NES/Famicom Appreciation Thread

How does that work out? I'm serious here, I'm not a speedrunner so I don't know what kind of disadvantages a dogbone would have over a regular NES controller.

ok ok, I've only had the crappy 3rd party one, but I've heard from a few friends that dogbone buttons are just ehh..there's something about them that doesn't seem as good as the original brick kind. Might have to do with them being slightly pushed higher than the original.
 
As I have stated in the past, I have no love for the dogbones, but glad there are somebody out there who does.

Was going to play Shatterhand this weekend, but just so caught up in Pikmin 2 these days Guess Im joining next weekend instead!
 
ok ok, I've only had the crappy 3rd party one, but I've heard from a few friends that dogbone buttons are just ehh..there's something about them that doesn't seem as good as the original brick kind. Might have to do with them being slightly pushed higher than the original.


Huh! Ok. A matter of life and death in a speedrun I suppose. I have both styles so if my friends have a preference they are accommodated. I also have the wacky Super Controller II and US equivalent, the Bandai MEGA. *lol*
 
Personally I've had both styles since about 1999 when I got my top loader, and I've gone back and forth on which controller I prefer. They definitely feel pretty different on the AB button placement, so it makes since to me that many people prefer one over the other.
 
While cleaning the basement to prepare it for Home Theater construction, I found something I had a coworker oil-paint for me 15 years ago (2x3 ft).

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So I'm listening to the 8-4 Play podcast and they're having a conversation about retro game collecting. John Ricciardi is claiming that "REV-A" on NES boxes and carts indicates that the game has the first version of a ROM. I had thought it just indicated that it's a 3-screw cart. In other words, there was the first version of the cart casing with five screws and then a revision with three screws. Since this was the first revision (not the first version) it's "Revision A." That makes a hell of a lot more sense doesn't it? If Ricciardi is correct it would be "Version A" or "VER-A" not "REV-A" right?
 
Replayed a bunch of classics for the nth time tonight, never thought these would still be some of the best games ever as a kid.
 
maybe it's just cause it's new to me, but simply not having the sharp edges of the boxy standard NES controller is such a nice thing to me

maybe ill go back & forth as time goes on, i already switch out for the NES advantage plenty

As a speedrunner, I wouldn't trust a silly dogbone controller.

i don't trust silly speedrunners
 
Dogbone = Game Boy (or GBA).

I grew up on NES and Game Boy (and Master System etc...), so it's perfect to me, as the GB was an improvement. If you got hard wired to NES I guess you get stuck in the 'hold buttons from the side' thing.
 
maybe it's just cause it's new to me, but simply not having the sharp edges of the boxy standard NES controller is such a nice thing to me

maybe ill go back & forth as time goes on, i already switch out for the NES advantage plenty



i don't trust silly speedrunners
You must have tiny baby hands !
 
So I'm listening to the 8-4 Play podcast and they're having a conversation about retro game collecting. John Ricciardi is claiming that "REV-A" on NES boxes and carts indicates that the game has the first version of a ROM. I had thought it just indicated that it's a 3-screw cart. In other words, there was the first version of the cart casing with five screws and then a revision with three screws. Since this was the first revision (not the first version) it's "Revision A." That makes a hell of a lot more sense doesn't it? If Ricciardi is correct it would be "Version A" or "VER-A" not "REV-A" right?

Hmm, not sure. Checking my 5-screw cart of Zanac, which is the only American 5-screw cart I have, it doesn't say REV-A on the back. I think all my US 3-screw carts says REV-A though. But I do think it has to do with the ROM revision since I think there are REV-B releases of some games with 3 screws, although I don't have any to my knowledge.

Edit: Well actually googling a bit it seems there aren't any REV-B games actually. At least for NES. The different ROM revisions are named PRG0, PRG1 etc and is only printed on the actual ROM chip. And Wikipedia seems to confirm your theory.
 
Hmm, not sure. Checking my 5-screw cart of Zanac, which is the only American 5-screw cart I have, it doesn't say REV-A on the back. I think all my US 3-screw carts says REV-A though. But I do think it has to do with the ROM revision since I think there are REV-B releases of some games with 3 screws, although I don't have any to my knowledge.

