ostalgia is an expensive business, and ModRetro is doubling down on it with a fresh batch of transparent plastic shells for the Chromatic handheld console. According to Retro Dodo, the company has revealed four new transparent colourways featuring purple, green, red, and smoke. These new options closely resemble the colourways used in ModRetro's M64 FPGA Nintendo 64 console that they released recently.
ModRetro has stated that this device will be released on the 8th of October at 09:30 am PT, likely up for sale and shipping quickly, just like the M64 did, per Retro Dodo. Underneath the see-through plastic, you are looking at the same buttons and the same display used in previous versions. What remains an open question is the screen cover material. As Retro Dodo noted, ModRetro previously used Sapphire, which is crazy expensive, and Gorilla Glass, so it is either the latter or something different if this is indeed going to be cheaper, which also hasn't been officially mentioned.
The Cartridge Dilemma
The real friction with the Chromatic isn't the choice of shell colour, but the fact that it insists on physical cartridges in an era where software emulators on your phone can run thousands of titles for free. ModRetro is banking on tactile nostalgia over digital convenience, giving you a dedicated piece of hardware that demands actual game cartridges rather than ROM files downloaded off the internet. It is an unapologetic nod to the past designed for enthusiasts who want to hold physical media in their hands.
ModRetro has revealed four new transparent colourways in a new plastic shell featuring purple, green, red and smoke.
Yet this physical purity comes with a glaring catch for anyone outside the hardcore collector circle. Buying physical cartridges means hunting down vintage games or paying for modern releases, making your nostalgic hobby a surprisingly steep financial commitment. If you already own a drawer full of old cartridges, buying a specialized handheld like this makes a certain amount of sense. If you are starting from zero, a cheap emulation handheld running hundreds of pre-installed digital games will cost a fraction of the price and require zero cartridge hunting.
Should You Buy It
ModRetro also has ties to Anduril Industries, a defence technology company, as Retro Dodo pointed out for transparency. While that corporate detail sits quietly in the background, your main concern is simply whether you want to deal with physical media again. The transparent models drop this week on the 8th of October at 09:30 am PT, but before you rush to add one to your cart, check if you actually own any cartridges worth playing or if you are just buying into the transparent aesthetic.
Mark your calendar for October 8 at 09:30 am PT if you want to secure a transparent unit directly from the ModRetro website before initial stock sells out.