpensive ones I can buy now) I used to have a GBA, but my brother lost it, and I used to have a DS Lite, but it wore out. I have a netbook, but thats not so portable.

 

[second exodous]

Hmm, cheap ones? You might look into Dingoo, it looks like it's average price is $80, that is only $30 more than what you were pricing the Retrogen and the Gen Mobile as. You might want to shop around though and I'm sure other will know of the best handheld to emulate the Mega Drive. I had a GP2X that did an excellent job of it but it isn't sold anymore(or is cheap).

In the long run I think you'll like a machine that can do more than just play MD games, it would be worth the extra money I would think.

 

[dnlgreenwood]

Hmm, cheap ones?  You might look into Dingoo, it looks like it's average price is $80, that is only $30 more than what you were pricing the Retrogen and the Gen Mobile as.  You might want to shop around though and I'm sure other will know of the best handheld to emulate the Mega Drive.  I had a GP2X that did an excellent job of it but it isn't sold anymore(or is cheap).

In the long run I think you'll like a machine that can do more than just play MD games, it would be worth the extra money I would think.

something with wlan or a tactile screen might be fun. especially wlan.



the dingoo a320 looks alright, though ms emulation isnt perfect. I used to be a gameboy fan, so i guess id like something that emulates gameboy/colour/advance as well... you're right i need an emulation handheld. since there isnt that much more in the a330 then the a320 i might get an a320.

 

[second exodous]

I would look into other handhelds also, there is the [http://boards.dingoonity.org/spmp8000-devices/the-letcool-n350jp-an-overview-%28and-pre-review!%29/?PHPSESSID=fffe2c6dfa3dbc41449c5b821ddf1423]N350jp[/url] and others. Just look around these forms a little. I haven't looked much at cheap handhelds as I have pre-ordered a Pandora and am holding off on buying anything until I get it so I'm not the one to ask. My original suggestion still stands though: you would be happy with one of these over a handheld that only plays old carts.

 

[dnlgreenwood]

I would look into other handhelds also, there is the [http://boards.dingoonity.org/spmp8000-devices/the-letcool-n350jp-an-overview-%28and-pre-review!%29/?PHPSESSID=fffe2c6dfa3dbc41449c5b821ddf1423]N350jp[/url] and others. Just look around these forms a little. I haven't looked much at cheap handhelds as I have pre-ordered a Pandora and am holding off on buying anything until I get it so I'm not the one to ask. My original suggestion still stands though: you would be happy with one of these over a handheld that only plays old carts.

I think I'd rather get a dingo than a letcool for that price, and the battery life is better on the dingoo. not great, but better. I already have something for music and radio that has 24 hours of battery life, and I don't usually watch movies or videos, so I guess games are my primary usage. I don't need a camera either. I see the dingoo has a huge selection of emulators (especially with linux installed) so I might save up for one.

 

[SomeGuy99]

I'm gone get flamed for this but... a Gizmondo makes a fairly good Picodrive (Megadrive) machine. You can pick them up for about £30 now, so a proper bargain.

 

[dnlgreenwood]

I'm gone get flamed for this but... a Gizmondo makes a fairly good Picodrive (Megadrive) machine. You can pick them up for about £30 now, so a proper bargain.

It would be a great idea to get a system, too. I think i'd prefer something that plays more than just megadrive, like someing that plays megadrive, master system, snes and nes.

 

[fischju2000]

'Wore out' a DS Lite? They are pretty easy systems to fix, even if you have to get a new shell and replace the external plastic/buttons. Would be cheaper than just about any option, add a flashcart for $20 and you have access to pretty good Genesis/SMS emulators and great SNES/NES/GB/GBC/Ect emulators. http://www.pocketheaven.com/ph/wiki/JEnesisDS http://www.pocketheaven.com/ph/wiki/index.php?title=PicoDriveDS - the homebrew scene is one of the most active of any community, you will be surprised by what you can do with a DS and flashcart.

http://filetrip.net/c95-Emulators-for-NDS.html
http://filetrip.net/c94-Applications.html
http://gbatemp.net/f116-homebrew-news

 

[dnlgreenwood]

'Wore out' a DS Lite? They are pretty easy systems to fix, even if you have to get a new shell and replace the external plastic/buttons. Would be cheaper than just about any option, add a flashcart for $20 and you have access to pretty good Genesis/SMS emulators and great SNES/NES/GB/GBC/Ect emulators. http://www.pockethea.../wiki/JEnesisDS http://www.pockethea...tle=PicoDriveDS - the homebrew scene is one of the most active of any community, you will be surprised by what you can do with a DS and flashcart.

http://filetrip.net/...rs-for-NDS.html
http://filetrip.net/...plications.html
http://gbatemp.net/f116-homebrew-news

My idea of worn out is that it needs replacement ribbon cables, fuses, and a power switch. and maybe a new tactile screen. ive had it for quite a while. I already have a cyclods evolution and an ezflash3in1+. I used to use a lot of emulators, especially nes, snes, atari, gameboy, and gameboy colour. I might just have to find an old trashed ds and swap circuit boards. oh yeah, and i played scribblenauts on it. Call of duty: world at war destroyed my tactile screen because it was being over-used, and I used the crappy old stylus that came with my ds.

