Analogue Duo review: A second chance for an underappreciated console

Analogue's most expensive console in years and its first system with a CD-ROM drive is the ultimate ode to a forgotten gem. It's not quite perfect, but it's a great addition to any serious game collector's arsenal.
Read our full review of the Analogue Duo on www.engadget.com
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[@Fernando-Rodriguez]

the emulation for PC-engine is cycle accurate in Ares and Mednafen so it actually matches frame by frame with the real hardware, I will buy one of this FPGA-based PC Engine consoles because I like things to be physical and tangible

[@dwightdixon8508]

I bought the Analogue Duo to reduce ware on my original TurboDuo’s that I bought back in 1993/94. My only Analogue Duo complaints is the card slot vs originals door/hatch and the location of the controller port. It’s not in original Duo location and I use the original controllers which have extremely short cords. TBPH tho I’m grateful Analogue actually engineered and produced this

[@chfgn]

It’s remarkable that you’ve been playing with those short cords since 1993 without buying an extension cable.

[@cyxceven]

The lack of a Hucard door and lid for the CD drive is a huge bummer, but I imagine they wanted to keep manufacturing costs down. Plus the demand for these unit is not high.

[@Robert_Shmigelsky]

I hope we hear some news soon about the Limited Run Games North American release of Rondo of Blood.

[@treedeblue]

Till then a burnt copy on cdr works great on the analogue.

[@RetroGirlAstrid]

The biggest thing that bugs me about the 8bitDo controllers is, while no they didn't have a TON of support, there are still games that used some or all of the extra buttons on the six button controller NEC/Hudson released for the original PC Engine. Just doing a 2 button controller for it supports most games, but still leaves some (like the genuinely great Street Fighter 2: CE conversion) with it's super janky 2 button controls.

[@cyxceven]

I've been trying random 6-button arcade sticks I have around, and many are surprisingly compatible. I just want analogue to add button remapping, because it currently isn't quite perfect.

[@lsdowdle]

MiSTer FPGA for the win.

[@SeveredLegs]

I disagree about the controller, it's perfectly fine. The problem is getting is synchronized with the device. You need to manually put 4.0 firmware on it (using a special button combination on the controller and then using a PC to drag the file to the device). This firmware also makes it impossible to connect to the 2.4g dongle that comes with it. So you'll have to choose which usage you want out of it, or keep switching firmware. Yours obviously came with it pre-sync'd. Another weird thing about the console (although not a huge problem for me) is that you can only sync 2 controllers wirelessly using 2.4g. The next two must use USB dongles in the back, and the 5th controller (Bomberman '93 is the best) must be wired. I still very much appreciate how good the machine is, and it's much simpler to operate the menu and change settings, etc. In the end, it's a super cheap/reliable way to play these games. Buying the games isn't too expensive, and you can burn CD-R's for the CD games. It works with EverDrives (but there is an issue with the physical size of some of them) and you can very easily jailbreak the firmware to run roms off the SD card.

[@MrMegaManFan]

Would I? I did. And as luck would have it, if you're willing to think outside the box (pun somewhat intended) you can play roms from PC Engine HuCards and CD-ROM^2 images right off a micro SD card on the system. The jailbreak is out there and Analogue is one of the few companies that WON'T void your warranty for modifying what you own.

[@VOAN]

You could pretty much do that on any Chinese emulation devices nowadays that had a decent PC Engine emulator.

[@blitzerblazinoah6838]

We need button mapping on the next jailbreak firmware.

[@soundsonline796]

FYI the controllers were released for the pc engine mini which is also powered by a micro usb not the analogue duo.

[@rssexybeast]

I had the Turbo Grafx 16! My dad got it for me I think because he worked with computers in the 80s and knew of NEC as a good company so he thought it would be better than Genesis or Nintendo. Thanks Dad... I loved all the Bonks and Keith Courage in Alpha Zones. Damn this took me back.

[@VOAN]

As a fun fact, even though NEC were the manufactured of the PC Engine and Turbo Grafx-16, they were never in the market to compete in the console war and they don't own the console rights to those names. Both rights to the PC Engine and Turbo Grafx-16 are own by Hudson which today is own by Konami which is why when the Turbo Grafx-16 Mini and PC Engine Mini were launch, both are handle by Konami and not NEC. NEC to Hudson is like Panasonic to 3DO, they only manufactured the hardware for another company, they don't compete in the hardware war.

[@beyondu77]

The console looks beautiful. They really put some time into its design.

[@Mekaneckpain]

I wish the jailbreak on this console had save states...

[@owomushi_vr]

Long way away. The core for pocket doesn't support it either. And I have to play my hucards with my pocket to get save states.

[@tetsuoshima2314]

My biggest complaint with the 8BitDo controllers is that they should have added 2 more buttons and made it Avenue Pad 6 style, not only does having buttons instead of Turbos on the 2 button layout baffle me but they forgot all about the great 2D fighting games - PCE had one of the best of the era ports of SF2 CE and fantastic Neo Geo ports.

[@VOAN]

Those NeoGeo ports doesn't even used 6-buttons. The 6-buttons controller alone was just for two games: Fighting Street (which was terrible even with the 6-button controller) and Street Fighter II: Champion Edition (which was also terrible as you need the 6-button controller). There was no point in 8BitDo making a 6-button version as you could still use the original one anyways.

[@chfgn]

@@VOAN The SNK fighters are unplayable on the Analogue Duo without a six button controller. They use Select for Light Punch but the Duo maps Select + Down to open the system’s menu. Try to punch while ducking and the game disappears. That said, there are so few fighters on the system I think the 6 button controller is a little overrated. I have a pair of Avenue Pad 6s and they’re great but they almost never get used.

