Customer Reviews

Generation NEX Videogame Console

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

First lets get one thing out of the way, if you are the type of person that is a "Diehard Nintendo Purist" and need everything perfect when it comes to playing all your favorite NES games, then you need to have, and stay with, an Official Original NES system.

The Generation NEX is built around the Nintendo-on-a-chip technology or NOAC as it is commonly called. This is an attempt to fabricate the original NES hardware on a single computer chip. The technology is not perfect in that it does not fully imitate the hardware perfectly. But the method is cheap to make and mass produce. Some, or many, manufacturers have taken advantage of that. Over the years there have been literally hundreds of NES clone systems built around the NOAC. I am led to believe that in recent years NES patents have ran out and this is the reason we are beginning to see many NES clones hitting the US market place and being legal. Before you had to import things that were a bit on the shady side and illegal. And a lot of times of a very cheaply low quality build.

The NOAC technology not being perfect results in some NES games playing less than perfect and there are some games that do not play at all. The main problems are, colors being off, sound not right, or garbled graphics, which could pertain to sprites or background. There seems to be different levels of success with the NOAC. Some clones work better than others in different areas. That may depend on the manufacturer. But all share the common problems. That being the situation, there are still loads of games in the giant NES library that are not hindered by any of the problems in being able to play the games. But as I said before, if you are the type of person that stops and says, "Wait a minute that color is a shade darker!" or "There is a crisp sharp twang there that I don't remember!" Then you need to stay with that old NES original hardware.

First impressions:
The box says "Classy." Very nice attractive packaging. The total design of the unit is almost a tribute to the original 8-bit NES system. It looks like a miniature version of that first big bulky gray NES system. The system itself is of a very nice sturdy quality build. Having purchased a few imported gaming stuff, I am impressed. This particular clone is produced or marketed, maybe both, by Messiah Entertainment Inc. This system was originally released in 2005.

My original interest that drew me toward this particular system clone is its ability to play both the NES and the Famicom games. They are both the same system, one was in Japan and the other here in the US. The main difference between the two is the pin-out that is used on the game carts. The NES used 72 pins and the Famicom used 60, making them non-interchangeable. An adapter would have to be used on the Original NES to play the Japanese games. This comes prepared for both by way of having two game cart slots, one on top for the Famicom games and one in front (like the old NES) for the NES games. You cannot have a game cart in both slots at the same time. You are warned not to. I take it that it could damage the system, which is very understandable.

The controller that comes with the system is of a nice quality and feels nice, responsive, handles very well, and comfortable when playing, though, for some, it is not the original. The buttons are arranged very differently. The start and select are located above the A and B buttons, odd. There is also a turbo and slow motion feature built in. If this pad is a problem, no fear you can use all of the original NES controllers, light guns, etc. The system also has a built in wireless feature that accommodates the wireless controllers that are available, for purchase, from the Messiah Entertainment Inc.

And how are the games? They are the original Nintendo game carts. Messiah Entertainment Inc. has a list of compatible games on their web site. There are over 700 NES games that they have tested and found working and playable. All of my games, that I have, play great. I have no problem with any of them. The system has prompted me to look for more games to purchase. At this point flea markets, garage sales, video game store bargain bins, [...] become your best friend. Also all my Famicom games play with no problems. I would still advise cleaning all of your games very good before inserting them into the NEX, especially if they have been stored away for a while. I had no problems with getting anything to boot up and run. I have read that some say that the game carts fit tight and are troublesome to remove. But I had no problem, what so ever, even close to that type of experience. My game carts seem to fit like they do in the Original top loading NES that my daughter has.

Final thoughts:
When Messiah Entertainment first announced the Generation NEX, they gave the impression that it was a replacement for the aging NES. They did not, up front, reveal that the system was built around the NOAC. I think they paid dearly for that with all the negative feedback and reviews that are still floating around the net. If they had been more open, I think there would have been a more positive atmosphere around the NEX.

It is a high quality clone system. And it is up to the individual, whether or not, they deem that it is worth the price. You can get cheaper clones for much less, but from what I have seen from honest thorough comparative reviews, the NEX has a better performance with the NOAC when playing NES games. I got my NEX for a total of $[...] shipped to my door. You can purchase the original NES that has a new 72 pin replacement for less or about the same price as the NEX. You are then guaranteed full compatibility with all NES games. But to play Famicom games you will need a converter. For me, I feel that I got what I wanted and it satisfies my need. I like the very convenient size and the ability to play Famicom games without a converter. None of the games that I am interested in are incompatible with the NEX. At 53 years old, I am having a fun retro gaming experience.

A friend of mine talked me into buying this a couple of years ago so I could shelve my NES to save it any more wear and tear but still play the games if I wanted to. For about 3 years it sat unopened on a shelf. This week I decided to try to use it for my Famicom Disk system because the company (who appears to be defunct now) claimed that it was compatible. I've even seen You Tube video of people using it with the Famicom Disk system.

So I finally unboxed the thing and now I have some impressions to share.

Positive:
Of all of the NES/Famicom knockoffs I've seen (and owned) this is by far the most elaborate.

It is styled after the old NES and that gives it a very distinct look.

It is the only "famiclone" I am aware of that has ports for the original controllers. I haven't tried the controllers that came with it, but most famiclone controllers are junk. The fact that you can use real Nintendo controllers with it is a definite plus.

NES games seemed to play with very few issues - it replicated the play experience pretty well - right down to the slowdown when too many sprites enter the screen at once. Again, I wasn't using the provided controllers, I was using an NES MAX controller.

