RetroDuo NES/SNES Clone Official Thread. Castlevania III, StarFox WORK, SMRPG WARNING

[Cryomancer]

Good to hear!

So where's the best place to score one of these? Maybe some of the shops in madison would have some, hmm.

[lovablechevy]

If you are able to compare the 2 models whenever you get the chance,let us know if you find any differences...Believe it or not the cartridge connectors for the SNES and NES sides on the white model are better quality than the ones within the black.

i'll do that when i get the chance. my brother wants to finish his ps game of chrono trigger before he busts out his retro duo. then he says he's gonna play secret of evermore and super mario rpg. so i'll see if i can tell any differences!

[kedawa]

I got to see one of these first hand today. They look pretty nice, but the dpads on the included controllers are dreadful.

[ooXxXoo]

You are totally right!....those D-pads are not very responsive...But it is only a D-pad plastic molding flop,nothing mayor....I had a dead original SNES controller and did some D-pad swapping between them two and now is all good....
http://usera.imagecave.com/capcom2000/HPIM5869.JPG

Strongly recommended!

[lovablechevy]

i find the d-pads to be great! the problem is the actual pads inside the controller. i swapped those out with original snes pads (http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg107/sharonrenees/retro%20duo/c2f7_1.jpg) and it feels great! there were just a few cuts that needed to be made so they fit the same. that way, the controller still looks exactly the same, but has the responsiveness of the original snes controllers! woo hoo!

[ooXxXoo]

That was the first thing I did ....some cutting around inside and change the rubber pads...but still wasn't enough at least with the black controllers...Then,realized that it was the actual D-pad.They are very thin molded compared to the Original SNES ones.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I should have those test videos up tonight.

Spoiler alert : the only thing we couldn't get to run on the NES side of things was Rolling Thunder.

[kedawa]

Those dpads are awful. I can't imagine how anyone could like them. if you press too hard all four directions can be pressed at the same time. It's like they don't even have the little rocker peg in the middle.

[lovablechevy]

Those dpads are awful. I can't imagine how anyone could like them. if you press too hard all four directions can be pressed at the same time. It's like they don't even have the little rocker peg in the middle.

umm... ok... have you tried switching out the pads on the inside? i definitely do not EVER have that problem. or maybe you just press too hard to begin with.

[Blitzwing256]

hey consider that a feature, for example in link to the past if you hit up and down at the same time you can preform a walk through walls glitch ;-)

[kedawa]

umm... ok... have you tried switching out the pads on the inside? i definitely do not EVER have that problem. or maybe you just press too hard to begin with.

I had to press pretty hard to get any direction to register. Applying the same amount of force to the middle of the pad caused the entire '+' to drop.

[lovablechevy]

I had to press pretty hard to get any direction to register. Applying the same amount of force to the middle of the pad caused the entire '+' to drop.

like i said: "have you tried switching out the pads on the inside?" i never claimed that the controllers in their original out-of-the-box newness are good. in fact, in my review (http://forums.benheck.com/viewtopic.php?p=274498#274498) i even state that the controllers are the one thing i don't like about the system. that is, until i swapped the pads around. and yes, the d-pad does have the rocker peg.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I should have those test videos up tonight.

Spoiler alert : the only thing we couldn't get to run on the NES side of things was Rolling Thunder.

Sorry, still dragging my feet on this one.

Been busy this week.

All the video files are on my HDD, I just need to do a few quick edits and get them up on my YouTube.

It'll happen soon, I promise. ^^;

[Leo_A]

You guys happen to test any SuperNes games? I'm still curious if Top Gear 3000 plays correctly. I can't seem to locate my cart.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

You guys happen to test any SuperNes games? I'm still curious if Top Gear 3000 plays correctly. I can't seem to locate my cart.

I don't have a very extensive SNES collection ... but I'll do my best to remember that one for future testing sessions.

Other R.D. owners, if you've got access to that title, please give it a test.

