The Hyperkin RetroN 5 is a single console that plays physical cartridges from nine classic systems: NES, Famicom, SNES, Super Famicom, Sega Genesis, Mega Drive, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance. Setup takes about five minutes: plug the included HDMI cable into any modern TV, insert a cartridge into the correct slot, power on, and select Play from the on-screen menu.
Getting that first game running is only part of the story. The RetroN 5 also adds save states, video filters, button remapping, and Bluetooth wireless play, none of which existed when these cartridges were new. This guide walks through each step, slot by slot.
What are the five cartridge slots on the RetroN 5 and what goes in each one?
The console has five dedicated slots, and using the wrong one will prevent the game from loading. Four of them sit on the top of the unit; the fifth is on the front face.
Working from the back of the top panel toward the front, the order is: Genesis / Mega Drive, then SNES / Super Famicom, then NES, and finally Famicom. The Famicom slot is the narrowest of the four and accepts the smaller Japanese cartridge shape that does not fit the NES opening. On the front of the unit, the fifth slot handles Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges, all three in the same opening.
One rule applies to all five slots: only one cartridge at a time. Inserting a second cartridge while another is seated can damage the hardware, so always power off and remove the first before switching systems.
How do you connect the RetroN 5 to a modern TV via HDMI?
The back panel of the RetroN 5 has four ports: HDMI out, AC power input, USB, and an SD card slot. Connection order matters slightly, because powering on before the HDMI signal is established can sometimes cause the TV to miss the handshake.
Start by plugging the AC adapter into the power port, but leave the console off. Then run the included HDMI cable from the console’s HDMI output to any open HDMI input on your TV. Switch your TV’s input source to that HDMI port. Now press the power button on the front of the RetroN 5. The console outputs at up to 720p and 60 frames per second, which any HDTV or modern monitor handles without issue.
The first time you power on, the RetroN 5 presents a first-run screen that walks you through pairing the wireless controller and calibrating the picture to your screen size. Let that process finish before inserting a cartridge.
How do you pair the wireless controller and can you use original controllers?
The bundled Bluetooth controller pairs automatically during the first-run setup. If you need to re-pair it later, go to Settings > Manage RetroN 5 Controller > Pair Controller, then hold the Home button on the controller until the four LED indicators start flashing. The UI confirms a successful pair, and from that point the controller reconnects on its own whenever you press any button.
For players who prefer the feel of original hardware, the RetroN 5 has six wired controller ports on its sides: two for NES, two for SNES, and two for Genesis. You can mix and match freely. A Genesis six-button pad works on SNES games, and an NES controller works for player one while the Bluetooth pad handles player two. The console saves any custom button layouts you configure, so you will not need to redo them each session.
What features can you access during gameplay without restarting?
Pressing the Home button on the wireless controller opens the in-game menu without interrupting the game. From there you can save to any of 10 save state slots, load a previous state, toggle scanlines or other video filters, take a screenshot (saved as a JPEG to the SD card), and access built-in cheat codes if a database file for that game is present on the SD card.
The RetroN 5 also handles region selection automatically. It detects whether a cartridge is from the USA, Europe, or Japan and sets the correct refresh rate, though you can override this manually and force 50 Hz or 60 Hz output. That means a PAL Super Famicom cart bought abroad will run on an NTSC television without the speed penalty it would suffer on original hardware.
The RetroN 5 Is the Shortest Path from a Cartridge Box to an HD Screen
Every step between unboxing and playing a retro game has been reduced. One HDMI cable handles video and audio. One slot per system family means no guessing. The on-screen menu brings save states and filters to games that never had them, and the original controller ports keep the tactile experience intact for purists.
If you are ready to start building or revisiting a cartridge library, the Hyperkin RetroN 5 is priced at $179.99 and ships with the HDMI cable, AC adapter, and wireless controller, so nothing extra is required to play on day one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the RetroN 5 play Sega Master System games?
The RetroN 5 does not have a dedicated Master System slot, but it can play Master System cartridges through a Sega Power Base Converter, which is sold separately. You insert the converter into the Genesis slot, then place the Master System cartridge inside the converter. The TV must support at least 720p for this to display correctly.
Does the RetroN 5 work with flash carts or EverDrive cartridges?
No. EverDrive and other flash cart formats are not compatible with the RetroN 5. The console is designed to read original cartridges only, so third-party flash storage devices will not be recognized and should not be inserted into any slot.
Will the RetroN 5 introduce input lag compared to original hardware?
Some input lag is possible because the console processes and upscales the video signal before sending it over HDMI. The amount varies by game and by your TV’s own processing settings. Turning off your television’s “game mode” or any post-processing features tends to reduce the delay noticeably for most players.
Can I save Game Boy Advance games that normally require a battery backup cartridge?
Yes. The RetroN 5 supports both the cartridge’s original battery save method and its own built-in save states. If the cartridge battery is dead, you can still save progress using a save state slot and transfer it back to the cartridge once a new battery is installed, keeping your data portable across other hardware.
Do I need a firmware update before I start using the RetroN 5?
It is worth checking. Firmware updates are delivered via SD card: download the update file from Hyperkin’s support page, copy it to a standard SD card, insert the card into the rear slot, and the console will prompt you to install it on next boot. Running the latest firmware tends to improve cartridge compatibility and overall system stability.