Negative
The color pallet is definitely wrong. You may not notice this unless you are really familiar with what a particular game should look like or if you compare it side by side with a real NES, so it is up to you whether this is really a problem. All of the colors are brighter and tinted differently than they are supposed to be.

The sounds for NES games seem like the console is using the wrong MIDI library or something. Many of the sounds are just wrong.

I think these things must have had very poor quality control. I have heard a lot of people saying that it worked flawlessly for them, and a lot of people saying quite the opposite. Unfortunately I appear to have obtained a bad one, and the fact that it is so old - though I just unsealed it this week - and that the makers - Messiah Entertainment - appears to have gone out of business means that I have little in the way of recourse or troubleshooting.

When I insert the Famicom Disk RAM Adapter and turn the console on, the sound is very low and very distorted. The game I did most of my testing with: Yumei Koujou: Doki Doki Panic! (the game that would later be made into the U.S. version of Super Mario Bros. 2) uses a rare feature called the Famicom Disk System Sound Channel. Ironically the Generation NEX seems to decode that sound channel perfectly, but the standard sound for the games comes out muffled, scratchy and stuttering. It makes for quite an odd effect - some sounds are muffled and scratchy, and others are very loud and clear. No amount of troubleshooting has corrected the problem. As I stated earlier, I know this problem does not affect all of these consoles because I've seen YouTube footage of people playing games on the FDS with a NEX and there are no sound issues. I know this problem is not with my RAM adapter because it works fine in a proper Famicom.

Lastly, they should have included some sort of eject mechanism for the NES slot. The games are extremely difficult to remove once they have been inserted.

Summary:
The Generation NEX has some unique features that make it attractive - the ports for real Nintendo controllers and the neat retro styling. But the colors are all off and there is no way to adjust them. The quality control seems pretty terrible so it's a crap shoot whether you're going to get a good one or a buggy one.

I would like to say that this is a good product. I remember having an NES when I was growing up and wanted to relive some of those memories. I saw this in a local gaming store and figured I'd give it a shot.

Overall this system works very well. It plays close to 97% (if memory serves) of the games available for the NES. I have not noticed any significant sound or video issues except for one game out of the 25 or so I own.

There are some complaints however. It is frustrating to play my copy of Wizards and Warriors because it seems to lag and it is pixelated on about 75% of the screen. The RCA cables are a 1-up to the RF modulator but I sometimes have to jiggle them to get my video connection working again. I also don't love the controller it came with, but you can use all the old accessories, which is very nice.

Personally, this is a great system to get a quick NES fix and play some old games, but someday I would like to own the original, for nostalgia purposes and to avoid some of the issues w/ the system. For now though, the Generation NEX does it's job, and does it well.

If you're not too concerned about coming across a game that doesn't work (which is rare) then go for it, it will bring back many memories!

When i first heard about this system in 07 i was looking for an alternative route to the original systems. Its a shame today that they don't sell the systems any more in retail stores i would love to see a NES cartridge sitting next to Xbox 360 PlayStation 3 or NIntendo Wii game but its not the 80s any more its 2009. I am a Nintendo purist and let me say this system comes very close the original NES and i had to get this system when my top loader recently died on me. I got so sick and tired of dealing with the rf i finally bought this system the Generation NEX. This system is more smaller and sleek than the original this pretty much is a slim NES much like the slim PS2 the best thing about this system is you can use original hardware like the Zapper plus you can play Famicom games on it but the controllers are horrid and is my only complaint but i use the original controllers and they work fine. Every game i tested works perfectly so no more rf unit no more channel 3 or 4 or the blinking screen of death this system is a tribute to the original NES and it works perfectly. I bought this system for the pure nostalgia so get out your classic NES cartridges and relive some of your child hood memories with the Generation NEX you will not be disappointed.

I purchased the NEX Videogame Console recently and was not disappointed. All my games played in it, a couple of the older ones I had to clean first but then they played fine. My favorite feature of this console is it allows you to use the controllers from your original NES, including the zapper!

Yes I will agree with the reviews that the sound in some places is a little off and the color quality isn't the same. The games also do fit a little snug. However, if you just want to be able to play your old video games that you thought were forever doomed by that awful blinking screen, this console is for you. If you want every aspect of your gameplay (i.e. sound/color) to be there 100% I would suggest finding a new original NES.

this game system is awesome
all my games that i had work flawlessly every time
i was so tired of that dumb blinking screen and now i can finally just play the games i wanna play
recommended for anyone who loves the original nintendo

it looks like the nes but smaller reads the games without blowing on the cartrages and its got a great controller

The Generation NEX is one of the best NES clone systems you can buy. Not only can you play your normal NES games but also it has a slot for Famicom games and that was one of the main reasons I bought it all though some games are incompatible with the system like Castlevania 3.

I love the idea of support for old systems. Upon calling the company, I hear there may be a future for other old systems...and I look forward to it! This is amazingly reliable and lets me relive the glory days of the 8-bit generation. I've tried to contact Nintendo regading other old products and their answer is that they can't fix it and to get a new one on ebay or such. While there's still no way to fix my old cartridges, it's nice to know that an old system can be revived in the modern age.

This would be great if the games would load and unload more easily! I'm 46 and can't get the games out without reefing on the console and my boys have to use a crowbar just about! We took it back to the store and the salesgal had a hard time getting the game out too. Too bad as it's otherwise sturdy but the abuse of forcing the game out would ruin something I'm sure!