POLYMEGA vs Retro Consoles Which Should You Choose?

If you're a retro gaming enthusiast, you may be wondering if the POLYMEGA is worth replacing your classic consoles. In this video, we'll take a closer look at the POLYMEGA and its emulation capabilities for consoles like the Sega Saturn and Playstation one. Find out if this all-in-one console is the right choice for your gaming setup!
#retrogaming #segasaturn #playstation #polymega #segacd

[@DannyGPro]

Bought the bundle like a year ago and it was the definitely worth it. Absolutely underrated

[@HucksPopCultureCafe]

Great job, Serge! You always make me want to take out my old games and play them. That Polymega does seem like a good deal and pretty convenient.

[@polygonlegends]

thanks Huck! I love my Polymega!

[@RedRanger2001]

For me, it's retro consoles and the PC. The latter includes the controller adapters for your retro controllers for your old consoles, and has a CD/DVD drive for your optical disc games. Oh, and if you want to play Genesis ROMs on your PC such as RetroArch, you should get the Saturn to USB controller adapter...

[@LockeTheCole]

My issue with the Polymega was what they originally promised was basically a MiSTER in a box with a disc drive and optional cart slots, it was a great idea but then they decided it would be cheaper for them to just throw a laptop in a box instead of FPGA and call it a day. And that was when they lost all of my interest.

[@lincruste]

Hi from France. Good luck with your channel on a competitive topic. I wouldn't purchase a Polymega because from my point of view there is no added value from any other software emulation device, but it's cool to hear from a satisfied customer. Next time you could maybe give your feedback on the gamepads quality or a quick glance at the device itself. Regards.

[@polygonlegends]

Bonjour! I am French as well! Born in America though, c'est la vie as they say. One day I will have real Parisian foods. My father tells me it's the best in the world. Thank you for your note, looking back on this video, I agree, I should have shown and spoken about the they physical aspects a bit more. I just ordered the ultra module for N64 so I will make sure to do that when I get it.

[@Retro-cabin]

Had mine for about 8 months now with all the modules and I personally absolutely love it. Great bit of kit I’ve got all my retro games on one hard drive, and it plays burnt games and repros.

[@polygonlegends]

Great to hear! I'm enjoying mine as well! I just got a pack of CD-Rs to try that out!

[@andywarren3981]

I got my polymega in the first batch released a few years ago after waiting almost 3 years for it. I absolutely love it and haven’t had a single problem with it. The n64 emulation could be better but it smooths out after you play a game a few times and the system downloads the proper drivers. It’s definitely worth picking up if you have a larger retro library from multiple systems

[@polygonlegends]

Hey, that's great to hear! I'm having trouble updating mine, are the updates automatic? I think I'm connected to wifi as the wifi symbol shows up but I didn't get any messages to update or anything like that.

[@andywarren3981]

You should be able to go into the system menu and there will be a system update option, if one is available it will download it. The updates are not automatic

[@ReinMixTape]

Definitely worth having something like that which plays back the OG media, sparing your old OG consoles the strain and therein ensuring they live on longer.

[@IsaacG8]

A full system recap of original hardware can significantly extend its life, potentially adding another 30 to 40 years, depending on the quality of capacitors used. Recently, I revived my Atari 2600 "Vader" model with a complete recap, swapping out some of its original components. Remarkably, it had already endured 40 years without much maintenance, and now, with these updates, it’s likely to last another four decades.

[@ReinMixTape]

@@IsaacG8 Yeah, recaps should be done to these older systems. It saves all of the cart based systems. Not the disc based systems though, sure, the recap keeps the base stuff going in them. But laser replacement options can be tough to come by, retro console depending.

[@Boogieb0423]

@@ReinMixTape there are optical disc drive emulator solutions for this. You run the games off a SD card instead. There’s one for pretty much all the disc base consoles.

[@ReinMixTape]

@@Boogieb0423 Right, but a lot of people want to play their original discs. I've even seen views which go along the lines of: "If you replace the disc drive with a SSD/SD etc alt. you may as well emulate on PC because your console is now just a emulator." There's this retro store I go to often, they get in these SSD/SD card disc drive replaced consoles infrequently. They sit on that store shelf for so long, talking months to sell, while unmodified consoles they get in sell quickly.