 

[second exodous]

The DS is pretty easy to fix no matter what the problem is short of one of the boards being fried. It is also pretty fun, you should look into fixing yours while the parts are still common, you'll be kicking your self years from now when you can't find parts to fix it.

EDIT: Oh, one of the boards is burnt out huh? Yeah, find the most beat up but working DS because you'll just need the board. Actually, if you had one that just works but is trashed you could swap parts between your fist and your replacement to make a working one. Fixing your DS should be a bigger priority than buying something new I would think, like I said do it while parts are common because later it will be expensive and difficult.

 

[dnlgreenwood]

I found a trashed ds, but it wouldnt turn on. a part came loose, (a tiny black part that had a number on it and was right next to the power switch) and it tried to put it back in with a soldering iron, it was way too small, and It fell on the carpet... but I kept everything but the curcuit board, so I can mix buttons and inside plates. the shell is too scratched up for my liking, ans so is the tactile screen. its a pink nintendogs ds lite. no battery. my own ds is black, so I might use the bottom inside plate, the a and b buttons, the start button, the d-pad, the volume switch, the stylus holder, and the power switch. lol this is starting to get fun.

If by some freak accident and I find a DS in the middle of the street in the box unopened... then I'd still want to get a dingoo. im just like that. If I had more money, I'd probably have about 6 handhelds and a whole lot of retro consoles.

 

[Ravnos]

I don't really know anything about the Dingoo, but the GP2X had a fuckin awesome Picodrive port, and I'd be surprised if the Wiz version was worse. I don't play my real Genesis at all any more, though, so I'm not sure how accurate the music and sound is. It was accurate enough for me. It also looks like AlexKidd2X was also ported to the Wiz, and that was a fairly solid SMS/GG emulator. A Wiz would probably be more expensive than a Dingoo, but I thought I'd throw it out there as an option.

 

[dnlgreenwood]

I don't really know anything about the Dingoo, but the GP2X had a fuckin awesome Picodrive port, and I'd be surprised if the Wiz version was worse. I don't play my real Genesis at all any more, though, so I'm not sure how accurate the music and sound is. It was accurate enough for me. It also looks like AlexKidd2X was also ported to the Wiz, and that was a fairly solid SMS/GG emulator. A Wiz would probably be more expensive than a Dingoo, but I thought I'd  throw it out there as an option.

Thanks for the advice... I was also looking at buying the GP2X for a while. Where do you buy one (from Canada)? There must be a site or something.




edit: WOW, how did that happen? anyway, ignore this message. its the same as #15.

 

[quote]

They're out of production. Get a Caanoo? Or try eBay for a gp2x/Wiz.

 

[dnlgreenwood]

They're out of production. Get a Caanoo? Or try eBay for a gp2x/Wiz.

I didn't know about the Caanoo, because its new. It look extremely promising. 


G-sensor? Force feedback? Analog stick? Wireless? Everything sounds like an iPod Touch or a Wii remote these days. (I hate the wii-remote for vc games, and I hate the classic controller for vc games... give me a snes pad and I'd be fine, though.)

It hasn't been released yet, it's being released tomorrow 0_0 

Hopefully I can get one by November.




Strange... It has exactly the same processor speed and RAM as my old laptop.

 

[second exodous]

Well, the wifi on the Caanoo is through a dongle, or a wifi stick, that is the only thing I see wrong with it. Then again you were looking into the dingoo which didn't even have that option. The Caanoo is a little bit more expensive though but I'm sure you'd love it, it will probably have a much bigger community coding for it.

 

[dnlgreenwood]

 I hope someone ports GPS software to the Caanoo, like gpsd. Or maybe I could port it... 

 

[Ravnos]

The GP2X and the Wiz are both out of production but you can still find the Wiz in a few shops, apparently there is still stock floating around. I bought my GP2X back in the day from gp2xstore.com and they apparently have the Wiz in stock. Gamersection.ca sells the Wiz and has a Vancouver number listed in their contact section, so you could try them, but I've never dealt with them. Or there's eBay, or buy a Caanoo when that comes out.