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Owing to the popularity and longevity of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES; known in Asia as the Family Computer, or Famicom), the system would become one of the world's most cloned video game consoles. Such clones are colloquially called Famiclones (an abbreviation of "Famicom clone"), and are electronic hardware devices designed to replicate the workings of, and play games designed for, the NES. Dozens, if not hundreds, of unlicensed clones have been made available since the height of the NES's popularity in the late 1980s. The technology employed in such clones has evolved over the years: while the earliest clones featured a printed circuit board containing custom or third party integrated circuits (ICs), more recent (post-1996) clones have utilized single chip designs, with a custom IC which emulates the functionality of the original hardware, and often includes one or more on-board games. Most devices originate in Asian nations, especially China and Taiwan, and to a lesser extent South Korea.

In some locales, especially South America and the former Soviet Union, where the NES was never officially released by Nintendo, such clones were the only readily available console gaming systems. Such was the case with the Dendy Junior, a particularly successful NES clone which achieved widespread popularity in Russia and former Soviet republics in the early 1990s. Elsewhere, such systems could occasionally even be found side by side with official Nintendo hardware, often prompting swift legal action. Many of these early systems were similar to the NES or Famicom not only in functionality, but also in appearance, often featuring little more than a new name and logo in place of Nintendo's branding.

Perhaps not wishing to attract legal attention from Nintendo, few of these systems are openly marketed as "NES compatible." Very often they are sold in very attractive and misleading boxes, featuring screenshots from more recent (and more powerful) systems and adorned with misleading, or even patently false, quotes, trumpeting "...ultimate videogame technlology..." or "...crystal clear digital sound, multiple colors and advanced 3D graphics." Some manufacturers will opt for a less misleading approach, describing the system generically as a "TV game," "8-bit console," or "multi-game system," but even these examples generally say nothing to suggest any compatibility with NES hardware.

Software game titles

Since none of these unlicensed clones contain the 10NES authentication chip, most are capable of running games which an official NES model would not run. In addition, many modern NES clones come with a built-in selection of games, typically stored on an internal ROM which can range from 128KB up to several megabytes in size. These built-in games are usually designed to supplement, rather than replace, the traditional cartridge slot, although some devices omit such a slot entirely, allowing only the built-in games to be played. Typical numbers for the built-in "distinct" games range from as low as three to as high as fifty or one hundred games for more expensive products. The number of "distinct games" is important, because while many NES clones claim to have as many as 10,000 built-in games, most of these games are usually nothing more than slight graphical tweaks, or hacks that allow the player to start the same game at different levels or with a different numbers of lives. Good quality NES clones do however come with more than 20 different games, even if most of them are under 64KB in size. In addition, these games are often pirated copies of licensed NES and Famicom game titles. A notable exception to this is the Rumble Station: its 15 built-in games are licensed from Color Dreams.

Types of Famicom clones

Because NES clones are not officially licensed, they vary extremely in areas such as build/hardware quality, available games and overall performance. Most clones are produced extremely cheaply, while a few are comparable to first-party hardware in their manufacture quality. In terms of appearance and basic build, there are three general types of clones:

Console type

This type of system is designed to look just like a real video game console. Most often this type resembles the original Famicom, but others can look like the NES, SNES, Sega Mega Drive/Sega Genesis, Nintendo 64, Sony PlayStation/PSOne, or simply be in any type of generic console shape. Usually it is easy to tell a Famiclone from the real hardware it imitates by the presence of either alternate coloring, brand names which do not match the real console's, or weak construction. Console type clones almost always utilize cartridges, and they are usually compatible with real Famicom (60 pin) or NES (72 pin) games, as well as custom-made pirate carts (especially multi-carts, pirate game cartridges which hold a large number of games as opposed to just one, which are often included with console-type clones). Console Famiclones are most popular in Asia and parts of Europe, with few actively sold in North America due to their obviously pirated origin.

Controller type

This genre of Famiclone, popular in America and western Europe, is designed to hold all the console's hardware in the shape of a regular game console controller, usually the N64's. Also known as "NES-on-a-chip"s due to their extremely miniaturized hardware (relative to the original NES), these controllers usually eschew or at least downplay a game cartridge interface in favor of storing games directly in internal memory chips. These Famiclones can often run off battery as well as AC power, making them popular for portable usage. These clones have become especially popular in the USA thanks to the new "TV-Games" fad of selling legitimately emulated classic arcade games in a traditional-looking controller (Atari games are especially common). Controller clones can usually be found in places like flea markets, mall kiosks or independent toy stores, and most people who sell and buy them in the US are unaware that they are in fact illegally made.

Computer type

These Famiclones are designed to resemble either 80's-style computers, modern computer keyboards or the real Famicom's BASIC kit. Usually, these clones consist of the same hardware as the Console type, but put inside a keyboard instead of a console look-a-like. They are usually supplied with a cartridge containing some computer-style software, such as a simple word processor and a version of BASIC (two of the most common are G-BASIC, a pirated version of Family BASIC, and F-BASIC, an original but more limited version), and some "educational" typing and maths games. Some even include a mouse and a GUI interface.

Examples of Famicom clones

• Dendy Junior — Released in Russia and other nations of the former Soviet Union, the Dendy Junior very closely resembled the original Famicom deck, albeit with a different color scheme and the addition of removable controller ports. As the Famicom was never officially released in Russia, the Dendy Junior enjoyed a great deal of popularity as the premier video game console of the region.
• Super Joy 3 (Power Player) - One of the most common Famicom clones in the US. Several variations exist, featuring different controller layouts, built in games and cartridges.
• Power Joy 1, 2 and 3 - an N64 controller-type clone, featuring a lightgun built into the Player One controller. 1 and 2 only differ in the included multicarts, while Power Joy 3 includes a built-in LCD screen with some simple games such as a Tetris clone.
• Q-Boy - A console-type Famiclone produced by unlicensed game developer Sachen.
• Micro Genius systems - a number of clones, known for above-average build quality, from Taiwanese company Micro Genius, also known as TXC and Smartain. Recently some Euro 2004 PSOne-type clones have appeared on eBay with the Micro Genius name, but it is unknown if these are actual Micro Genius products.
• Subor Education Computer - A computer-type clone from Chinese company Subor. At least four versions of its software cartridge were produced, in languages including English, Chinese and Russian. Versions 1-3 included some pirated software, while version 4 appears to be more legitimate.
• Pocket Famicom - A handheld version of NES/Famicom. This has a backlit color graphics screen and AV outputs to a TV/external monitor; unique huh?.
• USA Neo Fami - A modern bring-back of the NES. The USA has kind of gone back to retro game consoles. This product solves problems that the classic Famicom causes.
• Polystation is a PSOne look-alike.

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items.

External links

• The Famiclone
• NES World Pirate section

• Unlicensed Nintendo hardware
• Famiclones