Best Hardware for NES Games Today?

[timewarpgamer]

Howdy, given official Nintendo hardware variations and the multitude of clones, what do you think is the best hardware for playing NES games today? I recently covered this topic in a feature at my site, so if you're interested you can find that here:

http://timewarpgamer.com/features/hardware_nes.html

Of course, it seems like every time I think I have it all figured out someone with more hardware familiarity enlightens me. Anyway, I'll be interested to see what y'all think.

[Edmond Dantes]

My front-loader is still the best NES I've ever owned. It's the only NES I've ever owned, but still.

[Cornelius]

Well, the *best* is a NES-101 that was sent in to Nintendo to have the a/v plug put in. These are exceedingly rare as you can imagine. I'll actually plead ignorance here because I don't know if these have the interference taken care of or not. They may still have the 'lines', which would probably disqualify them.

Next would be an AV Famicom. Basically this is the Japanese version of the 101, but they included a/v. These are kind of expensive but readily available.

While it isn't the best technically, the toaster NES is really the best choice for 99% of people. Great picture quality, and if the contacts on system and games are clean they work fine.

[VG_Maniac]

The original front loader NES is the best. Just put a new 72 pin connector in there and make sure to keep your games clean...and it works just fine. It has much better picture quality than the top loader does.

[Shulamana]

My front-loader is still the best NES I've ever owned. It's the only NES I've ever owned, but still.

This, I've never understood the appeal of clone systems when the original thing is still so ubiquitous.

[timewarpgamer]

Edmond Dantes and VG_Maniac, I hear what you're saying. My NES front-loader is still going strong.

Cornelius, thanks for pointing out that the Famicom HVC-101 actually does have composite output. I totally missed that. How much do they usually sell for? I only see one current eBay auction (http://www.ebay.com/itm/NINTENDO-AV-FAMICOM-CONSOLE-SYSTEM-HVC-101-JAPAN-1-/140635744423?pt=Video_Games&hash=item20be8b28a7#ht_2889wt_1100) and it looks pretty damn pricy.

I notice that no one has mentioned the Retro Duo yet. For me, the appeal of that clone is that it can help save space and power outlets, compared to having both a NES and SNES, and the ability to easily play games from all regions (with an adapter for Famicom ones) is a great advantage over the original NES.

[Manga4life]

Aside from the original NES, I was a huge fan of the Generation NEX which was released about 5 years ago. Despite many claims that it didn't work with certain games I've personally had no issues running any game off the system and many games that were said not to work for many people worked flawlessly on my console. I didn't like the controllers much but I just used classic NES controllers since the ports were the same, but man o' man did the NEX have an awesome desgn. Also, some say that if you remove the cart from the system violently it could ruin the pins on the game (which is true), but through careful removal I've never damaged any cart in the 4 years or so I've had one. The sound was sterio as well, instead of analog, which sounded nice on my home surround sound system.

I still use my classic NES more often than my NEX, but I love that little machine and swearby it as an awesome hardware clone for the NES.

[Richter Belmount]

Sega genesis

[Ryudo]

NES 101 still works 25 years later

[Cornelius]

Edmond Dantes and VG_Maniac, I hear what you're saying. My NES front-loader is still going strong.

Cornelius, thanks for pointing out that the Famicom HVC-101 actually does have composite output. I totally missed that. How much do they usually sell for? I only see one current eBay auction (http://www.ebay.com/itm/NINTENDO-AV-FAMICOM-CONSOLE-SYSTEM-HVC-101-JAPAN-1-/140635744423?pt=Video_Games&hash=item20be8b28a7#ht_2889wt_1100) and it looks pretty damn pricy.


I was watching them for a while when they came up for auction, and as I recall they were going for 120 or so plus shipping from Japan, so 150ish. So yeah, definitely pricey, but they come along regularly.

[InsaneDavid]

With the presented options I'd say the good old front loading toaster. If you'd like to expand into the Famicom and all things related, then I'd go with a Twin Famicom AN-505 model (either color). If you want one of those, I'm parting with mine. ;)

[Parodius Duh!]

