FC Mobile II Acquired

by Rory

fcmobile2_black

I recently purchased an FC Mobile II from The Game Station in Broadripple, IN. If you have not heard of these, they are portable NES systems that run on AA batteries. I use the term portable loosely because, as we all know, the NES cartridges are gigantic. You probably won’t be schlepping your entire collection onto an airplane.

The new FC Mobile is quite an improvement over the original model in both design and functionality. The 1950s radio look of the original has been replaced with a more appropriate “retro” design. FCM2 also comes with a light gun, A/V cables, and two wireless controllers. You can attach it to a TV just like any other Famiclone and play from batteries or the included AC adapter.


I have tested a number of carts in the FCM2 and each one has started up flawlessly. The emulation is by no means perfect but it gets the job done. If you are looking for a completely authentic NES experience I suggest looking for an authentic system. Consoles like the FC Twin, FC3, RetroDuo, and FC Mobile II all have very similar performance issues with Nintendo games. Sound can be glitchy and colors might vary from what you remember. Considering how most of these devices are relatively inexpensive and much more reliable than the old gray box, they are an excellent alternative.

I have a number of unlicensed games that I have yet to test. As I try them out I will update this post with additional information.

PROS:

  • Comes with all the accessories you would need to play at home or for serious “on the go action.”
  • Very responsive wireless controllers.
  • Actually plays games unlike the original.

CONS:

  • Screen resolution does not match NES output resolution. Some text-heavy games might be difficult to read. Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior were both very legible albeit a little blurry.
  • Battery door is a tight fit but thankfully it can be screwed down so the batteries don’t fly out of the system during play.

WTF:

  • Shoulder buttons on the wireless pads for A and B. I’m guessing this mold was used for some of HyperKin’s SNES clones.