Messiah Delays Gen NEX deliveries again!

[Jagasian]

I was able to test:
Castlevania III won't boot no matter what I try, work in TL
Gauntlet same as CIII
Rad Racer II won't boot, and the power light doesn't even come on!
I'll let someone else try putting in two carts to see what happens.

...

Carts are hard to put in and remove, this is do to the contacts on the cart slot being very tight, and the console feeling a little light, I worry I might damage it if I'm not careful.


It is sad to see that Castlevania 3, Rad Racer 2, and Gauntlet are completely incompatible. But lets get somebody else to confirm that these games are indeed incompatible before making a final judgement.

The tight cart slot seems similar to the tight replacement 72-pin connectors for the toaster NES. These connectors aren't good for your carts, and therefore people typically try to get official Nintendo 72-pin connectors for replacement, as they don't have this problem.

But there is a solution. Stabilant 22. I swear by this stuff, and I have a perfectly functioning toaster NES with its original 72-pin connector that proves that Stabilant 22 works. Here is a place to buy it. (http://www.micro-tools.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=MT&Product_Code=22) Basically it is a kind of liquid plastic that never dries and only conducts electricity when it is on the surface of two metal contacts that are touching eachother. In fact, it improves the conductivity of such a connection. The beauty is that it won't short out other connections that are not directly touching, so you can liberally used this stuff to help lubricate your carts and your cart slot. It prevents corrosion, etc. It is way better than any of the Caig products. Here is more info. (http://www.posthorn.com/Stab_2.html) Give it a try, and you will never go back. I also recommend getting 99.99% pure anhydrous isopropyl alcohol for cleaning contacts before applying stabilant 22.

[Jagasian]

If anyone has the time and the stuff, I'd like a compatibility list with the nes accessories(power glove, power pad, ROB, zapper, u-force etc...)

I'd predict that the accessories that you listed are compatible. The ones that definitely do not work are the ones that require the Famicom controller port, which the NEX does not have. Examples include the famous Family Basic Keyboard. Yes the Famicom had a keyboard, and it came with a special cart that let you program your own video games in a programming language called "Family Basic" or Famibasic for short! It is quite fun.

There are cart accessories that most likely have incompatibility problems, as most clones have issues with them: Game Genie, Game Action Replay, etc. I'd love to see those tested.

[DreamTR]

I can confirm Castlevania III, Rad Racer II (including the power light), and Gauntlet (licensed or unlicensed) do NOT work on the NEX. All of the other Tengen carts do work fine.

Someone try Hogan's Alley, I am curious about the signal quality on that one...

[n8littlefield]

Wow. So it's no better than my Yobo? That's really sad. Guess I'm refurbing my toaster this Spring. The only game I really wanted to play that my Yobo couldn't was Castlevania 3.

Given that is the game KNOWN to cause tons of issues on clones, I'm really surprised they didn't push to get it working.

[leonk]

I'm not sure how many people follow the NESDEV forum, but a lot of progress has been done therein regards to the regular top loader video quality.

The gist of it is:

- I purchased an extra top loader
- I took it apart and started working on trying to figure out how to get clean AV out of it
- With the help of others at NESDEV, I've managed to produce perfect Front Loader video picture quality (using RCA cables) out of a top loader.

Total cost: less than 5$ in parts.

PRO: So the ultimate game system is a real NES Top loader with the newly designed NESDEV video amp that uses the exact same video amp IC as a front loader.

CON: RF modulator doesn't work anymore.

[Jagasian]

PRO: So the ultimate game system is a real NES Top loader with the newly designed NESDEV video amp that uses the exact same video amp IC as a front loader.

CON: RF modulator doesn't work anymore.

So basically there are no CONs because there is no need to RF. All modern TVs provide RCA composite connections. Can you summarize the modification, as well as provide pictures? Also, any chance that you would consider offering a top loader modification service? I long since got rid of my top loader, as I have a perfectly working toaster, but if somebody could mod a top loader so that it had video quality that was as good as a toaster, I'd buy one again.


Wow. So it's no better than my Yobo? That's really sad. Guess I'm refurbing my toaster this Spring. The only game I really wanted to play that my Yobo couldn't was Castlevania 3.

Given that is the game KNOWN to cause tons of issues on clones, I'm really surprised they didn't push to get it working.

I got the third degree from people here, when I tried to call shenanigans. I guess the record will prove that I was right and they were wrong. Anyway, it is still too early to tell, in my opinion, whether or not the NEX should be avoided. We need to at least have every USA game tested (with the collector's around here that should not be very hard), as well as the Game Genie. Also, there is very slim chance that Messiah might release a second revision of the NEX, but from the looks of these tests, the NEX does in fact use a run-of-the-mill NOAC. Developing a custom NES IC is extremely expensive, but the Atari Flashback did it. The Flashback 1.0 was a crappy NOAC based system, and the Flashback 2.0 was a custom IC... which had problems at first, but apparently has been improved in later revisions.

I'd love to see a NES clone done right. I still have my fingers crossed for kevtris's FPGA NES. If anybody can make a proper custom NES IC, it is kevtris. Of course, his will play NES games off of small flash cards, as opposed to old NES carts, but it will natively support NES and Famicom peripherials. He also sells a hardware device called the CopyNES, which can be used to rip ROM images from carts. Think about having every NES game on one tiny little flash card :eek 2:

Back to testing, make sure to test it in a real NES. Your cart has to work in a real NES before you claim it doesn't work in a NEX. Also, make sure to do at least 5 minutes of testing on the NEX. Just because a title screen loads, doesn't mean the game plays correctly.

[s1lence]

I'm going to be another that verified that CV III doesnt play. On a plus, Mega Man 5 and Mega Man 6 both work great.

[kainemaxwell]

The tight cart slot seems similar to the tight replacement 72-pin connectors for the toaster NES. These connectors aren't good for your carts, and therefore people typically try to get official Nintendo 72-pin connectors for replacement, as they don't have this problem.

But there is a solution. Stabilant 22. I swear by this stuff, and I have a perfectly functioning toaster NES with its original 72-pin connector that proves that Stabilant 22 works. Here is a place to buy it. (http://www.micro-tools.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=MT&Product_Code=22) Basically it is a kind of liquid plastic that never dries and only conducts electricity when it is on the surface of two metal contacts that are touching eachother. In fact, it improves the conductivity of such a connection. The beauty is that it won't short out other connections that are not directly touching, so you can liberally used this stuff to help lubricate your carts and your cart slot. It prevents corrosion, etc. It is way better than any of the Caig products. Here is more info. (http://www.posthorn.com/Stab_2.html) Give it a try, and you will never go back. I also recommend getting 99.99% pure anhydrous isopropyl alcohol for cleaning contacts before applying stabilant 22.