[@ReinMixTape]

@@Boogieb0423 It would be great if aftermarket lasers were easily available for all disc based retro consoles. If I think about the Dreamcast, you can get a replacement laser, but... you need to have a specific GDROM type (not Yamaha type if I recall right) and you need to find a very old type of a specific CDROM drive for a PC. You scavenge the laser from that PC part to fit into the Dreamcast. That's a rough way to go about resurrecting your console, but it's better than having no way to replace a busted laser.

[@onetwo6039]

Alot of the comment section probably wasn't listening to the video. Yes there are cheaper ways of doing this, however as you mentioned the polymega is for those who want an all in one plug and play solution to store their games. Downloaded illegal games aren't always the best as opposed to storing your actual own physical game collection on polymega. I barely have time to play let alone to take the time to learn how to build retro pies and download games, that's just something i don't care to do or have time to do. I have a polymega and i enjoy using it. I do only wish it was cheaper. I think $250 to $300 is more reasonable. I preordered early and got the big package with all the modules and respective controllers for $500.

[@boba_rhett]

I've been eyeing this for years now. Can you make a video about the experience of returning and getting it back? Was there an explanation from them? Also, are you related to Dave Grohl? :D

[@X-Bit-Gits]

I hadn't heard of this until now. This looks pretty cool.

[@polygonlegends]

So far, I love it!

[@IsaacG8]

Personally, I don't believe the PolyMega justifies its price. It was originally envisioned as a hybrid FPGA console, but that concept was abandoned in favor of software-based emulation. This approach is similar to the Retron 5, which dumps games and emulates them at a significantly lower price, making the Retron comparatively more appealing at its price point. Ultimately, I found gaming on a Retron 5 unsatisfying, and I imagine I'd feel the same about the PolyMega. There’s something genuinely captivating about original hardware that’s hard to replicate. This year, I’ve revitalized my retro consoles by fully recapping and modifying them, all connected to a central hub via my RetroTINK 4K. For the price of a PolyMega, I'd much rather invest in a RetroTINK and upgrade original consoles. It’s incredibly rewarding to modify and restore these systems; for instance, I just completed mods on my OG Xbox and Xbox 360, and they’re now prized additions to my collection. Far more engaging than a purely software-based emulation console, in my view.

[@stephenshelottiii3272]

If you think the Retron 5 was disappointing you definitely should not try the original Retron 3. The only reason i still own mine is i have yet to purchase a SNES for my collection. And it looks decent through s-video on a CRT.

[@polygonlegends]

You make some very good points. I recently learned about the retrotink and it looks very promising. I think thats awesome that you know how to modify your consoles. I agree, nothing beats real hardware. I like the polymega more for it's convenience. I need more friends like you. I need to learn how to recap or figure out whats going on with my turbografx cd. It stopped working. I have to look into it.

[@IsaacG8]

@polygonlegends When a TurboGrafx CD stops working, it’s often due to capacitor issues-that’s pretty typical for older consoles as those parts age. But it’s also common for the optical drive to fail over time, especially in disc-based systems. My N64 stopped working earlier this year, and a full recap got it back up and running. One of my PS1s, though, needed both a recap and an optical drive replacement to fully revive. You might want to consider an Optical Drive Emulator (ODE) for optical-based consoles like the TurboGrafx CD, even if you do get it running again. A TurboEverdrive could be a great option, too, letting you play CD games without the attachment, which would help preserve the original hardware. Since you've got the PolyMega, that could work well for you if you're okay with it-it does allow you to store games internally, so you won’t have to wear out the laser. Alternatively, you might look into the MiSTer, an FPGA solution that replicates classic hardware accurately. Let me know if you’d like any pointers on soldering or replacing caps. I’m also subscribing to your channel and am interested in a compatibility list for the PolyMega too, so let’s keep in touch on that!

[@IsaacG8]

@stephenshelottiii3272 funny you say that. I almost bought a Retron 3 instead. I can't say I hated the 5. I actually liked it, but felt like there was something ot couldn't replace. Not sure if that makes sense.

[@heroinpenguin666]

The Polymega does software emulation as far as I know. I own both lots of old hardware, a large part of it modded, and an Analogue Pocket, for example, that does FPGA hardware emulation that is more accurate than software emulation. So I already have everything covered in some way the Polymega could do, so it's not worth it for me. Even for enthusiasts I would recommend something like the MiSter, that is more versatile in the end and doesn't have the all risks/hangups of old hardware. For everything up to and including 16-bit console hardware, as well as lots of old arcade hardware, I can recommend the Analogue Pocket, which is also portable. It all depends on your budget and what kind of experience for playing your games you value the most.