[@lcdrmaa]

I want that weyland-yutani vest that Tim is wearing.

[@Mekaneckpain]

I also think the 8bitdo PCE controller could have been better... and a little bigger. It's definitely the cheapest feeling controller they make so far.

[@inceptional]

With the quality of the Analogue Duo console, I'm not sure why these guys couldn't have made their own controller to go along with it that actually totally matched both the look and quality to be honest.

[@jonathonearl482]

If this ran SegaCD games, I would get one.

[@owomushi_vr]

They need to add CD system support like Genesis CD and other early CD systems

[@chfgn]

Never going to happen on the Duo, but I’d gladly buy a new Mega SG that included a CD drive for Sega CD games.

[@dman7895]

The Analogue Pocket requires adapters for those "about half a dozen other systems too" it should be noted, obvs sold separately (game gear, neo geo pocket/color, turbographix, and atari lynx, while gb, gbc, and gba games all work with the unit out of the box)

[@jeremy__hopkins]

Game Gear also has a spirtualized1997 core and TG16/PCE/Supergrafx also has a community version which will work without adapters on the Pocket via openFPGA. Hopefully we'll see spiritualized1997 versions of the NGPC core and Lynx at some point. Jotego has a NPGC core in development as well for various FPGA devices.

[@jonnyeh]

@@jeremy__hopkins A spirtualized1997 core would be great for PCE since the official core supports save states/sleep mode.

[@VOAN]

While the compatibility is impressive, playing a majority of those library without their native pocket control just doesn't had that same nostalgic feel for example NeoGeo Pocket Color games will feel less authentic since you only used a d-pad for control instead of a microswitch revolving joystick which made those games more fun to play. Something the Analogue Pocket can't offered compare to the original.

[@jeremy__hopkins]

@@VOAN Also no link support so far which is a huge deal for NGP/NGPC games. The lack of a clicky thumbstick can be solved with a dock and 8BitDo NEOGEO wireless controller but it's not the same.

[@StephanieHua]

I think it is definitely a beautiful, premium product, albeit very niche. It does exactly what it is advertised to do, and that is to play PCE and TG16 games - no questions asked. But stop and think about why it is under appreciated: -There are very few people who actually have a HuCard/CD collection -majority of people who actually buy this console, will be running roms on a flashcart, or the jailbreak, including die-hard NEC collectors/fans -the west never embraced the TG16 to begin with, so there really wasn't a market for this to begin with low interest in this product may ultimately mean - no further updates for it. Without products like flashcarts, jailbreak, and the devs (who basically work for free), Analogue products just end up being pretty trophies.

[@MarkDell]

I really wish this thing had OpenFPGA like the pocket

[@seethruhead7119]

just plug in your analogue pocket?

[@VOAN]

Not sure why y'all bought this and still disappointed about the lack of other platforms. Isn't the whole point of getting this console was to just play PC Engine and Turbo Grafx-16/CD games in HD?

[@MarquisDeSang]

I bought the JP and USA version with the matching controllers. My only problem is that the Jaillbreak version of the firmware does not support save states.

[@luckyluke95]

Use the original firmware + Linker 😉😉😉

[@MarquisDeSang]

@@luckyluke95 What is a linker? I have the everdrive but save states do not work with that thing.

[@luckyluke95]

@@MarquisDeSang use Turbo Everdrive Pro 👍👍👍

[@MarquisDeSang]

@@luckyluke95 This is exactly what I have with the latest firmware.

[@cloudycolacorp]

Turbo-Do-over

[@DirteJulio]

Compatible with everdrive?

[@VOAN]

Actually the PC Engine only beat the Mega Drive in Japan, it never beat the Super Famicom cause when that got released, the PC Engine was on its way out. Even when the PC Engine got released before the Super Famicom, it still failed to top the original Famicom.

[@deathbob091]

we need an analogue 64 now that they cracked a better 64 core as far as chip emulation goes !!!!

[@DannyP-dm1pw]

They are doing one. It's on the website. Says coming late 2024. My opinion it will probably have pre-orders and ship in mid to late 2025 knowing Analouges track record . I do have a Super NT and a Analogue Pocket and I'm happy with both. I went through 3 SNES consoles breaking down so glad to have the Super. I know Mister is a thing too. Once I set up a new desktop I'll look into it. I still prefer physical though.

[@tdome3000]

3:01 The CPU is an Altera Cyclone V, not a "dual core ARM Cortex FPGA". It helps to understand what these acronyms mean, and not just copy some keywords from the Intel homepage without any clue.

[@kevinkev1530]

👍🏿

[@PJ-sv4iw]

It wasn't "already dated" in 1989...

[@MarquisDeSang]

I had more colors than the SNES

[@PJ-sv4iw]

@@MarquisDeSang True.

[@VOAN]

@@MarquisDeSang That's only because it used CD. The non-disc version look worst. SFII on PC Engine lacks parallax scrolling, something the Genesis, SNES, and Arcade versions all had.

[@owomushi_vr]

It's about library. Not this. If nec didn't drop the ball it could have been amazing here. Lots of games to port. Just didn't unfortunately

[@MarquisDeSang]

@@VOAN False, the CD had no additinonal power than the media itself. The PC-Engine does not have any hardware for the parallax indeed, but it can be done with tricks. But the PC-Engine could display more color at once on screen than Gen and SNES.

[@jdkgcp]

8BitDo controllers are garbage tier. You get what you pay for is the only thing I can say after having 5 or so of them. Edit: Analogue though does good work.