Clone consoles are all the rage at the moment, what with Nintendo's own NES Mini and RetroUSB's AVS arriving on the scene to remind everyone just how great the NES was, and still is. However, Retro-Bit is taking a slightly different approach by not focusing on a single system but instead creating an "all in one" console which contains a varied range of pre-loaded games.
The Retro-Bit Generations console was revealed a while back, and now a more complete list of included games has been published. It includes hits from Capcom, Data East, Irem and Jaleco - four names that 8 and 16-bit gamers will be intimately familiar with - and boasts a wide range of options, including HDMI and AV outputs, an SD card slot to save game progress and the ability to use save states.
Here's the list of games:
Interestingly, the official site for the console says that there are more titles to be announced. This list might therefore not be complete - or perhaps the aforementioned SD card slot will also offer the ability to legally load on new games at a later date?
The Retro-Bit Generations arrives this Fall and will cost $59.99. Will you be investing in this machine when it hits the market? Share your thoughts by posting a comment.
Comments 44
Oh, mylanta...
Another clones and clones....
The R-Type games are tempting but not sure the pad will be all that great. If it recognises other USB pads then may work.
Either way I don't have space for it, plus I already have R-Type 3 and a Retron 5.
Looks good value
Knights of the Round is one of my favourite beat 'em ups
I wonder if it's the SNES or arcade version.
It's really hard to get excited about a system with so many B-grade (and worse) titles. As usual for a clone system, Retro-bit is adding a lot of filler--has anyone actually heard of titles like "Water Margin" or "Aguna" before?--to make it look like you're getting a deal. Companies like Capcom won't give them key properties like Contra, Street Fighter, Mega Man, or even UN Squadron.
I'll wait for the reviews but I'm not expecting many to be favorable.
@JoakimZ
It'll almost certainly be the SNES version. I can't say I've seen any clonesole with licensed arcade ports.
It looks cool but I won't be buying it. Are these arcade games? or consoles versions? It looks very Megadrive. Just after spotting a NES game in there.
@AirElephant
Yes I remember that classic "Water Margin". I spent many a late night NOT playing it 😃
@AirElephant
I think some of these games have only been released in arcades, Higemaru for example. So I think it's possible that they include the arcade version of games like Forgotten Worlds, Gun Smoke or Knights of the Round.
Water Margin is a Mega Drive/Genesis beat 'em up that was only released is China. It's supposed to be pretty good, and it got a fan translation a couple of years ago. It's probably the translated version they included here.
Some are great but lol at most of them.
The words 'retro', 'Capcom', 'Irem' and 'Data East' together makes me feel all warm inside.
@AirElephant Water Margin:
Aguna: (which is actually a GBA game called Anguna: Warriors of Virtue)
Nothing on here that i don't have on my reptropie system. However the selling point of the NES Mini (which i will buy anyway) Is the aesthetic appearance and collectable point of it being a Nintendo released product. I own an original NES boxed still anyway. But a sucker for collecting.
Even Capcom couldn't save this crappy console. Where's the classics? Where's Final Fight 1, 2, & 3? Where's Strider, Mega Man 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, X1, X2, and X3, Street Fighter II Turbo, Super Street Fighter II, Street Fighter Alpha 1 & 2, Demon's Crest, Fighter's History, U.N. Squadron, Saturday Night Slam Master, Karnov, Magic Sword, The King of Dragons, Mighty Final Fight, Ghouls 'N Ghosts (the Genesis version), and Breath of Fire I & II?
Also how the heck did Sword of Sodan and Super Noah's Ark 3D made the list? Both weren't even made by any of the four companies.
I would pick up the Nes Mini before this, as others have said the design is as much a feature as the games. This looks like another of the knock-off Genesis systems down to the horrible Genesis controller that never felt right in my hands.
Kid Niki Radical Ninja?! That game has always been on my VC wishlist!
Send in the clones
Terrible list. I know like 5 games.
This looks interesting ... I just hope it is real and legal.
Some of these companies have been very reluctant about releasing their back catalogs.
Have a feeling that the Bionic Commando, Kung Fu Master and a few others are Gameboy versions. Several of them are homebrew games that I have seen for free download or even seen repro carts on sale for.
@TruenoGT I don't understand why Bionic Commando isn't released on the VC yet.
ya that list is a little more disappointing than the 30 game list for NES Mini, and i'm probably not getting it even, although i may just in hopes that if it does well enough they'll make a SNES mini with a great line up like the NES mini.
I have some bad feelings about that D-pad. Now that Nintendo's + design isn't patented anymore they could've just copied that.
Still, I'm not interested in either this or the NES Mini thing. If I want to play these games I rather just get the original system or use emulators with my own controller(s).
I'd absolutely buy it if I have the money laying around and can find it locally. Some junk on that list but around a dozen games that I remain a fan of and others I've been wanting to play.
More obscure games are being released that haven't officially been available in decades!
And everybody's complaining that that the games they can get everywhere else aren't included. * sigh * Almost 100 games for $60, when most clones don't come with anything and people are still complaining.
