New MiSTer FPGA Hardware! M3 Marsupial Multisystem Review and Teardown

SUPPORT THE CHANNEL : / videogameesoterica
Koalo Koa just recently released his MiSTer FPGA alternative (to the standard triple stack MiSTer FPGA hardware setup) the M3 Marsupial MiSTer FPGA Multisystem and it's basically the same kind of experience as opening up a new PS3 console or Xbox Series X console...in a good way! So let's to a MiSTer FPGA review and teardown! Retro game console fun since MiSTer is the best emulator console...except its not emulating!
You can grab it here : www.koalakoa.c...
Lately I have been getting a LOT of questions from people...as to whether or not MiSTer FPGA is worth the price of the hardware and whether or not its right for you when it comes to your retro gaming obsessions! Well I am here today to tell you that MiSTer FPGA is a piece of video game history and video game preservation perfection that you NEED to have in your gaming collection! there are so many MiSTer Cores and MiSTer FPGA alternatives when it comes to how to set your hardware up including the M3 Marsupial MiSTer FPGA Multisystem!
I asked, you answered...and I try to listen :) Of all the requests for new content on the channel one of the most frequently asked for videos is a series on the Terasic DE-10 Nano MiSTer FPGA hardware...so here it is! Retro gaming goodness.
I mean there is MiSTer FPGA PS1 Core, MiSTer FPGA Neo Geo core, MiSTer FPGA SNES core, MiSTer FPGA NES core, MiSTer FPGA Sega Genesis Core, MiSTer FPGA Sega CD core, MiSTer FPGA Sega Saturn Core, MiSTer FPGA N64 core, MiSTer FPGA PC Engine Core, MiSTer FPGA Capcom CPS and CPS 2 core, MiSTer FPGA Sharp X68000 core...and the list goes on!
Questions? Comments? Just leave them below and I will do my best to answer each and every one of them!
/ videogameesoterica
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#retrogaming #retrogames #retrogamer #misterfpga #emulation #emulator #konami #arcade #segasaturn #neogeo #arcade #arcadegames #arcadegame #sega #sega #nintendo #nintendo64 #gaming #gamingcommunity #gamingvideos #gamingvideo

[@koalakoa]

Thank you for taking the time to unbox and look at the M3! Appreciate all the comments and feedback as well.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Happy to do it!

[@xMaGuSx888]

Hey There, I sent an email with some questions a few days ago about my order. Is there a better email to reach you at? Thank you!

[@rolux4853]

Where can I buy a Mister Multisystem board? I try buying one in Europe for quite some time but couldn’t find any shop that has one available. The PCBway version is weird because people say the Scart connection is missing somehow because it is sold out, but thats the most important thing to me. I need it for the RGB connection to my CRTs.

[@koalakoa]

@@rolux4853 we do not currently offer the board by itself. I think some other resellers do offer it but we are only offering the unit as a complete kit.

[@lordofudead]

Also $1100 AUD is an insane price tag when a full mister addons kit is 750$. The price is nuts, especially with Takis board soon coming out.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It’s just a diff thought process on what MiSTer can be. It’s not for everyone but it has its place

[@TheAbsinthomane]

MMS is Open Source, so you can also build it yourself. Cost me about 120$, 128mb Ram included👍

[@smashpro1]

$750 for the full mister addons kit, plus add in the cost of the included controller, software, NFC reader, microSD extension, and assembly labor.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Yes the BOM is available

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Exactly

[@ArthurKannibal]

knowing that the defacto MiSTer mascot is based on some guy's grumpy cat and the Famicom mascot, and seeing it on a product box is something I did not expect to be excited for.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

MiSTer Kun is everywhere

[@Myako]

This looks like a real labor of love, with beautiful attention to detail. I hope they are successful, so that when Taki's board comes out they can use it instead and it gets cheaper.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It’ll be interesting to see if the clone can be slotted into the Multisystem pcb

[@Myako]

@@VideoGameEsoterica ah, good point. Oh well, I'll get it anyway. And Taki's full kit will probably have a nice case.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I’ll review the Taki stuff as it becomes available

[@sneakingelephant]

LOL that Mai sticker was unexpected 😂

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Haha I was surprised too

[@WMARUoriginal]

This is a really nice package! Hopefully we see more of these and at cheaper prices once the Taki boards are out there.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

You never know

[@pobsta]

At first I was sceptical but after seeing everything you get with it it actually seems like a nice option

