It promised to be the dream solution to retro enthusiast who either had limited space or desired a crystal clear picture on their big TVs. Hyperkin's clone console the RetroN 5 was described as being able to play 9 systems out of the box, all from one unit. Be it the Japanese Famicom, NES, SNES, GameBoy, Game Boy Color, GBA, Mega Drive or Genesis you could play your original games even with classic control pads too.

No longer would the enthusiast of old games have to juggle switch boxes or clear shelves of space under their 40inch LCD screens. Better yet these games would be shown in a way that has never been seen before; through a HDMI port, up-scaled and presented using a range of filters to optimise the visuals. Bored of having to use your converters or region switches? Worry no more, the RetroN 5 promises the ability to play games from anywhere in world, full screen at full speed. It was set to cater for those new to collecting retro games, while also offering a convenient and practical way for people with established collections to get an authentic experience from a multitude of systems.

There was a real sense that Hyperkin had looked at what people who had grown up with emulators wanted and implemented it in this wondrous machine. Save states, wireless controllers, cheat codes even a fancy operating system powered through Android, the RetroN 5 could do it all. Only, there was a slight problem; Hyperkin have delivered the promises, but the console is yet to be seen on shop shelves.

Initially announced at the Midwest Gaming Classic Trade Show in March 2013, the RetroN 5 caught the attention of the internet’s gaming websites and forums around the world. However, as the months wore on these same websites and forums would turn from cheerleaders to critics as released dates came and went while Hyperkin remained tight lipped on the reasons for delay. ‘We’re still in summer’ they pleaded, at least until the October 31st release date passed and the sun had most certainly set. Delay after delay meant that enthusiasm in the retro gaming community was waning, especially with competitor Retro Bit successfully releasing the Super Retro Trio - a machine that plays most of the same systems.

For many the RetroN 5's impact was fading, chalked up as vapourware or an abandoned dream that was proving difficult to make.

That was until December, when Hyperkin suddenly announced that by Christmas the machine would be in people’s homes. It was not to be. An apparent last minute “problem with the Famicom connector in some units” pushed release back to the second quarter of 2014. Hyperkin were evidently as frustrated as the rest of the Internet. "We apologize for the inconvenience," project manager Lawrence Lee bashfully admitted. "Hyperkin would like to thank you for all the support you have given us throughout the development of the RetroN 5. We are looking forward to its release as soon as the issue has been resolved." Justin Valero Hyperkin’s Community Manager was more upbeat about the delay though. “We did not want the product to have glaring issues that we overlooked because we had to make a deadline. I often hear people get really upset that it is not out yet but I just take it on the chin because I know when it comes out you guys will really like it.” - a respectable move to ensure the system met retro gamer's demands.

Having said that, the problem was that after a year of waiting, Hyperkin’s sometimes vague and repeated responses had frustrated the very audience they were trying to court. Speculation about what was actually going on in the machine began. Some believed that the system would simply read the ROM file from game cartridges, and then boot it up using emulators running on internal Android-based software. This idea was then supported by the claim that the system used ‘save states’ only because it couldn’t write back to the cartridge’s SRAM. If this were true, the RetroN 5 becomes little more than a emulator than the cartridge-enabled system we were hoping for. When queried on the matter, Hyperkin they didn’t comment at all, though they were happy exhibit their machine at conventions giving an new April 2014 release date.

In Europe, things were also getting interesting. The official European distribution of the RetroN 5 had an exclusive deal to distribute the console, however, even they had little idea what was going on. Their frustrations were made clear in an email sent to all customers that had already paid for and pre-ordered the console, in some cases 6 months in advance. “We still have no information from the manufacturer regarding release date” the retailer said apologetically, “we share your frustration in this continued delay”. “[Hyperkin] have provided very limited information about the development of this product since it was delayed in 2013, this is the reason we have not given you regular updates – there has been nothing to say”.

Hyperkin has continued to make further promises up until the start of April, but for most patience had worn thin. Even the quickest search around one of the largest gaming communities, NeoGaf, displays people circulating rumours about the RetroN 5’s technical failings. Significant sound problems are discussed, some claim the system crashes when multiple carts are inserted, and many believe the console will be incompatible with numerous games. As the April release date slips past, Hyperkin’s response to these concerns continues to baffle. The only new information given at the time of writing is a 40% price increase, while the internet tries to predict when the next release date will be.

On the final day of April, the suggested release month for the RetroN 5, Chris Gallizzi (the company's Product Developer) took to their Facebook page to reach out to the masses eager to sample the system. In this short 3 minute video, reassurance was given to those doubting the console's actual arrival. "We are pouring a lot of time and a lot of effort, and even a lot of our own resources just to make this thing happen". Evidently demand has far exceeded expectations, and to ensure a worldwide release was met, a further delay was inevitable. You can't question the sincerity of Gallizzi, especially after giving his own Facebook account details out for fans wanting to contact him. That said, while explaining the company's recent silence, little of the rumours circulating online were specifically addressed although Gallizzi believes that it's going to be "worth the wait". As for a new release date, one is yet to be confirmed.

When the RetroN 5 does see the light of day you can only hope that the performance promises are honoured, even if release dates have been frequently cast aside. After all, the last console to see a delay of this magnitude was the Nintendo 64 and that changed the face of gaming significantly. Here’s to hoping the RetroN 5 can do the same, something our review of the system upon release will no doubt detail.

So has this delay affected your desire to buy a RetroN 5? Still holding on to your pre-order? Or has all this delay announcement actually brought the system to your attention? Let us know in the comments below.