I just want to throw this out here - yes, the intro stuff is intentionally flashy. Why? I got a new camera and I'm trying to work on improving my editing skills. That's it. That's is THE reason why I made it this way. I need to have fun with editing these videos and I DID have fun making it. I hope to do the same for my next hardware focused episodes (which includes...the Jaguar, of all things). I really did put a lot of work into the intro stuff. I'm sure it'll sink away and nobody will care but I enjoyed doing it.
This guy's DF Retro series is one of the best things on UA-cam and probably 'THEE' best when it comes to factual gaming content. No BS to be found, no gimmicks, jokes, cringy shit. Content that won't seem dated in 10-20 years time unlike many other channels. Just extremely professional.
My Life In Gaming do better retro console videos. If you are buying the Super Analogue NT then you care about getting the most out of the console and that's where My Life In Gaming shine, much more than Digital Foundary do.
I have to second the nod to My Life In Gaming. I've always felt DF Retro is at its best when it's doing a deep dive into a single game. When it comes to hardware, DF Retro is still doing a good job, but My Life In Gaming does it better. Both are excellent and will stand the test of time well to be sure.
dude i missed your videos ! why dont you upload new videos ? maybe you are busy living your life and taking a break but i hope you come back because you are the best and i like your content !!
hey alpha , could u try to make serious and more mature videos like this? doesnt have to be on this same scale but you got potential. ur channel could do so much more in promoting true gaming culture and community
Don't let the comment section get to you, you are doing a great, GREAT job all at DF and there is no channel that matches you in your field. This video is no exception! The problem is that the big majority that enjoys your videos is silent, maybe throws in a like here and there. That way the loud and nasty get more attention, unfortunately. Trying to change that starting with this comment :)
Truly an excellent review. For the record, I didn't mind the opening, certainly a nice way to put things in context. Really, really appreciated the detail you went into with regard to comparisons against the original kit, as well as Higan and the Mini. Really interesting details. And yes, I'd love to see a Turrican episode ;)
Yep, visually very pleasing - I just don’t understand why the sound is so horrible :/ I wonder if that’s UA-cam‘s compression artifacts because I can’t believe DF would do this, but even for UA-cam this is awful...
I'm having a difficult time with audio. I need to replace my Samson mic but, basically, there's issues with certain sounds in the recording. It sounds pretty good in Premiere but gets worse with each encoding step. Once it hits YT, it's awful. Also, the on-camera stuff with the lapel mic is slightly echo-y and I'm not sure how I can fix that since I really don't have a way to deaden the sound.
I'm guessing here but I remember Samson doing a lot of condenser mics (often with built-in ADC), if that is the case, it may be the overpronounced highs that are typical for that kind of mic. Highs are often what really stands out when badly compressed, so what might help is a low-pass filter and maybe some de-esser. For the lavalier situation, there's a nice plugin by SPL called De-Verb and does exactly what the name says, maybe there's a demo version you can try out? Also, I'd experiment with a different mic placement, rather to the center of the neck. Many lav's have a spherical recording pattern, but cardioids are not uncommon, so direction may or may not be a factor. Generally speaking, beneath the throat, on the chest, you'd get more low-end resonance (also dependent on the person, of course). As for deadening the room, yeah that's always tricky, not knowing what else is there and how big the room is, it's hard to make suggestions. (Apart from general advice, like a carpet on the floor, foam panels /carpet on the walls if possible, or hanging blankets from mic stands or something.) That ultra-dry sound some studio productions achieve are often recorded with shotgun mics/ directional mics - they can be fixed if the presenter doesn't move all that much, but a dedicated sound-guy with a boom is still the better option. I really hope to see some improvement there in the future, but really, the whole production is on such a high level and recently made a big jump again, I'm just happy to get this kind of quality content at all! So, a big thanks to you John, and the whole DF team :)
The best way I've found of explaining an FPGA is with an analogy of a roller coaster, or making one A processor must first define the blueprints and then, in an orderly manner, see the steps of the coaster running one by one and carefully control timing while also making sure everything's in order An FPGA is a roller coaster And that seems to get the point across of why an FPGA excels in these sorts of areas.
funnyclipsde They really went down the pecking order after a while. Just a bunch of fools that think because the intro was shot well, the video is now an advertisement....