Ya should copy this post and the links over to the tech and restoration forum. :)

[Jagasian]

Games that still need testing, which will most likely have incompatibility problems or glitches. Listed alongside some of these games are the problems they have when played on a Neofami:

After Burner (semi-playable, many map tiles not displayed)
Bandit Kings of Ancient China
Gemfire
L'Empereur
Laser Invasion (extreme graphics glitches)
Nobunaga's Ambition II
Romance of the Three Kingdoms II
Uncharted Waters

If the NEX has the same compatibility problems as the Yobo aka Neofami, which is what it is starting to look like, then that pretty much confirms that it uses the same NOAC as the Neofami.

[Bratwurst]

I got the third degree from people here, when I tried to call shenanigans. I guess the record will prove that I was right and they were wrong.

No, you got the third degree because that's all you would talk about, and it got old. Nobody went out of their way to claim the NEX was going to be perfect, not even DreamTR. 'They' waited until the thing actually came out and REAL information started to flow.

There is a phrase that goes by the name of Caveat Emptor, and that applies to everyone who preordered regardless of your doom prophesying and naysaying.

[Flack]

The tight cart slot seems similar to the tight replacement 72-pin connectors for the toaster NES. These connectors aren't good for your carts, and therefore people typically try to get official Nintendo 72-pin connectors for replacement, as they don't have this problem.

But there is a solution. Stabilant 22. I swear by this stuff, and I have a perfectly functioning toaster NES with its original 72-pin connector that proves that Stabilant 22 works. Here is a place to buy it. (http://www.micro-tools.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=MT&Product_Code=22) Basically it is a kind of liquid plastic that never dries and only conducts electricity when it is on the surface of two metal contacts that are touching eachother. In fact, it improves the conductivity of such a connection. The beauty is that it won't short out other connections that are not directly touching, so you can liberally used this stuff to help lubricate your carts and your cart slot. It prevents corrosion, etc. It is way better than any of the Caig products. Here is more info. (http://www.posthorn.com/Stab_2.html) Give it a try, and you will never go back. I also recommend getting 99.99% pure anhydrous isopropyl alcohol for cleaning contacts before applying stabilant 22.

Ya should copy this post and the links over to the tech and restoration forum. :)

Or post it in the online tech database: http://www.digitpress.com/livefaq/index.php

[Jagasian]

No, you got the third degree because that's all you would talk about, and it got old. Nobody went out of their way to claim the NEX was going to be perfect, not even DreamTR. 'They' waited until the thing actually came out and REAL information started to flow.

There is a phrase that goes by the name of Caveat Emptor, and that applies to everyone who preordered regardless of your doom prophesying and naysaying.

I called shenanigans to counter-act the hype machine. It got old because you didn't want the truth, and Messiah didn't want to be up-front about it. If I didn't repeat the accusations of shenanigans, then people would claim that they never heard of the issues. Testing games as mainstream and common as Castlevania 3, Rad Racer 2, and Gauntlet is not too much to ask for. More than likely, Messiah knew about these issues long in advance, yet tried to cover it up until the system had shipped. How could they not be aware of these problems, many people were asking about such issues.

THAT is shenanigans, pure and simple. All that was needed to keep me from calling shenanigans was for them to release a compatibility list. Instead we got misleading non-answers and hype. I've listed in previous threads many additional reasons to suspect shenanigans, but instead people kept hyping. Doesn't use a common NOAC, eh? Game compatiblity problems will be minor and only apply to obscure games, eh? Reality states otherwise. Nobody likes a whistleblower, that's for sure. But somebody has to blow the whistle, and they have to do so until everybody takes notice, no matter how annoying it is.

[rbudrick]

I'm not sure how many people follow the NESDEV forum, but a lot of progress has been done therein regards to the regular top loader video quality.

The gist of it is:

- I purchased an extra top loader
- I took it apart and started working on trying to figure out how to get clean AV out of it
- With the help of others at NESDEV, I've managed to produce perfect Front Loader video picture quality (using RCA cables) out of a top loader.

Total cost: less than 5$ in parts.

PRO: So the ultimate game system is a real NES Top loader with the newly designed NESDEV video amp that uses the exact same video amp IC as a front loader.

CON: RF modulator doesn't work anymore.

Ah, beat me to it...I was going to post this. :-) Awesome this issue has finally been addressed affectively.

Jagasian, (while some may criticize the repetitiousness of his posts) would be eating his hat now if the NEX was a compatible as the hype indicated, but it turns out that he was dead on. Sure, his post were dead-horsed, but to be honest, the other side of the argument was too. Jag was right, folks...Messiah really did handle this shittily. I'd expect that behavior out of a shitty HK pirate, but not a company as highly regarded as Messiah. It's just plain dishonest...and don't anyone say they never lied. Just because they were silent doesn't mean it isn't dishonest. They just sat back, said nothing, and hoped the cash would flood in. If a NEX 2 is released, I'll never buy another Messiah product...that would be pure bullshit.

-Rob

[omnedon]

Jagasian, (while some may criticize the repetitiousness of his posts) would be eating his hat now if the NEX was a compatible as the hype indicated, but it turns out that he was dead on. Sure, his post were dead-horsed, but to be honest, the other side of the argument was too. Jag was right, folks...Messiah really did handle this shittily. I'd expect that behavior out of a shitty HK pirate, but not a company as highly regarded as Messiah. It's just plain dishonest...and don't anyone say they never lied. Just because they were silent doesn't mean it isn't dishonest. They just sat back, said nothing, and hoped the cash would flood in. If a NEX 2 is released, I'll never buy another Messiah product...that would be pure bullshit.

-Rob


Remind me to never to try to bring a product out in the community, on a large retail scale. You make the best you can, make as few of the inevitable business compromises as possible, and your own community members immediately assume some sort of evil intent and cast you out. :/


It may be impossible to make a new NES, that plays ALL of your carts, NES perfectly, for a reasonable price. I don't know.


What I do know is, Messiah from day one, has been serving the community out of a passion for the hobby first, with hopes of it becoming something more economically viable as time goes by. Like their efforts or no, accusations of dishonest intent are misplaced.

[DreamTR]

Jagasian: I said this MANY times, we could NOT post a complete compatibility list because it CHANGED nearly every day. We were unsure on a few until the very, VERY end, and I mean the END, literally when it was shipping. There is no type of conspiracy here. AS for Castlevania III, there were far more important titles to try and get working in order to whittle the list down. I already brought this up in #vbender.

As for this being the "same" as the Yobo? Maybe in compatibility, maybe not. It's definitely much better due to the built in wireless, manual design, system design, and Famicom/NES dual compatibility, as well as better ports for controllers and Dual Mono capabilities.