Edit: Well actually googling a bit it seems there aren't any REV-B games actually. At least for NES. The different ROM revisions are named PRG0, PRG1 etc and is only printed on the actual ROM chip. And Wikipedia seems to confirm your theory.

I listened to the podcast as well, and found this (along with the always excellent Kevin Gifford) to be really interesting. So you are saying he is probably wrong?
 
I listened to the podcast as well, and found this (along with the always excellent Kevin Gifford) to be really interesting. So you are saying he is probably wrong?

I've actually also heard that the Rev-A ones contain the first ROM revision before as well, but from very limited googling it seems that it might actually just refer to the cartridge shell revision. Or are there in fact any 3-screw Rev-B games? I can't find anything by searching. Maybe it's just one of those things that has been passed around as a truth without anyone really questioning it. Because the ROM revisions are definitely marked PRGx on the actual chip at least. And I don't think a game containing a PRG1 ROM means it also says Rev-B on the back.
 
I listened to the podcast as well, and found this (along with the always excellent Kevin Gifford) to be really interesting. So you are saying he is probably wrong?

He is absolutely wrong. There is no REV-B. Never seen one. It doesn't exist.

Not trying to be a jerk but he really should correct this on the podcast. Can you imagine if everybody on eBay think their REV-A cart is worth more money?! This is right up there with thinking you have a rare first-run NES because it says NES-001 on the bottom.... Good grief.
 
Lol, yeah I agree. Thanks for the clarification guys! One thing though, he didnt want to go out with his source, but I got the impression that it was a guy with a pretty first-hand knowledge of this, maybe even part of the production process back in the day. Would be great if he would come out with who this source was.
 
Been chatting with him on Twitter and laid out my info. He does seem to have a pretty first-hand source. But it just doesn't make sense. Basically every single game every produced for North America after about mid-1988 has REV-A on the box and cart. It's ubiquitous.

I suggested getting someone like Chris Kohler or Mike Mika on the horn to ask them. Toasty Frog - you have any knowledge on this?
 
So, yesterday got it into my head that I'd like to buy a Game Genie, but I have a top-loading NES. I heard some things about physical modifications or using a 60-72 pin adapter on a 72-60 pin adapter, or just tracking down one of Galoob's original adapters (which I couldn't find on eBay)

Anybody have advice on cost effective ways to try out a NES Game Genie? Is it cheaper to just get a standard NES?
 
I suggested getting someone like Chris Kohler or Mike Mika on the horn to ask them. Toasty Frog - you have any knowledge on this?

I'm afraid the minutiae of game packaging is not something I have any particular interest in, sorry. I appreciate great graphic design and artwork but could care less about running version changes.

I did a quick capture of my copy of 8 Bit Music Power if anyone wanted to take a look. I just fiddled around with some of the settings and picked one of the songs. Hope you like it.

What hardware are you using for this? Modded Famicom?
 
What hardware are you using for this? Modded Famicom?

On that one, it's just my AV Famicom with RGB mod, correct. The RGB mod was done by Baphomet here on the boards. I have it output via SCART to Sync Strike then to internal capture card <Startech PEXHDCAP> using AmarecTV.
 
Natsume makes really fun, challenging games IMO. I'm glad I picked up all of those first when I was rebuilding my collection back in the day.
Shatterhand has it's moments of challenge but isn't really challenging...plus the bosses are pretty easy. Though it's fun, yes.
 
On that one, it's just my AV Famicom with RGB mod, correct. The RGB mod was done by Baphomet here on the boards. I have it output via SCART to Sync Strike then to internal capture card <Startech PEXHDCAP> using AmarecTV.

Ah, OK, thanks. I can't get my copy of the game to run, so I was curious to know if you're using original hardware.
 
How is that possible???=O I gone through quite a bit of games like that(Ninja Gaiden, Contra, etc.)!

I've never claimed to be good at games? I've finished games, don't get me wrong, but never on one life. Also now that the twins are born it's been harder and harder to concentrate on games since I have to stop and feed them and change them, gotta love family life.

