The Retro Entertainment System by Retro-Bit, what did you guys think?

[TheRetroVideoGameAddict]

I just recently got one, the collector in me couldn't resist, and I was just wondering what you guys felt about the Retro Entertainment System by Retro-Bit? Personally, I like it quite a bit and even though it's not the best clone out there I'm enjoying it and I like the color scheme and design. I wrong a blog about it @ http://theretrovideogameaddict.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-retro-video-game-addict-checks-out.html with all of my thoughts and dealing with the machine, so check it out.

All in all it's not made of the best materials but it holds up surprisingly well, however the cord on the controller did kind of wither quickly, but I'm using official Nintendo controllers with it so that didn't matter to me a whole lot. Other than that I'm loving this thing, but I do feel my Generation NEX was a better unit overall and a lot more pleasing to display and look at.

[Gunstar Hero]

Cool write up about this. I have an original NES, but was thinking on getting this system to try and portableize it/ make it into a handheld. I know it's smaller, more lightweight, and cheaper than an original NES so those are all good factors to keep in mind when portableizing. Also I wouldn't want to do modifications like that to a real console hahaha. Anyways thanks for sharing as I always wondered the quality of this clone.

[TheRetroVideoGameAddict]

Cool write up about this. I have an original NES, but was thinking on getting this system to try and portableize it/ make it into a handheld. I know it's smaller, more lightweight, and cheaper than an original NES so those are all good factors to keep in mind when portableizing. Also I wouldn't want to do modifications like that to a real console hahaha. Anyways thanks for sharing as I always wondered the quality of this clone.

It's VERY light, and someone would have no issue at all porting it around if one was to make modifications to it to make it portable. But just because it's light doesn't mean it's completely flimsy, it's taken a beating from me so far and has really done a great job and I'd recommend this to just about anyone.

[Ace]

This is actually one of my favorite Famiclones if only for the fact it can do so much at such a low price. Of course, the build quality is pretty crappy (warped plastic near the cartridge slot), but in terms of compatibility and accuracy, I find it gives the best value for your money. Though I'm not sure if the latest RESes have audio distortion as I have seen one console in particular with some garbled audio (fixed by adding a resistor to the audio output) and the one I have, which is part of the first production run that has completely different box art, has near-perfect audio with zero distortion except when playing Tetris 2 + BomBliss. For some reason, this game always has distorted sound on certain NOACs.

One thing I will point out about Castlevania III, though, is that the game actually can be made to work on the RES if you add a 74HC04 to the RES. Compatibility issues are generally caused by two missing signals, CIRAM /CE (used to enable or disable the internal RAM for the NES' PPU) and /A13 (address line A13 inverted). Generally, NOACs have the PPU's internal RAM permanently enabled, which on games that disable the CIRAM like Rad Racer II causes severe graphical errors. /A13 is actually required by Castlevania III to work; CIRAM /CE helps too as one stage in the game has graphical errors if the PPU's internal RAM is left enabled.

[TheRetroVideoGameAddict]

My RES' plastic isn't warped or altered at all, maybe some models came like that but not mine. Mine came in excellent condition and really feels well made for being so inexpensive, but yeah, it isn't made of the highest quality materials or anything. I wonder which NES clone was made the best? Of the ones I have the Generation NEX is without a doubt the most well made console of the bunch, I highly recommend that one to people looking for a "Fami-Clone".

[treismac]

I almost want to buy one purely for the red and white Famicom color scheme, but, like the Top Loader and even more so, they look ridiculous with a cartridge sticking out of it, ruining my aesthetically fueled motivation for wanting to own one in the first place.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I love the footprint and aesthetic of these systems.

Compatibility is spotty, as it is with practically all NOAC clones (No Castlevania III *without modification as Ace mentioned) and video output signal strength can sometimes vary depending on the A/V receiver on the flat screen you're using it on.

Personally I like the size, shape and action on the controllers, but the fact that they have standard NES controller ports is a plus.

If you can find one of these for around $15 or so I'd say it's a decent clone.

[TheRetroVideoGameAddict]

The red/white model is only $15 on Amazon right now, free shipping included if you choose the 2 week Amazon Prime free trial. Cool beans.

I have the red/white model and shot an unboxing video which will go up on YouYube sometime next week. Keep an eye out for that.

[Ace]

I wonder which NES clone was made the best?

