Trying to remember something...

[Nirvana]

I remember a couple years ago someone posted a link to this third-party company's version of the original Nintendo. It claimed to work pretty well, and I was curious about it. It actually looked pretty cool too. I know I kinda sound vague, but hopefully someone knows what I'm talking about...

[Cloud121]

Generation NEX? That's what it sounds like you're referring to.

[Nirvana]

That's definitely it. Does anyone have one? I wonder how reliable it is...

[Cinder6]

The topic has been discussed to death, here and elsewhere. I've tried to forget most of it, since I'll never own one, but from what I remember, it doesn't play a few games, most notably Castlevania III. It also has some audio issues and is overpriced.

[Nirvana]

Ooh. Sounds like it's something to stay away from.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

The thing about NES / Famicom clones is that NONE of them are perfect.

The NEX has it's compatibility issues (approximately 20 games from the NES catalog are un-playable) however, anybody who has any intentions of getting into the market for buying a "clone" system should simply accept the fact that minor compatibility limitations are just something to deal with and look at the positives that each clone system provides.

While the Nex is on the higher price range for an NES/Fami clone the unit DOES have some interesting positives that warrant the overall "value" of the system.

1.) AV output with simulated stereo output (Mono channel duplicated in L and R ... even with a TOASTER NES with AV output you'll only get audio from one channel on a true stereo sound system.)

2.) Dual NES and Famicom cartridge compatibility in one unit. Famicom on top and NES in the front. (There's no need to track down a US or JAPAN cartridge adapter.)

3.) Famicom Disk System compatibility. If you get your hands on a Famicom Disk System but don't have access to a Famicom or Famicom clone, it'll work well with the NEX.

4.) Built in wireless controller signals. I really like the Messiah controllers, both the wired and wireless have a nice grip, and the aesthetic is somewhere between an original NES pad and a NES 2 dog-bone. The Wireless Messiah "Advantage" is a bit large if you've seen it ... almost to the point of absurdity ... but all that aside the wireless signals are great and it's nice to see a feature like that built in.

5.) Original NES accessory compatibility. Some NES clones don't have the NES controller inputs so accessories like the Zapper, the Power Pad, and the Four-Score won't work on those. They all work on the NEX.

So, that being said ... it's more expensive, but there's some built-in value.

No clone is a substitute for the real thing, but personally, as a collector of NES and Famicom clones (I've got a LOT of them) I think the NEX is a well designed unit that was relatively well executed, even if it did fall short of Messiah's claims / consumer expectations when it was launched.

[ShinobiMan]

Here is a cool video review of what I think is the best NES / SNES clone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kcCbgVkfY4

It's called Retro Duo... it's the newest version of FC Twin, a clone machine that plays both NES and SNES games. Awesome things about this one is that you can play Super Famicom games NO PROBLEM. I highly recommend it.

[Krook]

Here is a cool video review of what I think is the best NES / SNES clone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kcCbgVkfY4

It's called Retro Duo... it's the newest version of FC Twin, a clone machine that plays both NES and SNES games. Awesome things about this one is that you can play Super Famicom games NO PROBLEM. I highly recommend it.

I was just gonna post that...
Well, imo the Retro Duo seems like the obvious choice.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Well, as long as the topic is diverting to the RetroDuo, I have a thread here in Classic Gaming that details everything we know about it so far, and is actively examining compatibility on NES, SNES, Famicom and Super Famicom games via field tests by DP users.

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=114088

I also have four videos on YouTube (that you can find in that thread) regarding the Duo.

When it comes to clone systems, I'd be careful saying it has "better" compatability than the NEX or any other clone on the market ... because, if I've learned anything in my research - while some games (like Castlevania III or Star Fox) may work on the Duo, others may NOT (that work on the NEX or other clones).

While the Duo is surely a powerhouse of a clone with some "treasured" titles working on it pretty close to perfectly, I'd err on the side of caution and just say that they all have "different" or "varying" levels of compatability.