New AVS System Review - HD Nintendo NES - Gamester81

I review the new AVS system by RetroUSB. It's an HD Nintendo Entertainment System clone, and available at: www.retrousb.com/index.php
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[@dezm101]

I ordered one and I have really been enjoying it - I updated the firmware which adds color palette select options to fix the color issues, interested in other features they might add in the future updates

[@ryanamberger]

I like how ports 1/2 and 3/4 are close together. Can play two players with NES Advantages.

[@Agent22817]

and works with racermate stuff.

[@KaiserGX]

That's the idea. Funny is this is something a lot of clone consoles overlook...

[@RetroCynical]

an interesting little piece of hardware, but I like my NES games too have crappy quality audio/visual because that's the way it was back in the day haha

[@teamspirits732]

You want to play them in RF quality? That thing is as bad as the blinking red light. If there's one thing I hate more than the blinking red light, it's a broken RF adapter.

[@RetroCynical]

Team Spirits Yeah man, call me old fashioned haha.

[@RockHarding]

I really want this thing, but I'm having a hard time spending $185 when I'm happy with my original model...

[@TacticalPower88]

Im really happy with my emulator lol

[@hectorleon465]

Two Minutes Turkish I think we're better off with our original NES :)

[@CreedStonegate]

Great video! I'm really looking at this alternative to the mini, just to have Dragon Warrior. Plus reviews say it works with Everdrive.

[@panicandfall]

I bought an AVS, I liked that no 'fake' or low quality controllers were included. I bought 2 classic NES controlers online. This was not a problem.

[@NeonPizza80s]

8Bitdo's 2.4ghz 'N30' Controller is an excellent low latency wireless controller that's compatible, but if you want zero lag than you've got to go wired with the original NES pad or Dog bone controller. But that obviously doesn't mesh too well with a modern set up, but at least we've got options. ;) And thank god for the AVS's Scanline meter bar, even though it gets carried away if you come close to maxing it or maxing it. I personally can't stand playing NES games with razor sharp, crystal clear looking characters and environments on an HDTV. It all just looks artificial, sterile and rough. A CRT Filter, especially, & subtle scan lines are a must. On a CRT SDTV, with an NES, using composite and especially RF, the softer low res image blends everything together and makes characters(etc) look more cartoon-like. Instead of tiles of sharp squares. :P If the AVS didn't have that Scanlines option i would of most likely passed. Great, here i go rambling again! :P

[@shane2613]

Great review, I was surprised to see such a difference in the Famicom comparison.

[@TurdFerguson524]

What stuck out to me is when you said it plays famicom disk games too. That's cool. Great video. Thanks

[@Xearrik]

I feel like a leading point was buried. You mentioned the price differences of varies NES clones, but you didn't mention the biggest differences in them. If I was a casual viewer I might have checked out early and thought that this was pointlessly overpriced. There are basically 3 methods used to create these NES consoles. The first is Emulation. Retron5 is a good example of this. Emulation uses software to mimic original hardware. This is the cheapest and least accurate method. The second uses actual original hardware. The Analogue NT is a good example of this. They use original chips on a new board. It is the most accurate method. The AVS uses a relatively new method. It's called FPGA. It's hardware that can be configured to mimic other hardware. This method can mimic the NES hardware far more accurately than software. There are a few more points that I think should be mentioned. The AVS isn't all roses and sunshine. It's good for its price but it does have a few comprises. Here's one that most people should be informed of. The only output resolution is 720p. This means that it's up to your TV to upscale past that. Here's very simple explanation of upscaling. It's literally just stretching an image. Software in your TV stretches the image to match the ratio of the screen. A bit of processing power is used to do this. Some budget TVs won't be as fast as others at doing this. That means there can be a delay in what you see on the TV vs what you're pressing on the controller. Most modern TVs normally have a mode that won't stretch the image at all. So even iv your TV has imput lag with the AVS, you can get around it by not playing the game stretched. There is another strong point of the AVS. It let's you increase the sprite limit. Sprite limits is the main cause of flickering. This will make some games much more playable, but less authentic ;). The ability to update the console is another strong point. More customization options may be added at later dates. May be added :/ One can only hope :). I tried to be as informative as possible with my limited knowledge. Feel free to correct me if I got anything wrong. :)

[@Gamester81]

All great points, thanks.