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Yes it’s literally a box filled with absolutely everything you need to get into MiSTer

[@amirpourghoureiyan1637]

Seems like a decent take on RMC's Mister project, not a fan of the SD card extenders' placement - having the ribbon cable held between the case loosely like that is gonna cause some issues down the line when people take out SD cards a lot and strain the cable, would've preferred them to use the space on the back panel to create a mount for the card holder so the pressure is on the case instead

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I’m sure it’s a judgement between strain and trying to get a MicroSD card slot to work so flush against the case. Always tricky

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Honestly I’d probably just end up networking in and putting the SD card inside permanently. That’s really the de facto process for MiSTer

[@GreyMatterShades]

Looks like a cool option. My only critique is it would be nice if the MicroSD card extension was mounted within the case so there was just a slot in the case to insert cards, rather than the reader hanging out the back. Aside from that everything looked great.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

You could always just leave the sd in the primary slot and ftp in too

[@GreyMatterShades]

@@VideoGameEsoterica Very true, but having convenient access to the card slot would be a plus. Not having it isn't a deal breaker though.

[@Tense]

I feel terrible that this came out right before we are getting Mister consoles that cost a 1/3 of the price. This is a beautiful piece and its a shame that it will get overshadowed because its $650 dollars.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It was always destined to meet a narrower audience and that audience still exists for now

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

@@VideoGameEsoterica Yes, and it remains to be seen what sort of compromises they had to make to make those systems so much less expensive. It's also only about $400 more for something that's got a neat aesthetic to it. This seems to have a couple things that my Mister didn't come with, as it says it has WiFi and I don't believe mine had that integrated, but my tiny netgear USB adapter wasn't that big of a deal to add.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Really there is space in the MiSTer ecosystem for all kinds of builds both budget and high end

[@miguelcarneiro1192]

HI my friend. Very cool to see that plug and play product. Im waiting for Taki Udon's board to be realeased to finaly get on the MISTer world 😊

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Seems like that’s progressing nicely

[@miguelcarneiro1192]

@@VideoGameEsoterica I hope soo my friend

[@METR0lD]

I am indeed into cardboard and boxes. Gimme dat delicious package design!

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Packaging makes it all the more fun

[@baldybald100]

Very very nice Mai sticker! ❤

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

People do seem to love it haha

[@maniacsatwork]

I'm in AUS and I purchased one (box number 43). I was looking for a Mister system that was a complete kit that looked like a console and this fit perfectly. I didn't look at the price.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

People who want this config just want it. The price is fair for what it is

[@koalakoa]

Happy to hear you are enjoying your system!

[@maniacsatwork]

@@koalakoa It's been awesome.

[@METR0lD]

Is that Mai sticker actually censored, or is it just the packaging that is censoring it? Asking for a friend!

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Actually censored

[@METR0lD]

My...uhh..."friend" is disappointed! 👀

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

And that friend is you

[@METR0lD]

(laughs nervously)

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

@METR0lD 🤣

[@lsdowdle]

I have two MiSTer Multisystems with cases purchased from the Cave folks... their second design where the top is in two pieces. With theirs, it is easy to swap out the microSD card at the front of the case and they even have a slot in front of it where you can store a second card if desired. I think everything in the M3 is great with the exception of that microSD card reader sticking out of the back, which to me, totally goofs the overall look of the PS1 style case. Not sure how they could have fixed that... so I guess that just means I think the Cave case is better.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

My recommendation is to just put a 1TB card inside and ftp in

[@koalakoa]

Hi! Just to clarify we do offer the V6 split lid case in black and soon a galaxy purple. The SD card extention was added after feedback was recieved that the console versions were a pain to open to add games and many people did not want to use FTP. This is an included extra at no charge and we included double sided 3M tape to mount it to the side or anywhere else if desired. Did not want to take the choice away from customers on mounting it themselves. Appreciate the feedback and support.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Choice is always good

[@MegaManNeo]

Reminds me of those PS1 shaped Famiclones in the best way possible. Obviously the MiSTer is much more powerful but I had one of those mentioned clone consoles back then and didn't realize the cartridge slot was for actual NES/Famicom games :,) I'd love to see these nicer looking builds with one of those upcoming DE10 clones inside to lower the price.

[@tappersreviews4677]

Would be great to see more affordable consoles like this using the Taki clone.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

That may occur in the future. Will have to wait and see

[@smashpro1]

@@VideoGameEsoterica I mean, it looks like the high-end console he is planning will be a combo console and upscaler, and will cost no more than a DE-10 Nano.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I don’t know that we’ve seen pricing on that one yet?

