ODROID-GO Advance - a gaming console for retro fans

30 December 2019

Still remembering the first Sony PlayStation? Missing Nintendo NES games? Want to replace your broken Game Boy Advance? A new product from South Korea's Hardkernel can help.

Image from cnx-software.com

The company has released an improved version of the ODROID-GO. It is called ODROID-GO Advance. This is a handheld console that emulates old platforms. Support for the following consoles is announced:

  • Sega CD (Mega CD).
  • SEGA Game Gear
  • Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 7800, Atari Lynx
  • Sony PlayStation, Portable PlayStation
  • SEGA Master System, SEGA Mega Drive (Genesis)
  • Nintendo Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Game Box Color
  • NEC PC Engine, PC Engine CD
  • Nintendo NES, SNES

The list will be added to in the future. Even now, the ODROID-GO Advance looks attractive. Especially considering the price. The gadget costs only $55. Less than a budget smartphone.

The specifications are interesting. The product is equipped with a 3.5-inch screen with a resolution of 480 by 320 pixels. Modest, but ideal for retro. Also in the presence of a 4-core processor Rockchip RK3326, clocked at up to 1.3 GHz.

Complementing the configuration is 1GB of RAM and a Mali-G31 MP2 graphics gas pedal. For data storage are cards microSD. Works ODROID-GO Advance long. The 3000 mAh battery lasts for 10 hours.

In addition, the device pleases with the control. Available directional pointer, analog joystick and 10 input buttons. The sound is output to a 0.5 watt monaural speaker.

Image from odroid.com

There is also a headphone jack (standard - 3.5 mm). Among other things, there is a USB 2.0 port. Functions ODROID-GO Advance based on Linux. Ubuntu 18.04 distribution with EmulationStation interface is used.

The above allows you to enjoy Tekken 6, Super Mario Kart, Sonic 3, Final Fantasy VII and Patapon. The above are just a small fraction of the hits on offer. Thousands of them.

Official sales of ODROID-GO Advance will start in January 2020.