[@teamspirits732]

The only problem with the Analog Nt is that though they use original chip on a new board, the original chip doesn't work that well with the new board rendering some games incompatible. The only way to fix those incompatibility is to use an NES EverDrive with the rom and a firmware update whereas the AVS, though had similar problems, doesn't required an NES EverDrive to update its firmware as you could just use the miniUSB wire to do that which was a more simpler way to solving compatibility issue.

[@PrinceMarcusWilliam]

would you notice the 720 to 1080 difference on any NES game?

[@ChristovBelmont]

Great review man. Definitely thorough. I thank you for helping me in my decision

[@RetroR0bbie]

ya you showed me this at PRGE. looks cool

[@dave4shmups]

Great review! I've heard that the AVS looks good on 4K TVs, although I don't own a 4K TV.

[@merlingt1]

I have not put my AVS down since I got it, highly recommended. Akumajou Densetsu sounds glorious with expansion sound.

[@kristophermann6528]

Love mine -- have got into collecting Famicom games since owning it.

[@matttuttle6262]

I love my AVS. Great console. They figured if you are willing to buy this for $185 you already have a large NES collection and many spare controllers. I think they are working on their own controller but it isn't out yet.

[@darrnellnott07]

is it only HDMI? I wonder if some of these new clone consoles for modern TVs have options for a/v to plug into old tvs for gun games to be even more flexible

[@worldgate989]

07:48 That's an obvious design flaw. You don't want your cable to be bent like that for any period of time. I am fairly sure thats not a cheap thing to replace unless its aftermarket chinese crap. Should have designed it to be turned around the other way or pushed it back further. Possible even make it so the lid there can be popped off easily to accommodate the cable.

[@MrFaisal8383]

good review I want ask the multi cart games work in this console?

[@mtshark7]

Awesome review John!

[@biglouie34]

Just curious, does this product play some of the newer carts like the Tecmo Super Bowl updates that are annually released?

[@Gamester81]

I've gotten my homebrews and hacks to work fine on this system.

[@MrPoestyle]

Do the 8bitdo controls work well with this ? Also is the extra sound channel on famicom used on this ?

[@videogameobsession]

I've been playing mine since September and I am very impressed. Aside from a fragile micro USB port (a fix is on the way) it's very nice quality. This, plus two 8bitdo wireless controllers is a great combo. I also love how you can choose to use Japanese controllers with NES games. The Japanese Arkanoid VAUS controller is way cheaper than the US counterpart. Aside from the obvious visual upgrade over a NES, what many people don't realize is that an original NES, or even Retron5 (emulation) can add many microseconds of latency to your games when playing on an HDTV. While that doesn't seem like much, you WILL notice it on games like Punch-Out!! and Ninja Gaiden 2! When trying Punch-Out!! on this for the first time I beat Tyson on the first attempt. I haven't done that in years, and never on an HDTV. I am a believer in their claim of "no added latency". If lag is noticed then the display is the blame in this case.

[@zolwikwkurwik]

Gamester81 either you use alot of audio filtering in your videos or you use a really heavy noise reduction. The recorded track of you talking sounds like a low quality mp3. Are you recording it using your camera? Maybe it has wrong options selected for sound quality

[@chrissieler1377]

Does this play the extra famicom sound channels?

[@TacticalPower88]

The extra sprites are to combat the flickering issue the original NES hardware introduced. If a game tried to display too many sprites at once it would flicker them in and out so that the game would stay within the NES hardware limitations.