[ooXxXoo]

Here I go again!....
ATTENTION RETRO DUO OWNERS!
I'm the owner of 3 Retro Duo systems...each have a different revision made to their motherboard....I've found a major flop in one of them(only in the 16 bit SNES side,the NES side runs on its own)...At the beggining I wasn't sure until I did further testing...One of my Retro Duo's(white model) while playing it,I noticed that the sound was horribly off and distorded,including the sound effects that some games produce.Every game sounded as if it was running so slow compared to the original SNES or the other Retro Duo's sounds....tooked a closer look at the guts of the system,did my algebra and voila!...Found the problem...It seems that at some point the en-sambling factory ran out of parts and decided to replace with others instead...Again this problem may be with some revisions ONLY...So,if you think that you may have this issue with your Retro Duo,I'm currently writing a tutorial on "how to do it yourself fix" that I will be posting at my site,especially if your guarantee has expired and there is no way to return it....But it is essential for me to find on how many systems with this problem could be out there.....Please let me know if possible....
By the way,I found other problems regarding the ribbon cables of the Retro Duo,they have the tendency to break easily,so if your composite video,audio,s-video or even power has gone from your RetroDuo,is more likely a failure with a ribbon cable,an Easy fix but it can be a pain!...I'll try to write another repair tutorial for this as well....Don't give me wrong I still love my RDuo's but I'm trying to recognise the problems before they pop up on me!

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Here I go again!....
ATTENTION RETRO DUO OWNERS!
I'm the owner of 3 Retro Duo systems...each have a different revision made to their motherboard....I've found a major flop in one of them(only in the 16 bit SNES side,the NES side runs on its own)...At the beggining I wasn't sure until I did further testing...One of my Retro Duo's(white model) while playing it,I noticed that the sound was horribly off and distorded,including the sound effects that some games produce.Every game sounded as if it was running so slow compared to the original SNES or the other Retro Duo's sounds....tooked a closer look at the guts of the system,did my algebra and voila!...Found the problem...It seems that at some point the en-sambling factory ran out of parts and decided to replace with others instead...Again this problem may be with some revisions ONLY...So,if you think that you may have this issue with your Retro Duo,I'm currently writing a tutorial on "how to do it yourself fix" that I will be posting at my site,especially if your guarantee has expired and there is no way to return it....But it is essential for me to find on how many systems with this problem could be out there.....Please let me know if possible....
By the way,I found other problems regarding the ribbon cables of the Retro Duo,they have the tendency to break easily,so if your composite video,audio,s-video or even power has gone from your RetroDuo,is more likely a failure with a ribbon cable,an Easy fix but it can be a pain!...I'll try to write another repair tutorial for this as well....Don't give me wrong I still love my RDuo's but I'm trying to recognise the problems before they pop up on me!

And as you move forward in your research, we admire your determination to explore the advances, revisions, and limitations of the system's design.

Please continue to share everything that you find and/or any modification/repair schematics that you devise!

[remowilliams]

Anyone try one of these with a PowerPak? :)

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Anyone try one of these with a PowerPak? :)

I don't have one ... so far they've been a bit too expensive (and very rarely in-stock on RetroUSB) for me to buy for my NES collection.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

RetroDuo NES Stress Test Part 1 (LIVE at the Digital Press Store March 2008!) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHZ3AMhzi6o)

RetroDuo NES Stress Test Part 2 (LIVE at the Digital Press Store March 2008!) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV0JT3sOxeQ)

Added the NES stress test videos taken at the March NAVA meeting.

Enjoy!

[GnawRadar]

I don't believe he has posted it yet, but I heard GrandAmChandler went to pull a cart out, I'm not sure if it was SNES or NES, out of the RetroDuo and the pin connector came out with it. Has anyone else had this problem or heard of this problem?

[lovablechevy]

I don't believe he has posted it yet, but I heard GrandAmChandler went to pull a cart out, I'm not sure if it was SNES or NES, out of the RetroDuo and the pin connector came out with it. Has anyone else had this problem or heard of this problem?

have not heard anything like that before. my retro duos have very firm pin connectors. in fact, i'm trying to remove one for a project i'm working on and am having tons of problems getting it off!

[ooXxXoo]

I don't believe he has posted it yet, but I heard GrandAmChandler went to pull a cart out, I'm not sure if it was SNES or NES, out of the RetroDuo and the pin connector came out with it. Has anyone else had this problem or heard of this problem?

