Chromatic: The Game Boy to End All Game Boys - Hands-On Preview & Interview [NWRTV]

[@ThePosetowns]

The shell is strong and all, but will it survive a marine barracks bombing?

[@viridionwaves]

I totally agree with their stance on the batteries

[@sgdude1337]

Yup. Xbox 360 controllers are much less of a headache than ps3 dual shock 3s today for this reason.

[@viridionwaves]

When i initially heard about this, i was skeptical. But the more i learn about it, the more excited I get. I can't wait to get my hands on one

[@mrkarmeck7821]

That jump at 3:53 I have never seen that shortcut.

[@MasterE1]

I don't know if you can do it in og dk. I think it works in dk '94 on Gameboy though.

[@Lvaneede]

I have one preordered. Really looking forward to using it.

[@retropixelados]

A fantastic review, I have been able to know information that I have not seen in other videos thanks to you. Like you, this project has given me a lot of hope and I hope it is successful. Greetings

[@JM-pm1yb]

Playable on a home console for the first time??? The Switch??? The Super GameBoy and GameBoy Player might have something to say about that 🤣🤣🤣

[@kaipography]

N64 could arguably be included there too alongside the WiiU Virtual Console.

[@ahums16]

Very Twitter-esque comment.

[@palmermoynihan2628]

I came running to comments when I heard that. Bro claims to be super into the gameboy yet misses two of the best gameboys on the market.

[@Razzerian]

This is amazing, will definitely look in to getting this for my son.

[@Crushbandido]

what a fantastic look at this device. You’ll usually catch me still playing with the GB Color og hardware but I’m honestly due for a upgrade, and this will do 😈

[@darkzippy85]

Wow, was about to order one but 77 Euro shipping to Europe is crazy. They really should do something about it.

[@dinaya8560]

Shipping has taxes already included (I’m also from EU). Opposed to Analogue, where you pay 60$ shipping and you have to pay the taxes separately through UPS, with another 15€ UPS fee on top. So ModRetro does it better in comparison.

[@TarikA]

What? 77 €? Seriously?!?! That's about to throw away my plans of buying one completely.

[@dinaya8560]

@@TarikA 77€ is for shipping + pre-paid import taxes. I like it better this way, since it get’s through customs quicker and is cheaper at the end. In cases of *no* pre-paid tax: you’d get a separate invoice from the delivery company with the import tax costs + approx. 15€ handling fee as a „surprise“. If customs opens your package for inspection additional fees could be invoiced up to 45€ on top (depending on the delivery company). By having pre-paid taxes you know all of the costs upfront, don’t get any surprise costs and the shipper is responsible for getting the package through customs which can save a lot of headaches for the buyer.

[@DaveFallows]

European/worldwide distribution is on their roadmap for 2025. I gritted my teeth and ordered the hardware, but I also want to support the new software. I'll wait until I can buy locally for that, because the taxes plus shipping is ridiculous. :(

[@Artee023]

Here comes 'why not Analogue pocket' comments......🤓🧐

[@epicon6]

Why not an emulator?😅

[@Artee023]

@@epicon6 why Not PSP??😂

[@jerryjb]

Why not Funny Playing FPGBC?

[@niplob]

​@@jerryjbI got one😅

[@jerryjb]

@@niplob right on!

[@davidscottheath]

Good analysis, I'm very interested in the pixel-perfect screen and I look forward to more coverage as this thing gets closer to release.

[@TheLuckyShepherd]

Gamestop has an exclusive color and it's beautiful! 😊

[@JM-pm1yb]

That’s what made me preorder one 😅

[@GreenLeefMusic]

It is actually kind of smart on their part that they are now starting to sell retro games again right about the same time that this will be available there

[@MSGSlayer1]

I've just ordered mine in store. Not my ideal color, but they offer a layaway plan on all pre-orders.

[@gerardos256]

On the original gameboy color when suicune dissapears 7:08 the scanlines make him look like he is actually disaapearing none of the other screens seem to do that. Not sure if it was just the camera or not.

[@king_kiff3969]

Do they support Everdrive carts? This question is a must answer before I'd buy one.

[@inter4ever7]

Given the OS will be open source, I assume a mod to load roms will happen at some point. Might be worth waiting for that.

