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Well, this modular “RetroBlox” console sure does look interesting ⊟

It’s an all-in-one retro console that will play cartridge games via various individual cartridge adapters, and even play CD games through its own disc drive. Here’s what it should run at launch:

Via Element Module (for Kickstarter launch – there will be others after launch)
– NES
– SNES / SFC (Super Gameboy will work fine for play only – but you won’t be able to back up GB games individually to RetroBlox)
– Genesis / Mega Drive (J) / Mega Drive (E) / 32x  / SMS support via Power Base Converter
– Atari 2600 (7800 is currently not confirmed for support, but will be vetted and confirmed before KS campaign in April)
– PC-Engine / TurboGrafx-16 / SuperGrafx
Via CD/DVD Drive (more TBA)
– PSX (PSOne) – all regions
– Sega CD / 32X CD / Mega CD (J and E)
– PC-Engine CD / Super CD-ROM / Arcade CD-ROM / TurboGrafx-CD

It claims to use a new kind of emulation called “Hybrid Emulation,” which, I’m going to be honest, is a bit over my head:

Hybrid Emulation is unique in that it requires software emulators to function at a much lower level than the ones you can simply download for your PC, Phone or RetroPie / RetroArch / LibRetro box. RetroBlox’s proprietary RBXOS and Richter UI environment are built from the ground up in Linux, fully optimized for our system so that we can access the architecture from the bus-level and I/O from cartridge interfaces and controllers directly via high level emulation on the heart of the system, the Rockchip RK3288. This means we don’t have to rely on software emulation of memory mappers and/or co-processors that may not be fully optimized, which in turn frees up valuable resources to ensure other aspects of the machine run smoothly.

The console will be on Kickstarter in April, which should give us time to learn more and hopefully get some questions answered.

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