Anyways, do we know if any of these are arcade versions?
Kaiketsu Yanchamaru 3 (Kid Niki 3) is a fun little platformer.
Know it because someone made a bootleg copy of it by replacing the main character sprite with Mario and labelled it "Super Mario 14" :v
@AirElephant while Water Margin and Aguna from Piko Intrractive have little name value, they could potentially be among the better games here and officially licensed on top of it. Water Margin is pretty good in my opinion. As for Knights of the Round, I think there's a reasonable chance it could be the arcade version. Most of the Capcom stuff here is from the old Capcom Classics discs from the PS2 days. Those were mostly arcade versions. Plus Varth was never ported to console, so we know this will have some arcade games. It would be nice if they specified.
@Slaz I don't know if you've ever used a Genesis 6-button pad or a Saturn pad upon which this d-pad is based. If you have and still don't like the style, that's fine. Those two controllers are my favorites and are widely considered to be among the best. I do like the Nintendo cross type and even the Sony version. Ultimately, the actual plastic pad is only one part of the equation. I've used crappy d-pads in both styles. There are many factors involved such as tightness, the membrane underneath, how good the contacts are, amount of travel, etc.
Super Noah's Ark. I'm not sure if this game is a satire or not, but it's actually kind of entertaining! Basically it's a reskinned Wolfenstein, but goats and sheep have gone mad and you have a slingshot to thwap them in the face with pellets.
They've re-released it on steam and it's got a 9.5 http://store.steampowered.com/app/371180/
There are a lot of missed opportunities from those catalogs. Where's Metal Storm? Where are any of the good Capcom games from that era?
I'll be all over this! Hopefully won't be hard to find!
Best balance of value with authentic retro gaming = super retro trio plus everdrives for NES, megadrive and SNES. OK you pay couple of hundred quid but you can play almost their entire libraries across all regions on very good clone hardware (not emulated).
Nah, between the NES Classic mini, the Nintendo AVS, and an Everdrive I'm set.
I owned an Anguna cart once upon a time. It's a homebrew but it's also a fun little Link to the Past like game.
This hipster NES Classic Edition actually looks rather impressive. It includes neo-retro games like Water Margin, unreleased games like Bashi Bazook and "Higemaru" (Makai Island), and fan-made homebrew like Zooming Secretary, besides several classics and deep cuts from those four hardcore companies. Something different like this is really nice to see, especially compared to Nintendo's rather lazy plug-n-play equivalent.
Day-one buy for me. Can't wait!
Should be awesome!!!
@sdelfin I've used the Mega Drive 6 button pad. It's definitely better for fighters than the SNES pad. Making diagonal movements swiftly for special moves was slightly easier on the thumb. That said, I generally still prefer the SNES pad for about anything else. No real reason for it, just my hands and experience growing on that controller I guess.
I'm in just for Kid Niki and Ring King. Loved them growing up!
Impressive that they've managed to get so many actual official games from some of the big developers of the era.
Also:
2 USB Retro-style six button controllers
HDMI and AV Outputs
SD card slot to save and transfer game progress (SD card not included)
Internal game save feature - Save your progress anywhere, any time!
http://retro-bit.com/generations.html/#RBgenlist
I'm sure some people will still think I'm being unreasonable when I say Nintendo could/should have included more games and a few other small tweaks here and there with the NES Classic Mini, but at the very least I'd like to see Nintendo push the boat out just a little further if it decides to make a SNES Classic Mini. Ideally, I'd be hoping for something like this:
http://www.inceptional.com/2016/07/23/heres-what-i-want-from-a-snes-classic-edition/
these idiots still left off night slashers and cliffhanger edward randy.
i mean really?
@KevTastic84 yeah, the dunno why people buy these poopy clone consoles instead of getting a raspberry pi.. sure they aren't the easiest to set up but they aren't impossible and there are tons of videos online. I've got one with iBuffalo usb Snes pads which are EXCELLENT. Nicest third party SNES pads I've ever used.
@brandon9271 Not everyone is that deep in the scene, nor do most people care to be. Some people just want to plug it in and play without looking up tutorials online.
But hey, maybe some of them will get this or NES Mini and be inspired to get a bit deeper into it. That's always what I hope.
@World that's very true... but there are easier ways to enjoy emulation. Android TV, home brew channel on Wii, etc. I can't get how any serious retro gamer could do without a device like that. I've got emulators on my phone, PSP,PS Vita, my PC, laptop, Wii, Raspberry pi. I even had a NES emulator on my PSone back in the day. lol. I'm nuts over this stuff.
@brandon9271 Yeah, I hear that, but most people buying these aren't what I'd call serious...yet. A lot of people just want to remember the "good old days" or whatever, and will then stumble upon how to do it themselves. Hard to imagine being satisfied with one of these things for long (especially with the selection locked down as it is)!
Either that or they're just collectors who just have to have every single clone console on their shelf!
@World Yeah, well in addition to all the other stuff I mentioned I also have two original NES consoles several carts and an Everdrive.. Even still I want a NES mini. lol
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