[@videogameobsession]

It does, but at that point why not just buy an Analogue Pocket? For just $20 more you're getting so much more value. The Chromatic only plans GB and GBC carts, where as the Pocket plays GB/GBC/GBA, and with optional adapters, Game Gear, TurboGrafx 16/PC Engine/SuperGrafX, Atari Lynx, and Neo-Geo Pocket. And that's just the start. With openFPGA you can play just about every portable system and console from 1972 - the early 90's. There is no need for any ED flashcarts because you can put every rom onto a single SDcard, and into the Pocket. Then you have the hundreds of arcade FPGA cores, which are so accurate to the real thing that arcade PCB board owners are buying this (or a MiSTer) and selling off their original arcade boards. I've had my since 2021 and love it. I have already bought a second one. I loved the original DMG Game Boy in 1989, and I love how close the Pocket can replicate the DMG yellow/grey screen, with pixel grid. Then switch to the GBC style, and GB Light colors. The super high resolution screen allows for it to look perfect. I wouldn't have typed all of that if I didn't like the thing so much . :)

[@thanksbetotap]

Game Boy and Game Boy Color (and even Game Boy Advance technically) games were already playable through Virtual Handheld on the 3DS.

[@elzibiel]

I for one will always prefer actual AA batteries if possible. i have a Miyoo Mini+, and a Capcom Super Pocket, and while I like them both I can't help but think in the back of my mind that there is a shelf life in both of them, and that is dependent on the rechargeable battery within. Once that goes, the whole point of these systems to help preserve older handheld games becomes moot as the system becomes useless. On the other hand, as long as they keep making AA's, and as long as the system and cartridges work, the Chromatic will be in business and I like that. If that's really an issue, just get a set of Eneloop rechargeable AA's. two birds with one stone. you'll have rechargeable batteries, and still the option of going actual AA's if you ever need/want to.

[@christopherresch]

The miyoo just uses a lipo battery with a connector. There will always be generic replacements available somewhere.

[@28_babyshark]

I would like to see a SP version of this console but just a little bit bigger so I can fit your hands better.

[@calebdaplaya363]

I have a crystal clear Pokémon cartridge that I’d love to play, I think this is the way to go

[@marksnethkamp8633]

Crazy nintendo doesnt do this.

[@kaox44]

Nintendo hates money.

[@afterdinnercreations936]

Does the Everdrive work with this device??

[@RogerEssigArtist]

yes. there's a video of a reviewer using an Everdrive X7 kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqqYqqarlth_iacsi=h5MkERbtN2tSzXli

[@Dynoshok]

so im wondering how does it save games? Can it save on a SD card as a file and put into a pc, cause i hate changing the battery in the cartridge for pokemon games. i like the upgraded nostalgia the handheld console gives for durability and visual-wise.

[@fotografick]

Can you drive over an analogue pocket to compare?

[@Eli-t5e]

Maybe over an Aluminum one

[@YoungThos]

1:23 Analogue Pocket came out in 2021 actually

[@harrychalcraft6371]

I want something with a shell made identical to a clear purple Gameboy Colour but with shoulder buttons on the top sides and an IPS screen.

[@harrychalcraft6371]

The feel of the buttons and D-pad are very important too. These Chinese systems always lack quality when it comes to the finer details.

[@ahums16]

If you don't know about it, look up the FPGBC! Made in an identical shell and mold to the GBC, but the volume wheel clicks in for firmware options.

[@DaveFallows]

The project is entirely open source. It won't take long for someone to make plastic shells and put them on Etsy. I'm not sure why you'd need shoulder buttons for GB/GBC games though. :)

[@ciprianmogosanu7169]

today you can buy 6 alkaline batteries or more for like a dollar ,alkaline is double the capacity of the batteries you were probabbly using in the 90s

[@BigFunnyGiant]

A dollar? Where? A dollar store? Those actually aren’t alkaline.

[@ciprianmogosanu7169]

@@BigFunnyGiant generally the discount brand of most supermarkets,they offer usually a pack of normal batteries or alkaline ones(about 15 % more in price than regular ones),next to the Energizer or Duracell batteries.The generic brand alkalines are about 90-95 % of the time the really premium ones can do,for like 3 times less the price .Also I can only speak about prices in 3 countries that I lived Spain, Romania and Italy

[@turnbasedtoddy7664]

Am I missing something? When you were showing comparisons from the original Game Boy color to the chromatic, the chromatic looked wildly different in the colors displayed and the way it looked. The quality of the screen was good, but as far as reproducing what was on the Game Boy color, it looked completely different.