I never said or claimed this system was better than the NES. Messiah is trying to release a product to the community with their own funding just for the heck of it! Like I said before Jagasian, if you want to try your hand in it with a 100% compatible system and not lose out on any money and spend endless hours trying to do this, I would LOVE to see it!

Thanks to everyone that has been supporting the NEX and Messiah so far as well!

rbudrick: read what I said about the compatibility. Why would anyone post something changing DAILY? Did you really WANT to know Super MArio Bros 2 was NOT working at one time? We'd get a huge backlash for that, but we got it working. Please think about what you are saying about people before you write it down, no one is trying to rip anyone off here. I would expect YOU at least to understand that.

[rbudrick]

Why would anyone post something changing DAILY?Did you really WANT to know Super MArio Bros 2 was NOT working at one time? We'd get a huge backlash for that, but we got it working.

No, but before the units shipped, a list could have been posted of known incompatibilities once development WAS finished (I didn't say anything about daily!). At that point the list was no longer changing. When the factory had these first units made, Messiah had to have known exactly what the unit did and didn't do. It's not hard to post info like this on the site. The only conceivable reason not to, when it was well know this was the main thing the pubic wanted to know was fear of monetary loss. So, while I don't think they were trying to rip anyone off, I do think they were afraid of losing money on their investment, which while understandable, does not warrant the silence they kept. I reserved any opinions toward either side of the argument until the release, since only then would we truly know the real compatibility issues. So, I have indeed had much time to think before I wrote...it's not like this is a new thread.

DreamTR, I love ya bro, but I just can't agree with you on this one. But you know what? In the end, it's $60, so no big deal to me financially. In fact, I don't even give a damn about the compatibility, as I'm going to play the hell out of my NEX. I know you said there were some incompatibilities, it's just that it was praised as having so few. It's just a lot more than I expected due to the hype...I expected better, and in hindsight, this many incompatibilities deserved a posted list for the public to see. It's just the principle of it that irks me...the way it was handled, not the money or the actual compatibility...the principle. Bottom line is, when development was done, a list could very easily have been posted...it's only fair to the consumer. To be honest, it's still not too late to post a list. Even the FAQ on their site says it is still in testing, so they don't know the incompatibilities. Well, it's not in testing anymore, so they can update that now.

I hope in the very least Messiah will post this list once the big shipments start rollng out. Besides monetary loss, I can't think of a single reason not to. Sure, it's a business and no one wants to lose money, but this, while likely not blatant deception (I don't think they WANTED to deceive anyone, but rather felt they needed to keep quiet), is pretty borderline behavior for such a well-regarded company. If Messiah posts a list, I would regard this as honorable and continue to regard the company as so and happily continue to buy their products. Otherwise, my opinion has been a bit scarred.

I know you were very close to this project DreamTR, and I'm not criticizing you for sticking up for Messiah...I probably would have done the same if I were involved as such. No one wants to hear criticism of something they worked so hard at, and I don't blame you, really. It just ticks me off a bit the way this was handled now that it is finally said and done. Not having been involved in the project, and being a consumer, I hope you can understand how I feel.

-Rob

[n8littlefield]

Well, I completely agree with Jag on this one - Messiah really dropped the ball. If compatibility is about the same as a normal NOAC than I'm extremely disappointed. Most of us really don't care about the wireless capability, if we wanted that we'd buy the controllers for our existing systems. Most don't care about the instructions that much - if you can't work an NES you probably couldn't work the internet to order a NEX. Dual mono capabilities? I've got that, it cost me like 3 bucks for an adaptor at Radio Shack.

What we were promised seemed to be a better famiclone. The site even focuses on the use of a new chip designed for high compatibility. Quite frankly Castlevania III should have been very high up on the list, given that it is one of the biggest franchises for the NES, and especially given it's the FIRST title that most people pick to check compatibility.

I understand what they were trying to do, and I commend them - but if you brag about better compatibility and a better NOAC on your website, you really should back it up.

[Teknik_SE-R]

well... (awkward)

regardless of if it's compatible with ALL games or not, I think it's still really cool.

Yes Messiah could have been more forthcoming with some of the info, but if you have ever ran a business, you would know that there are other things to running a business than responding to emails. such as paying the electrical bill, employees, legal issues, and don't forget people have lives outside of work.

I'm not trying to justify the way the PR was handled, (I know I was disappointed to hear micromachines and CVIII isn't working) but I don't believe it was intentional. how many employees do they have, 2? 3?

The PR has been disappointing at best. hopefully this fiasco will have taught everyone a lesson, consumer and business alike. Caveat Emptor definitely applies here.

I think everyone that preordered (including me) was expecting and hoping for better compatibility than other clones, and some were in denial that it might have incompatibility. those that were in denial were the ones that needed to listen to Jagasian. No one knew if it was going to be better or worse than other clonea, and no one knows if the ambiguousness (is this a word) was intentional. Given Messiah's dedication to providing 1st party quality products(imo), I would like to say it wasn't.

IMHO The looks and having real NES controller ports and direct Famicom and NES slots is worth the extra $15 over a neofami. ;)

I love my wireless controllers and can't wait to get my NEX next month!

Even if the compatibility isn't perfect, it sounds like it has been improved upon over other clones. therefore, an obvious effort was made to make it better than other clones.

A sincere Congratulations to Messiah for making the most functional and feature packed clone ever. It may not replace my toaster completely, but neither did my toploader.

I'm happy to support the company. hopefully my business is appreciated jsut as much.

[Teknik_SE-R]

rbudrick and n8littlefield hit it on the head. scarred, diappointed, but redeemable. Now get you a$$es in gear and reclaim your reputation!!!!!!

[Melf]

Also, there is very slim chance that Messiah might release a second revision of the NEX, but from the looks of these tests, the NEX does in fact use a run-of-the-mill NOAC. Developing a custom NES IC is extremely expensive, but the Atari Flashback did it. The Flashback 1.0 was a crappy NOAC based system, and the Flashback 2.0 was a custom IC... which had problems at first, but apparently has been improved in later revisions.

Because Messiah has the same resources as Atari does....


Honestly, all the nit-picking, elitist crap in this thread is sickening. The mere fact that someone even brought something like this to market is a feat in and of itself. To cry about the lack of 100% compatibility is so anal as to not even be funny. Yes, a dedicated chip would have been better. But exactly how much would it have cost to develop something like that. As you yourself pointed out, it took Atari two tries to even come close. I'm sure this isn't some closed-door conspiracy to release several versions over time, just to get your money.

Maybe....just maybe, if reception is warm enough, Messiah can go back and fix the compatiblity problems and add new features. If the fact that this isn't as perfect as your 100% authentic Nintendo-made top loader or toaster is too much to bear, the answer is simple:

Don't buy it.