Enjoyed the fun touches throughout this, especially the intro and filmed console shots. Push past the few negative comments here, they're just confusing "production flair" for "promotional faff". Your efforts here were absolutely worth it, keep it up! Also, I think it's important to state, it's so nice to see a reviewer like yourself who appears to have a personal investment in emulation (or at least, keep up to speed with it). Even some of my favorite publications make some common missteps, and they just don't seem to be aware of high-accuracy efforts like Higan and Mednafen. The edge case tests are very much appreciated, and this kind of deep review was exactly what I was hoping to see from DF. Thank you!
Editing and cinematography were fantastic John. Please continue this style of editing it looks amazing. Bravo digital foundry, always releasing such high quality videos for us for free. Thank you and never stop
Awesome analysis, fantastic work as usual Jon, now if we can get a Sega Genesis/Megadrive counterpart bringing Model 1 audio/video quality to HD displays that would be wonderful and very well deserved. If anyone disagrees, I will gladly refute you respectfully.
As a retro gaming enthusiast who loves just looking at these beautiful pieces of equipment I truly enjoyed that intro. Not to mention the rest of the video. It exudes passion and professionalism. One of the best videos I've seen in a while.
I know people are giving you some flak John but I really love what you do here - I always feel like I learn something watching these videos, and your level of production quality is outstanding. Thank you so much for all that you do.
Outstanding video. FPGA / hardware based emulation ftw. What a fantastic piece of hardware for enthusiasts of the 16-bit generation. *Analogue do what Nintendon't*. Kevtris is the modern day Carmack.
I had an original model 1 SNES for Christmas or my Dad bought it and had it at our house on launch day back when it first came out. I remember seeing the system for the first time in its box and didn't know what it was lol. Upon playing Super Mario World i fell in love with the system and games, to this day the SNES is one of my favorite retro consoles of all time. In 1996 my dad sold the SNES to fund a launch day Nintendo 64 and a game. Fast forward to about 2009 i got back into retro gaming and bought a model 1 Sega Genesis and some boxed games at a garage sale. At that point for some crazy reason i had no intention of picking up a replacement SNES for myself. In 2011 i did buy a model 1 SNES and many great games. A few months ago i ordered a Super NT and wow what a great system. I was totally blown away with how good the games looked and holy crap the sound is better than ever. Great video by the way. Looks like you put a good amount of effort and time into this video.
The Air Strike Patrol shadow discrepancy is not due to anything wrong with the NT *or* Higan. Rather it’s an issue with the design of Nintendo’s own 1CHIP revision of the system. Both Higan and the NT reproduce the shadow like an original SNES would, it’s the single-chip model that is bugged (albeit very slightly).
The shadow cast by your plane in Air Strike Patrol doesn't come in dark enough on a 1-chip SNES. I have a 1-chip SNES and while the shadow is visible, it's kinda hard to see. This goes for the 1-chip SNES and the smaller revision of the SNES . On a lower serial original SNES which has the lesser picture quality displays the shadow much darker as it does on Higan and the Super NT.
Yeah, it seems like he wasn't aware that this is one of the games that is said to work a little differently on the 1-chip, but it's not a major goof on his part or anything.
Nah I'm not coming down at all on John for not knowing that about the 1-chip. It's superior picture quality over the original SNES design is far more common knowledge than this one drawback that I mentioned. I didn't even know about it until someone told me in the comment section of my video because I noted that the shadow was really light an almost just as useless as not having a shadow at all in my description. It's certainly nothing to choose an original over a 1-chip for. I just thought I would let everyone know so they don't think that the Super NT and more importantly Higan weren't doing anything wrong. In this case the REAL hardware got it wrong lol.
Excellent video. I love the detail you go into. To be honest I'm living my gaming life through this channel. Reminiscing on the 90s and 2000s when I played SNES through to PS2/Xbox.
Lovely video. I got mine today and haphazardly realized it stores settings for each of the resolutions independently... so one batch of settings for 1080p (no scanlines) and another for 720p (scanlines!). This thing really is a labor of love and I am so, so, so glad I took the risk. Now if only they'd make a Genesis/Megadrive one!