[@BradleyRisi]

For some reason I dont like the Top loader for the Famicon Cartridges. It just doesnt look right with the slot flap.

[@doom4067]

they have the memo section in the manuals because the old NES game manuals had them.

[@lukasrgl]

Hello John, how was the second nes clone called you've said in the Video?

[@zolwikwkurwik]

Looking at the Famicom Disk System and how it's struggling to fit in with its cable I have to disagree that AVS was designed to use it.

[@sinthetic4878]

I really think the Retron 5 is the best of this type of console. Its ability to be made to be able to play roms from sd cards is a huge selling point alone. All you need is one game for each platform. Just find a $2 sports game for snes/genesis, and you can play Chrono Trigger/Phantasy Star IV on your hd tv with the original controllers, if you have them.

[@FFF-ic2fq]

is there a wireless controller option for this?

[@batman200]

is this sound quality after the update?

[@rushkiss2012]

Since it connects to the internet, any way it could upload roms ?

[@Gamester81]

No storage space for the ROMS, so I doubt it unfortunately.

[@ShamansMystery]

its nice that it uses mini usb because those are dirt cheap and in every thrift shop to get extras.

[@kirkd1502]

Where can I also get the Famicom mini classic?

[@americansupervillain4595]

eBay, but they are not cheap. I checked.

[@interlace84]

Nice review Gamester! FPGA wins :) but please, normalize the comparison audio volume, and make sure you have the latest firmware next time around. (I heard the colors were corrected in an unsaturated palette option for this one)

[@Justin_Strack]

Does it work with the Everdrive?

[@Thomaniac]

Cool thing! Does it support flashcards?

[@zz_the_one539]

All the games I tested work great and the system offers high compatibility. The sound is great and the graphics are razor sharp. On a quick note, make sure to update the system's firmware to fix some of the sound errors. Also, the sound is not quiet on my end. Out of the clone NES HD systems, this is the one to purchase. In addition, it works perfect with 8bitdo's dongle and controllers.

[@zz_the_one539]

Forgot to mention, this system runs in true 720p, unlike another system that was reviewed. Please note, the system does not have any inherent input lag, though your TV may due to how it handles scaling. My TV has minimal lag, though I was still able to beat games that require split second timing

[@HeavyMetalTurtles]

can u play nes zapper on it

[@goodwi11]

I think the price is right on compared to other HD NES clones. And it has NES controller ports so there's really no reason to include some crappy after market controllers. This plus a flash cart is perfect for the NES gamer who doesn't need to own the original carts. Great video!

[@Jigsaw2383]

goodwi11 nope, piece pf trash for 180$... My fucking god

[@Tictac-s2e]

PlaystationboxU master race You sound misinformed.

[@romanrm1]

The "NES Audio Comparison" from 10:18 is not fair, the NES is much louder than both of the new consoles, you should compare at the same volume (surely we are comparing quality here, not just "derp it's louder"). I.e. compensate by turning down the NES volume, or turn up the other two's volume so all are roughly the same loudness level, then present a comparison.

[@IllPropaganda]

Agree. The entire comparison section should of been done better.

[@FlintG]

I think I will wait for the nes mini.

[@calebprenger3928]

Something everyone should know, is this is not a "NES on a chip" console. I believe it's using a fpga so it's not actually emulating the console. The experience is much closer to the actual NES

[@cybernitemusic]

Love your vids but I believe u may have made a mistake with the audio comparison. You put up "AVS" under what sounded like non-AVS sound. Pretty sure about this as I've got the AVS and did a sound comparison and it doesn't match what you've got there. Could be that you mistakenly switched AVS and Retron 5 audio...

[@Bears9McMahon]

Great vid.....I'll stick with my retro freak it just does so much more

[@indiaalphanovember8217]

Do everdrive carts work on it?

[@americansupervillain4595]

Yes they do.