[@FloorManiac]

Why does the screen look washed out? This video isnt doing justice to the prototype.

[@SpartanDiab]

Because that's the more natural tone of colour for a real GBC, a lot of modded screens over saturate.

[@JayrosModShop]

IPS screens are vastly oversaturated. The colors look way too vibrant and way too dark. The CleanScreen from Retrisix is the only one that offers color correction.

[@aaron5364]

referring to all of the handhelds by their 3-letter codes is an interesting flex....... but I like it

[@BigFunnyGiant]

You must be new to the internet. That’s a common thing.

[@aaron5364]

@@BigFunnyGiant I'll bring my DOL over over for a 1v1 on final dest and we'll see.

[@kma4835]

This is some HEAVY glazing my friend...gonna need to get hands on with it cause this all sounds to good to be true

[@shinobi.3859]

too much glazing considering the analogue is couple bucks more and has a lot more to offre

[@kma4835]

@shinobi.3859 that's what I was thinking but didn't wanna say it since that was to be expected lol analog lookin alot better than this but...let's wait

[@robertpeacock894]

He almost needed a shovel!

[@rockproductions1]

Will you be able to play on the classic green screen

[@videogameobsession]

No. It's basically like a nicer, backlit Nintendo Game Boy Color system. If you're looking for something that can look like multiple GBs, I'd recommend the Analogue Pocket ($120) $20 more than this.

[@ezhumbug]

I'll give it a wait til people get their hands on it. Still building a Pocket Color and getting expensive with parts needed.

[@braillynn]

Funny the video mentions that Nintendo Switch Online is bringing these games to a home console for the very first time like the Super Gameboy or Gameboy Player never existed.

[@codyflasher7657]

I just hope it will work with x7 everdrive.

[@king_kiff3969]

I can't find any answers on it... Without it, we all have options already that do and then we don't needs this.

[@zombee38]

Interesting product

[@emiliofahr504]

I really dont like the text on the bezel. Its an impressive looking device otherwise

[@TheCipotemasloco]

I like te GameBoy but the price I don’t like! I think the Fanny Playing FPGBC is cheaper and look great!

[@cirmothe9]

This comes off as an advertisement. I'll wait for reviewers to get it.

[@superrobot5384]

Was that El Phantasmo playing one?

[@videogameobsession]

Looks nice, I'll give it that, but $199 is what I had paid for the Analogue Pocket, 3 years ago. Given that the Analogue Pocket has a much larger, higher resolution screen, (which helps make the different shaders more authenic). It plays GB/GBC/GBA carts, out of the box, w/adapters available to play Game Gear, TG16/PCE/SGX, Neo•Geo Pocket, and Atari Lynx carts/cards. With the optional Dock you can play them all on modern displays, use Bluetooth/2.4g controllers, and USB devices. But, the most amazing part of the Pocket, by a large margin, is openFPGA. With a simple app you can add hundreds of portable, console system FPGA cores, as well as hundreds of arcade FPGA cores. This includes some of the very best arcade games from the 70s-90s. Games such as Capcom CPS1/CPS2 (Street Fighter 2, Final Fight, Strider, Ghouls N Ghosts) Sega System 16/ etc.(Golden Axe, Alien Storm, Altered Beast, Outrun, After Burner, Space Harrier), Namco (Pac-Man, Ms Pac-Man, Mappy, Dig-Dug, Galaga), Irem, SNK, Data East, Konami, and so many more. The only thing that comes close to this is the MiSTer, and that's not portable (yet), and believe it or not, there are a couple of games that the Pocket can play that the MiSTer cannot, such as MORTAL KOMBAT.

[@Reaperman4711]

Finally. AA batteries are back. Now I don't ever have to charge the thing--unless I want to and then I choose the options. I usually play a new system few days and file away for half a decade--so most of my lithium cells are single-use too. 🤣

[@niplob]

make sure to take out the batteries before using it as a dust collector. Corrosion is a real issue

[@videogameobsession]

Too many people forget to remove AA / AAA battieres in portable game systems, and when batteries leak they can reek havoc on the contacts, and sometimes they will even leak onto the PCB, causing irreversible damage to traces on the board. I prefer rechargeable Lithium ion over AA/AAA batteries. As long as the system has sold a decent amount in its time it'll continue to have 3rd party replacement batteries produced for it.