Y'all did an amazing job! Absolutely fair review covering all angles including comparisons with Higan and going into the technicalities of how these FPGA based systems work. Kudos
Picked this up based on this video - not regretting it for a second, and even ended up collecting a few more old carts from retro stores to pad my collection! Really well done comparison video that even introduced me to Higan for the first time as well! :D
I've been swimming blissfully in a world of software emulation for decades now, and with all the buzz about these FPGA systems coming around it's nice to have someone break it down into laymen (sp?) terms. Accuracy has admittedly never been a huge complaint of mine. I mean, a few pixels out of place wasn't gonna get me up in arms. However, I can seriously appreciate the goal of 100% accuracy, the work that goes into it, and the reverence it shows for the original hardware/software interactions. None of this is enough to make me focus on FPGA instead of my PC based Software Emulation through a frontend like HyperSpin - but damn it is nice to see it all in action. I'm thrilled for people who are more in-the-know than the casual SNES Classic users. This seems like the ideal solution. Plus - if the rumors are true - I'm really looking forward to seeing them setup a Sega Genesis version. I was a Sonic junkie back in the 90's, and I may just pick that up for the hell of it. I wonder if/when we'll see 32/64 bit consoles like this...
a great video! as i stated somewhere else : the SNES Mini is for those who want to experience SNES nostalgia from time to time and the NT is for those who are deadly serious about SNES gaming
I'm doing it 'oldskool' style... an original SNES (bought new by myself in 1992). Connected to a 21" 4:3 CRT via an official RGB scart cable with stereo sound. Still got the original controllers as well!
Nice! I recently found a 27" Trinitron on the sidewalk: at first I was all like "eh, I really wanted one with curved glass..." but I think it's actually quite a nice TV I got my hands on. Heavy as fuck. Also has some color convergence and geometry issues I haven't sorted out yet, but I've been having a lot of fun with it.
I just got my Super Nt today, and the first thing I did was to test Mega Man X2's attract mode on the no lag buffering mode. It worked as it should, so apparently the Cx4 chip's speed is tied to the CPU speed. Good stuff.
I'm kind of surprised that the HD Retrovision component cables weren't mentioned, aside from the TV compatibility issues, it's probably the best alternative for people who are looking for a more inexpensive option for a high quality image.
So not only did they release a product which is great value for money, operates exactly the way you would want it to and functions perfectly, they're also incredibly responsive when it comes to fixing whatever tiny flaws are found by the community of enthusiasts? How often does this sort of thing happen with modern consumer electronics? This is awesome. Thanks for bringing it to my attention because I'm seriously considering purchasing one and going on the hunt for SNES cartridges.
the video itself is really pretty evenhanded but I can see why people are criticizing the intro. it's probably totally unintentional but it comes off as looking too slick and like marketing material (similar to how less reputable places "review" things) the difference is that your actual content is honest and technically informed and doesn't read like a press release. I think interpreting the criticisms as "stop putting effort in" is the wrong way to go, just next time watch what you've created and wonder "even if I like this product, does it come across like I'm selling it?". the way thing are now with so many people being paid for "reviews" people's bullshit detectors are turned to 11. regarding this product, I think 240p games running upscaled on HDTVs will always look wrong, no matter how accurately the code is being executed. even a real SNES with an upscaler doesn't really work me, nothing can match the look of RGB from the real console output to a PVM or other good CRT. It's hard to capture how great this looks on video though, and this review is a perfect example of that with the CRT shots looking not so hot (not really your fault, it's the nature of the beast). It's easy to understand why many people wouldn't want to go the CRT route though and the super NT seems like a hassle free solution for them. I like that analogue actually made it look like the thing it is simulating this time around, the case design of their NES clones was really tone deaf imo and I think the success of nintendo's NES/SNES mini line finally made them see the light and realize that the look of those consoles is part of the appeal/nostalgia/etc. I've never been the biggest fan of this company (or at least their marketing team) but the fact that this exists is undeniably a good thing, it's a plug and play solution that doesn't suck and leaves more real hardware available for people who enjoy the tinkering side of the hobby.
John, I can imagine how disheartening it is, after all the hard work you put in to these videos, to then read nasty comments (which is a tiny minority) which would make you think 'I won't bother' but the way you do these pieces, is what separates you from the average crap on UA-cam! These are trolls, and have no idea about pretty much anything. Likes and dislikes should tell you, all you need to know, about the quality. :)
isturbo1984 plenty of tossers, slamming what he's done, guess you can just call it trolling, but a lot of hard work goes into these videos, which is plain to see. So yeah nasty.
This is one of the few options I've seen being done the right way, I've always thought things like Snes Mini are pointless when they can be emulated with ease but it's a diffrent story when you can run your own games that you bought on it and even thought it's still emulated, it's more or less like running the real Snes, all the others that are more or less just an emulator to look like a real Snes, whats the real point of that when you might as well just play on an emulator it's self. Anyway, you've got my vote if you do a Turrican series, one of my fav games when growing up on the Amiga.
