Portable NES/FAMICOM game players. Info and Help thread.

HotDog-Cart · Post by **HotDog-Cart** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 12:23 am

Hey guys. I need some help here. I've been wanting a NES portable for a while, but Im a big fan of just knockoffs and such. So, please do not just say "Buy or make a NesP." I want all seriousness in this thread. Thanks.

Also please keep this in Forum42, as even though it does have a lot to do with NES, its not a thread about homemade portables.

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With that said. I need help buying an object that can play NES/Famicom on the go.

Here are my 3 choices. (with some info on pros and cons).

Game Theory Admiral

Info
Shaped like GameBoy Advance. Comes in 2 colors; Pink and Blue. Runs off 3 AA batteries, or a 4.5 AC adapter. Screen emulates a standard television screen size (4:3 aspect ratio). Comes with a yellow catridge that has a Famicom connector on the end for all your famicom games to plug into. Connecting a NES to Famicom catridge connector is not suggested, as the setup is rickety and the nes cart is suspended above the system. (If you bump the nes cart at all, your game will freeze.) It can also connect to a TV using an included cord, even though a clear image is produced, the sound suffers and gets distorted.

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Pocket Fami

Info
Features a standard D-pad and six buttons: the four standard NES buttons (A, B, select, and start), plus two additional "turbo" buttons. Has a 2.5 inch backlit LCD screen capable of displaying both NTSC and PAL video. It has one headphone jack, an RCA composite output jack, and can be powered either through 3 AA batteries or AC adaptor. Doesn't need a connector to play FAMICOM games as the games can plug right into the base of the handheld. BUT to play NES games, you need to have a converter which thus suspends the NES cart.

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Game Axe

Info
This portable Nintendo 8-bit system Very much resembles a Genesis Nomad Portable unit. Has large 4" vivid back-lit LCD screen! It runs on 6 AA batteries and can also use a 9 volt DC adapter. Speakers are good quality and can go very loud. The controls are every bit as good if not better than a NES Pad...also has built-in turbo and reset. Also has 2 built in FAMICLONE joystick ports for 2 player games. Can also connect to a TV, using a Sega Genesis (V2) TV adaptor.

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With all of that said. Maybe that awnsered some of your guys questions... BUT. I have some questions of my own, that I would like awnsered.

1) Which choice do you guys think would be the best choice for me? (I always liked playing Famicom games more then NES games.)

2) Which is cheaper?

3) Where can I find these? I havnt checked ebay, as thats sorta my last resort to go to. As I hate auctions, and ebay is usually over priced. (Make sure the website you recommend ships to Canada. If it doesnt say on the website, post the link and I'll contact them.)

Thanks guys. I hope you guys liked my thread.[/b]

Post by **bicostp** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:45 am

I've read reviews of the Game Axe, and apparently you need a NES-to-Famicom converter to use North American cartridges, and they're pretty sensitive to being knocked around, so you'll have this monstrosity sticking out 20 feet in front of you.

http://www.nesplayer.com/features/gameaxe/index.htm

Why not use something that can emulate the system like a PSP or GP2X? Or build yourself something that will probably get better battery life? (Or does it have to be ready-built cheap Chinese crap?)

HotDog-Cart · Post by **HotDog-Cart** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 12:09 pm

I really like playing famicom cartridges. Like, nothings as good as the original. You know what I mean?

Also, I dont really want to play NES carts. I just wanna play FAMICOM carts. I think I mentioned that, somewhere.

Like, so anything about the Famicom to NES converter does NOT apply to me.

Thanks.

Reaperman@home · Post by **Reaperman@home** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 12:13 pm

I've yet to see a NOAC accurately represent what an original nintendo sounded or looked like. personally I can't see spending money on any of that stuff. Noacs are so bad they even make software emulation look like a great idea.

It's too bad messiah doesn't make a portable, they are quite an upgrade, but still have their issues. As far as buying them, I believe success-hk.com was the only place I've seen the top two, and they are not sold there anymore. gameaxe was somewhat popular (why?), if you go to enough used game stores you'll trip over one.

I'm waiting for gameport, and hoping it turns out well.

HotDog-Cart · Post by **HotDog-Cart** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 12:38 pm

I could probably find one at one of 2 fleemarkets that are like 30-45 mins away from me.. BUT. I'd rather find a place to buy online, as usually the stuff thats in the fleemarkets comes and goes very fast.

So like, if I find a place to buy online its sorta a garruntee that it will be in stock and such, but say I go to a fleemarket with $80, and the gameaxe costs $100, and I get $100 and go the next week, theres a chance the gameaxe wont be there. (As like I said, stuff in the fleemarkets comes and goes VERY fast. Like one week something will be there, the next week it wont be.)

Get what Im sayin? :p.

If anyone can find a place where I can buy these online, I'd be greatful.

Post by **CronoTriggerfan** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 1:12 pm

Personally, I say go with emulation unless you build it yourself, but that's just me, I guess.

I can personally say that the Pocket Fami is the way to go. My friend bought one for his little brother's birthday, and it was really quite impressive. The Game Theory Admirals are widely known to have many bugs, including in some, the inability to play NES cartridges, even with an adapter. The Game Axe, while nice, is actually a hand-soldered machine, and was only manufactured in the 90s, meaning there are very few of them out there, which makes them expensive. See what I mean?

CTFan

HotDog-Cart · Post by **HotDog-Cart** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 1:17 pm

Ouch. Okay. Where can I pick up a GameTheory Admiral or a PocketFami?
(I dont care about NES playablility.)

nightwheel · Post by **nightwheel** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 1:22 pm

Click on picture to got to product page

That there is a famicom to gba conveter. So with you would not need to have a dedicated portable system to play your famicom games on the go.

But if you must have one of them systems you mentioned well goo here because it's got two of the system you looking into buying for sale there:
http://www.superufo.com/review_html/The ... enter.html

HotDog-Cart · Post by **HotDog-Cart** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 1:24 pm

Dude. That link leads me to a broken link when I click on game Theory admiral.

.....

And, another "broken" link when I click on the Pocketfami.

nightwheel · Post by **nightwheel** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 1:33 pm

HotDog-Cart wrote:Dude. That link leads me to a broken link when I click on game Theory admiral.

.....

And, another "broken" link when I click on the Pocketfami.

Hold on while i find you other links on other sites.

Edit: That might take a while because them systems are hard to find.

HotDog-Cart · Post by **HotDog-Cart** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 2:02 pm

Will these work with a regular gba? (like not the SP)

Also, didnt someone on benheck post a alternative to the picture above? Like you still plugged in a GBA to it, but it was grey, and like an older version. Also it came with 2 controllers. Whats the name of that? (Like it was the same thing, but I think it was cheaper. It was dark grey, and came with 2 controllers, and you plugged the GBA into it. It also had instructions in the ebay auction that showed you house to use it.)

nightwheel · Post by **nightwheel** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 3:31 pm

HotDog-Cart wrote:

Will these work with a regular gba? (like not the SP)

Yes it will read this: http://www.baysoftgames.com/gbasptima.html

Valium · Post by **Valium** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 3:42 pm

Hey... If this can be used to play the games on the TV, can't it also be used to make the GBA's screen useable in other portables?

jeroen · Post by **jeroen** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 3:46 pm

You already can you just need a special adapter.

HotDog-Cart · Post by **HotDog-Cart** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 3:47 pm

Sweet. I'll check ebay for the Game Theory Admirial, and for the PocketFami... *sigh*

If I cant find those, I'll try the Time Machine.