Considering a Twin Famicom

[tpugmire]

Hi all, I'm new here.  I'm considering getting a Twin Famicom, and I wanted some feedback.  Realistically, is there any reason to own one if I already have a NES and pretty much all the games I want to own?  Are the games that different, that it would be noticeable?  I hear a lot about how there are a lot of good Japanese RPG's out there that were never released in the US, but since I don't know Japanese, that pretty much rules them out.  There are a few games that I think I would like to try, but I'm just not sure if it would be cost prohibitive.  I don't want to wind up with a system that I will only play a handful of times, and end up regretting spending the money.  (Already did that with a CD-I)  Any help, opinions, insight, etc would be helpful.

[Lum]

Twin Famicom needs two uncommon accessories to make a US NES near redundant to use. An NES controller adapter (which I think has to be custom made), and of course a pin converter to play NES games. With those IIRC it should run just about everything notable besides the Zapper. Not that I'd really agree the latter is important but I digress.

Be careful. Building up a library of good legitimate Famicom games (rather than bootlegs) in the US takes patience, an open wallet, or internet contacts to help out. I doubt you're likely to find much local in this country...

[tpugmire]

I wouldn't be using any converters or anything like that.  I would keep the NES and still use it as is.  I'm just wondering if it would be worth owning both, or should I just stick with the NES? 

[fredJ]

There are a lot of Japan exclusive Famicom titles that any NES player should find interesting. Several of them are only for the Disc System, even if the disc system has larger proportion RPGs/adventure games.

[Xious]

There are over 200 FDS-exclusive titles, about 1/4 of which make owning any FDS system worthwhile. Add to that the library of Famicom titles (more than twice the NES library) and a host of interesting devices (such as the 3-D System), plus controllers that are unique to the Famicom and can't be easily used with a NES. Then top the cake with the additional sound channels on Famicom and FDS-exclusive games, including titles released for the NES with wicked sound not available in their NES renditions, and there's plenty of purpose to buying a Sharp Twin system.

Additionally, with a small adapter, the USA Zapper will work on a Twin.

Honestly, I can't think of any reason to not own a Twin Famicom: I use mine constantly, but i rarely ever touch a NES. I'm thinking of building two home-arcade (stand-up sized): One MAME machine, and a FamiCade (using a Vs. System joystick panel and a Sharp Twin).

[shoggoth80]

The Sharp Twin Famicom is probably THE best rendition of the console. I love mine, though I tend to baby it... whole player/collector mentality clash... it's boxed, so it gets handled carefully for play sessions. 

[P]

Xious sums it up well. I don't have my NES anymore and I'm not planning to get one either as I think the Famicom is the superior console. It seems to me that a Famicom can play all official Famicom and NES games, and use all peripherals easily with the help of adapters. Only problem is that the NES to Famicom adapter is not so readily available as the opposite one, however these adapters can't play all games correctly without some tweaking with them and the NES.
Otherwise the only thing the NES does better is that it has an AV-ouput which the Famicom doesn't have, however the Twin Famicom doesn't have that weakness.

[wentle85]

I have a Sharp Twin Fami and I love it, like the previous poster mentioned it can do all a regular NES can do then more. If you can get a fair price for one I'd say get it. I found an adapter on ebay so I can play my NES carts on it too, I don't even own a NES, just my Twin Fami.

[Lum]

I'm probably going to wait and get my disk drive looked at once I find an RGB PPU. Beats shipping the system out twice.

[tpugmire]

Thanks for all the replies, especially Xious.  That's pretty much exactly what I wanted to know.  Now, how do I go about finding one besides eBay, and about what should I expect to pay?

[Lum]

I totally forget what I paid for mine. As I said before I couldn't get a worthy price on my intent to resell it untested, so I'd ended up keeping the system.

[fredJ]

Maybe you could make a WTB post on this forum.

There is a sticky Price Guide in the Buy / Sell, you could look at that.