The Energon Pub

by **Uniprimus** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 3:35 pm

Hey there, I am in need of a question.

For some reason (don't ask) I want to play some old games, and I need to know if the N64 could play SNES and NES games, or if the SNES could play NES games.

News Credits: 1 · by **HybridHero** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 3:40 pm

Negative.

The only Nintendo consoles that are backwards compatible are the Wii to the Gamecube, DS to the Game Boy Advance, and the GBA to regular Game Boy.

So in your situation, only NES games work on the NES, SNES games only work on the SNES, and N64 games only work on the N64.

by **Uniprimus** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 4:29 pm

Well that sucks.

Thanks!

by **Psycho Warrior** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 6:14 pm

Eradicator wrote:Well that sucks.

Thanks!

Backwards compatability is a realitively new concept. Memory cards weren't a norm until PS1 and N64.

I still laugh at the guy who asked how you saved porgress in ninja gaiden for the NES. :lol:

by **homelessjunkeon** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 7:21 pm

The time for emulators is now.

News Credits: 1 · by **Duke of Luns** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 9:05 pm

Psycho Warrior wrote:
Eradicator wrote:Well that sucks.

Thanks!

Backwards compatability is a realitively new concept. Memory cards weren't a norm until PS1 and N64.

Very true, but it's not as new as one might think.

Backwards compatibility dates back to late models of the Atari 5200, but all Atari 7800 models had the ability to play 2600 games built in. But that's not all! The 7800 also had a memory card! Well actually, an aborted memory cartridge that never saw release when the 7800 was new, but it had one nonetheless.

From atariage.com:

Atari High Score Cartridge
Announced at the beginning of the Atari 7800 launch in 1984, Atari never released this product. In 2000, Curt Vendel and Gary Rubio restarted this project and actually brought it to market in limited quantities. It's a piggy-back cartridge that allows you to record your high score, but it's only compatible with certain cartridges.

News Credits: 6 · by **City Commander** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 6:44 am

You could always download the games you want from the Wii Virtual console?

News Credits: 2 · by **Shadowman** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 11:48 am

homelessjunkeon wrote:The time for emulators is now.

No, the time for emulators is always.

News Credits: 10 · by **sniper_samurai** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 2:07 pm

Duke of Luns wrote:
Psycho Warrior wrote:
Eradicator wrote:Well that sucks.

Thanks!

Backwards compatability is a realitively new concept. Memory cards weren't a norm until PS1 and N64.

Very true, but it's not as new as one might think.

Backwards compatibility dates back to late models of the Atari 5200, but all Atari 7800 models had the ability to play 2600 games built in. But that's not all! The 7800 also had a memory card! Well actually, an aborted memory cartridge that never saw release when the 7800 was new, but it had one nonetheless.

From atariage.com:

Atari High Score Cartridge
Announced at the beginning of the Atari 7800 launch in 1984, Atari never released this product. In 2000, Curt Vendel and Gary Rubio restarted this project and actually brought it to market in limited quantities. It's a piggy-back cartridge that allows you to record your high score, but it's only compatible with certain cartridges.

Indeed, there was also an add-on that allowed the Mega Drive/Genesis to play Master System games as well. This add on is only a bridge with no altered hardware as the Mega Drive is built around the same architecture as the Master System.

News Credits: 1 · by **Duke of Luns** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 9:49 pm

That thing is cool! I think I may have heard of it before, but I've never seen one. You can even play the little card things too. Which reminds me:

I think there are devices out there that allow you to play NES games on Super Nes's(unnofficial of course). The Super Nes did have a Super Gameboy attachment though that allowed you to play Gameboy games on the Super Nintendo. Some games were even "enhanced" with special color pallates and borders. The Gamecube had a Gameboy/Color/Advance attachment as well.

I read in an old PSM magazine once that the Playstation 1 had a third party device that played Gameboy games. It only worked on early models though(that had a port on the back of the console), but the review said it didn't work well.

Finally, there's the FC Twin, which plays both Super Nes and NES games. From my understanding, this is a perfectly legal unit because the patent on the hardware for both systems ran out, and third parties can therefore recreate the circuitry. However, I don't think they are as hardy as a real NES or Super Nes, but get the job done. Take care when pulling the cartidges out though, too hard and you might loosen a pin. My friend had one, and he had to take it back and exchange it cause that's what happened. Or rather, I happened, cause I technically did that....