Front loader obviously. Why even put clones on that list? they dont play all games and rarely emulate audio 100% correctly. retro Duo sucks ass and they should all be tossed in a landfill and burned. As mentioned above, Sharp Twin Famicom is where its at.

[BlastProcessing402]

Front loader all the way, BAYBEE

Top loader, you either have AV or RF depending on the version, but front loaders give you both, and the AV can be used with any cables, not a proprietary connector.

Clones, if they were perfect, great, but they aren't, and if I'm going to be playing something imperfect, might as well stick to emulators where I can do neat stuff like save states or increase the speed during slow non skippable parts or whatever.

[MachineGex]

I got my toploader mod'ed and it totally took out the ghost lines. I think that is a good option for some, but without that mod, I wouldn't have the thing hooked up.

Obivously the front loader with new teeth make a great setup.

[Tupin]

An AV Famicom or Twin Famicom with a pin converter would be an awesome machine.

Doesn't the Famicom Titler have S-Video? That's so rare that it's probably out of the question, though.

[Tupin]

Double post.

[StealthLurker]

An AV Famicom or Twin Famicom with a pin converter would be an awesome machine.

Doesn't the Famicom Titler have S-Video? That's so rare that it's probably out of the question, though.


Well the Titler can also be tapped for true RGB output. Only commercial version with internal RGB capability.

.

[timewarpgamer]

I was watching them for a while when they came up for auction, and as I recall they were going for 120 or so plus shipping from Japan, so 150ish. So yeah, definitely pricey, but they come along regularly.

Thinking about the ultimate AV Famicom set-up...If you wanted to play American/PAL titles on that console, are there even adapters readily available to do that? Seems like going from American/PAL to Japanese is a no-brainer, but the other direction would be much rarer/specialized.

[timewarpgamer]

Aside from the original NES, I was a huge fan of the Generation NEX which was released about 5 years ago. Despite many claims that it didn't work with certain games I've personally had no issues running any game off the system and many games that were said not to work for many people worked flawlessly on my console. I didn't like the controllers much but I just used classic NES controllers since the ports were the same, but man o' man did the NEX have an awesome desgn. Also, some say that if you remove the cart from the system violently it could ruin the pins on the game (which is true), but through careful removal I've never damaged any cart in the 4 years or so I've had one. The sound was sterio as well, instead of analog, which sounded nice on my home surround sound system.

I still use my classic NES more often than my NEX, but I love that little machine and swearby it as an awesome hardware clone for the NES.

Wow, I remember reading about the Gen Nex when it first came out and thinking about how cool it would be to have wireless controllers. Do you have those? How well do they work?

[treismac]

The Front Loader is easily my favorite. Besides having the superior picture and not forcing you to use the meh RF adapter, I find the sound quality to be superior as well. My Top Loader is a cool novelty, to be sure, but it is not how I play my NES games*. Once you factor in the nostalgia of the original, which is a huge part of my retro gaming, the fight isn't even close. All three of my toasters play great with clean games. At worst, I have to wiggle the cartridge a bit on occasion- a small price to pay to not have vertical lines streaking down my TV.

I've never played the Retro Duo, so I can't comment on it. The fact that it doesn't have NES controller ports is a bid draw back, though. I have a relatively large collection of NES controllers that would be rendered useless with a Retro Duo. Not cool, man.

* Feeling my Top Loader's neglect, I'm going to play her tonight.

[Duke.Togo]

Toaster for sure. I don't ever use my toploader, and have never owned a clone. Once you disable the NES10 and keep the pins in good shape they are great machines.

[NayusDante]

If you have the choice, go for the original. As much as I love the convenience of my Retro Duo, it's not as accurate. I keep my CRT on my desk and only have so much space, so I'll sometimes use the RD if I'm switching between NES and SNES a lot.

As far as output goes, in the past I've used the composite out with a Y-splitter on the audio to get the signal to both speakers. Recently, however, I've been using a single RCA cable in place of an RF adapter, connected to one of those little metal coax-RCA adapters screwed onto the coax input of the TV. It only works on CH3, but the picture is darn clear and the audio is spread to both speakers. If I'm playing on a nice stereo system with an amp and speakers, I'll use the Y-splitter and crank it up, but something about the coax audio has more warmth than the crystal-clear RCA audio.

