Famicom

Batong BT-686: The Famicom Frankenstein We Never Knew We Needed!

July 5, 2025 By ausretrogamer

Every now and then, we stumble across a retro gem so bizarre, so gloriously bootleg, and so mind-blowingly rare, it makes our collective jaws drop—and today’s discovery is no exception.

While trawling the weird and wonderful corners of the retro gaming internet, we unearthed a system that’s rarer than rocking horse poop: the Batong BT-686 Multimedia Computer — aka the Famicom CRT Unit. And folks, this thing is WILD.

At first glance, it looks like someone fused a miniature 1980s classroom computer with a Famicom, and then dunked it in a vat of 8-bit weirdness. It’s chunky, beige, and absolutely magnificent.

💾 What is the Batong BT-686?

The Batong BT-686 hails from a mysterious corner of the East Asian clone wars era, manufactured by Batong Electronics (八通电子) — a company that (based on what little we could find) specialised in unlicensed or “educational” Famicom-based computers.

But here’s the kicker: this isn’t just some off-the-shelf Famiclone. It’s an all-in-one educational computer/gaming mutant, combining:

🖥️ Built-in CRT display
🎮 Famicom cartridge slot
🧠 RAM and OS cartridge inputs
⌨️ Full-size mechanical-style keyboard
🔌 NES-to-Famicom 62-pin converter
🕹️ Bundled bootleg Famicom multi-cart with classics like Super Mario Bros.
🧃 All in a single, self-contained beige bombshell.

Oh, and it boots into a space-themed loading screen that gives off strong “computer class in a Cold War bunker” vibes. What’s not to love?

🔍 How Does It Work?

Thanks to an incredible video by Russian Video Game Comrade, we got a closer look at this beast in action. The BT-686 appears to boot off a proprietary OS cartridge (à la BASIC interpreters), with additional RAM cartridges providing memory expansion.

But the real drawcard is the Famicom compatibility—it runs bootleg multi-carts just fine, and with the included NES-to-Famicom pin converter, you can even fire up your NTSC NES games, assuming you’ve got the right power supply and a lot of patience.

What’s even crazier? The keyboard is functional. While many of these educational clone machines had non-working or limited-use keyboards, the BT-686 appears to allow typing and BASIC-style input commands, making it technically a hybrid computer-console.

🦄 Why You’ve Probably Never Seen One

The BT-686 isn’t just obscure—it’s basically undocumented. Apart from a handful of collectors and YouTube showcases, there’s almost no digital footprint for this oddity. No marketing brochures, no official specs, no price history—nothing.

Our best guess? It was marketed in China or other Southeast Asian countries during the early 1990s as an “educational” tool to sneak Famicom gaming into homes under the guise of learning computers.

Either way, finding a complete unit in working order—with keyboard, display, OS and RAM carts—is practically unheard of.

Final Thoughts

The Batong BT-686 is a retro dream machine from a parallel universe—part Famicom, part classroom computer, part fever dream. It’s these bizarre, boundary-blurring consoles that make retro collecting so rewarding. You’re not just getting a game system; you’re uncovering a lost chapter of tech history.

Got one in the attic? Know more about it? Drop us a line—we’re dying to know more about this electronic chimera!

Stay weird, stay retro. 🕹️

image source: Facebook Marketplace

Join Shigeru Miyamoto In A Tour Of The Nintendo Museum

August 21, 2024 By ausretrogamer

Get Your Bucket List Ready!

Whoa, gotta set aside about 14 minutes and watch this brief tour of the Nintendo Museum with none other than Shigeru Miyamoto!

The Nintendo Museum is scheduled to open on October 2nd, 2024, in Kyoto, Japan! This is one item we definitely want to cross off the bucket list!

source: Nintendo Of America

CAPCOM 40th Anniversary – 11 Retro Games To Play for Free In Your Browser

March 27, 2024 By ausretrogamer

Play old school CAPCOM games for free in your browser!

Celebrating it’s 40th Anniversary (since 11th of June 2023), CAPCOM has launched a very special website destination in honour and celebration of this event – CAPCOM TOWN!

Capcom Town offers an interactive museum, a product factory (allowing you to download Capcom-themed icons for X/Twitter!), pages dedicated to C-Suite level Capcom executives telling the story of the company, and most importantly, the Town allows access to retro games that you can play gratis (that means FREE) directly in your browser!