Ah, OK, thanks. I can't get my copy of the game to run, so I was curious to know if you're using original hardware.

No problem, I did see your earlier post. Looking at your list of what possible issues it may be, I would check on your FC cart port first then go from there since I've seen this thing work on the Retron 5... so I don't think it's a matter of compatibility.
 
I've never claimed to be good at games? I've finished games, don't get me wrong, but never on one life. Also now that the twins are born it's been harder and harder to concentrate on games since I have to stop and feed them and change them, gotta love family life.
I never meant it like that, I know you're good at games!
 
Not so secret shame, I'm actually kinda lousy at games *lol* But I love them all the same :)
There are certain games/genres I'm not good(fighting/RTS/music) at but I do have fun if I enjoy what I'm playing, heck I do play many games on genres that I'm far from great at as well.=p
 
There are certain games/genres I'm not good(fighting/RTS/music) at but I do have fun if I enjoy what I'm playing, heck I do play many games on genres that I'm far from great at as well.=p

Back in my late teens/early to late 20's I played a ton of fighting and music games and shmups, but now I'm back to playing Fami/SFC/PCE etc, since I can pick up, play, feed kid, and come back haha...
 
I'm afraid the minutiae of game packaging is not something I have any particular interest in, sorry. I appreciate great graphic design and artwork but could care less about running version changes.

Gotcha. I'm not terribly fussed over such things, either, but I am never a fan of bad information floating around. Especially if it leads to more people thinking they can push prices up even higher for no real reason.
 
Gotcha. I'm not terribly fussed over such things, either, but I am never a fan of bad information floating around. Especially if it leads to more people thinking they can push prices up even higher for no real reason.

That's probably the biggest concern there. I don't want someone trying to jack up prices at a flea market or game store because they think they have a specific revision. Didn't the guy that thought he had the "very first NES ever produced" end up dead recently?
 
BBB weapon>every other weapon in Shatterhand. It destroys enemies and bosses the fastest as it does more damage than most other weapons, has great distance, good blast radius and doesn't have the serious drawbacks of the other weapons as well.

Lets take the boomerang for example. It's range is short so it's difficult to take out certain enemies from a distance and hard to use for some bosses. Then we have the twin blades, which seems cool in theory with bouncing blades, but has that Ghost n Goblins flame torch effect where once it has been fired you need to wait to use it again if it bounces off walls. This is very annoying when dealing with certain bosses like the one on Area F.
 
I couldn't get past the second stage of Abadox last time I tried. And I even told myself that I'm not giving up this so easily this time. I think I died around the same spot about 40 times before I rage quit haha. Haven't played it since then.

I'm pretty crappy at shooters though. But I do like them.
 
That's probably the biggest concern there. I don't want someone trying to jack up prices at a flea market or game store because they think they have a specific revision. Didn't the guy that thought he had the "very first NES ever produced" end up dead recently?

Collectors of all stripes seem to build up urban legends and mumbo jumbo about perceived differences and rarity without necessarily having firm evidence either way. It would be great to hear some inside facts about the REV stuff, because it's a question that's been floating around for a while, but even if it's debunked the collector scene will find some other thing to obsess over in the continuing quest to position the copies they own as the most valuable.

Also, what's this dead guy business about? Sounds sordid!
 
Also, what's this dead guy business about? Sounds sordid!
It was a guy on one of those fake 'storage unit buyer' shows. He found an NES and looked up the highest NES prices on ebay and saw one that sold with Stadium Events went for $10k or whatever, and assumed it was because of the NES and they were all worth that. It was revealed within the episode it was basically worthless.

The guy on the show killed himself, because of unrelated-to-nerd-laughter drug/legal problems.
 
Anybody in here need a RGB'd AV Famicom? I'm slimming down my collection to just PC Engine and Gamecube, and I'm getting rid of a ton of stuff.

Oh, lots of Famicom games too, and a converter to play NES games on said AV Famicom.

Let me know! I'll do below eBay norms for GAFers.
 
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