Topic: Attack of the Clones! System Clones Discussion

With retro gaming on the rise and system patents expired many companies are taking advantage of this niche market and creating system clones. You have all heard of them: the RetroN 3, Retro Duo to name two along with portables like the SupaBoy and YOBO FC-16 Go. I have been a big proponent of keeping retro original but once I heard about the Retro Duo Portable I couldn't resist. To be able to play my SNES, NES, and Genesis games on one portable unit is a Little Nemo Dream come true for me! It comes with the NES adapter but the Genesis unit is sold separately.

I will also now be able to play Super Famicom games on this so I don't have to hack up my SNES cartridge slot. The supplied AV cable allows you to hook up the portable to played on your TV. It also comes with a dingle dongle to hook up your real SNES controllers though I admit the ones it comes with are actual very nice. As for the quality of the gamepad on the actual unit itself well, not so much and the Y and A buttons are spread to far apart. It is has an 8 hour battery life which is a lot better than the SupaBoy and FC-16 Go. I haven’t tested many games on it yet so I haven’t come across compatibility issues yet.

• So what about you, what are your thoughts on clone systems? If you use a clone system which one, why, and what are your impressions of it? If you don’t currently, would you ever? Have a question about c

I'm a little skeptical of clones. I saw an NES clone in a game store a few years back and the graphics/audio were way off. I like the idea of a system that can run NES games reliably, and yet I don't want to settle for anything less than perfection.

As for clones in general, I have a small gripe about their controllers. They always feel a little off. The SNES had the perfect D-Pad and no one has been able to come close to matching it in terms of feel or function. How do the controllers in that image match up with the real thing?

One complaint about that one. It uses the SNES style rather than the Genesis style, and it's not optimal for NES games.

Thanks, Super Sonic, I forgot to mention I hate using a controller that bears no resemblance to the real one. I want the manufacturer to at least use the right button layout.

although i have the original systems, i have a couple retron 3s to save wear and tear on my original systems.
the retron 3 is the best home console clone. it uses real controllers or third party ones. it plays mega drive and super famicom games as well. there is a region switch on the back for sega games. the only thing tacky about this system is the stock controllers it comes with.
the first version (now not in production anymore) didnt play castlevania 3, the newest one does. in fact it plays every game i have.
instead of buying one from a third party seller i called hyperkin directly to cut out the middle man to decrease mishaps. (its a clone system after all)
ive even went as far as playing reproduction games with third party controllers with it. that means a fake game with a fake controller on a fake system, it all works fine still. whatever you can do with the original systems you can do on the retron 3.

Personally I dont like them if I am going to play my retro games its going to be on the original systems. Besides I have heard that a few of the clone systems have problems with games like Castlevania III and Star Fox. Also from what I have seen price wise they cost about the same or even more than the original systems so its not like you are saving anything by choosing a clone system over the original.

im saving my original top loader nes, mini snes and genesis 3 in the long run by using a retron 3 since all i play is old games. it gives me a piece of mind that in 20 years my originals will still work.