[@polygonlegends]

Thanks for sharing and I've had my eye on the analogue pocket as well. Glad to hear that you are enjoying it. I'm afraid to look at the price -____-

[@heroinpenguin666]

​@@polygonlegends The Pocket itself is $220 and the Dock $100 (similar to the Switch dock), so $320 total plus shipping. Anything else like the adapters for more old cartridges are neat, but not necessary, since all games can be played from an microSD card through MiSTer cores adapted for the Pocket. If you want to play real hardware, it does play all generations of GameBoy plus there's adapters for Game Gear, TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine/SuperGrafx (HuCards), Neo Geo Pocket Color and Atari Lynx if you really value playing original hardware. Everything else is FPGA hardware emulation. The dock I would recommend because you can connect up to 4 modern wireless controllers (for example Switch controllers), to play on the couch with friends and family. You get nice, clean 1080p HDMI output. For me, it was money well spent. The Pocket is now pretty much the only way I play what can be played on it. Also an excellent was to play ROM hacks of your favourite old games.

[@japangamejunk]

Want to have it just to have it but don't need it since I am happy with all the original systems and it's not too expensive to repair and replace them here... While Polymega sent here would be so expensive... I'd recommend the Japanese Retrofreak system as a much much much cheaper option than those modules too

[@polygonlegends]

Arigato! I love collecting everything game related, thats one of the reasons I got the polymega, that being said, I've never heard of the Retrofreak system and I am intrigued. I'll look it up! Thanks for your comment

[@chrism2027]

I have some rare systems at home myself, also Sega CD or Sarturn with some original games, I think for collectors with more rare systems. It's practical if you can play a lot there, but the price is really damn bad, the individual modules that are available for it are also very expensive. The system offers a really nice what it is not, but value for money. Would I find the system far too expensive alone, whon you want to have several modules of it. A Retron 5 and maybe the console CD converted or with a bottle card, would be much cheaper, of course also associated with some effort, but I think you are better off with it than with the Poly Mega, especially as far as the purchase price is concerned.

[@BURRITO44]

Nice video but you did not provide a link to buy !!

[@polygonlegends]

keep an eye on polymega.com as it goes out of stock quickly

[@RayPruitt-ji9jx]

My guesses... You're going to talk about... Cruis'n World or Diddy Kong Racing?

[@polygonlegends]

good guesses! I guess, we'll have to see!

[@sega-re-trop-vieux]

No, as a Sega fan I can’t consider the polymega to be a real alternative for retro gaming. Why ? Well it is still emulation and that’s the problem. I understand that almost nobody has enough money to play Delivery Deluxe Soba on a Hi Navi Saturn ( mmp-1000nv) but a polymega feels so « fake » product. A real license with Sega would have been better and this would have given them Much more authenticity

[@polygonlegends]

That games looks awesome and I have to get it. I see a person who knows is Saturns. I see you!

[@CasperEgas]

I have almost all the original consoles hooked up. Don't have a neo geo cd though. I like to play on crt tvs. So the PolyMega doesn't seem to add much at all and is very expensive to boot. Having all games on a flash card is not a collection...

[@polygonlegends]

I have a CRT as well where I play my NES and SNES. For me, the polymega adds tidiness and simplicity (ability to just save all games to hard drive)

[@Prowerexem]

Why is there motion like blur on most of the games, I understand some games have it like ridge racer but even mega man had it on the poly mega clips. It’s disorienting. I’d like it better if it was off. Already have a Saturn and a very good condition Genesis I cleaned out, so I think maybe if I need a system then hey- I’d wait for A newer poly mega using fpga or much better emulation. The motion blur is so bad there’s ghost trails.

[@polygonlegends]

Good eye! I'll dive into the settings and see if that's something I can adjust. It may also be because I export my videos at 25 fps to save on file size but it's something I'll experiment with.

[@brianm5563]

I think it's pronounced Play Maj-eye, as in like the 3 Wise Men of the nativity - Magi.

[@polygonlegends]

I like that. It makes sense and it's actually quite clever!

[@bellissimo4520]

In their shop, everything is sold out...

[@polygonlegends]

you have to keep checking every so often they get a new batch in.