Nicely done. Best review of the Super NT yet. An actual comparison to Higan and mimics Byuu's sentiments that the emulation accuracy will basically be equivalent and not superior.
God I love DF Retro, another amazing video. Very in-depth. I didn't know the Analogue NT guys made a SNES ! This is great! Definitely to me seems the best way to go around playing SNES accurately on a HDMI flat panel.
The Mega Lo Mania bug was fixed which I'm sure you heard by now which is just incredible to me. I'm incredibly happy I bought one for myself yesterday. My only hope is that they add a Zero Lag 60.09Hz mode, because I know my monitor can take it.
Yes do a DF Retro Turrican episode please. Chris Huelsbeck's Turrican 2 soundtrack on the Amiga might be the greatest piece of European synth music ever scored.
Just to set the record straight, this is hardware emulation, essentially, and that it's not more accurate than Higan. I'd say it's 1:1 equal and extremely accurate. Not a bad thing at all, it's good, very very good. This is one of the best reviews I've ever seen on the Super NT :D
This is fantastic. You guys always go above and beyond with your videos. The passion and care is all there! Thank you for all the exceptional content! keep it up :D
I was impressed that you tested actual edge cases like Air Strike Patrol rather than crap some other people might test ("Does it run Donkey Kong Country with its amazeballs graphics?!!!"). I would like to point out that the fact that you ran A.S.P. on a 1chip SNES accounts for the lighter shadow. On an original 1990 SNES, it will look more like the Super Nt or Higan. One thing you didn't test is Mega Man X2. I am interested to see if X kills the boss on attract mode or not. On most emulators, X dies due to timing issues involving emulation of the Cx4 chip. I am wondering especially if the three buffer modes will affect the timing on this attract mode. Any chance you could check this? Overall, good stuff. I liked seeing a lot of my favorite games used here and there: Blackthorne, DoReMi Fantasy, Super Metroid. Would have been cool if they'd gone ahead and rounded out the included Turrican games with Targa though.
To be fair, though, Donkey Kong Country has a little more aggressive copy protection measures than most SNES games. It's worth testing on clone hardware for that reason, if nothing else. (Though being such a high-profile game it's hard to imagine the Super NT, with its attention to detail, wouldn't work with it.)
Fantastic video! Really nicely presented and you covered a LOT there lol. This is quite possibly the first FPGA based system I want to purchase! Original SNES hardware isn't as hardy as some of the other systems of that era, this is a good investment for anyone wanting to play SNES games - you can then put your original hardware away somewhere safe.
Amazing DF Retri cap as always... my favourites videos in DF alone with the new games coming out. Please make the Turrican video... I would love to see that video and hear the amazing Turrican music. Turrican music defines generations in gaming since the Amiga time.
This was an excellent video, thank you so much for posting it! I do have some constructive criticism: - For the shots of you talking at the camera, I would advise raising the camera up a bit and tilting it downward a touch. The angle at which you're looking at us through your glasses is not optimal, I think mostly because of your glasses, but the adjusted angle should solve this completely. - For these same shots you didn't always know what to do with your hands? Which was not necessarily negative, actually quite endearing, but worth thinking about. I might suggest cropping the shot tighter so your hands are entirely out of the equation, but you do lose your background if you go that route. You could also just talk over more footage without being on camera at all, but that's not a fun option so I wouldn't choose it. :) That's it, I think! Like I said, the video was great, and I love how much work you put into it. This is the first thing I've seen of yours, and I'm subscribing. Looking forward to seeing more!
Amazing video, such an in-depth review of the system that delivers what you need to know about it with a fair and accurate comparison with software emulators and original hardware. Great work!
I just want to throw this out here - yes, the intro stuff is intentionally flashy. Why? I got a new camera and I'm trying to work on improving my editing skills. That's it. That's is THE reason why I made it this way. I need to have fun with editing these videos and I DID have fun making it. I hope to do the same for my next hardware focused episodes (which includes...the Jaguar, of all things). I really did put a lot of work into the intro stuff. I'm sure it'll sink away and nobody will care but I enjoyed doing it.
John Linneman Guess not everyone appreciates the effort.
I like the intro alot
It was a wicked cool intro John, I love all of the extra effort and passion you put into DF Retro.