What are you still doing here, go and play some Super Ghouls’n Ghosts or Street Fighter II or Breath Of Fire or Final Fight or…..ahhhh, you get the picture 😉

NOTES:

All games are available in their US or Japanese versions
You must enable cookies in your browser
Saved data can only be played back from where you left off in the same browser
⚠️ If you delete the cookies and offline data from your browser, the stored data will become unusable

image source: CAPCOM TOWN

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard – The Perfect Xmas Gift for the Retro (and Modern) Gamer!

December 4, 2023 By ausretrogamer

The perfect Xmas gift doesn’t ex…….. Oh wait!

Ah 8BitDo, they sure know how to tug on our nostalgic heartstrings!

8BitDo have hit the nostalgic sweet-spot for us retro gamers with their new 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard, which modern gamers can also enjoy as it’s Bluetooth/2.4G/USB-C enabled, with 87 keys, dual super programmable buttons that can be used on Windows and/or Android devices!

Just look at the kitsch retro (Nintendo 8-bit) aesthetic of this beauty – we just can’t get enough of it! We really need one on our desk, so we are hoping Santa delivers this Christmas for us!

Who else is getting one?

Specs:

Compatible with Windows 10(1903) or above, and Android 9.0 or above;
Connnect via Bluetooth, wireless 2.4G, or wired;
87-key layout. Kailh Box Switch V2 White. Dye-sub PBT keycaps;
Top mount style. Hot-swappable PCB. Support n-key rollover;
Dual Super Buttons – offer large, programmable keys. Map anything to the Super Buttons instantly without using software;
Classic power status LED, with independent control panel;
Supports 8BitDo Ultimate Software V2 for custom keyboard mapping.
Price: $179.95 via Amazon AU

image source: Amazon AU

SNES and Famicom PVM All-In-One Consoles!

June 7, 2022 By ausretrogamer

Being fans of Swedish outfit, Love Hultén, there is no shortage of retro gear they make that make us drool!

Their latest creations, the SNES-PVM and Famicom Computer(FC)-PVM all-in-one systems combine a 9″ Sony Trinitron PVM-9042QM monitor with genuine Super Famicom and Famicom consoles – which are absolutely gorgeous!

video and image source: Love Hultén

Review: Waveshare GPM280 Portable Game System

June 11, 2021 By ausretrogamer

When it comes to emulating our favourite video games from years gone by, we have had a plethora of handhelds to get a hit of nostalgia, each having their own pros and cons. The latest emulation handheld to land in our office is the good looking Waveshare GPM280 Portable Games Console with Raspberry Pi 3.

Right from the Apple like packaging, we knew this one would be special to hold and play. Unboxing the GPM280 we were immediately wowed by its striking looks, which are a nod to Nintendo’s gorgeous Game Boy Micro Famicom 20th Anniversary Edition. Unlike the GB Micro’s metallic casing, the GPM280 case is plastic, with its sparkling metallic hue making it stand out and feeling comfortable in hand. The D-pad and four face buttons sit a tad high, so they will require further depressing compared to the GB Micro. This isn’t a bad thing, especially if you have not touched a GB Micro in a long time. If you have big hands, then you would be aware that the GB Micro was a crippling experience, so luckily the GPM280 is a larger unit, accommodating those of us with larger mits. The two shoulder buttons have a distinct click when pressed which we like quite a lot. In keeping with the GB Micro, the GPM280’s on/off switch, Select/Start buttons and volume rocker are in the identical positions as Nintendo’s cute little handheld, but just that tad larger (again, a good thing!). There is also a TF card slot near the 3.5mm audio jack. And before we forget, the package also includes a protective drawstring pouch, lint-free cloth, screwdriver and very importantly, a 32GB microSD card to get you started and a 5V 3A charger with an Australian plug – a nice touch indeed!

Powering the brain of the GPM280 is a Broadcom BCM2837B0 64-bit 1.2 GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor (Raspberry Pi Compute Model 3+ Lite) with 1GB RAM, which is enough power to run most console and computing emulators from the second generation all the way up to the fifth gen with ease. Coupled with the processor is the impressively vivid 2.8″ IPS screen (640×480 resolution), with a laminated toughened glass panel capable of 60 frames per second and a 70% NTSC colour-gamut! We must admit, the screen is gorgeous in real life, so no photos will do it justice in this review. With a 1500 mAh battery, there is enough juice to keep you gaming on the go for a couple of hours before the next recharge.

