Note: To display this embedding, allow the use of functional cookies in Cookie settings.
Emulation console Polymega is getting a free version of the app, its maker Playmaji has announced.
The Polymega is a retro console that currently costs $549 with a single controller and allows players to insert their own Gaming consoleSaturn, TurboGrafx CD, Neo Geo CD, and Mega CD games, copy those discs to storage, then play disc-free games on dedicated console emulators.
Additional “modules” are available for $80-$90, including adapters for cartridge consoles – NES, SNES, Mega Drive / Genesis, TurboGrafx-16 and N64 – and come with additional controllers designed to match those found in legacy systems.
Now Playmaji says it’s releasing the Polymega app, which will be available on “all your devices” and will offer the console’s basic features for free.
Polymega official launch trailer
Players will be able to use any standard disc drive to rip their CD-based games and then use Polymega emulators to play them PC or mobile applications.
A subscription service called Polymega XL will also be available, which adds “premium features” such as cloud storage, cheat codes, an audio player, and the ability to apply third-party patches to games (such as with translation patches).
For gamers who don’t have access to a disc drive, the company will also sell the $150 Polymega Remix, which is essentially a USB flash drive that can be used to copy discs, but also adds support for cartridge modules.
According to Polymega, a closed beta version of the program will launch in March and will be available to anyone who has ever placed an order on Polymega’s website.
In addition, anyone who purchased the base unit or Deluxe package before December 31, 2022 will receive access to Polymega XL features during the beta testing period, as well as a year of free upgrades to Polymega XL when the app exits beta.
Many players who pre-ordered the Polymega base unit have yet to receive their orders, with some claiming to have been waiting for years. Polymega cites “extremely long manufacturing times for the components on the motherboard” as the reason why the production and distribution of the motherboards took so long.