The camera shots look great! Kind of like the Game Sack console episodes, and that's a huge compliment :)
Good video John
This guy's DF Retro series is one of the best things on UA-cam and probably 'THEE' best when it comes to factual gaming content.
No BS to be found, no gimmicks, jokes, cringy shit. Content that won't seem dated in 10-20 years time unlike many other channels.
Just extremely professional.
My Life In Gaming do better retro console videos. If you are buying the Super Analogue NT then you care about getting the most out of the console and that's where My Life In Gaming shine, much more than Digital Foundary do.
I have to second the nod to My Life In Gaming. I've always felt DF Retro is at its best when it's doing a deep dive into a single game. When it comes to hardware, DF Retro is still doing a good job, but My Life In Gaming does it better.
Both are excellent and will stand the test of time well to be sure.
My life in gaming focus on retro gaming while DF does EVERYTHING, they both amazing
THIS!
You and My Life in Gaming did an amazing job covering this, keep at it dude
dude i missed your videos ! why dont you upload new videos ? maybe you are busy living your life and taking a break but i hope you come back because you are the best and i like your content !!
yes! both are the best reviews!
Adam Koralik
hey alpha , could u try to make serious and more mature videos like this? doesnt have to be on this same scale but you got potential. ur channel could do so much more in promoting true gaming culture and community
Thanks man! Love your work too! Hope to see more soon!
Don't let the comment section get to you, you are doing a great, GREAT job all at DF and there is no channel that matches you in your field. This video is no exception! The problem is that the big majority that enjoys your videos is silent, maybe throws in a like here and there. That way the loud and nasty get more attention, unfortunately. Trying to change that starting with this comment :)
It’s always a good Sunday when Digital Foundry posts a DFRetro video.
It's crazy how much effort as to go into recreating this experience and keeping these games alive for later generations.
Truly an excellent review. For the record, I didn't mind the opening, certainly a nice way to put things in context. Really, really appreciated the detail you went into with regard to comparisons against the original kit, as well as Higan and the Mini.
Really interesting details.
And yes, I'd love to see a Turrican episode ;)
You gotta love the setup and lighting of this video, everything looks so gorgeous.
Also the text graphics and transitions. Major step up.
Yep, visually very pleasing - I just don’t understand why the sound is so horrible :/ I wonder if that’s UA-cam‘s compression artifacts because I can’t believe DF would do this, but even for UA-cam this is awful...
I'm having a difficult time with audio. I need to replace my Samson mic but, basically, there's issues with certain sounds in the recording. It sounds pretty good in Premiere but gets worse with each encoding step. Once it hits YT, it's awful. Also, the on-camera stuff with the lapel mic is slightly echo-y and I'm not sure how I can fix that since I really don't have a way to deaden the sound.
I'm guessing here but I remember Samson doing a lot of condenser mics (often with built-in ADC), if that is the case, it may be the overpronounced highs that are typical for that kind of mic. Highs are often what really stands out when badly compressed, so what might help is a low-pass filter and maybe some de-esser. For the lavalier situation, there's a nice plugin by SPL called De-Verb and does exactly what the name says, maybe there's a demo version you can try out? Also, I'd experiment with a different mic placement, rather to the center of the neck. Many lav's have a spherical recording pattern, but cardioids are not uncommon, so direction may or may not be a factor. Generally speaking, beneath the throat, on the chest, you'd get more low-end resonance (also dependent on the person, of course). As for deadening the room, yeah that's always tricky, not knowing what else is there and how big the room is, it's hard to make suggestions. (Apart from general advice, like a carpet on the floor, foam panels /carpet on the walls if possible, or hanging blankets from mic stands or something.) That ultra-dry sound some studio productions achieve are often recorded with shotgun mics/ directional mics - they can be fixed if the presenter doesn't move all that much, but a dedicated sound-guy with a boom is still the better option. I really hope to see some improvement there in the future, but really, the whole production is on such a high level and recently made a big jump again, I'm just happy to get this kind of quality content at all! So, a big thanks to you John, and the whole DF team :)
Loving your work John.
it wasn't until the end of the video I realized that wasn't a Murrica shirt, but a Turrican shirt
The best way I've found of explaining an FPGA is with an analogy of a roller coaster, or making one
A processor must first define the blueprints and then, in an orderly manner, see the steps of the coaster running one by one and carefully control timing while also making sure everything's in order
An FPGA is a roller coaster
And that seems to get the point across of why an FPGA excels in these sorts of areas.