Being Recalbox fans (Ed: nothing against RetroPie), we opted to go with it on our GPM280. The ease of use can’t be underestimated when it comes to setting up the system. Once Recalbox was up and running, we setup our system on our office WiFi, which allowed us to easily configure settings, monitor the hardware and very importantly, add our favourite games (ROMs) via our web browser – simple drag and drop and you are done! The GPM280 also has Bluetooth connectivity, so there is the option to add external controllers (Ed: due to time constraints, we didn’t test this feature. We will update this review when we do!).

The games truly pop on the GPM280

The quality and versatility of the GPM280 is quite impressive, but the critical question still remains, how does it play games? The short answer is, it plays them darn well and accurate. If you have clean ROMs, then you won’t experience any issues like choppy sounds or frame clipping like we did on a few of our Lynx and Nintendo 64 games. We also ran into button mapping issues on our Sega Genesis / Mega Drive games. Luckily, Recalbox has a plethora of options and settings to dial in things just right.

The already mentioned 2.8” IPS screen feels the right size and is quite clear and bright with the colour gamut making games pop and looking like they are being played on their respective systems on a CRT TV. We didn’t play any heavy text adventure games, so we can’t comment on how the system and screen fare with that gaming genre. For most of the classic titles we enjoy from the late 70s, 80s to the mid-90s, the GPM280 handled them with great accuracy and zero lag. The sound is handled by a built in speaker which does an admirable job. Another nifty aspect of the GPM280 is the power indicator on the Select and Start buttons, just like on the GB Micro – red/flashing meaning battery running low and green meaning you are good to game on the go! Speaking of gaming on the go, we got approximately 1.5hrs of continuous gaming before we had to recharge the 1500mAh battery – we just wish the battery lasted a tad longer.

Conclusion

The Waveshare GPM280 definitely impresses with its build quality and feel, grunty computing hardware and ease of use, but that all comes at a premium price. If you are in the market for a stylish compact gaming system that plays a heap of your favourite games from yesteryear without any issues, has media centre capabilities (via Kodi) and looks like the gorgeous Game Boy Micro Famicom 20th Anniversary Edition, only bigger, then the GPM280 may be for you. Game on!

Product: Wavershare GPM280 Portable Game System
Price: AU$244.55
Store: Small Devices

GPM280 vs Game Boy Micro

Dimensions – it’s a great size!

Disclaimer: The GPM280 handheld was provided by Small Devices for this review.

TIGER Electronics + Famicom = FAMIGER NES Edition

August 28, 2020 By ausretrogamer

Another jaw-dropping creation by the French modder OktoRetroLab, posted by Recalbox, this time, the mod is a fusion of an old Tiger Electronics handheld and a Famicom – making a pretty cool FAMIGER!

We reckon it’s the perfect use of a Tiger Electronics handheld 😉

source: Recalbox / OktoRetroLab

Game Axe Color: The Ultimate Famiclone

November 13, 2019 By ausretrogamer

When it comes to peculiar gaming systems from the Far East, us folks in the West seriously missed out.

For instance, take Taiwan based Redant’s Game Axe Color FC-868 LCD handheld. The Game Axe Color, released in late 1998, is a Famicom compatible handheld system (aka: Famiclone), which plays the Nintendo Famicom game cartridges. It is powered by AA batteries or by the Famicom’s AC adaptor. We must admit, this is a cool looking and well built handheld which we wouldn’t mind in our collection.

Oh yeah, the Game Axe Color will not play your NES carts natively. For that, you will require an adaptor. If you live in Australia, then you will require a step-down converter – if using your Famicom PSU, otherwise you can power the unit via AA batteries. Having RCA (composite) connectivity, the Game Axe Color is flexible enough to hook up to your TV (preferably CRT) to become your home Famicom console.

We are in love with this peculiar little beast!

source: eBay

Stop Motion Super Paper Mario Bros. World 1-1

March 21, 2019 By ausretrogamer

Another day and another super cool creation!

This time around it is the amazing stop-motion paper animation of the classic Famicom/NES Super Mario Bros. World 1-1 stage created by Japanese artist KisaragiHutae6. The entire animation was created in his notebook with a bit of old school literal cutting and pasting onto lined notebook paper. The result is phenomenal.

