Retro-Bit Generations

On 07/21/2017 at 01:50 AM by Cary Woodham

Nintendo may be one of my favorite video game companies, but they’ve certainly had their share of big mistakes. Most notable ones are things like the Virtual Boy, or refusing to use CDs instead of cartridges in the N64 days. I feel they’ve even made a big mistake pretty recently, and while it’s not as grand of scope as the goof-ups mentioned before, I still think it’s a big mistake. And that’s the way they handled the release of the NES Classic Edition last year. I mean, what a mess! Nobody has been able to get one of those things! It frustrated me to no end! And they’re poised to do it again with the SNES Classic Edition (I really hope I can get that one, though). I was so mad about the whole situation, though, that I went out and bought a competing multi-game console called Retro-Bit Generations.

Well, getting that console to spite Nintendo wasn’t the ONLY reason why I got the Retro-Bit Generations. It actually had games on it that interested me more than most of what was on the NES Classic Edition. Yes, even as a kid I preferred games that were off the beaten path. I would’ve rather played games like Capcom’s Little Nemo: The Dream Master or Kickle Cubicle over more recognizable titles like Super Mario Bros. or Kid Icarus. So, when I finally found some time to do so, I played and reviewed the Retro-Bit Generations console over at GamerDad and split it into five parts. And here they are:

Part 1

So first I reviewed the console in general. It would’ve been a great console had it not have been for the crappy controllers. Such a shame, too, as there are some really interesting games on here. But you can read my full review of it over at GamerDad by clicking on the link. After that, I started going down the list and talking about all the games on this thing. I had to split it into five parts because there’s like, over 100 games on here! Highlights in this section include: 1942, 1943, Alfred Chicken, and more!

Part 2

Lots of Capcom games featured in this batch. Highlights in this section include Commando, Captain Commando, City Connection, Forgotten Worlds, Ghouls N Ghosts, Super Ghouls N Ghosts, and Gun.Smoke.

Part 3

Another company that had a lot of games on this console was Irem. A lot of their games were featured in this batch. Highlights here include Hammerin’ Harry, Higemaru, Holy Diver, Kid Niki: Radical Ninja 1 & 2, Kung Fu Master 2, and KICKLE CUBICLE! Seriously, Kickle Cubicle was one of the main reasons why I bought this thing. I love that game. It was a NES game that was like a cross between Adventures of Lolo and Pengo. I wish Nintendo would put it on Virtual Console.

Part 4

One more company that had a lot of games on here was Jaleco. One good thing about this console is I got to learn a lot about Jaleco game series. They even had a mascot of sorts, a squatty red-clad ninja named Ninja Jajamaru-kun. He had tons of games, ranging from 2-D platformers to RPGs, and they found their way onto the Famicom, Super Famicom, all the way up to the PlayStation, SEGA Saturn, and even the 3DS! Very few have made it to the US, though. Three of the games in this series made it to this console. Other highlights include Mercs, Pinball Quest, Super R-Type and R-Type 3, Ring King, and Rocky Rodent.

Part 5

And we wrap up this series by featuring the last of the games, including Rod Land, Son Son, Super Earth Defense Force, Super Noah’s Ark, The Ignition Factor, Totally Rad, and…Zooming Secretaries?!?

And that’s it. Unfortunately, I’d have to say that this console really isn’t worth it, despite how many games are on it. There’s just a glut of new crappy bootleg games and the controllers could’ve been way better. Hopefully next time I won’t be so tempted with one of these multi-consoles considering I’ve gotten burned with the last two I’ve gotten. But hopefully I can get the SNES Classic Edition. I know this sounds silly, but please pray that I can get it, as I missed out on the NES one and the SNES version has two of my top five favorite games of all time on it: Super Mario Kart and FF6. Anyway, thanks for reading! That’s all for now! Later! --Cary

Matt Snee Staff Writer

07/21/2017 at 04:29 PM

hey Cary, did you see the new rumor there's going to be a N64 mini, suggested by a trademark that Nintendo filed recently?

Cary Woodham

07/22/2017 at 01:40 AM

That wouldn't surprise me. Nintendo probably won't make enough of that one either.

SanAndreas

07/29/2017 at 12:09 PM

I wasn't too bummed about the NES Classic. All the games it had were on Virtual Console anyway. It didn't include a lot of my favorite NES games. Some of them I get will never show up again due to licensing or lack of interest by the copyright owners, such as Ultima: Exodus (EA only cares about mass market AAA games), Metal Gear (I know Konami has disavowed this version in favor of the MSX original that you can get with MGS3 Subsistence) or Wizards and Warriors (Acclaim is long dead and I doubt Rare, MS, or Nintendo is going to bother tracking down the licensing). But games like Bionic Commando, 1943, Faxanadu, or Dragon Warrior 1-4 shouldn't have been too difficult for Nintendo to get.

The SNES classic looks a lot more tempting, as a lot of SNES games I liked are on there, though some SNES games are still missing. Would have liked to have had Mortal Kombat II and Zombies Ate My Neighbors. No Chrono Trigger is also a bit baffling. Still, can't go wrong with FFVI and Super Mario RPG.

N64 Classic will probably be missing games like Harvest Moon 64 and Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon, maybe it will have Ogre Battle 64. I wonder if they'll be able to get Rare titles on there. The N64 is my least favorite Nintendo console aside from the Virtual Boy, but I'd buy it for Mystical Ninja.

I kind of hope Nintendo will make a Gamecube Classic Edition. In contrast to how much of a disappointment the N64 was for me, I loved the Gamecube. I could dig the Zeldas, Metroid Prime, and Tales of Symphonia on a little retro console.

07/29/2017 at 01:47 PM

Yeah I'm sad that I didn't get the NES Classic, but not TOO sad since a lot of the games on there I didn't have as many good childhood memories with. The games on the SNES Classic however, I had a lot of good memorie with, so I hope I can get it!

Super Step Contributing Writer

07/21/2017 at 04:58 PM

I'm still upset by the NES Mini thing, but might get SNES Mini for Star Fox 2.

07/22/2017 at 01:41 AM

I hope I can get the SNES mini, too. I liked the NES, but I REALLY liked the SNES!

07/22/2017 at 01:12 PM

Seems some friends of mine have pre-ordered from wal-mart.

07/22/2017 at 01:13 PM

I tried that last night. Couldn't get it to work.

KnightDriver

07/21/2017 at 11:44 PM

I just heard today on Retronauts that Ninendo are going to make more units of the SNES mini than they did for the NES mini. I wish I could get one, but I'll have to sit on the bench and watch.

What specifically is bad about the controllers on the Reto bit Generations?

07/22/2017 at 01:43 AM

It feels like you really have to mash square on the buttons to make sure they activate. It's really frustrating, too, because if the console had good controllers, it would be a pretty slick little game system.

07/22/2017 at 11:14 PM

Are the jacks the same as NES or SNES? Maybe you can swap out for better ones.

07/23/2017 at 12:47 PM

No they don't look like NES or SNES ports, and they don't look like USB ports either.

07/23/2017 at 09:12 PM

That's annoying.

07/23/2017 at 11:38 PM

Yeah if I were smarter and knew more about electronics I might be able to figure out what those ports are and everything, but oh well. I've got too many other games to play right now. Such is the life of a game reviewer. :)

PixlBit

Retro-Bit Generations

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