I can see the effort you‘ve put into this - don‘t listen to all the fools in the comments...
funnyclipsde - what fools? Everyone loves DF Retro.
Don Bon read some of the other comments...
funnyclipsde They really went down the pecking order after a while. Just a bunch of fools that think because the intro was shot well, the video is now an advertisement....
Whoa... epic intro.
MrJimbo1qaz it's for retro enthusiasts
Firmware 4.0 fixed the Meglo Mania bug. Kevtris is quick on his updates lol.
sadly not anymore.
his taken his sweet time.
Enjoyed the fun touches throughout this, especially the intro and filmed console shots. Push past the few negative comments here, they're just confusing "production flair" for "promotional faff". Your efforts here were absolutely worth it, keep it up!
Also, I think it's important to state, it's so nice to see a reviewer like yourself who appears to have a personal investment in emulation (or at least, keep up to speed with it). Even some of my favorite publications make some common missteps, and they just don't seem to be aware of high-accuracy efforts like Higan and Mednafen. The edge case tests are very much appreciated, and this kind of deep review was exactly what I was hoping to see from DF. Thank you!
The production quality of these DFRetro videos is always so impressive, a step higher than the normal DF videos, unfortunately.
It’s crazy people would pay money for something you can emulate for free… wild.
Rest in peace Near, without you the SNES scene wouldn't be close to where it is today.
Editing and cinematography were fantastic John. Please continue this style of editing it looks amazing. Bravo digital foundry, always releasing such high quality videos for us for free. Thank you and never stop
We need an updated video, 3 years later on firmware maturity
Please keep up this high-quality content - most of us do appreciate it! I look forward to watching these DF Retro videos you make.
Awesome analysis, fantastic work as usual Jon, now if we can get a Sega Genesis/Megadrive counterpart bringing Model 1 audio/video quality to HD displays that would be wonderful and very well deserved. If anyone disagrees, I will gladly refute you respectfully.
As a retro gaming enthusiast who loves just looking at these beautiful pieces of equipment I truly enjoyed that intro. Not to mention the rest of the video. It exudes passion and professionalism. One of the best videos I've seen in a while.
I know people are giving you some flak John but I really love what you do here - I always feel like I learn something watching these videos, and your level of production quality is outstanding. Thank you so much for all that you do.
The effort to sit through and actually play multiple games just to find obscure (and not-so-obscure) glitches is insane. Great work as always, John!
Quite simply the very best retro channel on UA-cam or any other media. Thank you for the all the work you put into this.
Outstanding video. FPGA / hardware based emulation ftw. What a fantastic piece of hardware for enthusiasts of the 16-bit generation. *Analogue do what Nintendon't*.
Kevtris is the modern day Carmack.
use an original snes in hdmi sherlock?
I had an original model 1 SNES for Christmas or my Dad bought it and had it at our house on launch day back when it first came out. I remember seeing the system for the first time in its box and didn't know what it was lol. Upon playing Super Mario World i fell in love with the system and games, to this day the SNES is one of my favorite retro consoles of all time. In 1996 my dad sold the SNES to fund a launch day Nintendo 64 and a game. Fast forward to about 2009 i got back into retro gaming and bought a model 1 Sega Genesis and some boxed games at a garage sale. At that point for some crazy reason i had no intention of picking up a replacement SNES for myself. In 2011 i did buy a model 1 SNES and many great games. A few months ago i ordered a Super NT and wow what a great system. I was totally blown away with how good the games looked and holy crap the sound is better than ever. Great video by the way. Looks like you put a good amount of effort and time into this video.
The Air Strike Patrol shadow discrepancy is not due to anything wrong with the NT *or* Higan. Rather it’s an issue with the design of Nintendo’s own 1CHIP revision of the system. Both Higan and the NT reproduce the shadow like an original SNES would, it’s the single-chip model that is bugged (albeit very slightly).
interesintg
Have seen multiple reviews from some of the major Retro youtube sites and this is, by far, is the most thorough, thanks very much!
The shadow cast by your plane in Air Strike Patrol doesn't come in dark enough on a 1-chip SNES. I have a 1-chip SNES and while the shadow is visible, it's kinda hard to see. This goes for the 1-chip SNES and the smaller revision of the SNES . On a lower serial original SNES which has the lesser picture quality displays the shadow much darker as it does on Higan and the Super NT.