If you want an interesting color effect, play on coax, but also plug in the RCA video. The image darkens, and it actually looks pretty good, almost the antithesis of the RD's increased brightness and lack of contrast. Well, my NES does it at least...

[dchristie74]

The toaster for sure..still my favorite console and gets frequent play also.

www.thevideogamecollector.weebly.com

[Aussie2B]

I'll take a toploader over a poorly working original NES any day. It's just not worth the frustration dealing with a NES that won't play games for crap even if everything has been cleaned thoroughly.

That said, a mint original NES is bliss. I was lucky enough to land one in fantastic shape a few years ago. But it's gotta be in its original form for me. I don't trust pin replacements one bit. They're cheap crap, and you often have to use the jaws of life to get games in and out when they're new, possibly wearing out the contacts of your games in the process. Eventually, they stretch open more, but then you're facing the same problem all over again. I know a lot of collectors have had to replace their replacement pins in only a year or so.

[Icarus Moonsight]

Toasty!

FDS/exp audio mod [takes a single resistor]
Powerpak [Most, if not all games w/ no cart swapping CF card removable without even popping the cart up in the tray - w/ lockout disable buhbye blinky]
Cheap and plentiful

It's a no-brainer IMO

[Manga4life]

Wow, I remember reading about the Gen Nex when it first came out and thinking about how cool it would be to have wireless controllers. Do you have those? How well do they work?

I bought them when I was diappointed in the stock controller that came with it and I liked them quite a bit, but to keep the classic Nintendo feel I decided to go back to the old school NES controllers since the port accepted them.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

AV Famicom without question.

[Tron 2.0]

Famicom AV or the Sharp TwinFamicom both can use nes carts with a converter if need be.

[starchildskiss78]

I have only experienced the Yobo clone and the toaster, but I will always say the toaster hands down.

I do not see the point in hunting down a top-loader. I am not a modder so doing the A/V mod is out. All of my memories involve the little gray box.

I think if you keep the games and the connector clean you do not have any problems. I replaced the 72 pin connector on the NES my girlfriend's brother gave me because it was obvious he did not take care of it. I keep my games clean and I never get the blinking screen or any other trouble.

As others have stated, the clones don't work with all of the games properly. I bought the Yobo to save space and relegated the toaster to the closet. It didn't take long for me to sell the Yobo and put the toaster back in its rightful place near the television.

[Edmond Dantes]

I honestly wasn't thinking of imports when I gave my original answer, but now that I am it doesn't change much. I can't think of many import Famicom games I want to play, outside of Fire Emblem, Mother and Sweet Home (two of those can be gotten on repro carts nowadays).

I have a question though: Didn't Famicom Disk System games come on plain ol' computer floppies? Doesn't that mean most of them will be trash now? Or am I wrong, and there is actually a point to owning an FDS?

[Parodius Duh!]

I honestly wasn't thinking of imports when I gave my original answer, but now that I am it doesn't change much. I can't think of many import Famicom games I want to play, outside of Fire Emblem, Mother and Sweet Home (two of those can be gotten on repro carts nowadays).

I have a question though: Didn't Famicom Disk System games come on plain ol' computer floppies? Doesn't that mean most of them will be trash now? Or am I wrong, and there is actually a point to owning an FDS?

Not floppies, but a hard disk with no dust cover (although they do include a sleeve to cover the disk). Surprisingly you rarely, if ever come across a game thats deleted from the disk, usually only loose discs that have lost their sleeve may be deleted, but if thats the case there are plenty of people out there who can re-write disks and basically put any game, including cart exclusives, onto the disks. So, it is very much worth owning a FDS if you ask me! :)

[c0ldb33r]

I've got an AV modded toploader - I'd recommend that.

I grew up with a front loader and loved it. The problem is that I have a low tolerance for stuff not working. When I insert a cart and click power, I want it to work. I don't want it to blink, I don't want to have to install a new cart connector, etc...

If it doesn't work, I get fed up and won't use it.