This release is a milestone for retro consoles, as was the Flashback 2.0. I don't understand how gamers can bitch about something like this, when the big players in the industry could care less about older consoles. We finally get some people taking up the torch, and they're hammered because their first attempt isn't perfect.

Jesus.

[Jagasian]

Well, lets not let these disagreements stop us from compiling a complete and accurate compatibility list, as well as in depth, unbiased, reviews of the NEX. These forums are for people that love gaming, especially retro gaming, and we come here from accurate information on things such as "which NES is the best", "which Genesis is the best", etc. Answers to these questions are never simple, but having a compatiblity list and in depth reviews of the systems will help people make a decision as to whether or not a given gaming system is worth their money. I would definitely encourage anybody that wants to make a quality clone of the NES, but I will call shenanigans when if they are misleading about various technical aspects of their system. Note that kevtris will answer any meaningful question you have about his FPGA NES (http://tripoint.org/kevtris/Projects/console/), and he keeps a constantly updated list of game compatibility.

Teknik_SE-R, you partially implied that the Neofami does not offer NES controller ports. For those that don't know, there are two versions of the Neofami out there: a Japanese version with Famiclone controller ports and a Famicom cart slot, and the USA Neofami has NES controller ports and a NES cart slot. Having both cart slots can be had with the USA Neofami or even an official toaster or toploader NES via a $5 cart adapter.

[DreamTR]

Compatibility list posted:
NEX Compatibility Chart:

http://www.playmessiah.com/onlinestore/gnex_faq-chart.htm



Rbudrick: The units at CGE were SAMPLE units. THose have MORE incompatibility issues than the final units. THAT is why it was not posted. The FINAL end of development was done literally a few weeks ago as all the tweaking was done. There have been SOOOO many different things people have been doing (and mind you, Messiah has less than 3 employees, including one overseas trying to oversee this AND other projects for another company, it's been a dauting task to say the least. This is why I believe you are incorrect. We are still not 100% sure what is compatibile or not, there might be issues later on with some games, there might be connector issues with games that are compatible, but marked as not. It's one big everchanging guideline, and we can't keep tweaking it every few days, so we waited until the time was appropriate.

ALSO, you CAN get a refund if you are not happy with your purchase. It's as simple as that. Now with that in mind, if anyone has any other issues, please let us know.

As for the "disappointing" PR, I answer every customer service question. We have had 5 questions about compatibility, and I have let everyone know we would post a list when we could. Those 5 were emails sent to the contactus@playmessiah.com address. Most questions are about people just wanting to make sure that their carts would work without a flashing screen, and I answered HUNDREDS of emails.

As for the CVIII comment, like I said before, Mario 2 was a "tad" more important to get working than CVIII which probably requires something completely unfounded for clones in order to get to work properly.

n8littlefield: The instructions contain a rarity guide and LISTING for all the NES and Famicom games released in the USA and Japan.

[Jagasian]

Honestly, all the nit-picking, elitist crap in this thread is sickening. The mere fact that someone even brought something like this to market is a feat in and of itself.


I have to disagree with there being anything special about yet another NOAC based NES/Famicom clone. There have been multiple different NOAC-based clones released every year for at least a decade now. Why aren't you so eager to support the corporations that sell all of those previous clones? Why don't you claim that their work "is also a feat in and of itself"?

It is not nit-picking elitist crap to claim that a company mislead its customers. Reality demonstrates that this is what happened.




This release is a milestone for retro consoles, as was the Flashback 2.0.

Again, I disagree. It does not seem to be based on a custom NOAC, but instead appears to be based on a variation of some previous NOAC, which explains why the incompatibility list matches the Neofami. The Flashback 2 is a different story because it is the first commercial 2600-on-a-chip, and the last time the market saw a real (not NOAC based) 2600 clone was back in the late 70s and early 80s.

[Jagasian]

Compatibility list posted:
NEX Compatibility Chart:

http://www.playmessiah.com/onlinestore/gnex_faq-chart.htm


Some of the games in the chart have been claimed to not run at all, by people in this thread, such as Firehawk. Also, a binary "works" and "does not work" rating will cause problems. Some games will have minor glitches, but others will have more severe glitches that make the game unenjoyable. Maybe a score of: "perfect", "playable with glitches", and "unplayable" will be more accurate and less problematic. A similar measure is used by emulator compatiblity lists.

[n8littlefield]

Well, my last comment, since I don't want to seem elitist is simply that I wouldn't have been upset with this if they hadn't made it sound like it would have improved compatibility on their website. If they had said "hey, here's a sweet famiclone with wireless and nice design" I would be singing a very different tune today. The issue I have is that it was sold as having a new chip for better compatibility.

And I see what you're saying about Mario 2 being more important to some gamers than Castlevania 3, but for a few of us the exact opposite is true. I would rather play the best of Castlevania than the worst of Mario anyday.

It really is a milestone, especially if they manage to get the NEX in brick and mortar stores. I give them a ton of credit - it's an impressive product and it's nice to see a Famiclone with support and with good quality. I just wish that promise on compatibility had been kept.

[Flack]

So according to the NEX website, the NES is 95.34% compatible with the original NES. Didn't someone just say in the PS3 thread that it was only 80% backwards compatible with the PS2? 95.34% sounds pretty good!

95% is 19 out of 20. When I pick up lots of NES games from garage sales, thrift stores or flea markets, I rarely get that high of a ratio of working games. :)

[Necromutant]

Just got mine today too... :D ...and I won't lie I'm disappointed in the compatibility issues too and think that Messiah could have been a little more upfront about things. That said I don't regret buying the system at all now, it is a very nice looking system in my opinion you compare this to the NeoFami and all the similar clones and the NEX by far beats them out in looks (damn this little box is a beauty and every other clone I have seen looks like it came out of someone's ass) for certain and by my standards it also beats them in functionality with the dual cart slots and NES style and oriented controller input plugs. All that for $60 delivered to your front door (new) is not in any way a bad deal in my opinion.

Here are a few other tidbits that I though might interest people considering a purchase:

- I'm between liking and hating the controller that came with the system. It looks good, damn good and feels pretty decent in my hands when playing. I'm not a big fan of the turbo and slow buttons or the way they are implemented, I would rather have normal buttons there, or have them left off the controller, same with the shoulder buttons, but these being there is not a big deal. The d-pad feels ok, though I would have rather it had been a NES style d-pad. The biggest problem with this controller is the buttons, they have no concave or convex shape to them, completely flat and the feel like they are about to stick at times. Basically they feel a bit cheap and would feel alot better if they were convex or concave. The think that I LOVE about this controller is the way that the A, B, Select and Start buttons are placed. This button configuration is so perfect for Mike Tyson's Punch-Out... this is my official MTPO controller from now on. :D

- I too noticed that the coin noise is SMB was off. I also noticed that the sound effect for when you connect with a punch that is not blocked on an opponent that is not stunned is a little off as well.