Yes it is very possible.....When I was looking into the guts of my retro duo's I noticed that the NES cartridge port in one of them was missing a screw to hold it down in place....so,with a good amount of force I'm sure it can come completely loose. And like I mention before,the ribbon cables can be easy become broken as well...

[omnedon]

Sounds like a clone alright.

[remowilliams]

I don't have one ... so far they've been a bit too expensive (and very rarely in-stock on RetroUSB) for me to buy for my NES collection.

Holy Moly - I can't believe it - the PowerPak DOES work with the RetroDuo. AFAIK - first clone ever to do so!

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Holy Moly - I can't believe it - the PowerPak DOES work with the RetroDuo. AFAIK - first clone ever to do so!

Does this information come from a personal test you ran with your own hardware, or do you have a link to an outside source?

Please let me know so I can report on it. Thanks!!

[remowilliams]

Does this information come from a personal test you ran with your own hardware, or do you have a link to an outside source?

Please let me know so I can report on it. Thanks!!
Personal test with my own hardware. The RetroDuo may still have a few incompatibilities, but working with the PowerPak puts this system *WAY* over the top of all other clones! :)

[GrandAmChandler]

I don't believe he has posted it yet, but I heard GrandAmChandler went to pull a cart out, I'm not sure if it was SNES or NES, out of the RetroDuo and the pin connector came out with it. Has anyone else had this problem or heard of this problem?

I am chalking it up to a random defect, I got a replacement unit, it seems fine.

EDIT: Also, "Vs. The Goonies" NES Repro cart by Video Game Kingdom also works great with this system

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Updated 1st page with new info!

[GrandAmChandler]

So does anyone know if Mega Man X2 or X3 work?

[NayusDante]

X2 and a RetroDuo are on my "to-buy" list. I'd get X3, but I have the PC version already (still want it though).

I asked the couple that owns the retro game booth at my local flea market about the RetroDuo, and they said they won't carry it. The reason: quality concerns. They claimed that they had heard nothing but bad things about them breaking and wearing out quickly. I asked if they meant the FC Twin and other Yobo systems, but they seemed to know what I was talking about.

I own an NES and a SNES, but neither one looks close to decent on my 42" LCD, on any available input. My NES over RCA plugs looks like the page 1 shots of nes-over-s-video with the solid colors not being solid, and coax looks about the same but sounds better. SNES looks bright and washed out over coax, and has a big discolored vertical strip down the center-left. Mode7 effects have weird "shadows" over other graphics (especially the pendulum screen in Chrono Trigger). I'd love to try component output on SNES, if there's available cables or a pinout to make a set.

Would a RetroDuo offer a proper solution to my problems, or would it be mostly the same? From what I've read, the compatibility is high enough, it's just a question of quality.

[ooXxXoo]

Hello and welcome to the forums!...The Retro Duo is by far the best NES/SNES clone that I have seen..But,like any other clone it has its ups and downs...I'am the proud owner of 3 Retro Duos.On my personal experience with them,I have found a few minor problems that with little technical knowledge, can be fixed...(missing screws to hold the actual cartridge connectors and broken ribbon cables)...Funny thing is that the en-samblers new of these problems when putting them together and in some cases they decided to only add jumper wires instead fixing the whole thing).....
For the SNES side,the company that manucfatures the Retro Duo went the extra mile by giving us a RGB encoder....The Y/C signals provide true s-video for it.
NES side,it is good compared to other clones..But for me there is a bit of sound issue...
Other than that, it has great compatibility with games and accessories!...I'll definately recommend it!..

[NayusDante]

Hello and welcome to the forums!...The Retro Duo is by far the best NES/SNES clone that I have seen..But,like any other clone it has its ups and downs...I'am the proud owner of 3 Retro Duos.On my personal experience with them,I have found a few minor problems that with little technical knowledge, can be fixed...(missing screws to hold the actual cartridge connectors and broken ribbon cables)...Funny thing is that the en-samblers new of these problems when putting them together and in some cases they decided to only add jumper wires instead fixing the whole thing).....
For the SNES side,the company that manucfatures the Retro Duo went the extra mile by giving us a RGB encoder....The Y/C signals provide true s-video for it.
NES side,it is good compared to other clones..But for me there is a bit of sound issue...
Other than that, it has great compatibility with games and accessories!...I'll definately recommend it!..