[@niplob]

@videogameobsession It ain't irreversible damage, stop spreading lies. I know it since I repair those

[@videogameobsession]

@@niplob you haven't fixed enough then. I've been repairing consoles since 1982. And yes, battery acid can eat through PCB traces, just badly as leaky capacitors can. So, if you want to be a stickler, "yes.. Anything is fixable"depending on how bad the leak was and how many traces you want to jump. Are you with the Duracell Police 👮or something?

[@niplob]

@videogameobsession You said "no" and then explained how I am technically right and went on a toxic bash instead. Moving goalposts I see... not very hidden tho

[@edjecollins4141]

Magnesium IS a metal...

[@icyds]

3 batteries??? Bruh.

[@eksot]

what the fu do you mean the magnesium makes it feel almost like metal? Do you know what magnesium is? 😂

[@28_babyshark]

Apparently these guys do not know that magnesium reacts to water. There is a chance sweat from your hands that is heated up by your body will overtime eat through that casing since it's made of magnesium. So I don't know why they are bragging about their case when it will deteriorate over time.

[@kakazi2170]

This is cool, but it looks waaay too small

[@GoyoFreecs]

naaa, he is cool. Everybody loves Tom

[@victorkuruk238]

With battery pack? I'm going to die 😳 When will this be mine????? How long??😩

[@kakazi2170]

$200 is steep as hell for something that can’t play GBA games, doesn’t have any extra features to make it stand out, and doesn’t have a good number of games already made for it when it releases. I hope it does well because it sounds like a nice passion project but I would never recommend it over a modded GameBoy Color which costs 25% less

[@jeanbob1481]

At this point most handhelds you buy you buy them for passion and how they look honestly. For me handheld emulation has not gotten significantly better that it would warrant you buying something else then a PSP that runs anything up to 32 bit perfectly. ­

[@TheLuckyShepherd]

@@kakazi2170 Now days $200 isn't that much, sadly. I can't go to Subway without spending $25-30 lol. Nintendo can do the Switch Lite that cheap but the big boys literally take a loss on their systems and make up for it by publishing games and they get a 30% cut from all store sales. $200 for well made hardware like this is actually a good deal. Problem is people aren't getting raises as prices for everything else goes up but if this was before inflation 10 years ago, this is probably equivalent to $120 or so?

[@shinobi.3859]

literally.. people dont understan that an analogue has wayyy more to offer for just a couple more bucks, its just not it

[@Ghreak]

I really appreciate the work behind the chromatic but honestly there are better options on the market right now that are also not emulating the Games. For me the FPGBC is just the great spot to buy one to play native games

[@niplob]

sorry... but it costs more than twice the price of an FPGBC for essentialy being the same thing

[@AlexDiaz-gw5ov]

The most expensive parts of it are the screen and the case. If they sold the screen separately, they would be able to sell it for $99. As it is also 1000nits for peak brightness. It can be played even on the worst lightning conditions. It also costs you $150 to fully mod a Gba. And that doesn't includes your time.

[@RogerEssigArtist]

you can also buy cheap watches that 'do the same thing ' as the higher quality ones.

[@niplob]

@@RogerEssigArtist are you implying the device with literally a better display and better speakers is "lower quality"? Sir, are you okay?

[@RogerEssigArtist]

@@niplob Chromatic has a better display. Why don't you know this yet?

[@niplob]

@RogerEssigArtist They literally said it themselves that they "imitate the original display" which literally makes it objectively worse. The FPGBC has a Blackberry Q5 display Why don't you know this yet?

[@Woodenspade]

Analogue Pocket, FPGBC, GameBoy players... I own them all. Maybe I'll buy one of these if I see it on discount or clearance at GameStop. It's a device that plays my 50+ cartridge games and I love handhelds.

[@shinobi.3859]

🤓

[@Woodenspade]

@@shinobi.3859 😜 I'm also 600 pounds

[@RaphaelWiggum]

The vertical form-factor is nostalgic but really doesn't fit an adult's hands. Keep me posted if they come up with something horizontal, though.

[@SilviStarWolf1]

Cool video! 😃👍👏

[@Nicholas-nu9jx]

Ok but what about micro transactions

[@burpo614]

The entire notion of "accurate" colors is nonsense. GBC games were designed for a reflective screen. Colors look garish and inaccurate on backlit screens no matter what profile or palette you use, including on the chromatic. You can even see this in the side by side shot with a real GBC. They're not even close. Furthermore, colors on the original screen would take on tints from ambient light reflected off the panel.