- The sticker on the back of console warning you not to open the system and that modifying it invalidates your warranty was already partially removed from my system...and was falling apart. No big deal as I had decided to take it off when I first saw it as it is ugly, but worth mentioning.

- Damn this this is small! :P

[kainemaxwell]

So if the compatibility issues they list involve different colored title screens and they need to test a different game or connector, are they doing just that?

[DreamTR]

jagasian: Firehawk works. Have to clean the cart and move the switch on the back. Also, there are so many games with different music and sounds because of the chip, it was not noted, it would have taken literally forever to go one by one and denote everything, playing games from start to finish.

n8littlefield: "Increased" compatibility...if they said that on the playmessiah.com, it meant no more blinking lights, and carts will work. They never claimed it would be more compatible than the NES, because, well, that would be impossible.

[badinsults]

The answer is simple: if you want 100% compatibility, play a real NES. If you can't handle some issues with some games, don't get a Generation NEX, it is not for you. Although it is disappointing that Castlevainia III doesn't work, it still doesn't lower my interest in this product.

[DreamTR]

n8littlefield: Mario 2 is more important based on sales and well, it's freaking Mario! CIII is a bit tougher to find, and we DID want to keep the system at an affordable price. Would be kind of silly to pay $80-100 just to play CIII, yes?

As for the testing of the additional carts, all of my PERSONAL games were tested, and the ones that were incompatible were sent to the factory for tweaking. WIth that said, I do not have duplicates of these games, so I have to wait to get them back if I was going to retest. By then, someone else will have tested all of those games.

[s1lence]

This is going to be my last 2 cents in this thread. I'm still glad I got the NEX and i'm really glad that Messiah produced it. Its a high quality product regardless of all the neh sayers. I'm going to go play some more now. :hmm:

[rbudrick]

Rbudrick: The units at CGE were SAMPLE units. THose have MORE incompatibility issues than the final units. THAT is why it was not posted. The FINAL end of development was done literally a few weeks ago as all the tweaking was done. There have been SOOOO many different things people have been doing (and mind you, Messiah has less than 3 employees, including one overseas trying to oversee this AND other projects for another company, it's been a dauting task to say the least. This is why I believe you are incorrect. We are still not 100% sure what is compatibile or not, there might be issues later on with some games, there might be connector issues with games that are compatible, but marked as not. It's one big everchanging guideline, and we can't keep tweaking it every few days, so we waited until the time was appropriate.

CGE units? Hmm? Oh, I think you misunderstood me when I spoke of the first shipment...I meant the preorders....the ones people are receiving now. I know the CGE units were way early. ;)

Thank you very much for posting the list, DreamTR. This is the list I think should have gone up when the final plans were sent to the factory to be manufactured (unless further changes are going to be made to forthcoming NEX units...I think I'd be doubly pissed if that happened). If that was a few weeks ago as you say, then I feel that's when this should have went up. Better late than never, seriously. This renews my faith a good amount. It should still be linked in the FAQ, however, since there's no way to it I can see without actually knowing the URL.

Thanks, DreamTR! I do commend you on how much you busted your ass on this project, btw.

-Rob

[heyricochet]

Accessory compatibility list? Powerglove, u-force, power pad, 4 score etc...

[98PaceCar]

The answer is simple: if you want 100% compatibility, play a real NES. If you can't handle some issues with some games, don't get a Generation NEX, it is not for you. Although it is disappointing that Castlevainia III doesn't work, it still doesn't lower my interest in this product.

Amen. Finally, someone that gets it and isn't interested in crapping all over a product that meets a market need.

Besides, show me a person that owns a copy of any of these incompatible games that doesn't already own at least a toaster, if not a top loader.....

[leonk]

Speaking of compatibility,

does anyone know the compatibility rate that come from systems like the XBOX or DC? What about the NES emulator for the GBA? How do they stack up?

As far as I can see, the NES is still one of the most popular systems of all time. Yet getting a good working system requires to either be really good with a soldering iron (fix up a top loader) or good with cleaning tools (to fix up a front loader).

I can see now why Nintendo's next system will sell so well.. 8-)

[DreamTR]

As for the accessories, I am pretty sure most of them work, we tested a few, but we did not test some like the Beeshu Zipper or things of that nature ;)

Rbudrick: believe me, they were THAT late. The factory ones were 2-3 weeks ago, but even then I was not completely informed about what might or might not work =(

[rbudrick]

Rbudrick: believe me, they were THAT late. The factory ones were 2-3 weeks ago, but even then I was not completely informed about what might or might not work =(

Ok, that's fine...as long as I have your word the list went up ASAP, I'm completely fine with everything, and my original faith in Messiah is unshaken. I just really was becoming convinced we weren't going to see any such list and that the fans would have to make one (The M$ "users are the bug testers" technique LOL ). But, man am I glad to see one up. I sincerely hope that others who were upset are as relieved as I am.

Can't wait to receive mine...should be here Monday.

-Rob

[Teknik_SE-R]

I know that there are NEofami consoles that have direct nes controller and cart connections, but they aren't compatible with, say yhe satellite or fourscore unless you use extension cables. And to play fc games on the neofami, you have to have an adapter

the convenience of direct fc/nes connections and nes configured controller ports on the nex were what i was referring to when I said it was worth the extra $. not to mention the sexiness. ;)

any opinioins so far on the reliability (cart loading/connections) of the nex VS other clones, toploader & toaster?

[Melf]

I have to disagree with there being anything special about yet another NOAC based NES/Famicom clone. There have been multiple different NOAC-based clones released every year for at least a decade now. Why aren't you so eager to support the corporations that sell all of those previous clones? Why don't you claim that their work "is also a feat in and of itself"?

Show me one clone that had half the effort put into it as this one did. Show me one with the same features, and made of the same quality.


It is not nit-picking elitist crap to claim that a company mislead its customers. Reality demonstrates that this is what happened.

If I didn't know any better, I'd think you weren't going to buy one. :p



Again, I disagree. It does not seem to be based on a custom NOAC, but instead appears to be based on a variation of some previous NOAC, which explains why the incompatibility list matches the Neofami. The Flashback 2 is a different story because it is the first commercial 2600-on-a-chip, and the last time the market saw a real (not NOAC based) 2600 clone was back in the late 70s and early 80s.

Yes, the second version of the Flashback had that. After Atari went back and addressed the problems in the first release. You're comparing the second generation of hardware from a major company to a first edition system done by a handful of people. Don't you think that's a little out of perspective?

[GarrettCRW]

I'm not sure how many people follow the NESDEV forum, but a lot of progress has been done therein regards to the regular top loader video quality.