[@colefreddy1]

Ahh Ducktales 2.. A really expensive game these days, Glad I bought a copy for 5 bucks

[@ootwii]

I did well too get it for 5 dollars..

[@nerdyal8154]

Duck Tales 2 huh.. just had to show us the Duck Tales 2 game. I'm jealous.

[@Gamester81]

LOL, I just picked it up the other day actually. ;)

[@nerdyal8154]

What are you gonna tell me next that you paid $10 for it? Lol.

[@nerdyal8154]

Gamester81 Great buy either way. congrats on the pickup!

[@kuma1388]

john, does this thing support flash carts?

[@Gamester81]

I own an EverDrive flash cart, and it does work on this system.

[@kuma1388]

Sweet, thanks brother. Do save states work?

[@teamspirits732]

It works but you won't be able to use cheats on them as cheat codes are apply to official game carts only.

[@teamspirits732]

Sergio Barros Well if the EverDrive already had built-in cheats then yes those will work with the games using those built-in cheats. What I was referring to was the Cheats option built-in the AVS. If you load an EverDrive and go to use that Cheats option on the AVS menu, it won't give you any cheat as it won't recognize any game you had on the EverDrive.

[@johneygd]

This console looks great except for yhat lit wich is just there as a gimmick,but i also do like the fact that it is FPGA based since it can be programmed anyway you want so an software update can make it 99,99 to even 100 % compatible with most games & accessoires in the near future.

[@jaym5118]

I have this console. My biggest complaint is that it's not a top loader. Having to press cartridges into the front (like the original NES) is a pain, and I always feel like it's going to eventually wear the console out. I have to clean most games before inserting them before they'll work. MY AVS console's USB plug broke out, and I had to send it back for replacement (which I now have back). RetroUSB's customer service was very kind, and kept in contact with me throughout the entire ordeal of making the return. They told me that they're now reinforcing the USB port on all future AVS consoles (mine being one of them). But yeah, they should have made this a top loader.

[@BrightSpark]

The FDS still looks a bit like a tight fit in the AVS and it's not in my personal price range, but I'm all for options that allow us to play old games in general (and Famicom Disk System games in particular) without relying on aging (and increasingly rare) hardware. Speaking of which: Are there any flash carts that support FDS disk images? I'm curious because I personally actually prefer some FDS versions over the more well-known NES releases due to their better sound, like Metroid.

[@Guernicaman]

Does it accept USB controllers through the USB port?

[@Dan_Sightsandsounds]

No the usb is for power and data transfer to the score system software.

[@americansupervillain4595]

No, The usb is for power or hooking it to your home computer for the online features like leader board or updates.

[@Guernicaman]

American Super Villain - Could it then perhaps be used to update the OS & allow it to accept USB controllers & pads?

[@americansupervillain4595]

I do not think so. The usb port is the only way for the AVS system to be powered.

[@RayCommend]

Good review +gamester81 but it's missing a few things. Compatibility is good, but right now, not any better than other clones. Certain carts with a green stripe on the edge of their pins have connection issues (dragon warrior, bubble bobble, bttf, etc) for a lot of people. FF7 and Pokemon yellow also have issues (Video on my channel demonstrating it) for some people while working 100% perfectly on the original. Last is that no light gun support, even if you find an adapter to play on a CRT. all important stuff to mention.

[@Gamester81]

Great points, thanks.

[@KaiserGX]

The green strip games work if you insert them left side first, either way RetroUSB is going to be sending replacement pins that are deeper. I think there's a beta update that fixed the FF7 and Pokemon Yellow issues, it's not an office update but I am currently using that version. It supports the lightgun ,at least on a specific HD CRT I own (as well as any other accessory including that track pad and NES advantage, as well as those famicom add-ons. Though that isn't the AVS's fault. It's just the fault of the way the light gun works. Nothing can be done about that unless they made a new specific lightgun for HDTV's.