I know that you've mentioned the RGB output before, but do you have any diagrams or specific information relating to a mod for the RD? In my particular case, either VGA or component cables would work nicely. If not, S-Video should suffice.

I'm pretty much sold on the RD, just waiting a bit to hear on how they hold up, etc. Most likely going to buy from Amazon sellers, unless anyone else knows a better/cheaper source.

[remowilliams]

I wired a NES connector to the RetroDuo and it works just fine. So now I can use the Messiah pad while playing the NES side. :) NES lightgun is next on my experiment list, but I need another SNES pad for the extra pins/wiring, as a regular SNES pad leaves two signals unconnected.

The NES sound so far seems to be pretty good, I haven't really noticed any major issues with the exception of Jackal. Jackal seems to be particularly bad - the 'melody' side of the music seems muted, while the percussion is fine; the firing sound is wrong/garbled; the grenade sound is almost non existent. Anyone else notice this in Jackal?

[ooXxXoo]

I wired a NES connector to the RetroDuo and it works just fine. So now I can use the Messiah pad while playing the NES side. :) NES lightgun is next on my experiment list, but I need another SNES pad for the extra pins/wiring, as a regular SNES pad leaves two signals unconnected.

The NES sound so far seems to be pretty good, I haven't really noticed any major issues with the exception of Jackal. Jackal seems to be particularly bad - the 'melody' side of the music seems muted, while the percussion is fine; the firing sound is wrong/garbled; the grenade sound is almost non existent. Anyone else notice this in Jackal?

Super Mario Bros 3 does this for me!....catching speed and the tail flying sound effects are hardly there!...

[Ed Oscuro]

Aside from the terrible "RetroDuo" logo, the unit is actually pretty...PRETTY!
Man, what was I thinking? Thing looks like a rejected pen stand design designed for Ikea by Fisher-Price.

Shiny black plastic doesn't withstand the ravages of time very well, I'm afraid.

Anyway, I wouldn't say that detracts from the utility or the decent dimensions of the device - six by six inches is pretty good.

[NayusDante]

I'm probably going to go ahead and order mine. Which color though? Everything on my racks is black, save for my Wii and a blue Linksys router. I'm tempted to go for the black one, but wasn't the white one mentioned as having better construction or quality?

[ooXxXoo]

I'll try to give you an idea from my personal opinion on which one to get!...I've found a major issue with one the(clocks)crystal oscillators on the white model... it can be replaced to work great again...Although this issue may only be within a few revisions,since I already have seen as many as 3 different of them...
Later on,I got another brand new Black Retro Duo for me little nephew, and as I first started testing it,the s-video feature didn't work at all...Again,I opened the system case and found many of its ribbon cables broken...I replaced all of them and now if fine....But remember,this problem came from a new sealed system(factory defective)!....my tutorials to fix these problems should be available soon....In the mean time I hope this info helps with your decition..,
Also,there is a static problem with the Black plastic shell color,kind of like what the PS3 suffers of, it will be full of dust in a matter of seconds+mine came all scratched when new,while in the white model you can't really tell as much.

[NayusDante]

Hmmm. Considering that the S-Video is the main reason I'm getting one, I might wait a bit. As soon as I know for sure that they're up to the quality I'm hoping for, I'll go for it. Aside from old IDE cables, I don't really have a lot of supplies that I could use to fix one offhand.

(and I REALLY want one now >_<)

[ooXxXoo]

Unfortunately,at times specially clones and sometimes even official systems,later revisions happen to be worse than the earlier's ones...I'm hoping that due to the Retro Duo production cost they won't start to replace electronics parts for others that'll be cheaper...One of my concerns could be the encoder...they could easily drop the whole samsung encoder and get a cheaper one(without RGB),or none at all...You should get your Retro Duo with high hopes,hoping for the best!..It may get worse!..

