Retro-Bit Retro Duo Twin Video Game System, Silver/Black

This console plays pretty much every game cartridge I throw at it… including imports!* The Retro Duo is pretty compact compared to the classic consoles. Stack 3 NES games on top of each other and you basically have the size and weight of this. The 2 SNES controllers it comes with are also pretty light compared to the classics. The console offers your choice of either standard RCA (red, white, yellow) or S-Video TV connectors. The Retro Duo also has a small but functional cooling system. And before I forget, let me assure you that the Retro Duo does NOT conflict with the fragile save systems of NES games. Your Legend of Zelda file will be just fine.

Now, this console does have a few drawbacks. First and probably most important: it only has SNES controller ports. So all your NES accessories, like the Zapper, cannot be used with the Retro Duo. Also, there’s no cartridge ejection. Remember how you’d flip the switch and out pops your game? Not anymore, you have to pull the games out of the system. For SNES games, no biggie; but the NES games are a pretty tight fit going in and out. The console supports S-Video, but that post-dates the NES technology, so if you use that rather than RCA connectors, NES games will be displayed black and white.

I bought this console because my previous NES and SNES were gone without a trace. This console fills the gap, but if you’re debating whether or not to swap out your old NES and SNES for this, I would not recommend it. While this console is great overall, it cannot compare to the classics. But if you’re looking to get into retro gaming, this offers a great start for the 2 consoles that hold legendary game libraries.
Remember to clean your game cartridges before playing on your new Retro Duo to help maximize both console and game life!

* EDIT: This console supports cartridges from the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System (including PAL format), and Super Famicom consoles. It does not support Famicom cartriges.

As an SNES it is quite satisfactory. It plays games well, and when I plug in my authentic SNES controller I can scarce tell the difference between the two, and the ones that ship with it are a close approximate. The only thing I don’t like about them so far is that the D-pad is a bit stiff… but I’ve already switched mine out for the real thing. Supposedly a few games don’t work, but I don’t own any of those… all the cartridges I’ve tried seem to play fine, about a dozen and some. The cartridges don’t quite slide in as smooth as the real thing, but no problems.

This console, however, is a much weaker approximate of the NES. A lot of people complain about the sound quality, but I find its rather close on most games. The more immediate problem is the connector itself, which is EXTREMELY SNUG on NES carts. A great deal of force is needed to separate most games from the connector. Oddly enough, for how tightly the card fits into the connectors, the actual cartridge rests loosely on the console housing, make it quite easy to “jiggle” the cartridge while its connected. This makes getting a precise connection on these old games rather difficult, with the slightest breeze coming along and garbling the graphics or worse, crashing the game. Once you get them in there though, they seem to play well. I’ve only tested Dragon Warrior and Genghis Khan so far, both seem to play fine.

The Verdict:

As an SNES substitute, this will suit you just fine, especially with genuine peripherals. Your old carts will play in this machine without worry. It’s a bit of a hassle to get an NES game going in one of these, but it is possible… and odds are by now your real NES isn’t faring much better. Anyone with access to a genuine SNES could probably pass this one up, as its obvious that it is the unit’s primary function. I’d give the NES half a bit more play time, but quite frankly I can’t decide whether I’m addicted to Genghis Khan or I’m just a little bit scared to try and pry it off so I can get Ice Hockey in. Hopefully the unit will last as long as my impervious SNES carts seem to want to.

+Works great as SNES
+Accepts SNES peripherals
+Reasonably priced compared to used units
+Comes with two SNES controller knockoffs
-NES connector puts a deathgrip on the cartridge
-Wobbly NES connector makes it tough to get games to play right
-NES graphics and sound look a little grainy on high-def TVs
-Dpads are a little stiff on the controllers

The Retro Duo Twin system itself is heavy and has excellent venting for heat control. It has played all my old games so far, including contra, super mario kart, mortal kombat, etc.

My major complaints are that the NES game cartridges are hard to eject (you have to really tug to get them free) and that some games seem like the colors and sounds are not 100% emulated (Super Mario Bros 3 for example.) This is mostly an issue with the NES part of the system, the SNES side of the Retro Duo Twin so far works flawlessly.