You can see how this can be a problem with a front loader.

The toploader is awesome because it just works - no fuss.

[treismac]

So, it is very much worth owning a FDS if you ask me! :)

I've been toying with the idea of owning a Famicom Disk System for some time. With it never making it's way across the ocean to the States, it is all the more mystical and collectible as a result. I don't, however, want to own a collectible artifact that is little more than a paper weight. How common is it for a FDS's belt to give out? If you've ever replaced the belt, how hard was it, and how long did it take?

Also, other than the real Super Mario Bros. 2( Edit: AND Kiki KaiKai), what games are exclusive to the FDS that didn't get ported to North America (like Metroid) that justify purchasing one? I understand the appeal of being able to put any game on a disk, but with the existence of the Power Pak flash cart it might be easier to just go with that.

[timewarpgamer]

With the presented options I'd say the good old front loading toaster. If you'd like to expand into the Famicom and all things related, then I'd go with a Twin Famicom AN-505 model (either color). If you want one of those, I'm parting with mine. ;)

Ohhh, so tempting. I've been wanting to own one of these for a while.

In terms of recommending hardware, though, I didn't include it in my top three list because it's so expensive (I think about $100 to $200 on eBay), and the only real added benefit is you can play FDS titles, but I've heard many a horror story about FDS belts needing replacement and the FDS games not being very durable. Of course, I've never owned any version of the FDS, so all of the above is just stuff I've only heard second-hand.

[treismac]

AV Famicom without question.

Here's a pretty kick ass video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK4ylqIQuFw&feature=related) of the AV Famicom.

[timewarpgamer]

An AV Famicom or Twin Famicom with a pin converter would be an awesome machine.

Doesn't the Famicom Titler have S-Video? That's so rare that it's probably out of the question, though.

Haha, yeah the titler does support S-Video. And yeah, since it's hella rare and expensive I didn't bother mentioning it. Out of curiosity, has anyone actually ever seen it's S-video feed in action? How good does it look?

Seem like 72 to 60 pin adapters are readily available (some early NES games even contain them), but how hard is it to find an adapter that goes the other way? No luck on my initial eBay searches...

[ccovell]

Haha, yeah the titler does support S-Video. And yeah, since it's hella rare and expensive I didn't bother mentioning it. Out of curiosity, has anyone actually ever seen it's S-video feed in action? How good does it look?

A Titler is basically the best hardware if you want clarity. RGB and S-Video are super crisp, but the colours in S-Video are a bit different from a composite NES, which might turn people off.

Here's a comparison I made to give people a meaningful reference for the Titler palette:
http://www.chrismcovell.com/images/Fami_Comp_RGB_Difference.jpg

[treismac]

Doesn't the Famicom Titler have S-Video? That's so rare that it's probably out of the question, though.

I've never heard of the Titler before now. A Famicom with superior video quality that also allows you to add subtitles to VHS. @_@ Alright... Slim chance of me ever running across one in the wild down here in the South of the US.

[Collector_Gaming]

i like my FC Twin i recently picked up. so i choose other :D

[PC-ENGINE HELL]

I'll stick with the original Nes decks. I have 4 set aside as backups as is, with their pin sets redone by hand. I am fine with the composite video and audio quality they present. I only have a tad over a hundred Nes games, with no real intention of collecting Famicom stuff, so not much point in buying any Famicom deck type. I didn't enjoy modding my friends toploader deck as it was either, so I def wont be buying one for myself anytime soon.

[Tron 2.0]

I've never heard of the Titler before now. A Famicom with superior video quality that also allows you to add subtitles to VHS. @_@ Alright... Slim chance of me ever running across one in the wild down here in the South of the US.
There's another that didn't get released here either the famicom box.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4B_doSJKKU

[genesisguy]

Original NES is the only way for me to play NES games. Everything else feels phoney. I had a top loader but I unloaded it on ebay and bought three backup toasters with the cash. I've finally got the magic 72 pin connector refurbishing hand I screwed a few up, but I'll never have to go with the cheapo replacement death gripe connector anymore. Once you get those pins just right on the original toaster it can't be beat.