[@Scrollhjul]

@@VideoGameEsoterica Like smashpro1 said Taki has tweeted that none of the consoles in the lineup (flagship, mainstream or portable) will cost more than a DE10-Nano. And considering he managed to lower the final cost of the clone compared to his earlier estimates it's not impossible.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It’s certainly an impressive feat

[@flink1231]

This is super cool, however out of budget. I'll wait patiently for Taki to release his consoles... hopefully at an incredible price like the dnano board itself.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It’ll be interesting to see more details on the consoles themselves

[@viatorbusiness]

wow. there is korean here and there! proud of that. Thanks.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

There is!

[@jamesdegriz]

A really neat product! Would totally consider this!

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Def worth considering

[@nicci_dee8292]

This looks amazing. Especially the black / yellow edition on their site. Im thinking of buying my one and place my regular one in a cabinet. Mister is probably the best emulation system for games and even old PC.... The update all and the support on discord or webpage is outstanding. No stress just update and have fun. I have mine since last year october and there was zero frustration. And the daily videos from VGE are topnotch. Every day more games ive never heard of before and realize what i have missed in my youth ... but now i can catch up :) Just some thoughts and words about this project

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Haha I am almost daily with FPGA content some weeks aren’t I?

[@nicci_dee8292]

@@VideoGameEsoterica often enough 🤣👍🏻 and thats great

[@meteor1522]

You really think it looks amazing? I thought it looked very low budget and cheap.

[@ClockworkBard]

I see people oofing at the price, but given what fully assembled units with non-clone DE-10s typically go for and the parts included, it's a compelling price. Retro community projects like this often balloon in cost under the weight of their own ambitions and logistics, but they clearly have their crap together. It's an uncertain time to buy a MiSTer and I don't have $650 in the gaming budget, but I've got my eye on them now.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

For what’s in the box this is an attractive price for the user who “just wants to play” and get that new console experience out of the box. Because lots of commenters I see are looking for this option

[@ScandalUK]

Sounds expensive - but most of us have easily spent that much over time, replacing bits etc

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Exactly

[@devilmikey00]

The price doesn't seem THAT bad. If you were to buy a full MiSter stack, RAM, similar quality SD card, that controller, a case and an adapter for SCART it would be cheaper but not that much cheaper. Obviously once the clone boards are out in the wild it'll be a different story but in a world without them, this seems like a decent option if you want a consolized MiSter.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Exactly. Plus your build time and shipping time

[@devilmikey00]

@@VideoGameEsoterica Yeah, that's true. No need to install the software or put it together. That's someone's labor and that's worth something and not to mention paying someone to make and design the packaging. Seeing everything included I wonder how much they are even making on these. It can't be much.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

@devilmikey00 exactly. Some people value that

[@dorfus]

Wow, I was into this until I saw that floppy Micro SD extension in the back. That is not in keeping with the aesthetic at all.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Because I know you I’ll make a joke…I know you don’t want more limp flop in your life then you already have

[@dorfus]

@@VideoGameEsoterica How could you do this to me in front of dog pen

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

You set the ball up on the tee like that and I am helpless to do anything but knock the joke out of the park

[@Robert-y8o3j]

I would love to see video on Tapto

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Soon!

[@bjornh1527]

Seems like a great little machine, I especially appreciate scart out for play on old thick TV:s!

[@brandogg]

Pretty cool but oof $650...we need those clones from Taki.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It’s at the higher end but it’s also a fully out of the box ready to rock setup

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

@@VideoGameEsoterica It also includes NFC for those that care about that and I don't believe the Mister that I bought had built in wireless. And I'm too lazy to look, but I think what I paid was in the ballpark of what this one is going for.

[@Turbo187KillerB]

Can't order unless you disable tracking/cookie blocking, weird.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I’ll ask koala about it

[@koalakoa]

Hi there, in an attempt to enforce my zero tolerance stance on scalping, wix added this feature to the market. My apologies for any inconvenience.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Don’t blame you. Scalping is killing everything good

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

@@koalakoa Fair enough, I'm not buying one, but purely because I already have one from a different company. If I didn't already have one, I'd be very tempted as this has some cool stuff that mine didn't and it's priced competitively.

[@lsdowdle]

You said "1GB card" but I'm pretty sure you meant 1TB card, eh?