The gist of it is:

- I purchased an extra top loader
- I took it apart and started working on trying to figure out how to get clean AV out of it
- With the help of others at NESDEV, I've managed to produce perfect Front Loader video picture quality (using RCA cables) out of a top loader.

Total cost: less than 5$ in parts.

PRO: So the ultimate game system is a real NES Top loader with the newly designed NESDEV video amp that uses the exact same video amp IC as a front loader.

CON: RF modulator doesn't work anymore.

*looks at AV-modded top loader*

So, how difficult would it be to take a top loader that's been modded using the old method and upgrade it to this new method you speak of? (And remember that I'm still willing to invest money on this, as well.... ;))

[Mangar]

Honestly, all the nit-picking, elitist crap in this thread is sickening. The mere fact that someone even brought something like this to market is a feat in and of itself.

Not really. Famiclones have been out now for quite awhile. The NEX is nothing more then a "Nice Looking" Famiclone. With the same exact problems encountered on the same exact games. I'd hardly consider it a feat considering the multitude of other clones to precede it.

I also find nothing "Elitest" in pointing this out. I mean, lets cut through the bullshit here. The NEX was marketed and HEAVILY hyped as a system which could nearly replace a standard NES. When people pointed out some problems they had, they were quickly attacked by fanboys and those with vested financial interests in the systems success. The end result was that every single negative thing said or "thought" about the NEX prior to it's release, ended up not only true - But worse then originally thought.

The release of the compatibility list also bothers me. It was posted only after people purchased them and started posting there own lists of non-working titles. To in any way act like Messiah had no idea until now what worked and what didn't - Is simply the absolute height of stupidity. The whole thing just seems rather underhanded and deceitful to me. Especially considering that the same titles that have problems on any Famiclone, have problems on the NEX. (Actually: It seems that the NEX has even MORE then some Famiclones)

And to add insult to injury, the NEX will soon be marketed as a NES replacement at retail stores, and sold to "Average Joe Consumer" who will be under the false impression that he can take it home, and play all the games stored away in his attic or basement. He won't have access to a thread like this, a knowledge of what NOAC or famiclones are, or any idea that such a thing like an incompatibility list exists. It's this kind of duplicity and greed which is elitest. Not the people who were (accurately) attempting to warn others of the problems and issues looming ahead.

[Teknik_SE-R]

DreamTR:

I wasn't commenting on Nubytech's replies to feedback. Feedback was prompt.. The ambiguousness of Messiah regarding certain aspects of the system is what I was talkingabout when I said "disappointing PR"

The real Messiah would never deceive! Blasphemy! :D

[SoulBlazer]

Something I don't understand from looking at that compatibility list.....I can understand a complicated game like Castlevania III not working on it, but what's so hard to get a old game like Commando working? :hmm: That seems REALLY strange to me.

And yes, I remember seeing messages about how this NEX could replace a old NES unit as well.

Now, I have no intrest in this one way or the other -- I'm not going to buy one and I'm not on anyone's side. It's just the games that are not compatible with it are really curious.

I play all my NES games on the emulator, but I'd buy one of these (and the carts, those are cheap enough) if it could offer MORE for me then a emulated NES could. Not being able to play some of my favorite games from that list, though, is a turn off, and it may be for others as well.

[n8littlefield]

jagasian: Firehawk works. Have to clean the cart and move the switch on the back. Also, there are so many games with different music and sounds because of the chip, it was not noted, it would have taken literally forever to go one by one and denote everything, playing games from start to finish.

n8littlefield: "Increased" compatibility...if they said that on the playmessiah.com, it meant no more blinking lights, and carts will work. They never claimed it would be more compatible than the NES, because, well, that would be impossible.

I was going to keep my mouth shut but I call BS on this...the site actually says:

Q: Does it contain custom ICs, or is it based around the NOAC [NES-on-a-chip] that most "clone" consoles are based around?
A: Our IC is a custom designed IC that is built on the NES algorithm. Every attention to detail has been spent on compatibility.

The site did claim improved compatibility over other NOAC. I'm not stupid, it wouldn't be more compatible than an NES, but it did seem to claim superiority over other clones. If the site meant no more blinking screens, the word RELIABILITY should have been used.

Again, I think this product has a place. If I didn't already have a Yobo, I'd consider it, but without real improved game compatibility, there's no selling point for me. Don't take it so personally - it's a good product, it will sell. It's just for those of us that have followed it are somewhat disappointed.

[thegreatescape]

Sheesh, you people talk about it like its the new fucking watergate or something

[Jagasian]

does anyone know the compatibility rate that come from systems like the XBOX or DC? What about the NES emulator for the GBA? How do they stack up?


The NES emulator for the DC isn't very good, as the DC isn't fast enough to run the games at full speed. Similarly, the GBA has a limited screen resolution and CPU speed. Therefore it is also not the best NES emulator, but the GBA NES emulator does have the portability advantage.

The Xbox NES emulator, http://xport.xbox-scene.com/fceultra.php]FCE (http://xport.xbox-scene.com/frame.html?[url) Ultra X[/url], has far better game compatibility than the NEX! It can play Castlevania 3 correctly as well as basically every other game that the NEX has issues with, except Micromachines, which only Nintendulator can emulate correctly. Anyway, if you have an Xbox, I strongly suggest soft-modding it, as it is free and requires no mod-chip and no permenant changes to your Xbox, and then you can install FCE Ultra X, which is a solid NES emulator. Still, I prefer a real NES, but emulate the games I don't have real copies of.

The better NES emulators, such as Nintendulator, Nestopia, and FCE Ultra are, hands down, far more accurate and compatible than any Fami/NES clone, especially better than the NEX.



Show me one clone that had half the effort put into it as this one did. Show me one with the same features, and made of the same quality.


Earlier before more extensive game compatibility reports were released, I said that the NEX had the same compatibility problems as the USA Neofami. I was wrong. It now seems as thought the Neofami has better game compatibility than the NEX. So to answer your question, I will say that the USA Neofami, which costs half as much as the NEX, offers better game compatiblity, is a similar effort. One that isn't hyped by people around here, as people around here do not have a financial connection with the developers of the Neofami.

DreamTR,
The guys at NES Dev have posted another game with compatibility issues with the NEX, which is listed as working in your chart:
"After Burner - garbage on screen"

Can you double check that one? I figure that there are quite a few games that might not glitch-out until after playing for a bit, which makes testing more time consuming, so expect requests for double checking several games, as people claim they have issues. Also, under Firefox web browser, the "no" entries in the table aren't displayed. The text apparently is white on white, as highlighting the table cell makes "no" displayed while highlighted. I might be a good idea to do something more normal with the text coloring so that it works for Mac, Linux, and Firefox Windows users.

Also, I really appreciate the compatibility list. Better late than never. When will we see a Famicom compatibility list, and compatibility lists for peripherials and cheat carts?

