Puneet Varma (Editor)

Retro Duo

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Manufacturer
  
Retro-Bit

Generation
  
Seventh Generation

CPU
  
8-bit & 16-bit

Type
  
Video game console

Retail availability
  
NA: 2008

Retro Duo

Media
  
NES/SNES/SFami ROM Cartridge

The Retro Duo is a video-game clone console developed by Retro-Bit and distributed by Innex, Inc. The Retro Duo is an 8-bit and 16-bit video game console. It was designed to fit the needs of 8-bit and 16-bit console gamers and plays game cartridges for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Super NES/Super Famicom. There have been quite a few clone systems made in recent years, but the difference with this one is that it plays American, European, and Japanese games and has the highest compatibility over any other clone system. Another notable difference is that S-video is now compatible when playing SNES games. The console is not licensed by Nintendo and is not fully compatible with every game released for the two game systems; however, the majority of games will function properly. While it has only been released in Canada and the United States, it can still be used in Europe and Japan with a power plug adapter. The console is compatible with official and third party SNES controllers.

Contents

Reviews of the Retro Duo have praised its compatibility for games many other clone consoles struggle with (due to hardware issues) such as Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse on the NES, Star Fox on the SNES, and the Game Genie cheat cartridge. The Retro Duo is also compatible with the Super Game Boy device. The Retro Duo was released in four different color schemes: white/blue, silver/black, black/red, and a red/gold limited edition version. The new 3.0 release fixed many of the previous 2 versions, including the compatibility with Castlevania III, and came as a red/blue Mascot edition.

Compatibility

List of known incompatible games:

Nintendo Entertainment System

  • 720° (NTSC)
  • Battletoads (NTSC) (game hangs after level 2, though a cheat allows the player to jump to level 3)
  • Digger T. Rock: Legend of the Lost City (PAL) (plays title screen, in-game crashes with graphics glitch, rendering it unplayable)
  • Duck Hunt (NES Zapper cannot be plugged in; works with NES to SNES adapting cables that have accessory support. Be aware, however, that the NES Zapper only works with a CRT TV set.)
  • Maniac Mansion
  • Paperboy (NTSC) (controller is not recognized)
  • Rolling Thunder (works with Retro Duo 2.0 and above)

    • Super Nintendo Entertainment System

    Most or all the PAL games listed below are not playable on a real NTSC Super NES (even with its security chip disabled). Their inclusion here does not reflect incompatibilities between the (NTSC) Retro Duo and a real NTSC Super NES.

  • ActRaiser 2 (NTSC)
  • Batman Returns (PAL)
  • Donald in Maui Mallard (PAL)
  • Donkey Kong Country (PAL)
  • Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (PAL)
  • Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (PAL)
  • EarthBound (NTSC) (minor incompatibility. Antipiracy check will activate, this will cause increased enemy spawn rate. Highly playable)
  • GP-1: Part II (PAL)
  • Illusion of Time (PAL)
  • Kirby's Fun Pak (PAL)
  • Lethal Enforcers (PAL)
  • Out of This World (NTSC) (screen border flashes, sprites either load distorted or not at all)
  • Plok (PAL)
  • Pilotwings (PAL) (minor incompatibility. Moving target platforms blink and sometimes produce a mirroring effect. Minor screen flashes and haze. Highly playable)
  • Secret of Mana (PAL)
  • Starwing (PAL)
  • Stunt Race FX (PAL)
  • Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts (PAL) (Stage 3-2 boss is invisible and Stage 4 is completely black except for enemies, player and a few certain platforms - unplayable)
  • Super Mario All-Stars (PAL)
  • Super Mario All Stars + Super Mario World (PAL)
  • Super Mario Kart (PAL) (plays, but graphics are extremely glitchy)
  • Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (software revisions 1.2 and 1.3)
  • Super Metroid (PAL)
  • Terranigma (PAL) (trips the antipiracy check, like every other clone to date)
  • Zombies (PAL)

    • Controllers / Accessories (compatible with NES to SNES cables but only ones with accessory support)

  • R.O.B.
  • NES Zapper
  • Power Pad
  • NES Advantage
  • NES Max
  • Power Glove

    • Retro Duo Portable

    Retro-Bit also has a portable version of the console. The Retro Duo Portable, released with a black case on 23 January 2012, and later with a red case on 25 September 2012. The Retro Duo Portable is capable of playing Super NES cartridges via a large cartridge slot in the back. The Retro Duo Portable also supports NES, Genesis, and Game Boy games with an appropriate cartridge adapter for each system.

    References

    Retro Duo Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA