#famiclone

[astral-sonder]

in love with this famiclone i found at goodwill

[geekysteven]

Credit to @genderholo for the background art

[vampirerobot]

DuckTales intro found on a famiclone console used as bootleg menu music. Appears distinct from both the NES and GB chiptunes.

[unauthorizon]

Today's random choice from Unauthorizon - the ultimate database of bootleg/unauthorized video game consoles.

Source

Brand: unknown Name: DRAGON BALL II, 龍珠二世 *DB II - TV GAME Model Number: unknown Released Region: China

This is Famicom/NES based console, in the shell which looks like the Super Famicom - shell reference model is NASA SP-60/SP-72, released by unknown supplier.

See details here.

[minuy600]

Welcome to 1988, y'all.

[duckyfruitbat]

Fami-Clone Consoles: Now Available at your Local Walmart!

Have you ever heard the term fami-clone? The name comes from the Nintendo Famicom and it refers mostly to plug and play systems. These systems tend to advertise an absurd number of games in one console. These consoles are loaded with mainly 8 bit games but with something altered, usually the title but also some assets switched around or even changed entirely. These games can look absurd, there is one Sonic bootleg but it replaces Sonic with Mario, with another version that's just pikachu. Other games on these systems are sometimes just the same game but the levels are separated and labeled as separate games, which is how they get the numbers so high. There are even a couple downgraded titles floating around such as Angry Birds.

A few years ago I ended up finding a bunch of these at Walmart, one of which was just a GameBoy going through its emo phase. It was of course loaded with all the usual fami-clone titles, Mario broken up, re skins of B grade NES games, and some 16 bit games.

Now it is possible to get a license from the original IP holder to resale these games, but given the trend that most of the fami-clones tend to follow, it is doubtful that the majority of these manufacturers are operating within the law. Nintendo for example is fiercely protective of their IP, they don't even let themselves port their own games. This is probably why a lot of the games are modified in some way, hardly enough to avoid any copyright law.

Hardware wise, all the fami-Clones are in the clear. The patents on these gadgets were filed in the 80's and ran out in the early 2000's. Now I haven't found anything on if Nintendo has successfully sued a fami-clone manufacturer on copyright issues. Every time I think I found a case, it was either in the 90's before the patents expired, or the link is dead. The closest thing I have found was a one paragraph article on a lawsuit Nintendo has filed over a patent violation, didn't even say which patent. So time for some speculation!

Nintendo and companies like it are very well aware of the games that are on these bootleg systems. However, these ports are actually pretty bad as far as ports go, and there is no way to mistake most of these for officially licensed ports, they don't even get the titles right. What does that mean? It means that it's just not worth it, besides, the fami-clones are already well known for their stigma of being just cheap knockoffs you find in street fairs that may or may not outlast the gold fish you dropped into the cotton candy machine. This is the only reason I can think of why these things are still around, as far as them being in stores like Wal-Mart, someone probably just absent mindedly approved of it.

To make that last point I want to point out another thing I found at Wal-Mart. I was walking past the toy aisle and I noticed this mini arcade cabinet made for the American Girl dolls. It had a try me sticker and when I turned it on I found the usual 1000+ game selection screen and a Christmas game that is well known for being in these fami-clone consoles. I can safely conclude that fami-clones persist out of apathy, on the original IP holders, on the sellers, the manufacturers, and the end buyers. Most of the fami-clone companies tend to remain in obscurity and are often forgotten.

Before I forget, piracy is illegal and I don't condone it. Gotta cover my legal bases, BUY GOLD!

[retrogaminglife]

This is the maxplay IQ-501 which is also known as the micro genius or dendy console depending on the region. It’s by far my favorite clone from the 80s-90s what a beauty!!! #retrogaming #retrogaminglife #retro #nintendo #famicom #famiclone #dendy #microgenius #macplay #gaming https://www.instagram.com/p/CgHLXg-uuVD/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[gpawj]

what are some of your favorite bootleg games?

[pixelarabcom]

تعريب : مقاتل الطريق | road fighter

تعريب : مقاتل الطريق | road fighter

[frogshunnedshadows]

Magazine ad for the Ubik Electronics "VCR Playmate," a ... video game console (?) which I'm not eve sure ever existed. December 1990.

Has anyone even heard of this thing before? I can't find a US trademark for the "VCR Playmate," nor can I find one (or anything) for "Ubik Electronics."