[Zoe F]

The NES emulator for the DC isn't very good, as the DC isn't fast enough to run the games at full speed.

Hm? I haven't used NesterDC in a while, but as I recall it ran just about everything at 60 frames per second or very close. Emulators for most other systems on the DC are majorly slow, but the NES emulation is pretty top notch.

[TheRedEye]

I don't really care that much about this big tinfoil hat conspiracy or whatever, but I wonder: can this unit do ANYTHING that a cheap $10 Famiclone can't?

[devils advocate]

I don't really care that much about this big tinfoil hat conspiracy or whatever, but I wonder: can this unit do ANYTHING that a cheap $10 Famiclone can't?

Well, 2.4ghz wireless anyway.

[leonk]

actually, you can buy wireless controllers from the makers of the NESX for a lot less, and use it on a real nes system or most neofamicoms.

[Teknik_SE-R]

I don't really care that much about this big tinfoil hat conspiracy or whatever, but I wonder: can this unit do ANYTHING that a cheap $10 Famiclone can't?

meh, that's up for discussion. the only REAL exclusive thing is the built in wireless support for their controllers


you can also use fc games and nes games without an adaptor, and can use the satellite and fourscore without a birds nest (for me anyway) of extension cables. Oh! and dual mono "stereo" output! (which can be taken care of with a cheap y adaptor as someone pointed out)

I wouldn't call these features exclusive to the nex, but it sure is more convenient and professional than the alternative.

I haven't seen a decent famiclone for that cheap ($10) ever! where are you seeing this? if you are referring to ebay, check the shipping cost first. you can easily find a neofami for $0.99 but you'll pay $35 for shipping

Oh and in response to mangar's statement that the NEX will be marketed to joe schmoe thinking it is a nes replacement only to take it home and be disappointed:

The JP Neofami was sold at Rhino for quite a while as a new and improved NES. Sure it was more reliable, but they don't tell you you need a cumbersome adaptor to play nes games, it isn't100% compatible, and you can't use nes peripherals on it. I dare to say people were fooled MORE regarding the jp neofami than anyone was "fooled" regarding the NEX. It sucks but it is your duty to EDUCATE YOURSELF BEFORE YOU BUY!

At least Messiah is (now) forthcoming about the nature of its clone, and they have customer support (does any other clone) and (as i would assume) instructions in english not engrish

[Teknik_SE-R]

The answer is simple: if you want 100% compatibility, play a real NES. If you can't handle some issues with some games, don't get a Generation NEX, it is not for you. Although it is disappointing that Castlevainia III doesn't work, it still doesn't lower my interest in this product.

here here!

[Jagasian]

I don't really care that much about this big tinfoil hat conspiracy or whatever, but I wonder: can this unit do ANYTHING that a cheap $10 Famiclone can't?

Well, 2.4ghz wireless anyway.


the only REAL exclusive thing is the built in wireless support for their controllers

That is not true. You can use the Messiah 2.4ghz wireless controllers with a cheap $10 Famiclone.



Hm? I haven't used NesterDC in a while, but as I recall it ran just about everything at 60 frames per second or very close. Emulators for most other systems on the DC are majorly slow, but the NES emulation is pretty top notch.

It can run games close to full speed, but needs frameskipping in order to maintain full speed. This is a bad thing for many reasons. I wouldn't even consider playing emulated NES games unless they ran at full speed with no frameskipping. The Xbox FCEUltraX can do just that. Still, FCEUltraX has game incompatibilities, but far fewer than the NEX system, and NesterDC.



I haven't seen a decent famiclone for that cheap ($10) ever! where are you seeing this? if you are referring to ebay, check the shipping cost first. you can easily find a neofami for $0.99 but you'll pay $35 for shipping


While it is becoming popular for sellers to hide the real cost of their item in the shipping costs, a new USA Neofami can be had for $25 total. If you know where to look, you could probably get a Famiclone for as cheap as $10. Fami/NES clones are a dime a dozen, so to speak. New ones are released all the time. Amongst NES collector's, Famiclones get very little respect, as they have terrible compatibility and accuracy, even worse than a free emulator for your PC.



The answer is simple: if you want 100% compatibility, play a real NES. If you can't handle some issues with some games, don't get a Generation NEX, it is not for you. Although it is disappointing that Castlevainia III doesn't work, it still doesn't lower my interest in this product.

here here!

Why not have the same interest in other Famiclones? The Neofami, apparently, even has better compatibility than the NEX, and the USA Neofami doesn't require a cart adapter and can use NES peripherials. It also costs half as much as a NEX.

[johno590]

I read a little thing in a magazine about this console, and it looked really cool. Sucks about the compatability issues.

The thing I'm waiting for the most is the wireless controllers for the SNES.

[omnedon]

I don't really care that much about this big tinfoil hat conspiracy or whatever, but I wonder: can this unit do ANYTHING that a cheap $10 Famiclone can't?


Use an Advantage joystick
Use legacy NES controllers (some of the clones I've seen use DB9 controllers)
Have decent build quality
wireless compatibilty with built in receiver (no need to insert receivers)
Both Famicom and NES slots without the need of a HoneyBee adapter.
Aesthetics seem better than most of the clones I've seen.


I get the feeling Jagasian has seen more clones than I have. All of the clones I've ever seen seemed like utter trash.

[Teknik_SE-R]

]
The answer is simple: if you want 100% compatibility, play a real NES. If you can't handle some issues with some games, don't get a Generation NEX, it is not for you. Although it is disappointing that Castlevainia III doesn't work, it still doesn't lower my interest in this product.

here here!

Why not have the same interest in other Famiclones? The Neofami, apparently, even has better compatibility than the NEX, and the USA Neofami doesn't require a cart adapter and can use NES peripherials. It also costs half as much as a NEX.

I didn't say i didn't have any interest in other clones i just agreed with evan that the compatibility issue didn't kill my interest in the NEX. not that its relevant or any of your business, but I have been interested in other clones, and the NEX appeals to me more than any other clone. That's my opinion, not a fact. and i did say before that the conveniences that the nex offers over other clones is worth the $15 extra bucks (in some cases it is more i know), and not to mention customer support and better build qulaity

[Leo_A]

"That is not true. You can use the Messiah 2.4ghz wireless controllers with a cheap $10 Famiclone."

He said "the only REAL exclusive thing is the built in wireless support for their controllers"

[Sardius]

At this point I have to wonder what the Famicom cart compatibility is like, since nobody's seemed to have tested it out yet. There were several games for the Famicom that used custom chips for sound and such, and if they can't even get Castlevania III to work, I'm guessing Fami compatibility is that much worse.

I've also been seeing reports of peoples' reproduction carts not working at all on the NEX, so if you have any fan-translated stuff burned to cart, you could be shit out of luck here.