[@RayCommend]

No one should have to finagle, and figure out special tricks to get a game to work on a console. Especially at 8x the price. I have heard about the future fix, but right now, it's just that..a promise. Who knows how long,c when, or if. Doesn't help those who have the issue now. I have the beta update, and have been using it since day 1. It slightly improved, but didn't fix the FF7 issue. It doesn't support a light gun. It supports a concept of a new style of light gun, but not the original. It could have if it had included analog out for those with CRT televisions, but it doesn't. It's the fault of the product, not of the way light guns work. Again, worth mentioning for those on the fence. Duck hunt is still a popular NES game that people are nostalgic for and it's unplayable now. Which model HD CRT are you using that lets you play NES light gun games via HDMI? Do you have video? I'd be interested, as would a lot of people.

[@TBustah]

No pack-in? They make homebrews, they should have included one.

[@GenXtasy]

ice hockey online? day one.

[@rileydunevent7831]

the anlog nt uses nes ofical chips.

[@goodall1bay]

It would br even better if it had a color palette switch

[@tomjaden936]

I like it really but the price ehhh. I'll just wait til nov.11 for the official nes classic

[@gracefullynadine864]

Honestly, I'm not exactly sold. For the price, I'd rather just get an original NES, and get some adapters to upscale video to HD.

[@briansegarra9312]

thats not that easy as you think the nes only output compiste , even with adapter and scaler it will look bad , just a advice

[@17R3W]

8-Bit Squirrel it's garbage in garbage out. you can scale composite but that's just blown up composite picture.

[@FlintG]

Or just play it on a good old crt tv.

[@gracefullynadine864]

17R3W I'm not talking about composite, I can mod my NES to output in RGB, and from there, use a frame meister (admittedly expensive), and use that to get a pixel perfect image on an hd screen

[@gracefullynadine864]

BlazeFalcon That's what I do now! :)

[@TheCobrabee]

The RetroUSB AVS is a really awesome piece of hardware and deserves plenty of praise. It does a good job at what it was developed to do, and controllers were not part of that aim. I really wish the Retron 5 was not mentioned in comparison to legit clones. It is a crippled emulator, and you're better off using an honest emulator and calling it that. Anyone who spends the time and money to acquire cartridges deserves better. Anyone who uses an emulator shouldn't limit themselves to poor hardware, limited compatibility, and lack of a permanent ROM dump.

[@SamPendleton]

4:12 - " 'Updates through USB'...not quite sure how (it) updates; possibly through the USB connection." Interesting interpretation.

[@americansupervillain4595]

You hook the AVS to your home computer using usb, you use the computer to go online to download the update. then you open "scoreboard" which you download from RETROAVS.com. Go to transfer and you will see the update option.

[@hdofu]

considering how much ducktales 2 is worth, is that really the best game to test a console's grip with? 0_0

[@playitnextgames2467]

They would probably rather be accused of not making controllers, than making controllers that suck, which is par for the course with these types of consoles.

[@illustriouschin]

what's that weird sound in the background! lol

[@matiasalba46]

i got here because i thought that in the thumbnail was tom morello making a funny face

[@jaym5118]

In case anyone is wondering, the AVS doesn't play PAL-B NES games (only PAL-A). That part was a disappointment for me. Nothing I have will play PAL-B NES games for some reason.

[@mediaglitch]

No controllers thats crazy!

[@JMFSpike]

For the price, I feel that it should definitely come with 2 controllers. I also have a few other nitpicks about it. It's extremely ugly to look at, it only displays in 720p and not 1080p, and the color isn't 100% accurate(purple sky and water). None of those things are deal breakers, but they do hurt the system IMO(just a little).

[@Crimson_Logic]

It's cool but I'm getting the NES Classic

[@illustriouschin]

The plastic is pre-yellowed. weird.

[@derossetmyers47]

It looks like it has some slight sound and picture issues. If I'm gonna pay almost $200, I nees to to be perfect.