Now press play and be amazed!

source: 如月二重6 Kisaragi Hutae 6

[story source: laughingsquid]

Hit That Perfect BittBoy – Review

February 5, 2019 By ausretrogamer

Remember Bronski Beat’s “Hit that perfect Beat”? You know the one, “I’ve got that feeling, That perfect feeling, That perfect feeling all over me. Beat boy, Beat boy, Hit that perfect beat boy, Beat boy, Beat boy” – yeah, it’s a great 80s electropop tune.

We have no idea why we started this review with Bronski Beat, perhaps it’s due to the name of the new little portable games player, BittBoy! We can’t seem to get the bloody tune out of our head now! Let’s cut this diversion and get back on track! The New BittBoy – is a little Game Boy lookalike that allows you to play your legally owned NES/Famicom, GB and GBC roms from your own microSD card via its built-in NES/Famicom, GB and GBC emulators. That’s it in a nutshell.

Cool specs and features right on the box!

Before we go into how it plays, let us tell you how it looks and feels. The cuteness of this little player is striking and familiar. It’s familiar in the sense that if you ever held a Game Boy (or its many variants, like the Game Boy Pocket), then you’ll feel at home holding the new BittBoy, albeit at a shrunken level. Since it is small (and cute), if you have large-ish hands, then you may experience some cramping. If however your hands aren’t the size of a lion’s paw, you’ll find that BittBoy’s D-pad and buttons feel almost as good as Nintendo’s Game Boy, which is a good thing. The layout of the buttons borrow heavily from the SNES pad, which is a great blueprint to assimilate. The click of the buttons feel good, but they aren’t exactly Nintendo quality, but still good enough as we expected them to feel cheap. Oddly, the black fire buttons feel the best to press for us. So far so good! Oh yeah, don’t be fooled by the screen either, the 2.4″ IPS screen is vivid, bright, and displays games in either LCD (16:9) or CRT (4:3) format, without any stretching or distortion in either of these aspect ratios.

Looks and feels good

We now know that it looks good and feels ok, but how does it work and play? With its built-in emulators, all you need to do is ensure the BittBoy is fully charged and then insert your microSD loaded with your legally owned NES/Fami, GB and/or GBC roms and you are good to play.

Once you turn on the BittBoy, you are greeted by one of the three built-in emulators. Selecting the emulators is as easy as flicking the D-pad to the right (and left). The next step is to select a game by using the D-pad by going up and down the list and pressing the select button to load the game. Exiting back to the emulator menu is an easy one button press on the round R (reset) button. Since there are no separate volume and brightness buttons or dials, BittBoy has cleverly interfaced these controls by using specific button pressing sequences – a very clever design. Another neat feature is the save and load, so you can save your progress and then load it back to kick off where you left off. If you don’t want to bother peeps next to you on the bus, then the 3.5mm headphone jack is there for you to immerse yourself with some 8-bit ditties.

Let’s play – NES/Fami, GB and GBC games!

Playing our handful of NES games we found that the emulation was accurate without any noticeable lag. We thought that the small form factor would hamper gameplay, but to our surprise, we were running Mario from left to right, jumping on blocks, collecting mushrooms and stomping on Goombas with gleeful ease. The GB games were just as good (Tetris is still a killerapp!), however, the emulation couldn’t display that distinct ‘green hue’ from the original Game Boy – a minor gripe really.

Playing some sweet (NES) Super Mario Bros!

The new BittBoy provides around 3 hrs of gaming via its 700 mAh lithium battery before it needs recharging using its packed-in USB cable. Charge time is fairly quick, so you will be back gaming in no time. The package also includes an AV/composite cable to connect the BittBoy player to your TV (via the 3.5mm headphone jack). This is quite novel and a great feature, however we loved using the BittBoy as a portable game player.

There are plenty of handheld systems that can play your old video games, however these usually require some level of hacking and tweaking to make them work. The new BittBoy fills this void by offering folks a pocket-friendly handheld system straight out of the box that can emulate the NES/Famicom, Game Boy and Game Boy Color. If you want a player to emulate other systems, then the BittBoy is not for you, but on the other hand if you are in need of a reasonably priced portable emulator that looks great, feels good and doesn’t pretend to be more than just a NES/Famicom/GB/GBC player, then the New BittBoy is for you.

Product: New BittBoy
Price: US$39.99 / AU$59.99
Available: Now via RetroMini
Package: