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Hyperkin ShockLine Brings USB-C to Retro Consoles
Hyperkin’s ShockLine gives retro consoles and handhelds a modern USB-C power option.
ShockLine Covers Consoles and Handhelds
Hyperkin currently sells five ShockLine kits for older Nintendo and Sega hardware. The lineup covers the Famicom, Super Famicom, NES, Sega Genesis Model 1, SNES, Nintendo 64, GameCube, Game Boy Advance SP, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 2DS, and Nintendo DSi.
The console kits cost $24.99, while the handheld charging kits cost $19.99 through Hyperkin’s store.
USB-C Replaces the Old Power Brick
The Nintendo 64 ShockLine kit includes a 30W/9V USB-C wall adapter, a 6-foot USB-C to USB-C cable, and a cable that connects to the N64 power port.
The GameCube version uses a 45W/12V USB-C wall adapter and includes its own GameCube connector cable. Both kits are designed to replace the larger original-style power supply with a smaller USB-C setup.
Hyperkin also sells one 30W/9V kit for the NES, SNES, Famicom, Super Famicom, and Sega Genesis Model 1. That package includes two barrel adapters so the same kit can work with the supported systems.
Older Nintendo Handhelds Get USB-C Charging Too
ShockLine also covers portable systems. Hyperkin’s 10W/5V kits are made for the Game Boy Advance SP and Nintendo DS, plus a separate version for the Nintendo 3DS, 2DS, and DSi.
The 3DS, 2DS, and DSi kit includes a USB wall adapter, a 6-foot cable, and a short adapter cable that fits the handheld’s original charging port. Hyperkin also includes overcharge protection in that version.
What Gamers Need to Know
ShockLine does not add a USB-C port directly to the console or handheld. Each kit still uses an adapter that connects to the system’s original power or charging port.
The useful change is on the other end. Gamers can replace aging power bricks and worn cables with a newer USB-based setup while keeping the original hardware unchanged.
Hyperkin’s ShockLine kits are available now through the company’s store, with prices ranging from $19.99 to $24.99.
Credit: Notebookcheck, Hyperkin
