Super Console X2 Plus HDMI Game stick

Unlike its dual-core cortex A7 little brother, the Super Console X2 Plus 4K HDMI Game stick runs the next-gen s905 processor meaning faster and smoother retro gaming in a super small footprint.

The X2 Plus is a retro gaming HDMI stick that plugs into most screens/ projectors via the HDMI port and comes with 2 wireless PlayStation 1 style controllers.

Not only does the X2 Plus emulate arcade games, but with its increased CPU power, can emulate more consoles than previous gaming sticks.

If you're looking to enjoy the old arcade classics with a simple plug & play mini game console for your TV, then let the retro gaming begin.

It's amazing that such a little device can do so much and even outshine the standard Super Console X and other entry level Android TV boxes when it comes to Retro Gaming and price.

The dual 2.4G Wireless PlayStation 1 style gamepads run off 2 x AA batteries and connect via a single USB dongle that plugs into the stick itself. For the price point they do a good job. However, if you're seeking something better, you can replace them with other gamepads or fight sticks be it wired or wireless. Using a USB hub you can connect up to 4 game controllers from wired to wireless.

We've tried;

• The Xbox style wired Gamepads
• 3-in-1 Ipega PG-9156 wireless controllers
• USB Ultimate home Arcade Fightstick

If you're looking for an affordable little retro console with standard controllers then look no further.

The Super Console X2 Plus runs on EmuElec 3.9. These are promoted and claimed to be 4.5 however we can confirm EmuElec 3.9 which is less resource-intensive and more suited to a small game stick. With EmuElec you have the ability to;

• Save and Load game progress 
• Add and map supported gamepads/ fight sticks
• Map buttons per console or per game to your liking
• Adjust per-game settings from display to playability
  

That said the console is shipped in KIOSK mode, which hides settings in order to avoid potential damage to settings.

While you won't achieve perfection with more demanding games, the SCX2 Plus delivers a lot for its size and price point. It's super portable and should you not be able to fit the stick into the desired HDMI port, it comes with a handy short HDMI extension cable so you can take your Retro Gaming experience almost anywhere.

Super Console X2 Game Stick is capable of emulating 40+consoles, it comes pre-configured and ready to emulate consoles including C64, Arcade, Atari, Capcom, Dreamcast, Famicom, Gameboy, Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance, Megadrive, MSX, N64, NES, Neo Geo, SNES, Sega32, Wonderswan Color and more.

Metal Slug - SCX2 gameplay

The SCX2+ comes with 30k+ of titles however with emulation you can expect some non-English titles within the mix and not all will play to perfection. We've tested titles like Mario Kart 64 and PSP Ridge Racer World Tour which play surprisingly well, however, there is occasional sound chopping. Then we have 007 N64 The world is not enough, which will play but as expected is quite demanding and the hardware won't play it smoothly enough.  That said Neo Geo's Metal Slug series play really well as do most arcade titles. Overall at under $100 we're super impressed with this little powerhouse retro gaming HDMI stick which is one of the most powerful available.

For those who like to tinker, drop the Micro SD card into a card reader and you can add/remove games with ease. Keep in mind if adding new games, if you want the preview picture, you'll need to add the game art and amend the gameslist.xml for that given console, otherwise it will still work but with no preview image.

While more demanding titles will run smoother on our King Consoles and they are slightly easier to use with inbuilt fightsticks, this SCX2+ uses EmuElec and RetroArch which means if any particular game buttons are not mapped properly or mapped at all, you can go into its settings and change them to the right order. For example, on PSP Ridge Racer the turbo button wasn't mapped so we went in and remapped the L & R shoulder buttons on the gamepad and the problem was fixed. For the occasional game that needs remapping - this isn't possible with the GT EX2 king console board.

While a number of online retailers including Lanorys claim the base model Game Stick has a super fast dual-core cortex A7, the SCX2+ listed here with its s905L chip is considerably faster than the low-end 32-bit ARM Cortex A7 processor.

The stick pushes out 1080P and is capable of 4K output. Do keep in mind while emulation on this can be set to 1080P it uses 720P in order to run smoother which is the norm for most retro consoles including more powerful Pandora boxes. So claims aside, unless you're using high-end hardware or a PC don't expect anything higher.

When comparing Retro Gaming consoles, be sure to check the processor speed and features, not the game count. 

SCX2 Plus quick overview