New Handheld Chromatic Review: Time to Replace Your GBC?

[@TheGriffonscribe]

i got to use one of these at a convention in Cleveland. It felt like magic. The weight felt perfect, the colors popped, it felt like a premium product. I was incredibly impressed with it.

[@johnhancockretro]

Glad to hear you had a chance to check it out in person!

[@DUBBLARON]

Thanks Immortal John Hancock!! This is the one thing I haven’t pulled the trigger on (Gameboy, Gameboy with tasteful mods, etc.), because frankly they command a pretty high price even if you bought one that is beat up to restore/restomod. $200 for a brand new, engineered, high quality, “modern” unit like this is right in the wheelhouse of what you would spend for a nice example of a GB with updated screen, new buttons, etc. The magnesium case, color options, & ability to update firmware are what really have me sold. Really cool and thanks again for doing this review IJH!

[@elmokiller89]

6:09 that name xD

[@jessragan6714]

What were you expecting from a game console produced by "Palmer Luckey?"

[@Gameboygenius]

​@@jessragan6714 What? Do you think Palmer made the console go in and edit the save data on the cartridge? 😅

[@RT-bt5ql]

Preordered the grey GameStop one, looking fwd to playing this. Gb was my intro to video games

[@kjhoskins]

A sharp=looking device. But at that price point, I think most would choose the Pocket. Thanks for the video, John!

[@briandadude]

Pocket is $50 more after shipping and doesn’t come with a game.

[@cencil6497]

​@@briandadudeIt plays Gameboy Advance games so an entire additional library, supports micro sd cards to load up & play ALL GBC/GBA games, the option to play on your TV with bluetooth controller, etc etc. For $50 more.....😂

[@briandadude]

@@cencil6497 Option to play on your TV costs $100 more with the Pocket

[@sherekhangamedev]

I love it! I hope I can import one. 😮 Thanks John! Amazing product!

[@retrobeliever]

I went with the GameStop one, as you know I’m a huge Game Boy fan and it was my first “console” and the reason I had my huge FB page and why I started a channel. I’m excited to relive that feeling from when I was 12, and to have a Tetris pack in plus batteries….nostalgia baby! Glad you did this vid my friend! ❤️🎮

[@MikeTheGamingRoadWarrior]

I saw that at PRGE. Yeah, I knew I had to have one when I got to play around with it. I pre-ordered mine already from Gamestop. Also, nice seeing you there at PRGE John. Take care.

[@RogerEssigArtist]

It was fun to zoom in to your gameplaying and see the pixel grid so clearly.

[@Shy-guy82]

Just wanted to thank you for uploading this video! I've totally forgotten about it😮... to busy waiting on the Atari 7800. I will order the chromatic soon. Thanks again

[@johnhancockretro]

Glad you liked it!

[@Reaperman4711]

The AA batteries make it more up my alley than some of these, but (so far) I limited my preorder to one of the launch games and no system. My thought is that there might start to be AA mods for the analogue pocket once those batteries start dying.

[@robertpeacock894]

Excited for this review. I own an Analogue Pocket and FPGBC so this might be redundant.

[@fjosh6]

Same. This seems real cool and I'd normally be interested but I already own a Pocket & Dock that looks perfectly acceptable. OG Gameboy games look amazing with the built in display modes already.

[@cencil6497]

Ya having an Analogue Pocket and FPGBC makes this thing pointless, especially at it's ridiculous price point.

[@hanleyforhire]

From what I understand, I think the case and possibly the sapphire screen will be among the selling points against the Analogue Pocket. I love my AP, but I think one complaint from naysayers is the plastic casing. ModRetro is pushing the idea that this will last for a long time. How that weighs against the OpenFPGA and other compatible systems remains to be seen. I pre-ordered the Volt along with the Porta Pro headphones. I am looking forward to playing it.

[@supadab]

The Name in Pokemon Red is Top notch, love it

[@johnhancockretro]

You are most welcome.

[@cheddar6738]

It's blurred out now...

[@ufcfan3940]

Waiting on my green one cat wait pulling out the old gab collection

[@alvaroricomail]

I just did my pre-order! in Black!

[@mjdf122]

New handheld with John Hancock

[@pauljacob99]

People paid $400-$500 for a metal Analogue Pocket and want to complain about the price of this.

[@MayhemBryan]

Yeah but the analogue at least looks premium, this one looks ugly, like a cheap chinese toy. Analogue is still king. Id get an FPGBC before i ever got this tacky thing.

[@pauljacob99]

I think it looks nice myself but to each their own. I like the Analogue Pocket as well.

[@ProtoMario]

Not being compatible with GBA carts sucks bad for the sales since there are mannnny 16/9 systems that are compatible and do everything this does.

[@ThePikachu98765]

I agree

[@SuperNicktendo]

I'd have to see how it feels but it looks like they combined the best feel of the DMG and GBC. My main complaint about the Analogue Pocket has always been the flat design. Makes your hands cramp up after a while.

[@TheGriffonscribe]

I've held one, and I have to say, it felt like it was made for my hands. Felt like it had the perfect amount of thickness and weight. I've been debating picking up an Analogue Pocket, but this impressed me enough to reconsider, even with the more limited catalogue available to it. Hopefully Gamestops will have a test model so you can try it out.

[@JittikMieger]

Preordered the orange one a while back. I received an e-mail recently that Modretro were ready to package them. Can't wait to receive mine! I am currently developing a homebrew GBC game and want to use the Chromatic as a base for GBC developing. To bad the EZflash Jr. didn't work, because it has a real time clock. I h ope my Everdrive works, though. Thanks for the review!

[@PongbyAtari]

I have heard the Everdrive GB X7 isn't currently working with the Chromatic this is a big purchasing point for me I hope they fix this.

