Buy: https://amzn.to/3OMo4Tk
In my effort to explore the world of super cheap emulation, I decided to start with the cheapest handheld “8-Bit” emulator I could find on Amazon, and that lead me to this “JAMSWALL Handheld Game Console” that boasts a list of “400 Classical FC Games” and a price tag of only $16 at the time of purchase. By “FC” they mean “Famicom”, or as we know it here in the US, the Nintendo Entertainment System. This is simply a way to avoid drawing attention to the fact these units contain licensed games. They either abbreviate, or simply fail to mention this fact completely. Even going to far as to blur out some of their own advertising images on US listings.
Note: The JAMSWALL name is one of those nonsensical "company" names you see all over Amazon and Wish. Don't put much stock in the name, that was simply the cheapest offering at the time of purchase. These sellers come and go all the time and will popup under many names to avoid negative feedback or legal action.
Let me start off by saying I was shocked by the quality of this knockoff handheld considering the price. While it does feel cheap and lightweight, it’s actually really sturdy. The buttons feel good in my big hands, the screen is bright and easy to see, and the sound is not nearly as bad as I was expecting. The game selection was also really decent, even with the obligatory inclusion of mostly knockoff, fake, and repeating titles.
Here is a list of the well-known “legit” NES titles I recognized that are included in this unit. This is NOT a full or complete list, just the games that I know and have tested.
- Super Mario Bros.
- Super Mario Bros. 3
- Dr. Mario
- Mario Bros. (The Original)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Some text not in English)
- TMNT Tournament Fighter
- Contra (Has 24 different versions, included some with cheats active, including 30 lives.)
- Contra Force
- Jackal
- Rush N Attack
- Adventure Island 1 & 2
- Chip and Dale’s Rescue Rangers (Some text not in English)
- Bubble Bobble Part 2
- Ninja Gaiden 2 (Some text not in English)
- Double Dragon 2 & 3 (Double Dragon 3 - Text not in English)
- Robocop
- SpiderMan
- 10-Yard Fight
- The Legend of Kage
- Balloon Fight
- Bomberman
- Burger Time
- Clu Clu Land
- Defender II (Listed as Defender)
- Dig Dug 1 & 2 (Dig Dug II is misspelled as Gig Dug2 in the menu)
- Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., and Donkey Kong 3
- Excitebike
- Galaga
- Galaxian
- Ice Climber
- Joust
- Lode Runner
- Millipede
- Pac-Man
- Popeye
- 1942
- Arkanoid
- Pac-Land
- Spy vs Spy
- Xevious
- Friday the 13th
- Back to the Future
- Paperboy
- Tiger Heli
- Mappy
- Nintendo Pinball
- F1 Race
A vast majority of the other included games are cheap unknowns, rip-offs, or not in English. Just about all of the legit games listed above are repeated at least once. Still, with roughly 50+ legit games, the asking price of under $20 is a pretty good deal in my opinion. There are many hours of entertainment to be had, and since these don’t cost that much, they’re great for “on the go” gaming for all ages. If they break or get lost, you’re not out much and they’re easily replaced.
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| Screenshots captured directly from the included AV output on the device. |
There are a few cons I need to mention, other than the lackluster menu system and 350 or so “fake” and repeated games added, that you should keep in mind.
While the screen brightness starts off very bright, as the 800mAh battery starts to die, the screen will get progressively darker. However, if you plug it into any power source, such as a portable battery pack or phone charger, it goes back to full brightness as it charges.
Some legit games are not in English (as listed above), and many of the “fake” games are also not in English. In the above screenshots for example, the second row first image is actually "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", the game dialog is in English, but the title is not. You'll also see that "Contra 24in1" is just Contra with 24 different starting options, such as 30 lives or start on a different level with a different weapon, but each "version" is still just Contra, just with a different cheat or save-state enabled.
Some games may appear to not work, just give them a moment to load. Friday the 13th for example can sometimes take a bit to load once you click start. Also, as the battery dies, load times may increase, and other issues may arise.
Annoying menu screen music.
Lastly, there are no advanced features found in more expensive units such as save states or the ability to use cheats like the Game Genie. You’re pretty much stuck playing the game as they were originally intended.
Even with these cons, I still think this is a nice little handheld emulator if you’re on a tight budget, or just want something to kill time, or for young kids, that you don’t have to worry about getting broken or lost. The legit games that are included seem to play fine and will provide many hours of entertainment. I suggest keeping an extra phone charger and/or portable power bank handy for long trips as the unit’s 800mAh battery won’t last anywhere near the listed 5 hours of playtime.
Overall, I can honestly say I like this cheap little handheld emulator. For such a low price you get a good selection of classic NES games packed into a decent quality handheld that’s easy on the wallet and better than many of the other handheld games you find sold in dollar stores across the US for around the same price, at least these have real classic NES games included, all be it of questionable legality.
The unit will play just fine via USB power without a battery installed.
The 5 hour playtime listed on the product page is exaggerated with the included 800mAh battery, the screen on mine will begin to dim after between 1 and 2 hours of use on average and will die after about 3 hours of play. Considering the cost of this unit, that’s not terrible, but not the best either.
The included battery is 3.7V and rated at 800mAh. It’s a cheap no-name rechargeable BL-5C Li-ion Battery with a max charge voltage of 4.2V. There are better batteries available on Amazon should you want to “upgrade” to something better.
If you do choose to “upgrade” the battery, I recommend anything over 1500mAh for much better playtime, such as the one listed below from Amazon, under $10 for a pack of 2 batteries. This battery has been tested and works with the unit’s built-in charger. The great thing about BL-5C batteries is they are used in many common devices, so having an extra one or two on hand is not a bad idea, even if you don’t use one in this emulator. Also note that the higher capacity means it will take longer to charge as well.
https://www.amazon.com/BL-5C-Rechargeable-Household-Overcharge-Protection/dp/B08LST74YR/
This unit is most likely powered by an "NES-on-a-chip" (NOAC), located under the blob on the PCB. NOACs are very cheap and easy to produce and power most 8-Bit "Famiclone" devices on the market.You should checkout my page on the subject if you're planning on buying more of these units!
Internally, it uses a known flash memory chip found in many GameBoy Advance knockoff and "multi-game" cartridges (MXIC 29GL128EHMC-90G), meaning you may be able to hack it and alter the included ROM files. Something I may look into down the road. Here is the DATASHEET should you be interested.
Lastly, you will see many “8-bit” units that look like this one for sale on Amazon and elsewhere, and while the price may differ, they are all going to be nearly identical. A general rule when it comes to these knockoff handhelds is that they are often copies of copies. Chances are, the internal hardware will be nearly identical, if not completely identical. The software and included games may be different in some cases, but even then, that’s also likely the same. They may alter the appearance of the “front-end”, that being the game list that you see, but under the hood it’s all the same. So don’t get conned into buying a more expensive unit thinking you’re getting something of better quality. Before you buy, compare, read the reviews whenever they’re available, and look for pictures or videos of the unit’s you’re comparing if at all possible. Why spend more money for no good reason!
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