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Haha definitely

[@AlexRoseGames]

that sd card port flopping around outside seems like a.. not.. great solution lol. it's also so huge compared to a mister. I guess it's good though for people who are scared of niche tech but want niche tech

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

The nice thing is you can just pop the card internally then ftp in

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

@@VideoGameEsoterica That's what I do. I gave my Mister a static IP and then use Filezilla to copy things over sFTP. I only rarely actually unplug the microsd card. These things are so portable that even if you're on a WiFi connection, you can usually just move them close enough to the WAP to plug in a cable.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Yes the best setup is just throw in a 1 or 2TB card then ftp in over the network

[@MathewGreen-lf4mp]

I want case I have mister already

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I believe the print file is available

[@TheShoe1990]

I'm curious about the NFC reader. I'd like to see you do a video on it someday :) EDIT: I got a cyan MiSTerAddons build that's arriving today!

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Working on a tapto vid soon

[@TheMikeyb86]

Let's see a TapTo video, please.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Soon. Was chatting with Wizzo yesterday about it

[@TheMikeyb86]

@@VideoGameEsoterica chef's kiss.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I’d say 2-3 weeks and you’ll see it

[@TheMikeyb86]

@@VideoGameEsoterica WhatsKenMaking did a video on it recently and it got me into TapTo.

[@MadsterV]

How is this one related to the MMC? is it the same board?

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Same board but some components were upgraded to a higher quality from what Koala told me

[@bobt.builder3438]

This isn't exactly new hardware. The Multisystem does exist for a while now. This is a just an all-in-one package including the DE10-nano. Or am i missing something?

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Just a diff style of setup

[@stephenxs8354]

Devices like this use firmware developed by Mister right? So what will happen to clone devices like Taki's if Mister locks firmware to his own devices?

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It’s all open source. Nothing will be locked to anything

[@mushroom4051]

Very nice

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It’s a fun package

[@Robertf752]

yay looks good. however the fact they are only making 110 units is not the best .but then again they are hand made :-). also Tapto is great :-)

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

More of a limited edition vibe on this one

[@brandogg]

Can't imagine they're gonna sell too many - but also I think it may be 110 of this model? They have a few different models for sale.

[@rolux4853]

Where can I buy a Mister Multisystem board? I try buying one in Europe for quite some time but couldn’t find any shop that has one available. The PCBway version is weird because people say the Scart connection is missing somehow because it is sold out, but thats the most important thing to me. I need it for the RGB connection to my CRTs.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Just the bare board? I’m not sure they are avail currently

[@rolux4853]

@@VideoGameEsoterica if there’s only a complete system available in Europe I would bite the bullet and get a complete system I guess. But only the board like it was sold originally would be optimal since I already own a triple stack MISTer.

[@xMaGuSx888]

I already have a MiSTer stack, but am considering getting this. I hate the mess of wires a traditional mister stack becomes. This looks neat and organized. Where can you get a MiSTer mulstisystem these days? The cases are easy to find, but I can't seem to find the heber board. My options are take the stack I have and make my own MiSTer Multi, or selling this and buying this $650 M3....Thanks.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I haven’t seen any of the Heber boards lately

[@xMaGuSx888]

@@VideoGameEsoterica Hmm, I guess I'd have to have PCBway make one for me. They have the listing/schematics for it already on there for $150. Then buy the case. No experience with using them though, or how good of a job they do.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Yes they design is open source so that’s def a route

[@Ragesauce]

I have the MisterAddons aluminium case, and while I like the small sleek design, it's never settled well with me that the heatsink floats far above the CPU and is connected with a THICK AF thermal pad. There's no way to know if it's making good contact so I always worry about overheating.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Honestly my three builds outside this are all triple stacks and on the aluminum heat sink and I use them all for the channel so that’s a ton and I’ve had zero issues

[@TheDumontShow]

I don't see a big deal about Mister FPGA. Its too expensive for something that's essentially emulation. Which you can get cheaper anywhere else. Unless i am missing someone here

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Nicely you def are missing something. This isn’t emulation. It’s logic replication. MiSTer becomes the hardware. It’s not emulating it

[@xMaGuSx888]

This unit has SNAC integrated, correct? So does that mean I can just buy the appropriate SNAC adapter than I want to use and plug it in? Or do I also need the actual SNAC unit, like the SNAX64 still? Thanks again, appreciate your channel.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

SNAC is via the user port so you still use SNAC adapters

[@xMaGuSx888]

@@VideoGameEsoterica Ahh okay. So I still need to buy a Snax64 if I want to use Snax? Thanks again.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Correct yes

[@xMaGuSx888]

@@VideoGameEsoterica Appreciate it. I ended up selling my MiSTer stack to buy this. I know the Taki Udon stuff is coming out soon, but I couldn't help it, this set looks nice.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

@xMaGuSx888 it’s great. You won’t regret it

[@bombjack1984]

Nintendo Sixty-Foooooouuuuuurrrr 😉

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Haha glad someone got the reference

[@leandrormor]

are you planning to review tomba/tombi?