[remowilliams]

Also,there is a static problem with the Black plastic shell color,kind of like what the PS3 suffers of, it will be full of dust in a matter of seconds+mine came all scratched when new,while in the white model you can't really tell as much.
Yeah, same issue here. I coated the thing with Novus plastic polish and it does help quite a bit though.

So after some more playing around with the RetroDuo, here are some more observations:

- My Tototek SNES flash cart works just fine with it
- PowerPak sram load/save works fine
- I have a Super Mario World cart that does not boot at all on the RD. Oddly enough if attached to a Game Genie, it works fine
- My Rolling Thunder cart will not boot/run properly on the RD, but the same game loaded from the PowerPak works fine
- My Dragon Warrior cart will not boot on the RD, but will work fine if attached to the NES Game Genie

Overall I am very pleased with the RD. It does seem to have some odd sound issues that the Yobo/FC didn't have, but the NES compatibility overall is better.

I've had extensive experience with other clones such as the NEX, Yobos, FCTwin, Blade, Power, etc. and though still imperfect, I proclaim the RD King of the Nintendo Clones! :)

[NayusDante]

Unfortunately,at times specially clones and sometimes even official systems,later revisions happen to be worse than the earlier's ones...I'm hoping that due to the Retro Duo production cost they won't start to replace electronics parts for others that'll be cheaper...One of my concerns could be the encoder...they could easily drop the whole samsung encoder and get a cheaper one(without RGB),or none at all...You should get your Retro Duo with high hopes,hoping for the best!..It may get worse!..

I ordered a black one from an Amazon seller just a second ago, after reading that. I have a feeling you're going to be right.

Are you sure the RGB encoder isn't part of the design for something important to the console itself? If there's anything I've learned from hobbyist electronics, it's that one chip can be used for lots of different things.

And also, I'm still wondering about that chip. Could I hook composite cables up to it and get 480p signal or is it really just for SCART?

[lovablechevy]

- I have a Super Mario World cart that does not boot at all on the RD. Oddly enough if attached to a Game Genie, it works fine
- My Dragon Warrior cart will not boot on the RD, but will work fine if attached to the NES Game Genie

huh... that's really weird! both of my super mario world and dragon warrior carts work perfectly...

[NayusDante]

Well, turns out the shipper I ordered from on Amazon is out of black ones, so it looks like I'm getting a white one (they described it as Retro Duo (blue)).

I hate sellers that post out of stock items...

[remowilliams]

huh... that's really weird! both of my super mario world and dragon warrior carts work perfectly...
Yeah, I think it is probably an issue with the specific cart/connectors that isn't mating quite right with the RetroDuo, and that the GGs alleviate it.

I'd still like to know why Rolling Thunder carts have been reported as not working (mine too) but I can play it from the PowerPak just fine.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Yeah, I think it is probably an issue with the specific cart/connectors that isn't mating quite right with the RetroDuo, and that the GGs alleviate it.

I'd still like to know why Rolling Thunder carts have been reported as not working (mine too) but I can play it from the PowerPak just fine.

Might have something to do with the hardware or pins on the Tengen cart.

[josekortez]

Who manufactures the Retro Duo and is there a manufacturer website?

[NayusDante]

Who manufactures the Retro Duo and is there a manufacturer website?

I'll let you know as soon as mine comes, should be within the week.

[GrandAmChandler]

Who manufactures the Retro Duo and is there a manufacturer website?

I am not sure if they manufacture it, but this company backs it as their own:

http://www.innexinc.com/

-GAC-

[NayusDante]

I am not sure if they manufacture it, but this company backs it as their own:

http://www.innexinc.com/

-GAC-

From the looks of it, Innex is the wholesale supplier, meaning that someone else designs/manufactures it. I might consider calling them to get some more information, as I'm pretty interested in figuring out just where these things originate.

[NayusDante]

I got mine today in the afternoon, and I've been enjoying it ever since. I'll post the pics soon, I'm also working on recording videos of my compatibility tests. I just recorded every SNES game I have, NES is tomorrow morning's project. For now, I'm going to give my initial review.