[@zz_the_one539]

DeRosset Myers The sound is great and is very close to the original source. Graphics are razor sharp. Just make sure you update the firmware, you may have sound issues out of the box. I highly recommend

[@derossetmyers47]

If it's still around when I'm making more money, I'll look further into it.

[@CSIG1001]

If it can't do colleco in 720hd I am not interested

[@kcb5150]

They could have made that a lot more slick of they weren't so slavishly devoted to the nes design language

[@kris198921]

Showing off a game most people or will never be able to afford

[@Topher_Knows]

Would love to see someone do a teardown of this system. For some reason this reeks of FPGA, which if that's the case, passsssssssss. edit: Okay, I see it is an FPGA system. Hardware emulation using hardware is still emulation. Sorry John, I don't mean to be negative, but I have no respect for $100+ systems that emulate native hardware when we have millions of restorable systems that can be VGA modded, which is the best output an NES can ever do natively without introducing some form of emulation.

[@davecates9095]

I agree a controller should be included. Maybe newer xbox and playstations won't come with controllers LOL.

[@chunchi2012]

no controllers =(

[@ElegyForTheMasses]

If you already have an NES collection (which is a majority of the people who would buy this), then why wouldn't you already have NES controllers?

[@GamingisAHobby]

i dont think i will get it. i have been big into multiplayer games recently on the xbox one. Ever since i was introduced to multiplayer games, regular games take the back seat. Unless I really want to play the game. I do like watching retro videos on youtube tho :D

[@barrenblack7112]

No wifi or controllers for 185$ lol nope. Companies like this have figured out how to screw you in your nostalgia holes and charge you out the other hole.

[@barrenblack7112]

both overpriced?

[@barrenblack7112]

Ok i can see this as a reasonably priced alternative to finding and buying the originals and getting them modded for newer tvs. Just should include at least one of each nes and famicom controller.

[@barrenblack7112]

So there is a human behind this, that does make a difference. Now I see the cost for what it is and may have to have one. ty

[@videogameobsession]

No one is forcing you to buy it. If you think it's overpriced then by all means stick with emulation or the original NES. I own the original NES, several in fact, but if you ever want to display NES games on an HD display and have it look halfway decent and not lag you have only a few options; 1. Emulation (inaccuracies, not able to use original games or hardware). 2. HiDef NES (nice quality, by Kevtris. Not cheap, plugs into an original NES. Also, they are very seldom for sale.) 3. Nt Micro by Analogue. (Same FPGA tech, $500+) 4. This... You have to keep in mind NES consoles have been steadily going up in price as well... working NES systems seem to sell for around $40ish or more now. You are getting a NES and Famicom in one, a NES Four Score (4 ports), a Game Genie/Action replay, and 2 other cheat code devices built in. Of course the highlight is the HD 720p video and crystal clear 48.1kHz all digital audio. Having played the NES for 31 years now I can honestly say I am completely blown away by the quality of the AVS. It looks beautiful with the scanline option on a large HDTV. Some other features which are nice is the "Unlimited Sprites" option. This reduces flicker in many games. It supports Famicom enhanced audio so games like Castlevania III (Famicom version), will sound amazing. The game pad options let you use Famicom controllers (through the EXT port) when playing NES games. You can turn on Turbo and even adjust it. And one of the best undocumented features is the ability to set a shortcut button combo to access the menu while in game. I set mine to (B+A+START+SELECT). This is great for when you have a flashcart or multicart in the slot and don't want to keep getting up to change the game. It's also an upgradable FPGA board so new features can also be added. The last Firmware update added 4 new palette types. Oh, and the Scoreboard high score feature is really very cool. Connect it to a laptop or PC, plug in your favorite game and go for a high score. I didn't think I'd bother with this, but I ended up playing SMB and getting #2 on the leaderboards. It really does add a new element to playing classic NES games. Again, it's not for everyone, but for me it was worth every cent.