[@MizzahTee]

Yeah I don’t really understand your value take. Chances are, if you want a Polymega, you already have all the games and consoles it emulates. So owning one isn’t saving you money. Only if your a “starting from scratch” retro newcomer will getting it offer any value. From my standpoint, as a retro gamer, it doesn’t offer enough value to warrant its price tag. It costs more than a Xbox Series X or PS5 to do something a raspberry pi or a pc can do much cheaper. Doesn’t make sense to me.

[@FallenGemini]

I disagree, and I actually agree with the video regarding value in regards to convenience - not every retro collector owns all the retro consoles out there. I wanted a Polymega where I actually preordered it a few times. I am not even a newbie retro collector where most of my systems were ones from my childhood, but not a hardcore collector - I focused more on the games. I ultimately didn't get the Polymega because of the constant delays, the price hikes, and the company switching over their preorders from Walmart to their own page. I wanted one since, at the time, I didn't want to buy a retrotink and my systems where in storage - I really wabted to play my Saturn on modern TV. The Polymega also increased loading time for games that needed it. I feel that the Ploymega is convenient for those who don't want to game in their PC and want an All-in-One console without tinkering with retro pi - which I did before. Now, I am just planning to buy one of the cheaper Retrotinks and maybe any of the available or existing Analogue FPGA system (GBA or PC Engine) instead. I don't have a N64 system, so I want to get that.

[@polygonlegends]

I understand both of your points. For me I wouldn't say the Polymega is the best way to play, Saturn games for instance or N64, they say it struggles with that unless you upgrade the CPU but what I do like about it is 1. Convenience 2. One console to play them all. BTW @MizzaTee I heard great things about emulation through xbox series x so I'm thinking about trying that out just to see how well it does.

[@MizzahTee]

@@polygonlegends yeah I’ve seen vids on emulation on the Series S and games run beautifully!

[@Boogieb0423]

If you are willing to spend $550 on these older systems, get the actual hardware and a retrotink. At this price point, you’d have to be a real enthusiast, go with the real thing instead of this half measure

[@polygonlegends]

it would be interesting to compare the visuals between the retrotink and the polymega. I have my eye on the retrotink-5x

[@Hazzard0]

Cool video, but I'm not a gamer so I won't be subscribing. But I'll like and interact with your video so you can reach more people. Good luck on your way to a 1000 subscribers!

[@polygonlegends]

Thanks buddy, I appreciate you! And soon I'll be reviewing movies!

[@Louis16261]

This device seems totally pointless. Any modern computer can emulate all of those systems. A £75 Raspberry Pi running RetroPie can emulate more systems than the Polymega. If you want an all-in-one device, a mister FPGA is cheaper, has much more accurate emulation and supports many more consoles.

[@IsaacG8]

Yes. Agreed.

[@Boogieb0423]

Yea, it doesn’t play physical media though. I’m an original hardware kind of guy, with mods and a retrotink. Not a big fan of mister or Polly mega

[@polygonlegends]

I recently read about the mister FPGA and it sounds promising. Kinda pricy as well but I think its something that could be fun to play with. Good point, mate!

[@Louis16261]

@@polygonlegends The Polymega looked promising when it was first announced, but FPGA emulation has been proved to be far more accurate than software emulation. The mister FPGA is actually quite old now. People are talking about a new version called mars FPGA. The mars FPGA should have the power to emulate newer systems like the Dreamcast, PS2, Xbox and GameCube/Wii.

[@patriciobello685]

This gadget is ridiculous in all the wrong ways. It's SOFTWARE emulation that costs several hundreds of dollars and it doesn't even have the best emulation at that. If you want software emulation there's a billion better alternatives. The fact that it's software emulation and costs a absurd amount of money shows that this product is aimed at people that simply do not know any better. Please, be careful with these sort of products. I remember the original picth of this thing : it was suppposed to work with FPGA, not emulation. I have got to assume there's some dishonesty in the internet for not downright mentioning this first and foremost. No knowledgeable user would spend this amuont of money for a sub par emulation machine. Be careful, people

[@polygonlegends]

I like your point of view and I've heard about FPGA emulation a few times now, I want to learn more about it. I hear it's super accurate.

[@juanwick730]

Lol MiSTer shits on this.

[@stephenshelottiii3272]

This product is pointless. It is an emulator in a fancy package. You can emulate most of these systems on a raspberry pi. Even a modded mini console can play most of them. The others can be emulated on a decent PC. The point of emulation is to preserve physical media.