[@JittikMieger]

@@PongbyAtari I saw Metal Jesus using an Everdrive on the Chromatic in his review. So it might work.

[@sneakingelephant]

If this came out a few years ago I would have immediately jumped on it. But in a world where the analogue pocket has existed for a while now it’s hard for me to decide to buy this while I own the pocket. The one thing that makes me want it though is the amazing buttons and dpad which is pretty major but not enough when the analogue one is pretty good stock.

[@rapzid3536]

IMHO the original Gameboy Advance form factor would be preferable for these systems..

[@Guapomirei]

The analogue pocket can also boot directly into the game if you change this in the menu.

[@OtakuSpielplatz]

This is a beautiful handheld! Unfortunately it only plays GB and GBC games.

[@jonniefast]

a bit steep but i do like the screen resolution hard for me to justify it as i already have a nice analogue pocket 😅

[@ericochoa4034]

A cutom oled screen of the same resolution would of been even more killer than an ips one. Still cool though!

[@thrillhausen8858]

Would be great if these were available in the UK.

[@r9delta104]

Are you able to pick from the selection of preset colors that the real Game Boy Color offers on OG Game Boy games on bootup (or at all?) (example Up+B on the GBC boot up logo picks a mostly brown color scheme)

[@r9delta104]

Got the answer on another video from a different content creator that is more interested than just pitching mindless consumerism. Thanks though.

[@musicman15234]

Did they give you any sense of an ETA for getting the EZ Flash JR working?

[@johnhancockretro]

No they did not

[@Retro-cabin]

How does it compare to the funnyplaying fpga gb (I have two of them), is it worth the upgrade?

[@johnhancockretro]

Don’t have one so can’t tell.

[@PhantomHarlock78]

It will run Road Rash and Kirby's Dream Land 2?

[@johnhancockretro]

I did not have those games to test.

[@Evercade_Effect]

Love it quality over quantity!

[@johnhancockretro]

Glad to hear it!

[@danc3933]

The colours look washed out next to the GBA screen, but I assume thats to do with the brightness settings on the Chromatic?

[@RogerEssigArtist]

Modretro Intentionally color graded it to match the original gameboy color palette

[@danc3933]

@RogerEssigArtist True. I guess the GBA isn't accurate!

[@ced214]

Hopefully it’s $150 for Black Friday

[@Natepwnsu]

Sapphire screen protector? I'd like to believe them, but even getting sapphire sliced is very hard now a days. I won't try to get you to test the hardness but if it's really sapphire, then I'd venture the product itself would be quality.

[@Natepwnsu]

Also if it was actually magnesium it would basically feel lighter than plastic.... Some of the stuff doesn't add up

[@RogerEssigArtist]

Retrododo's review is live and he attacked the screen with a knife.

[@thebaldconvict]

​@RogerEssigArtist most glass mobile screens can cope with a knife attack, you need something harder to test it.

[@RogerEssigArtist]

@@thebaldconvict i'd imagine it'll happen at some point on KZbin

[@enriquepinero707]

Now if they could only make one for the GBA and with GB and GBC compatibilitywouI would hop on that!

[@AlexanderShelestov]

Does it emulate "screen ghosting" effect?

[@johnhancockretro]

I think so, there are some features in the settings.

[@AlexanderShelestov]

​@@johnhancockretro Would be nice to see it in review. Cause this is the only feature that matters - many games need it for best experience. Otherwise we'll see "blinking" during the scroll. You can see it at 5:10 and later in dynamic games.

[@CasualPooper]

Analog pocket is a multi-tool. Chromatic is when you need a specific knife for the job. It also has a Bluetooth chip and a Wi-Fi chip.they’re going to get it all up and running soon. I pre-ordered the gray one from GameStop.

[@JCHuberson]

why would you get a chromatic over the gba choice? Because these games were not meant to be played with gba button layout. The simplicity is best for these games.

[@show-me-retro]

Not sure why taking standard AA batteries is awesome? That's all we need, more batteries in landfills

[@aleckermit]

I think the only miss with this product is the video output, it's such a niche feature that so few will use and yet we're paying for it. A larger screen would also be nice.

[@johnhancockretro]

Hmm, being able to stream with a device is not niche at all IMO.

[@Darko1226]

I never understood the appeal of a handheld that uses real carts but it’s actually emulation. There are many handhelds out there that also emulate not only the gameboy but many other systems.

[@jacobreed7959]

i would toatally purchase this cool device. but at $200.00 dollars ? no thank you.. i’ll stick with my Analogue Pocket that cost more, but after that i don’t need anything else, ever. Analogue pocket is the GOAT.

[@WaverBoy]

This would have been kinda cool fifteen years ago. Nowadays it’s all about all-in-one handhelds that can run games from an SD card. My Anbernic RG353M can do waaaaaaay more for waaaaaaay less and is made of metal and more ergonomic to boot.

[@RogerEssigArtist]

My iphone can do everything. Still getting a chromatic though.

[@jessragan6714]

And isn't made by a weapons dealer and a heartless tech bro, cough.

[@RogerEssigArtist]

@@jessragan6714 Anduril's Ghost Shark autonomous Submarines literally helps as a strategic deterrent in Australian waters.

[@user-rd5wj2mm8n]

Talk about missing the point entirely...

[@dengkehope]

It's way too expensive for a machine that can only play GB games!

[@Wajang1]

The name, sounds like elderly decease.

[@TrasherBiner]

this is going to last in the market 2 months because nintendo will shut this company into oblivion so there's no point to buy this

[@johnhancockretro]

False. Nintendo patients on hardware are long expired. The Tetris bundle is licensed. This is being sold at GameStop.

[@travisbouton4056]

Gamestop exclusive. Not interested.

[@Red_Panduh]

Won’t support the people involved. Sorry