[@RogerEssigArtist]

if you see the comparison photos, the colors look incredibly accurate.

[@burpo614]

@@RogerEssigArtist compared to what? A GBC in sunlight? A GBC under a worm light? A GBC under incandescent bulbs? GBC games on a Game Boy Advance? Game Boy Player? All of these have radically different colors.

[@RogerEssigArtist]

@@burpo614 no they do not.

[@burpo614]

@@RogerEssigArtistyes, they do. Emulators and FPGA cores typically have different color profiles to match the various panels and game boy revisions. Even Nintnedo's official releases and emulators don't have consistent colors. You can test this yourself with a stock GBC by taking photos of it next to any backlit display in environments with different ambient lighting. You can also skip to 8:30 in the video to see the colors don't even come close to matching a stock GBC in whatever environment they shot the video in.

[@RogerEssigArtist]

@@burpo614 there's literally no doubt chromatic has the most accurate reproduction of GBC screen. You can see for yourself in the many examples online.

[@Dusuke17]

Very interesting, until I see the price... Not interested at all.

[@aleckermit]

I like ModRetro and want them to succeed as a game publisher but the Chromatic ehhhh, it's never going to succeed at that price point and feature list. For $200 you get the tiny original screen size of the GBC, one display option (pixel grid and original off-colors), AA batteries. Compare that to an $80 FPGBC which has a 50% larger screen and multiple display settings for purists or modernists, USB-C charging, gameplay speed option, and contains both the GB and GBC cores so you don't have to rely on a GBC color pallet for GB games. Or for a little more that $200 you can have an analogue pocket which can play GBA and a host of other systems, and from SD card which bypasses the expense of getting an flash cart.

[@JayrosModShop]

Somebody needs to dump that new Tetris ROM tho...

[@kurokoro]

Why people want AA batteries? That was the problem everyone hated during the gb and gba era until the gba SP which had a rechargable one, whats wrong with people?

[@PatrickKniesler]

So carry a battery pack and cable. One of the reasons they made the CAD files available was to make hardware changes possible, so maybe someone will make a rechargeable battery pack mod

[@thanksbetotap]

Rechargeable AAs exist :)

[@MeowTheMouse]

Why stop at not having rechargeable batteries? This shouldn't have USB C to enable true authentic experience, also remove the back light and add a shitty speaker with a cartridge slot that barely works, that's how I remember the gameboy.

[@burpo614]

No mention at all in the video that buying this means giving money to fascist arms dealer Palmer Luckey. This alone is a deal killer.

[@RogerEssigArtist]

Are you Russian? You are fine with Russian forces killing Ukrainian women & children? Where is the fascism in aiding Ukraine on a Russian invasion? Why aren't you aiding Palmer by buying a chromatic? Are you a totalitarian dictator supporter?

[@DaveFallows]

Fascist arms dealer who is currently arming Ukraine and Taiwan while also being sanctioned by Russia and China. Got it.

[@Lost_n_Found_1]

Lmao, so they brag about how light it is because of the magnesium shell, but then add the weight back immediately through 3 AA batteries. Nah, I'ma just stick with the $50 emulation device I have, lol. It's awesome, and even runs filters. Playing GB, GBC and GBA games through a warm CRT filter is just chicken soup for my soul, lol.

[@shinobi.3859]

HAHAHA literally man! saying youll add a little more weight w 3 batteries is crazy 🤣🤣🤣

[@cinnyminroll]

analogue pocket

[@johnsimon8457]

I’m not going to give Palmer Luckey a dime

[@harrychalcraft6371]

3:50 replaceable batteries are a good thing, but not AA. It would be better if it had one replaceable rechargeable LiPO battery.

[@DeciderVT]

AA batteries are preferable and they aren't going anywhere. You can have a second set of rechargeable AAs ready to go and won't have the concern of a proprietary battery being discontinued in future. ModRetro made the right decision here.

[@fotografick]

AA batteries are one of the highlights here. Making it as future proof as possible.

[@JardaniJovonovich1]

Wait, so this can't play Game Boy Advance games? How is it "the game boy to end all game boys" then? Lol

[@ufcfan3940]

Analog is better

[@shinobi.3859]

the glazing is real on this one smh...