[bootlegpals]

Some brick game handhelds with two bootleg NES controllers and Gameboys

[meltykitt]

You never-a really understand a person until you consider things from-a his point of view... until you climb-a into his skin and-a walk around in it.

[mendelpalace]

The Bootleg Connection: Micro Genius and the Transnational Circulation of Early Clone Consoles Ian Larson (University California, Irvine)

An academic article looking at the Micro Genius and the spread of Famicom clone consoles around the world.

[retr0rob]

Another Famiclone Unboxing, Gameplay and Thoughts. The GB-9X 

[unauthorizon]

Today's random choice from Unauthorizon - the ultimate database of bootleg/unauthorized video game consoles.

Brand: unknown Name: 蓝精灵, LANJING LING Model Number: unknown Released Region: China

This is Famicom/NES based console, in the shell which looks like the Famicom, released by unknown supplier.

See details here.

[minuy600]

A Quick Look at all Games on the Kruidvat Famiclone (Part 3)

I live for this shit, as John Justice would say. Despite not really finding myself too motivated to make blogs at the moment, this dinky ass handheld keeps calling my name. Regardless of it's extremely cheap build quality, I find myself extremely charmed with the design, some of the bootlegs and the Kruidvat packaging. Junk food gaming at it's finest.

#017 - Fairy 2001

Behold, a game I actually played in remade form! Dunno how you could spin 'Blaster Master' into 'Fairy', but hey, at least I recognise a lot about this game. Blaster Master Zero's first level is really close to the original's.

A giant 'Let's Go!' replaces the visual of Jason going out on his mission, way to make the story more interesting. This Fred censorship will not be tolerated.

Sophia looks like a turtle, shooting angry blue guys whilst the music is the original being flipped upside down. Now this is a new high of weird edits in bootlegs. Even comes included with the puke colors this system appears to use for all their more elaborate junk.

#018 - Happy Angel

Sorry, Happy Angel

Legend, as the game calls it, features a happy Teletubby, a pensive Teletubby and a winking Teletubby as they attempt to rescue Babs Bunny from blue Mickey Mouses. ...Did a 12 year old sneeze on Wattpad and make a game from it or something?

Good game by the way, would like to try Tiny Toon Adventures in non-fucked up form someday.

#019 - Inclement Trip

More like InCREment Trip, as you start this hack of Super Spy Hunter on level 2 instead of level 1. If you like having a power trip (hahaaaaaaaaaaa), you play as a guy in a jetpack blowing up all kinds of vehicles, including cars and helicopters.

#020 - Raider

Another Famicom hack which is neat, this time it's Saint Seiya that gets a hilarious Engrish translation. With the heroes Bik (hello Jerome), Roal, Mier (Dutch for ant) and Dum (the only playable female??? Nice sexism guys) in tow, you first play through a level.

Once you got that figured out, some random soldier tells you 'You haven't enough power,go!'. Displeased as you are of course, you yell 'Die to shame!' back as you duke it out in a tutorial battle. Which according to the soldier, is 'too absurd' and 'now unallowed!'. Pfft, laws, am I right.

#021 - Rosker

Oh ye gods, it's spreading. Now you play as Mario with a TELETUBBY HEAD. The Teletubbies on the title screen also have 'Y2K' on their chest, which only makes it scarier. The first boss is a frickin' Star Wars sandworm. Creepypasta games before creepypastas existed, huh?

The realisation that this is a hack of Joe & Mac settles in when you get rewarded for your efforts in the list of 'Best Cavemen'. Thanks, I know i'm ooga booga.

#022 - Soldier-Boy

This soldier boy is gonna partake in some Wacky Races. While looking more like a karateka than a soldier. Can karate moves be used in a war I wonder? Most early enemies are pink sludges and SMB3's Nipper Plants if they grew legs.

#023 - Space Soldier

Holy sh*t, Roal has returned! He has been called into action as planets suffer from severe climate issues like consuming storms or weirdies!!!! The Cock asks the amazing space soldier to eggwalk, which he (or she apparently, there's a female portrait in use the one time we see them up close) gladly obliges to.

Infamously, this Bucky O'Hare hack kills you when an enemy hits you even once. That's because of an anti-piracy gimmick by Konami, as the title screen got changed up a bunch, like you would expect them to.

#024 - Storm-1

Do I even need to say anything? This is peak. Cowards won't allow there to be an episode of Tiny Toon Adventures where Buster is a stoner and loses his marbles.

Conclusion

Next time, we'll cover not THE final games, but the last ones that are hacked from games that have some meat on their bones. After that, expect a style change with how I do these things.