I never owned a Generation NEX (I never managed to get one and it's now become stupidly overpriced), but I keep hearing its build quality is better than most Famiclones. Of those I've personally tried, here's what I think of their build quality:

-RES: Plastic feels weak, warped near the cartridge slot, flexes when pressed on, console has almost no weight to it.
-FC Game Console Version 1: This thing is actually made of better plastic than the RES. It doesn't flex as much, is perfectly straight and the system is heavier than the RES.
-FC Twin Version 2 and Version 4A: Fairly good quality plastic, does not flex, system has some weight to it, though the plastic appears to have gotten a little cheaper on the Version 4A as the power LEDs shine through the plastic. Or that's maybe just the result of the paint job as my FC Twin Version 4A is the white model intended to mimic the paint job of a Super NES Mini while my FC Twin Version 2 is the two tone silver/black model.
-RetroDuo v2.0 and v3.0: This one is a mixed bag. The plastic doesn't feel cheap at all primarily due to the high-gloss finish on the console, but the system feels as if it barely has anything inside, yet the NES and Super NES motherboards take up a good bit of the case. Though I have seen red/black RetroDuo v3.0s with no cartridge slot guides, leaving the PCBs in the console completely exposed.
-RetroN2: This one could use some work. The plastic itself is okay (it doesn't flex, but it feels somewhat cheap), but considering the size of the system, it weighs practically nothing, and on earlier consoles, the finish on the paint is really poor and you can feel it.
-Innex Gen-X: This thing feels solid and has a good amount of weight to it considering its size, which isn't that much bigger than the FC Game Console, RES and RetroN1 (this is one I haven't personally used). I really want to get another one of these as the next system I'll mention has completely different hardware than this earlier version.
-RetroBit Gen-X: Plastic quality has taken a pretty nasty hit. It still has a solid feel, though the rougher texture of the plastic in certain spots makes it feel cheap. At the same time, part of the Genesis slot's dust cover on my RetroBit Gen-X broke and so did a screw post on the console's cartridge slot guides. It's quite mediocre in terms of build quality, I have never had a Famiclone where the plastic fell apart like this.
-GN Twin: This thing has the worst build quality of all the clones I've personally tested. Flimsy plastic, almost no weight to it, simply put: it's quite bad.
-FC3 Plus Version 1 and Version 2: Plastic quality is somewhat questionable and the system itself doesn't have much weight to it, mainly because the 3 motherboards are so small, they hardly take up any space inside the console
-RetroN3 Versions 1, 2 and 3: This is a system I always held in high regard in terms of build quality (but not the hardware as it is SHIT unless you modify it). Quite a good bit of weight to it as the main PCB with the Genesis and Super NES hardware is quite big, the console's plastic is thicker than most clones and the paint is applied quite nicely (more so on the red model than the charcoal model, which doesn't quite feel as well finished)
-FC16 Go Version 2: Don't have much to say about this one. It's made fairly well minus the buttons which suck, and the system has a good bit of weight to it.
-RetroDuo Portable v1.0 and v2.0: Plastic could have used a little more work, but the system itself doesn't necessarily feel cheap. I will say the buttons are better on the RetroDuo Portable v2.0; on the RetroDuo Portable v1.0, they feel like cheap pieces of crap, though I would mainly attribute that to the conductive rubber under the buttons.


Personally I like the size, shape and action on the controllers, but the fact that they have standard NES controller ports is a plus.

You know what? I actually DON'T like the controllers that come with the RES, and mine actually didn't come with any controllers as I got it as a freebie due to the voltage regulator in the console having blown (sounds to me like someone plugged in the wrong power supply in the console). I did try the controllers, though, and didn't like them. The bumps on the edges of the controllers make them feel too thick and for me aren't exactly comfortable to hold. I also don't like the button placement nor do I like the D-Pad very much. What I do like are the FC Game Console controllers, and I use those on my RES. They're among my favorite Famiclone controllers.

[TheRetroVideoGameAddict]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntaB1T1DToA

Posted a video review of the Retro Entertainment System on my YouTube page!

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

You know what? I actually DON'T like the controllers that come with the RES, and mine actually didn't come with any controllers as I got it as a freebie due to the voltage regulator in the console having blown (sounds to me like someone plugged in the wrong power supply in the console). I did try the controllers, though, and didn't like them. The bumps on the edges of the controllers make them feel too thick and for me aren't exactly comfortable to hold. I also don't like the button placement nor do I like the D-Pad very much. What I do like are the FC Game Console controllers, and I use those on my RES. They're among my favorite Famiclone controllers.

Wait, they're different? I figured they were the same considering the rest of the system is identical, but now that I look, you're right!

These are the ones I'm talking about those are some damn good clone NES controllers.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/FC_Game_Console.jpg