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Probably not but we will see

[@lordofudead]

The provided link does not work on safari (iPhone), is the link dead or something?

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Try again

[@robprupe]

Nice Opinel.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Everyone always notices and comments on it when I use it haha. Xmas gift from my wife

[@Obloms]

Considering cheap clone Mister boards are coming from Taki Udon and others... this is crazy expensive.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

You need to think though that some people don’t want to / don’t feel they have the skill set to build and set it all up. I often help people with simple things like programs to unzip files for emulators. So imagine then telling them to go flash a MicroSD with the proper file system with Mr Fusion

[@wootks]

Crack smoking level of prices. My first MISTER setup with a case was like $300.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

If you take all the parts and price them it’s a fair ask. It’s just for a different audience than you. Remember there are gamers out there that want “in the box ready to go” console experiences from FPGA

[@ManiacalMoogle]

You probably built yours a long time ago? Prices are much higher than that these days.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

He def did. Probably 2021/2022

[@wootks]

@@VideoGameEsoterica honestly just because todays prices for a DE-10 nano is hilariously overpriced does not make it worth paying that much. Especially considering $99 boards are on the way. To me a mister setup is not worth $600. You can buy a PC that can emulate just as accurate and play a crapload of pc games as well. A steam deck is sub $400 and can play every single game a mister setup can. I get that it’s fun to mess with a mister but don’t fall for the hype guys. This is absurd for $600. The prices for this stuff is on the verge of dropping.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

People can chose to purchase what they want. Nobody is being “fooled” into anything

[@specialformula14]

That hdmi port so far recessed is gonna cause problems

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I can’t see that being of any issue

[@Jugger69YT]

Sorry .. too expensive, still

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Nobody has to buy anything. Totally your call

[@sb6482]

this thing is going to be as redundant as a brick when TakinUdon releases his $250 all in one clone

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It’s just a diff way to accomplish the same goal and for some people it’s what they want

[@xMaGuSx888]

@@VideoGameEsoterica Do we know when the Taki Udon all in one is releasing? There have been so many updates and so many products from multiple handhelds, to the boards themselves, to the actual all in one console. I wasn't sure... Thanks!

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Any day now I feel like. For the triple stack

[@snintendog]

Honestly Not Impressed. The Dangling SD Card is just HORRIBLE. All of it for 649$.. No thanks. Will stick with the OG multisystem or the Mister Tower. Koala went the lazy route and also jacked the price up.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I wouldn’t call any of this lazy at all

[@thierrydelage1681]

1100 australian dollars (a bit more than 700 usd) is a lot for such an item... i'm eagerly waiting for taki udon standalone mister based mainstream console that is supposed to be under the 200 us dollars mark and then such a money grab should become....history 🤣🤣

[@meteor1522]

The case design totally missed the mark. It’s cheap and ugly. How hard is it to design something simple and elegant, like the Analogue Mega SG, especially when they’re asking for so much money?

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I think the case gets the job done well but that’s me

[@Puretea4711]

Overpriced af

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Honestly if you take parts and components cost separately it’s not

[@MrBorderdown]

Absolutely nothing new about this. It's the Mr console project with a free 3D printed lid and a wallpaper. That SD extension looks horrible. It's a scammer repackaging existing products and charging you triple the price. That needs to be covered and it's a shame you didn't.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

The items in the box purchased separately are near to the price of the kit here. This is not a scam but think whatever you want 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@xMaGuSx888]

You have no idea what you're talking about. The MiSTer isn't a turnkey product. You have to buy all the parts, components, and assemble it. And then you have to flash the software. None of that is super difficult, but this product is for someone who wants a turnkey option that has every add on possible added as well. It also includes the Heber Mister Multi board, which a traditional MiSTer stack doesn't have. Just say you don't understand the market, it's faster.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Yes MiSTer is not turnkey unless you buy a pre built