Best Nintenclone?

[guyjin]

I haven't had a working NES for some time, and I'm thinking of picking up a new one.

However, my chances of picking up an original that doesn't have blink problems is low, and I don't want to pay what is being charged for the top loader. (and it's RF only besides.)

So, What do you think is the best NES clone out there?

A few I've seen:

http://www.estarland.com/NintendoNES.cat.HW.product.22535.html
Pros: cheap, uses original NES controllers, AV out
Cons: doesn't accept Famicom carts without adapter, no RF out (like to have the option availiable)

http://www.estarland.com/NintendoSuper.cat.HW.product.28392.html
Pros: Plays SNES games too (one less set of cords to deal with, should put up my ugly yellowing SNES), AV out
Cons: can't use NES controllers, doesn't accept famicom carts, no RF option

http://www.buymessiah.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=2&products_id=47&osCsid=1c509661d9e2f76b8f5cbbdd4c5c0bb7
Pros: plays FC and NES games, original NES controllers, AV
Cons: most expensive of the 3, no RF option

I'm open to other suggestions as well.

[Michael Helgeson]

Well,so that its made clear the Yobo clone and the Gen Nex decks have audio bugs on some games,other games dont work at all like Castlevania 3 and others that use special chips. The FC Twin I havent tried yet,but if possible if you have  a local game store with one on display take your fav games there and test them on it.

[rolins]

IMO don't buy any of the nesclones, there crappy. It's best to use an original Nes, and if it's got blinking/no boot problems then replace the 72pin connector. Replacing the connector requires no soldering and there dirt cheap.

[termis]

Agree with Rolins.  If you're gonna buy a clone, I say just stick to some emulation on a computer/xbox/dc, etc, just solely because the clones themselves don't work with 100% of the games.

There is a mod to install a/v output for the NES 2 decks, if you find that you must have it.
http://www.gamesx.com/rgbadd/nes2avmod.htm

[cavein2000]

I'm holding tight with my SNES hooked up with the Tristar Super 8 for all NES/SNES/FC/SFC needs!  I picked up a soldering iron and am eventually going to perform the mod in this FAQ to eliminate the white line problem. 

http://home.freeuk.net/markk/Consoles/Tri-Star_FAQ.txt

[GUTS]

The FC Twin is pretty good, I have one and haven't noticed any compatibility problems yet (although I'm sure it has some).  The quality on the FC Twin is leagues above the yobo, it actually feels like a real second model SNES and the controllers are about 100 times better (and you can use real SNES controllers and accessories too if you want).

[guyjin]

IMO don't buy any of the nesclones, there crappy. It's best to use an original Nes, and if it's got blinking/no boot problems then replace the 72pin connector. Replacing the connector requires no soldering and there dirt cheap.

i actually have 2 nonworking NESes. The first one got fire extinguished; replacing the 72 pin slot didn't help.
the second one worked acceptably, but I tried to modify it (to play unlicenced games) and failed miserably; it always blinks now. so even if I wanted to afford a toploader, I'm wary of modifying it at all.

[rolins]

I'm holding tight with my SNES hooked up with the Tristar Super 8 for all NES/SNES/FC/SFC needs!  I picked up a soldering iron and am eventually going to perform the mod in this FAQ to eliminate the white line problem. 

http://home.freeuk.net/markk/Consoles/Tri-Star_FAQ.txt

Cool, the Tri-Star.  How well does it handle Konami's VRC6 chip in Akumajou Densetsu?
 

IMO don't buy any of the nesclones, there crappy. It's best to use an original Nes, and if it's got blinking/no boot problems then replace the 72pin connector. Replacing the connector requires no soldering and there dirt cheap.

i actually have 2 nonworking NESes. The first one got fire extinguished; replacing the 72 pin slot didn't help.
the second one worked acceptably, but I tried to modify it (to play unlicenced games) and failed miserably; it always blinks now. so even if I wanted to afford a toploader, I'm wary of modifying it at all.

Ouch, your Nes caught on fire?   

I don't see any point in modifying your Nes to play unlicensed games, except for maybe Tegen's Tetris. But almost all unlicensed games aren't worth playing, right?

[guyjin]

Ouch, your Nes caught on fire?   

No, my older brother's just a jerk. He decided we had been playing too long, and so to make us leave, he got the fire extinguisher and used it on us. After the chaos was over, we returned to a blinking NES. we had never had that problem before; and it got much worse after that.

As for modding, yeah, it was stoopid, but it seemed easy enough at the time...

[grahf]

Not all famiclones are bad. Ive got one of them GameAxes, and it plays everything i try. Works flawless with Akumajou Densetsu (castlevania 3). I hear the Famicom Disk system works with it as well. Im sure it wont work with everything, but it has done well with anything ive tried.

[Michael Helgeson]

Not all famiclones are bad. Ive got one of them GameAxes, and it plays everything i try. Works flawless with Akumajou Densetsu (castlevania 3). I hear the Famicom Disk system works with it as well. Im sure it wont work with everything, but it has done well with anything ive tried.

LOL,funny you mettion that. Back when I managed a GXC we had ordered like around 8-9 Game Axe Colors and 5 were   
DOA. I kept one for myself for like  a month then sold it. Really it wasnt bad at all,when it worked. Didnt it also use Genesis controllers?

[FM-77]

The Game Axe and other ancient NES clones are the only ones without "sound problems." All the recent clones have this "problem" since the feature has been excluded in the one-chip solution that they're always using.

[grahf]

I think thats just the thing. Its not that they CANT make a 100% compatible famiclone, its just that its worth it to pirate companies. If you can produce a chipset that costs $1 and plays 85% of games, versus one that costs $5 and has 99% compatability, what are you going to do?

[Black Tiger]

I haven't had a working NES for some time, and I'm thinking of picking up a new one.

However, my chances of picking up an original that doesn't have blink problems is low, and I don't want to pay what is being charged for the top loader. (and it's RF only besides.)

So, What do you think is the best NES clone out there?

If you aren't some kind of crazed uber collector, and if you were you wouldn't have made this post because you'd already own a modded Nintendo brand top loader NES and Famicom, then you should just buy the Generation NEX.

It'll play pretty much everything you'll ever try, it looks like a classic NES and is nice and compact and it's reliable, which is all you're really looking for anyways right?

[Ninja Spirit]

I drove and hour and a half to the Starland store today to pick up one of those Yobo Neo Famis, with my copies of Lagrange Point, Akumajou Densetsu and Madara. But I changed my mind when I saw I had to use a Famicom converter.

My main concern is that if they support those sound expansion chips that some Famicom games have.