Top Loader Vs. Original NES
 

I've decided to re-purchase ye olde 8 bit Nintendo. :)

I want a player system and couldn't care less about collectability so I'm wondering if the rarer, more expensive top loader is woth the extra cost or not. What would a reasonable range of prices be for each?

In turn of playability, the top loading are more accessble and create less error, (from my experience) However, the original NES definitly has higher collectible value than the "modified" top loader.

For collection I would go for the original one, for playing, the top loader.....

Isn't the toploader just a famicom? Then again, those are smaller carts too, same games though. Pretty cheap in SE Asia.

Tuan Jim

There was a domestic release of the toploader. I have one sitting in my living room I found at a flea market for $15 that we'll get close to $100 for on ebay. They're a sweet little machine and what Nintendo should have released in the first place. That push and click front loading thing was a travesty.

The redesigned "top loader" NES was released in the U.S. some time after the SNES was released. Nintendo only released a limited amount of them and that is why they are valued by the collectors and go for insane prices on eBay.

The original NES systems are more cheaper so if you are just looking for a "player" system, I say save some bucks and find an original NES in good condition.

Then again, the "top loader" NES does look cool, I wouldn't mind having one. :)

http://www.stanford.edu/~jhusband/ebay/nes/box.jpg

Looks vaguely familiar, was that the one that came out in 93-94? I remember a rerelease in the US of the NES, with a different shape from the first one, but I don't think it looked quite like that. Its been a long time though.

Tuan Jim

That was the only remodeled NES released. I remember seeing them hella cheap in the early 90's, before the NES was phased out in 93 due to the 16-bit systems. I wanted one at the time, but never got one.
Personally, I prefer my original front loader from when they first hit the market. Mine still works perfectly every time - there IS a method for perfect loading. :)

Tuan Jim, yes that is the only redesigned NES that was released in the U.S. The other shape you might be thinking of may be of the redesigned SNES that was released toward the end of its life...

http://www.thepong.com/Sites/Left/Ni...SNES/NewSN.jpg

Is there a way to repair the push and click model? I hard that after time, it doesnt play games properly and that there was some sort of fix for it. I now get the Orange screen of death, or sometimes the blink. I would love for this thing to work again. I have such an urge to play Kung Fu.

SPY

Buy an original NES and put a new 72 pin connector in it. There are no composite outputs on the toploader.

There are plenty of those connectors on eBay FWIW.

Picked up one of those original versions for 15 bucks at a flea market the other day, made him plug it up show me it worked etc.. He threw in 2 controllers, the gun and duck hunt/mario.. Steal I figure.

Also was able to pick up a gang of games for 2 bucks each.. I"m pretty excited to get these home and play.

Anybody know if the light gun will work with a rear-projection tv? Prob not right.

The original had composite, not component outputs.

I can honestly say if you are going to be playing it for any decent amout of time.. to TRY and find a top loader. These things are gifts from the 8-Bit gods. The older models are so prone to not working it's not funny. I have access to 3 top loaders, mine and 2 friends, and all of them work flawlessly, whereas the original ones usually will battle you mexican pit-fighting style before they submit and actually let you play the damn game.

Forgot to mention. The controllers for either system are inhumanly small. Try to find an Advantage joystick, or some kind of alternative.

My top loader doesn't work much better than the original design, so don't believe the hype. Like stated before, get the original and put in a new 72-pin connector, that way you can hook it up via composite cords. It's the most humane way to play NES.

The light gun isn't supposed to work with RPTVs, but I remember playing duck hunt on my friend's big screen in the late 80's.

Typo. Thanks.

In addition to ebay, you can get the 72-pin connectors from http://www.mcmelectronics.com for $7.99. My front loader worked better than my top loader after I put a new connector in.

Thank you for the link. I have a front loader that I made some cosmetic modifications to, and it would be cool to bring it back from the dead. Do you know if the 72-pin connector also work for replacing the one in the top loader? I feel the top loader is a much nicer pience of equipment, and once I make the mod to be able to use compostie.. this will probably be the one I use,a nd sometime down the line if need be.. I'd like to put a new connector in it.

go with the new 72 pin connector on the original. works like new!

I've gathered that much.. ;)

Can somebody confirm the say connector for the top loader.. I like it better and once I get the composite working, no need for the clunky old model.

I still have a top loader and it works great. My old front loader died long ago. I would get the later NES if you can find one.

pixyboi, how do you mod the top loader to use composite

I believe the 72 pin connector will not work for the top loader but I am not sure, I would check on mine I own a front loader and a top loader but I am moving this weekend so they are in boxes.

Ahhh R.C. Pro-AM 2, and Micro Machines 2 of the best racers ever.

I cannot recommend a TOP LOADER highly enough. I totally agree with pixyboi. The top loader is great. I sell top loaders on Ebay all the time (probably have had 12 of them or more in the last year) and every single one worked flawlessly. I sell a nice top loader with 25+ games, 2 controllers, and zapper for $225 + shipping. I have a nice Ebay name though with several thousand feedbacks.
Meanwhile I have had probably 20 original nintendo's that worked sporadically at best. I have even had new pin connectors in several and they are NOT (in my opinion) even close to comparable with a top loader. Also, a new pin connector will slowly break down just like they did in the old days. The top loader is just like a SNES, atari, n64, etc. in that the design is far better. Therefore it works better long term. Once again, if you really get into 8 bit NES games I cannot recommend a top loader highly enough!! They are still far cheaper than any current system and the games are cheap.

I just managed to get a top loader in the last month and I've been nothing but satisfied with it. You still have to keep the games clean and as long as they are clean they work. I'm comparing this to my 2 previous front loading consoles which never worked, even though I've never tried repairing it. It's better to be safe than sorry. You'd better get one now instead of needing one down the road as I'm sure the price will only go higher.