[@tarstarkusz]

Just what I need, a $200 machine that upscales low resolution device to HD.

[@KaiserGX]

There's no upscaling or converting involved.The signal starts digital from the device.

[@tarstarkusz]

But it's still a low resolution device.

[@KaiserGX]

I think you're a bit confused on what resolution is man... it's not the graphical capabilities of the graphics themselves but the pixels per inch.

[@Sc0pee]

How can you say that the AVS sound is better compared to other consoles? O_o At least in this video, the Retron sounded a lot better, and so did the original machine :S

[@Sc0pee]

I mean, is the sound really that LOW volume like in this video (Ducktales2) comparison. I can barely hear the audio of the AVS.

[@jrgaln]

how can you justify that price tag? I don't understand it. There's so many other and cheaper options out there that come with a controller. the original Nintendo was priced at $100 came with 2 controller and a light gun. I understand that making retro consoles is costly none-the-less $184 with no controllers is absurd.

[@Justin-Theobald]

Nintendo is becoming less concerned with plagiarism with clone consoles

[@teamspirits732]

Nintendo doesn't care about clones and they had no reason to as the patent for the 8-Bit NES and Famicom expired a long time ago so any company 3rd party or not could make a clone or NES accessories without worries of infringement whether through emulation, FPGA modification, through that one device named after a dessert (the Raspberry Pi), or even a NOAC.

[@Boojakascha]

it's not a clone system...

[@worldgate989]

Why can't any of these guys add any real features to these things? Or maybe do a SNES one, i could get behind that.

[@leebumble]

$185 skoots and no controllers, whoa what a ripoff!!

[@leebumble]

Sweet baby Jesus O.O!

[@videogameobsession]

Do any real gamers actually not own a NES pad? Adding controllers would have increased the price. Buy 2 8bitdo wireless Retro Receivers and use existing Bluetooth controllers or get the awesome NES and SNES wireless pads to compliment it.

[@foxzygranpa]

Pretty expensive haha

[@Puretea4711]

190$ ? No Thanks... i stick with my RasPI

[@TheColinputer]

Id personally rather it not come with controllers than come with some rubbishy cheap ones..

[@RejectedManiac]

$185? Uhh no thanks! =/

[@jrgaln]

is this video sponsored?

[@RobNoonanic]

Too expensive...

[@budfahnestock2418]

why is everyone so against the retron 5? for $100 i can play a buttload of cartridge based systems, in "hd", AND i can use my 8bitdo controllers without any adapters. this thing is $180 and only plays nes/fam? no thank you

[@budfahnestock2418]

thumbs up for the review though, gamester always does a pretty decent job with reviewing these clone systems

[@MegaMetal96]

Bud Fahnestock I wanna know where you see retron 5s for $100. In canada they sell for about $220, which equates to about 165 USD.

[@chigimonky]

I don't like the Retron5 because the whole cartridge loading thing is a joke. It's not really playing from your cartridge, it's just ripping the rom and then playing it from the system memory like any other emulator. You might as well just play an emulator on your computer and save $100. Also some of the emulators suffer from input lag, some people say they can't notice it but it ruins it for me. Also the guys who made it are douche bags and stole other peoples work and profited from it. So yeah

[@coachtomas]

I agree. At the end of the day both the AVS and Retron 5 produce the *same end product*. But the Retron 5 has 7 other systems you can play also. The thing is both consoles arent for people who already have the massive games collections and original consoles, the Retron 5 is for someone who doesnt have the space for more consoles and isnt a super-hardcore collector. Its a starting point console. I couldnt justify paying that much for the AVS.

[@Sc0pee]

Because the Retron is a software emulator, but this is a real clone console apparantly. So it mimics the NES hardweare, unlike the Retron 5 which is basically a low powered PC in retro style casing..

[@iRetro_Gamer]

Far too expensive. Can't justify paying out $185 for it. Shame.