I love the packaging. For once, an unofficial product neither immitates the real thing or looks so generic that you can't tell what it is. There's a definite style and it has a fitting logo. Mine came still sealed on both sides with those clear plastic circle stickers, easily peeled one off and folded it inside the cardboard. It states that Retro Duo is trademarked... but not by who >_<.

The controllers are indeed second-rate. On both of mine, it seems slightly harder to press up or down, but the buttons seem fine. When inspecting, they push in a bit far, but they're fine for playing. And yes, they got the convex/concave buttons right. However, I don't get any turbo in NES, with either included pad or my original SNES pad. Some have complained about them being clicky, but I don't mind that, especially on the triggers.

The manual is obviously written by someone who DOES have a grasp on the English language, but some of the points are a bit humerous or odd. I'll scan it tomorrow.

SNES carts go in with minimal force, but I can feel them go down. Removing them is actually difficult, and requires a good bit of force. NES goes in the same, but requires a bit less force to remove. Still, it has a good grip.

The most important point I want to make is how odd it acted at first. I initially only plugged in the audio and S-Video. The first game I tried was Super Mario World, which started up fine. Sound was good, picture was very crisp and looked MUCH better than on my real SNES over composite. Once I entered a level, the whole picture had a "shadow" starting down and to the right about 1/3 of the screen. Next, I tried Star Fox, which was fine, except for big squares of wrong colors that came and went. Skies were blue though. Next was Megaman X, which started up fine until the opening level. The green highway was gray. Last was Chrono Trigger, which also had gray areas, but they were on lots of different things. No sprites, just backgrounds. At this point, I decided to try the composite cable, and I plugged it in so BOTH were active. Problem fixed, beautiful image. I unplug the composite cable, and the color stays proper. Retried the other games, same thing. SNES is perfect, just needed to warm up or something weird like that.

NES looks the same as real hardware on my TV over composite, lots of static trails and a big vertical bar of gray down the middle like a translucent shadow. S-Video is black and white, but it's a much clearer image without the distortion. With both cables on the same input, the picture is clear but the color flickers and makes rainbow effects. Also, the whole screen has light vertical barring.

I'll post pictures of all this tomorrow, as well as edit and upload my playtest footage. All things considered, the Retro Duo was definitely a good purchase, and it does not disappoint. I tried it on my old tv, and the NES static smears don't occur, but the vertical barring does, so some of my problems are display-related.

Everything listed is excellent unless specified otherwise

SNES:
Chrono Trigger
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
Earthbound
Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Mega Man's Soccer
Mega Man X
Star Fox
Super Mario Kart
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars - Doesn't boot, guessing I have 1.1 or 1.2
Super Mario World
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Super Metroid
Super R-Type

[Akegata]

This looks pretty damn cool.
Does anyone know any place that has them for a reasonable price in the EU, or a place that won't charge $45 (like every eBay seller) to ship it to Sweden? I'm really interested in getting one, but not for like 80 bucks.. :P

[Trevelyan]

Would they work here in the UK? Would it just be a case of getting the right AV & plug socket adaptors? I am very interested too. I am planning on getting NTSC consoles eventually but I might just go for this in the interim.

If they are not stocked/distibuted in the EU, shipping costs will be inevitable & within my parameters at the end of the day. No Chrono Trigger = :(

[GrandAmChandler]

I was lucky to obtain two different NTSC Super Mario RPG carts. The one that said "Made in Japan" did not work on the Retro Duo. However, the one that said "Made in Mexico" worked great. I don't know if this is a sure fire way to tell which one works, but it may give some help.

-GAC-

[NayusDante]

First part of my review and testing - HERE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTzd7PI5g44)

[ooXxXoo]

I was lucky to obtain two different NTSC Super Mario RPG carts. The one that said "Made in Japan" did not work on the Retro Duo. However, the one that said "Made in Mexico" worked great. I don't know if this is a sure fire way to tell which one works, but it may give some help.

-GAC-

interesting!....My Super Mario RPG game made in Japan does not work in it!...may be a good call.

[ooXxXoo]

First part of my review and testing - HERE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTzd7PI5g44)




Cool video review man!.....Any chance that you have the SNES games: "SSF the new challengers" or "Super Mario All Stars"?...... Trying to find a sound issue in other white Retro Duo's models that I found in a crystal oscillator on mine.

