What is the best NES CLONE console? I have conditions.

[retroman]

just get a original...just as cheap, and no compat probs.

[TKO]

a Moded Retro Duo is the best among NOAC clone.

-Play all game I throw at it including Castlevania 3

-work with Gamegenie

-Work perfectly with Super Everdrive and SNES PowerPak (I have them both so I know).

-from video in youtube 2nd Revision WONT WORK with NES PowerPak this is a major down side.

-Very good NES sound (after modded , before sound mod it sucks beyond exceptable)

[zebular]

For modern Famiclones, I'd take a modified RetroDuo. Out of the box, the NES side has such heavily distorted audio that some games will give you a massive earache. See for yourself(these are my videos, by the way):

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whZ3Id9k0OE
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wvcx6-2LEgI
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gtzf2CEG0Wo
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv4yMjv8IMU

Really nasty sound unless you add a 2.2Kohm resistor and a 0.1uF ceramic capacitor to the sound circuit. It is the most compatible modern-day Famiclone, however, but what good is a compatible clone if you have to play most games with no sound?

My personal recommendation is to get one of the classic Famiclones and a Ricoh 2A03 CPU. The cloned CPUs will give sound just as wrong as most NOACs, but most, if not all of the classic Famiclones, have socketed chips on the motherboard for the clones CPU and PPU. The cloned PPU can be left there, but the cloned CPU must be replaced by an original Ricoh 2A03 for proper sound. I have a MicroGenius IQ-501 on which I've replaced the CPU by a 2A03 taken out of a dead Front-Loader NES, and the sound is perfect, except that the sound output was a little bit distorted due to some resistors on the motherboard that aren't the correct value for the 2A03's sound output.

Really, though, if you want to spare yourself some trouble with Famiclones, get a RetroBit Retro Entertainment System or an FC Twin. They sound good, their picture is very nice(slight edge to the RES for its brighter picture), and their compatibility is quite good. I only had issues with 3 games: Castlevania III(crashes when starting a game), Rad Racer II(playable, but the graphics are completely screwed up) and Tengen's After Burner(no backgrounds).

Do you know which resistors those are and what to replace them with? My sound is a bit off now that I put the ppu/cpu from my nes 001 in my micro genius 501

[Satoshi_Matrix]

OK, there seems to be several including ones that play also SNES / Genesis etc. Here's the thing, my ONLY NES hardware is my FC Mobile II Handheld, fine and dandy but I want a console. OF COURSE I KNOW overall the original Toaster is best but I hate the issues with reliability with the pins etc. I would like recommendations on the best overall NES Clone console keeping in mind I would like the following features IF POSSIBLE. Please post your opinions, comments, experience:

Would prefer:

1. Decent game compatibility.
2. Game Genie compatibility.
3. PowerPak from Retrozone Compatibility.
4. Composite video out.
5. Acceptable sound.

Now I know the die hards will insist on a real NES but is there any clone that meets the above criteria? THANKS IN ADVANCE.

THIS.


The answer to this is the Super 8 aka TriStar, a NES and Famicom attachment for the Super NES or Super Famicom. It's better than any other option available.

Check out my full review of it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO5ICApvVNY

It fits almost all your categories:

1. Game compatibility is extremely strong, in fact it will play more games than any other Famiclone I own or have ever heard of. Battletoads is pretty much the only game that doesn't work.

2. GameGenie works.

3.It won't play the Powerpak, but to be fair there is only one NOAC that will play the NES Powerpak and that is the Power Joy III, which isn't really very good.

4. It has composite video output, of course.

5. The sound is the best you'll get out of a Famiclone. better than anything else.

[jonjandran]

Holy 2 1/2 year bump Batman !!!

[Nesmaster]

Old topic but I recently got my hands on the FC twin (white and purple model, unsure how current this one is). As mentioned I find no major difference through SNES titles (that I've tried, can't speak for overall compatibility) and honestly I've only played a Megaman Hack cart through the NES slot. Seemed fine to me and my only complaint with the system would be the janky power switch. Switching it to 8/16 bit and off isn't as smooth as it should be and it's like the switch is just really cheap or poorly mounted or something.

Honestly I picked up the system for the included SNES pads which I really prefer over the Nintendo ones. Clicky buttons and no problems with input on anything. Cord is short and the overall feel is light and cheap and god knows the longevity of them but they work with my pc adapter from Retrozone just fine. Until they give me problems they're my #1 for SNES gaming.

[slimetimesamoo]

imo all the clone systems ive seen have flaws in one department or another, especially when it comes to certain snes games. replacing the 72 pin connector on your nes will make your system play as clean as it did 20 years ago. its as simple as unscrewing a dozen screws and popping it in and you can buy one for about 10 dollars online

[Jack_Burton_BYOAC]

The best NES clone is the one you can download right here:

http://nestopia.sourceforge.net/

Seriously, all clone systems are an attempt to "emulate" the real thing to one extent or another, especially if you resort to using a system on a chip.

There are many small form-factor pc's with usb inputs on the front, and vastly higher quality audio/video output compared to any clone. Additionally, you get all the benefits of backing up saves, scaling video, and even save-states if that's your thing.

But honestly, and pedantically, toaster NES's are common, and the mods needed to get one into 99% perfect working order are simple and painless. If you like NES games, I see no persuasive reasons not to get one.

[Parodius Duh!]

Actually the best clones would be 60 pin Famicom clones like the original Micro Genius, Scorpion, even the Famulator with a few tweaks is perfect. play any game without a problems. Even Castlevania III and the Zelda games, you just need to buy a 72 pin to 60 pin adapter which are easy to find.

Yobos and FC Twins and Retroduos are better off as scrap.