[omnedon]

I'd be stunned if any repro carts *ever* worked in any clone.

Talk about double unsupported. Nothing wrong with testing all variations. Things is NES variations are about as complex as Atari 2600 variotions. Literally hundreds of thirds party/pirate combinations, just talking about unlicensed stuff.

Nothing will ever best a real NES for playing real NES carts with full compatibility.

[Mog_the_Destroyer]

Well I finally got my NEX yesterday (friday 10-28). Pop in Castlevania 3 and all I get is a green screen. Stick the cart in my toploader and works perfect.

Guess the delay was for naught on this game.

Anyone else have the system and can try out the game as well? Wondering if it just my system or its all of them.

On a side note the game likes to get stuck in the NEX as well. Me's thinking that the Castlevania 3 board is thicker than the other 2 games in the series cause they don't stick at all. Anyone verify that as well??

[The Collector]

I got mine today and i have the wireless controllers too. What is the function of the charging ports on the back of the console? Sticker reads" Warning: only remove if instructed by messiah wireless controller manual", which i read through but found nothing reguarding this. Maybe be i missed it so i'll check again. Seems to imply that the controllers can be charged through the back of the system? Can anyone shed some light on this?
~bill

[Necromutant]

I got mine today and i have the wireless controllers too. What is the function of the charging ports on the back of the console? Sticker reads" Warning: only remove if instructed by messiah wireless controller manual", which i read through but found nothing reguarding this. Maybe be i missed it so i'll check again. Seems to imply that the controllers can be charged through the back of the system? Can anyone shed some light on this?
~bill

I don't have the wireless controllers so I don't know if this is correct or not for sure, but I do remember seeing a section about the charge ports in the NEX instructions... the wireless controllers have been out since before the NEX was even announced so maybe just the newer controllers include the NEX instructions?

[Nz17]

The thing I'm waiting for the most is the wireless controllers for the SNES.

You mean these?

http://www.playmessiah.com/images/onlinestore/ps-lesnesTN2.jpg

There is no need to wait. They have been available for order for months now, $59.99 with free shipping in the U.S.A.

[J2games]

To bring this topic back to our original posting (and I haven't read through the 4 pages of postings since in case I'm repeating something already said...)

J2Games.com has been informed that our order of Messiah Gen NEX systems and wireless controllers will be in stock in about a week. Granted there have been two delays already, but our units are being airmailed vs the units that are coming via boat so we should be one of the early retailers receiving them.

We're excited to see the units and still have a few available that should ship November 7th if anyone is still looking.

I'm curious to read about the compatibility issues that have been discussed. We will be testing the units ourselves to see what we find.

[TheRedEye]

I haven't seen a decent famiclone for that cheap ($10) ever! where are you seeing this?

I used to wholesale order them from Sachen!

[Truffle]

I haven't seen a decent famiclone for that cheap ($10) ever! where are you seeing this?

I used to wholesale order them from Sachen!

O_O
Really? I dont know much about clones I guess....I never knew Sachen made a Famiclone, I suppose they probably made many...

Got any pics?

[Niku-Sama]

I haven't seen a decent famiclone for that cheap ($10) ever! where are you seeing this?

I used to wholesale order them from Sachen!

man i am jealous of al you guys finding cheapo NOAC's....i cant seem to find any

[Jagasian]

I saw that Pirates! is listed as working without glitches in the compatibility chart. Can somebody play it for 5 minutes so as to get into a city? Emulators typically do not emulate this game correctly and the graphic for the inside of a city or tavern typically is glitchy. So just play long enough to see if the NEX has this bug.

Also, the guys at NES Dev (http://nesdev.parodius.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=698) are discussing possible technical reasons why some games are incompatible and suggest that some of the games may actually work correctly if played via NES to Famicom cart adapter in the Famicom cart slot of the NEX. Maybe non-working games could be tested this way? This could provide a work-around for getting some games to work with the NEX.

They have also been doing their own testing, and let me tell you, the NES Dev crowd knows the NES through and through. They claim that Super Mario Bros 3 and Kirby's Adventure, while playable, have significantly inaccurate sound. See the thread, linked above, for details.

Also, I am still waiting on Game Genie testing. Clones are known to have incompatibility issues with the Game Genie, for certain games, and since the Game Genie is probably one of the most popular NES accessories, I am sure many people would like to know about incompatibility issues with it. Most problems manifest themselves between the Game Genie and clones by just running a game with the Game Genie, but without any codes. So this means every game should be tested with and without the Game Genie in both a toaster NES and a NEX.

Finally, when will we get a Famicom compatibility chart? Some Famicom games are known to have issues with clones.

[evg2000]

I was able to get firehawk to work, not that I should have to do this but it does work.
As soon as the codemaster title screen disappears hit the start button and it works, if you let the actual firehawk screen start loading the system locks up. I can get this to work 2 out of 3 times. On my toploader I don't have to do any of this. But I guess technically the cart works, you just have to know the trick. I played it for a few minutes, nothing to extensive.

later,
Charles

[Jagasian]

I was able to get firehawk to work, not that I should have to do this but it does work.
As soon as the codemaster title screen disappears hit the start button and it works, if you let the actual firehawk screen start loading the system locks up. I can get this to work 2 out of 3 times. On my toploader I don't have to do any of this. But I guess technically the cart works, you just have to know the trick. I played it for a few minutes, nothing to extensive.


Have you tried both switch settings on the back of Firehawk? If it really requires hitting the start button before the start screen loads, then that should be listed in the compatibility chart. Games should not be listed as working if they have such compatibility issues.

[DreamTR]

As I posted before, I stopped taking notes about each and every game because most of the games have slightly different sounds...

[video_game_addict]

Are there any plans for building a revised model in the future with improve compatibility?

Also are there any socketed chips inside that could be swapped out to upgrade the current NEX, to make it more compatible? I'm thinking like a bios mod similar to Neo Geo, where you just pull one chip & replace..

[Bratwurst]

Also are there any socketed chips inside that could be swapped out to upgrade the current NEX, to make it more compatible? I'm thinking like a bios mod similar to Neo Geo, where you just pull one chip & replace..

From what I've read the NEX uses glop-top epoxy sealed chips, which discourages hacking, although I suspect this was more of an economical decision.

[Jagasian]

Also are there any socketed chips inside that could be swapped out to upgrade the current NEX, to make it more compatible? I'm thinking like a bios mod similar to Neo Geo, where you just pull one chip & replace..

From what I've read the NEX uses glop-top epoxy sealed chips, which discourages hacking, although I suspect this was more of an economical decision.

All Famiclones use glop-top chips and the NEX isn't any different. Glop-tops are extremely inexpensive to produce. I don't think that NES-on-a-chips (NOAC) come in any flavor other than glop-tops.