The UKFF Retro Gaming Thread

[Weezenal]

Just signed up for an X Box developer account to try to play some retro consoles on Series S. Has anyone tried it?

Looking to try The Simpsons hit and run as well as GameCube and Dreamcast.

[BigJag]

I had no idea The Stig is a gamer.

[Browser Brady]

So…..might finally bite the bullet and buy one of those HDMI retro console things with loads of Roms loaded. 
 

Is there any particular one that is better than the rest or are they all the same ?

[Abe_Knuckleball_Schwartz]

16 hours ago, Browser Brady said:

So…..might finally bite the bullet and buy one of those HDMI retro console things with loads of Roms loaded. 
 

Is there any particular one that is better than the rest or are they all the same ?

It kinda depends on what you are looking to play, if happy with 16 bit and under consoles then you could probably get any particular model and it will run with no issues. If looking to play games from PS, N64, Dreamcast etc. then you might need to look at something with higher end specs.

Not played one myself but the Kinhank Super Console X5 was one I was looking at, based on the positive reviews it received on YouTube videos before I decided to go for the 12TB hard drive and connect it to to my mini pc.

[CleetusVanDamme]

On 5/31/2025 at 8:26 PM, Weezenal said:

Just signed up for an X Box developer account to try to play some retro consoles on Series S. Has anyone tried it?

Yeah. I set my Series X up for PS2 emulation a couple of years ago, one of the best things I've ever done gaming-wise. Nearly every game I tried ran great and at 4K  (on Series S you might have to bump it down a tiny bit, at worst), and the couple that didn't, I might be able to fix by fucking about with the settings when I grow a pair and don't fear breaking the thing. It'll seem daunting setting it all up, but follow a tutorial and you'll be good, I knew nothing. 

 

[Merzbow]

Some PS2 games still don't emulate perfectly, Pride FC still has issues which sucks as it's one of the games I most want to replay but the Create-A-Fighter mode has major problems with the text.

[Browser Brady]

7 hours ago, Abe_Knuckleball_Schwartz said:

It kinda depends on what you are looking to play, if happy with 16 bit and under consoles then you could probably get any particular model and it will run with no issues. If looking to play games from PS, N64, Dreamcast etc. then you might need to look at something with higher end specs.

Not played one myself but the Kinhank Super Console X5 was one I was looking at, based on the positive reviews it received on YouTube videos before I decided to go for the 12TB hard drive and connect it to to my mini pc.

Good point. 

Budget is prob around 150 if that helps ?

[Abe_Knuckleball_Schwartz]

14 hours ago, Browser Brady said:

Good point. 

Budget is prob around 150 if that helps ?

AliExpress have a sale on currently and the link might be suitable for you. Downside is the delivery timescale but if you are not in a rush might be worthwhile checking what other emulator consoles they have.

Just be aware that whilst most of the games are plug in and play some require tinkering with… the good news is there is quite a few videos on Kinhank hardrives and how to change settings etc. without worrying about deleting things off the drive. 

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006749229654.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.4.2f01fq8Ifq8I7b&aem_p4p_detail=202506200237313121365536699640003774935&algo_pvid=0dcf8dc1-5ee2-4d29-b034-8a124a931390&algo_exp_id=0dcf8dc1-5ee2-4d29-b034-8a124a931390-3&pdp_ext_f={"order"%3A"1051"%2C"eval"%3A"1"}&pdp_npi=4%40dis!GBP!311.46!154.97!!!407.72!202.86!%40211b80d117504122511461285e6673!12000038210214080!sea!UK!6323533671!X&curPageLogUid=IxhDO4sz8cZX&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch|query_from%3A&search_p4p_id=202506200237313121365536699640003774935_2

[Merzbow]

I rarely have things take longer than a week from Aliexpress, Chinese shipping is now at a speed often better than even the closest mainland European countries.

[Onyx2]

1 minute ago, Merzbow said:

I rarely have things take longer than a week from Aliexpress, Chinese shipping is now at a speed often better than even the closest mainland European countries.

You've answered your own question. They've opened up many distribution centres in Europe, so if you order stuff that's in proximity it'll be nippy.

After 30+ years, I finally finished Link's Awakening. A mate brought it back from USA in 1993 and while I played a lot of it, I never had enough time borrowing it to finish. Then I think I started it on an Emulator in 2000 or so and again dropped off. Yesterday I finally finished it.

I did really enjoy it, though the backtracking across a relatively small map was pretty irritating eventually. An excellent set of tools (all the classics), fun but not frustrating bosses, and a very well judged difficulty curve for the temples.

I see there is a gross Chibi Switch remake which has addressed some of the fast-travel issues.

Ending spoilers:

Spoiler

Someone needs to edit the ending and dovetail it with LOST.

 

[Merzbow]

1 minute ago, Onyx2 said:

You've answered your own question. They've opened up many distribution centres in Europe, so if you order stuff that's in proximity it'll be nippy.

Half of my stuff is still coming directly from China though, it's just that they're getting stuff out on to planes stupidly quick now. Before thing's would take multiple journeys on boats etc before getting here, now it's almost direct even from Asia.

[DavidB6937]

1 hour ago, Abe_Knuckleball_Schwartz said:

AliExpress have a sale on currently

I mean they're basically like DFS in that aspect.

[King Coconut]

3 hours ago, Onyx2 said:

it'll be nippy

[FLips]

Quite insensitively I’ve had the Cannon Fodder music stuck in my head all morning and found out that “Narcissus” is an actual song Jon Hare did and then later used for the game. Lyrics and everything, I had no idea!

 

[Arch Stanton]

9 hours ago, FLips said:

Quite insensitively I’ve had the Cannon Fodder music stuck in my head all morning and found out that “Narcissus” is an actual song Jon Hare did and then later used for the game. Lyrics and everything, I had no idea!

 

I learned about this fairly recently, through an episode of the Retro Titans podcast that had an interview with him. He's an interesting character. Worth a listen if you're interested.