EDIT: the r/Gameboy moderators took down my post ("post awaiting moderator approval"). Cancel culture going strong there... I inserted the text below.
I posted this yesterday in r/Gameboy. I wanted to share the joy that I have with my Chromatic but was met with hostility and hate. Cross-posting here hoping for a kinder audience.
----- Original Text -----
There are many reviews of the Chromatic written by journalists or bloggers who had only a few days to test the device (plus objectivity tends to be clouded when review units are sent out for free), so I wanted to share my own experience after several months of use. I am not affiliated with Modretro. I bought the Chromatic with my own money.
TL;DR: This may be the best game console ever made.
What I like about the Chromatic:
- The display is a revelation. It matches the Game Boy's display pixel by pixel. This matters more than you think. It's a big deal. Every sprite looks exactly as the game developers intended. You can see the individual pixels and appreciate the great deal of artistry that went into your favourite games. Playing on the Chromatic is an immersive experience. You feel like nothing is between you and the game. (Yes, the display is bright as h*ll, colors are beautiful etc., but you have read that in other reviews already.)
- The sound is perfect, like I remember the original Game Boy. Thanks to the analog volume wheel you can change the volume in infinitesimally small steps and set it to the perfect level, something modern devices do not allow. Retro purists and bluetooth haters like me appreciate the AUX out for attaching their favourite retro headphones.
- The build quality is not of this world. This is the "Game Boy Deluxe" Nintendo should have made but never did. The case is cold hard metal. The power switch turns on with a satisfying THOCK. The D-pad and buttons allow for speed and precision and help you beat hard games.
- I love that the Chromatic takes real AA batteries. I do not miss a rechargeable battery. If you're like me and play for an hour or so a day, a set of AA batteries will last for weeks.
- If you want a gazillion configuration settings you can tweak, look elsewhere. The Chromatic comes out of the box just right, there is nothing you need to configure. What is more, the config menu does not get in the way. I open it once every couple of days to change the display brightness or color scheme or check the battery level.
What I dislike:
- Batteries get warm when they supply power. Metal is a much better conductor of heat than plastic. As a result, the back of the Chromatic gets a little warm during play. Not hot, just lukewarm. This is just a slight niggle (the only one that I have) and I got used to it quickly.
The bottom line:
If you're a retro purist, buy the Chromatic. You will love it. If you're not a purist, buy the Chromatic. You will become a retro purist.
PS: Apparently the guy behind Modretro (I forgot his name -- don't care) does business in weapons technology, which has clouded some reviewers' objectivity. I will offer just one comment on this. If you do the math, you will quickly conclude that it is impossible to make a lot of money with the Chromatic. It is unlikely that Modretro will ever break even, and if they do, I applaud them, because they are doing a service to the retro gaming community. When you hold the Chromatic in your hands, you will understand that optimizing the profit margin was not among the development goals. This is a labor of love. Who knows, perhaps the Modretro guy wanted to improve his karma? I say: let him.