[NayusDante]

Cool video review man!.....Any chance that you have the SNES games: "SSF the new challengers" or "Super Mario All Stars"?...... Trying to find a sound issue in other white Retro Duo's models that I found in a crystal oscillator on mine.

Nope. >_<

Next part of the video is coming in a bit, just have to edit the clips, which are already separated. If anybody wants more proof of these games working, I'll Rapidshare the actual videos I recorded in one go for each system.

[NayusDante]

PART TWO (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frJYUcLmUrA)

Two NES games and SNES left to do...

[Leo_A]

Off topic but is that NES Star Trek game you showed any good? It looked decent but I didn't see any gameplay.

[NayusDante]

Off topic but is that NES Star Trek game you showed any good? It looked decent but I didn't see any gameplay.

No. In fact, it's AVGN worthy. Still, neat collectible. It's neat in the fact that you get to beam down to planets and explore, but Spock and McCoy follow you around with really bad path AI and the music is GRATING. The computer game of the same name was entirely different, and MUCH better (graphic adventure).

Part Three (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbCa5FdPgKs) - The last part.

[Buns34]

I just ordered a white one off of Amazon, along with a used copy of Super Mario RPG, and a official SNES controller. Do any games have issues on the console? I plan on playing Earthbound, Mega Man 2, Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest, and Archon. I bought the controller, since i heard that the stock Retro Duo controllers buttons are to springy? Anyone have this console?

[roushimsx]

still on the first page (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=114088)

[miaandjohnrule]

roushimsx beat me to it

[Buns34]

Damn! I just noticed that. I hope that the copy of Super Mario RPG that i just bought off of Amazon works with my duo.

[Buns34]

So she replied back to me and said it says made in Japan on the Super Mario RPG cart. Does this mean it will not work at all on my Retro Duo System? I heard that you can power off and on really fast a few times to get it to work? Or you can do this with tape: http://nfggames.com/forum2/index.php?topic=1382.0 If the game or none of this works on the Retro Duo, then they need to change the description on every site that sells these! All of them state that it plays all Lockout Chip games, including Super Mario RPG. I just shelled out a hundred bucks for the system and game!

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Nice videos NayusDante!

[GrandAmChandler]

Threads Merged.

-GAC-

[NayusDante]

I just got home from PlayNTrade. Bionic Commando and Wizards & Warriors both work (NES).

[Buns34]

Can anyone answer my question?

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Super Mario RPG is problematic with the Retro Duo.

I'm not sure if there is any way of determining which software version the game is based solely on the "made in" stamping.

Version 1.0 is the only one that doesn't check for the lock-out region coding, so that's the version you'll need to work on the Retro Duo.

[Buns34]

Thanks, so if the one i recieve is not version 1.0, then none of the methods i posted will work? And there is no possible way for it to work on the Retro Duo?

[NayusDante]

One of the first times I tried mine (Made in Japan) it gave me what looked like a test pattern, but it was very chaotic and disorganized. Possibly, it's a "no cartridge" screen, like what comes up when an NES cart can't be read properly. However, I was holding down a combination of L+R+Start+Select, or something similar. Haven't been able to get it again since. However, considering how funky mine was acting right out of the box, I wouldn't leave out the possibility that this thing just has a lot of (neat?) quirks.

All this talk about Super Mario RPG not working has made me want to play it again... And I wanted to put my SNES away in a safe place >_<

[Buns34]

So is there no for sure answer? This is driving me crazy! The dang thing is listed as working with every Super NES game, even the lockout chip games.

[NayusDante]

It's not really known yet. Possibly, a Game Genie COULD circumvent the region lock, but if I'm not mistaken, the cart uses the side pins. The Game Genie has no passthrough for the side pins, thus preventing it from working with coprocessor games.

Does anyone have a copy of Kirby Superstar or Dreamland 3? Those were the other SA-1 chip games released in the US, but I'm not sure if they had the region/copy protection enabled. Apparently, it's a CAPABILITY of the SA-1, but not required (explains why v1.0 works). V1.1 and 1.2 probably were just the same board with the lockout enabled.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_SA-1