LAS VEGAS - There's something almost magical about the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Since then, better controllers, more powerful systems, and more ambitious games have come along, but like a magnet, gamers keep coming back to Nintendo's early 90s console.

Whether it's pure nostalgia, historical curiosity, or simply an appreciation for good old games, Super Nintendo games still have much to offer us.

The Super Retro Champ is an incredibly simple idea, and equally simple in execution, providing a portable system for the Super NES and Sega Genesis cartridges that gamers already have. The gadget will cost $110 and will be available later this year, but the exact release date will depend on My Arcade's production schedule and how much interest the device generates prior to launch.

If you have seen the Retro Champ (for NES games) coming soon from My Arcade, you can imagine what the Super Retro Champ will look like. This near-square device resembles an oversized Game Boy and is about 10 inches tall. It has a 7-inch LED screen in the center, a D-pad on the left side, and four SNES-style face buttons on the right side. (The top two are concave and the bottom two are convex, just like the original SNES controller.) The start, select, reset, volume, and power buttons are also within easy reach.

The shoulder buttons are located on the back just where you would place your fingers, so you don't have to reach very far. The upper part of the back is dedicated to the SNES game slot, while the lower part can hold Genesis games. However, the two games cannot be inserted at the same time. Otherwise, the console would not "know" which game to prioritize. Also, both Western and Japanese SNES/Super Nintendo cartridges can be used.

The Super Retro Champ was reminiscent of the Wii U controller in that it is portable. The battery lasts up to 5 hours and can be recharged via micro USB, making it easy to use during daily commutes or long flights. But if you want to connect the console to your TV, it's very simple: just connect an HDMI cable and use one of the two included wireless controllers.

However, the device does have some compatibility drawbacks: it does not allow Bluetooth pairing, so you will have to use the controller that came with the Super Retro Champ. For example, the Xbox One controller and the excellent 8-bitdo retro controller cannot be used. This will be especially disappointing to fans who purchased the Super Retro Champ for its compatibility with the Sega Genesis. This is because the system's controllers are almost button-by-button homages to the SNES peripherals. They will also be stuck with a wired 3.5mm headset.

Furthermore, despite the Super Retro Champ being a portable system, My Arcade does not offer any sort of case to protect the screen. As such, it would be quite difficult to travel with it in a backpack due to the risk of scratching the beautiful LED screen.

Finally, unlike many home retro game consoles, the Super Retro Champ does not upscale games at all; systems like the Retron 5 and the Analogue Super NT typically upscale games or use the latest large (U) options to smooth them out so they don't look pixelated on HDTVs, but the "Super Retro Champ" does not. This won't bother purists, but it also means that older games won't look as good on newer displays.

Still, being able to play SNES and Genesis cartridges on the go was never going to happen when these systems first appeared. (I won't even mention the Sega Nomad). ) My Arcade will soon be taking pre-orders for the Super Retro Champ, so if you still have your childhood cartridge collection on hand, it may get a second life.

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