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Nintendo Entertainment System Control Deck, Top Loading Review
User Submitted Nintendo Entertainment System Control Deck, Top Loading Reviews
Date: 2009-01-06
Top loading NES system
Not sure if this system was in "collectible" condition. I would label it more as very good-used condition. However it works pretty well and came in a great bundle of games. Only with 1 controller and no box though.
Date: 2008-10-09
Gives up some nostalgia for the sake of convinience
"This thing looks stupid." That's the first reaction most of us had when we saw the top loading NES control deck. Indeed, this thing is NOT the NES that most of us grew up playing, although it's hardly a bad system-- quite the contrary, really. The top loading design of the NES mark II is Nintendo's solution to the "blinking light of death," which plagued so many of our machines due to stress on the pin connectors.
Unfortunately, you do lose a few things with this model-- first of all, the NES carts were not designed for top loading. When inserted in the NES MK II, they look incredibly stupid because they are so tall. Secondly, there is no power light, so you may accidently leave it on (a minor annoyance, but still notable). Third, it only has coaxial out and not AV out, which means poorer picture quality and less convenience when hooking it up. Four, it does not take kindly to use of Game Genies, so you either A) need an adapter, B) need a special top loading model of the Game Genie, or C) the determination to force the GG into the slot, which may cause damage to both devices. Since the MK 2 NES is somewhat rare though, so are MK 2 Game Genie products, so if you want to use a Game Genie you may be best off with another NES model.
And last but not least, we have the nostalgia factor-- this thing does not even remotely resemble and NES. If anything, you'd think it was the base of a vacuum cleaner. The box-shaped NES is a veyr nostalgic image, and for many of us it's not one we're too eager to part with. Using a dog bone shaped controller just doesn't quite have the same feel as the good old black and gray squares, either. An important thing to remember though, is that this model is low maintenance. It will not likely give you trouble loading up a game (so long as the contacts aren't dirty), so unless you're like me and don't mind opening up your NES and changing the pin connector if it gives you fuss, you might want to consider an easy-to-care-for model like the MK II.
However, if I were to play NES games on a system other than the classic gray box, I think I'd gravitate towards Messiah's Generation NEX. It has a much more classic design to it, and even plays Japanese Famicom games. The one disadvantage is that there are compatability problems with roughly 3% of the NES library, while the NES MK II plays them all flawlessly. Even so, if I'm going to give up some nostalgia, I may as well get wireless controllers, Famicom compatibility, and a more familiar design with it. It's really up to you, but for me nothing will beat the classic boxy MK I model.
Date: 2008-06-04
The Top Loader Is Top Notch
Playing classic video games on their original system is like playing an old vinyl record. Sure you could listen to it on an CD or MP3 player...but it just doesn't have that same feeling of nostalgia. That is how I feel about video games. There are all kinds of roms out there, and the Nintendo Virtual Console is a great way to play the classic Nintendo games of yore, but you can't beat the original games on the original system. This would be great if the original Nintendo wasn't prone to break down so easily.
The original Nintendo "toaster" model represented the late 80's and early 90's through it's VCR like qualities. Much like a VHS tape, these cartridges got put into a slot and pushed down into the system to play for hours on end. However constant use would cause the Nintendo to malfunction unlike any other console I have encountered. The constant blinking of the red light...or the graphics falling apart in the middle of the game so that Mario no longer looks like Mario, but rather a pixaleted amoeba. The Nintendo top loader is a great alternative to extend the life of you classic Nintendo games, all while still getting the feel of the original.
The Nintendo Top Loader (or NES 2) was released towards the end of the 8 bit era. It was smaller, sleeker, and had a much better top loading design. However, due to everyone evolving to a Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis the Top Loader never got a true chance to shine. Not only that, but it used the old RF plug ins, and some cartridges had annoying vertical lines that could be seen every now and then in the background of a video game. Not only that but it didn't support the original Game Genie. Also since Nintendo games were never meant to be loaded from the top, if the system was bumped or barely moved, the game would freeze. These technical flaws made it somewhat of a failure..in fact I never knew it existed until almost 15 years later!! Now it is a rare collector's item to find, and is the best way to cling onto the games of yore.
Going on the information I shared above, I finally broke down and ordered one. My original Nintendo was a severe pain with constant blowing, ejecting, resetting, blowing, resetting..etc. I had a mountain of old games and nothing to play them on. When the Top Loader arrived I was amazed with how small it was. It hardly takes up any space. I dare say its about the same size of the Game Cube..maybe smaller. After admiring the new design, I popped a game in and it started up without me having to blow into the cartridge. I was amazed. This doesn't work for every game, because dust still gets in them causing a blank white screen to appear instead of the flashing screen that the old Nintendo annoyed us with. Cartridges now require one or two blows and that is it. It is a helluva lot more convienent than the original Nintendo model. People have complained about the vertical lines that occasionally appear in the background, but I don't notice them at all. Sometimes if i look hard enough for them, but even if I do see them it never distracts me from actually playing the game. I always make it a point to never bump my consoles or move them during play. It just seems to make common sense, ecspecially with an older console so that hasn't been a problem for me either. The last thing I will mention is the dog bone controller. The original Nintendo controller is the perfect controller to me. There has never been anything like it, and it will always fit nicely into any gamer's hands. The dog bone design is the offspring of a nintendo controller and a Super Nintendo controller. My girlfriend actually likes it better than the original. I prefer the old controller but I can't deny that the dog bone is pretty nice fit.
So overall, this is still an original Nintendo system, just with a top loading design. Not only is it better looking and more practical, but it extends the life on your classic Nintendo games and it's a collector's item to boot. So if you like the classics and like to play them the way they were meant to be played, then the Top Loader is top notch for you!
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