Yeah, it seems like he wasn't aware that this is one of the games that is said to work a little differently on the 1-chip, but it's not a major goof on his part or anything.
Nah I'm not coming down at all on John for not knowing that about the 1-chip. It's superior picture quality over the original SNES design is far more common knowledge than this one drawback that I mentioned. I didn't even know about it until someone told me in the comment section of my video because I noted that the shadow was really light an almost just as useless as not having a shadow at all in my description. It's certainly nothing to choose an original over a 1-chip for. I just thought I would let everyone know so they don't think that the Super NT and more importantly Higan weren't doing anything wrong. In this case the REAL hardware got it wrong lol.
That intro made me wanna play SNES
Excellent video. I love the detail you go into. To be honest I'm living my gaming life through this channel. Reminiscing on the 90s and 2000s when I played SNES through to PS2/Xbox.
Great stuff. Loved the in-depth comparison, which really sets it apart from the other reviews/content out there on this system.
Received mine yesterday,playing it today,have checked out Street Fighter 2,Axelay,Super Ghouls n Ghosts and F-Zero so far and it is worth every cent.
Lovely video. I got mine today and haphazardly realized it stores settings for each of the resolutions independently... so one batch of settings for 1080p (no scanlines) and another for 720p (scanlines!). This thing really is a labor of love and I am so, so, so glad I took the risk. Now if only they'd make a Genesis/Megadrive one!
That was truly excellent! I think that FPGA retro consoles is the way to go. The intro was brilliant, I knew I was in for a treat :D
I loved Mega Lo Mania on the Amiga 500. The voice samples are crystal clear. But what i liked the most, no other game could create such a tension.
Ok, so this is my favorite DF Retro now.
Turrican t-shirt + teasing a Turrican DF Retro ? It made my day !
Great video, OMG full episode of DFRetro dedicated to Turrican that would be absolutely fantastic.
Y'all did an amazing job! Absolutely fair review covering all angles including comparisons with Higan and going into the technicalities of how these FPGA based systems work. Kudos
Love what you do John, don't stop.
Yeah! MOAR retro!!!
Picked this up based on this video - not regretting it for a second, and even ended up collecting a few more old carts from retro stores to pad my collection! Really well done comparison video that even introduced me to Higan for the first time as well! :D
Great video! DF retro are the best videos on UA-cam! Very well made and captures the magic of the old retro titans!
DF and MLiG are all the reviews you need.
Fantastic work
Fantastic video, you show an attention to detail and thoroughness that is unparalleled in the media coverage of devices like this.
I've been swimming blissfully in a world of software emulation for decades now, and with all the buzz about these FPGA systems coming around it's nice to have someone break it down into laymen (sp?) terms.
Accuracy has admittedly never been a huge complaint of mine. I mean, a few pixels out of place wasn't gonna get me up in arms. However, I can seriously appreciate the goal of 100% accuracy, the work that goes into it, and the reverence it shows for the original hardware/software interactions.
None of this is enough to make me focus on FPGA instead of my PC based Software Emulation through a frontend like HyperSpin - but damn it is nice to see it all in action. I'm thrilled for people who are more in-the-know than the casual SNES Classic users. This seems like the ideal solution.
Plus - if the rumors are true - I'm really looking forward to seeing them setup a Sega Genesis version. I was a Sonic junkie back in the 90's, and I may just pick that up for the hell of it.
I wonder if/when we'll see 32/64 bit consoles like this...
Daaang, this is a nicely produced video, John. Great job.
You’ve had fun making this I can tell
a great video! as i stated somewhere else : the SNES Mini is for those who want to experience SNES nostalgia from time to time and the NT is for those who are deadly serious about SNES gaming
I'm doing it 'oldskool' style... an original SNES (bought new by myself in 1992). Connected to a 21" 4:3 CRT via an official RGB scart cable with stereo sound. Still got the original controllers as well!
Nice! I recently found a 27" Trinitron on the sidewalk: at first I was all like "eh, I really wanted one with curved glass..." but I think it's actually quite a nice TV I got my hands on. Heavy as fuck. Also has some color convergence and geometry issues I haven't sorted out yet, but I've been having a lot of fun with it.
Another fantastic addition to the best series on UA-cam!!
DF Retro is my favourite youtube channel. great work guys!
So glad you did a rundown on this. I'm more than happy with my HD Retrovision cables, but I'm very tempted by this little machine.
What a great video, I didn't quite expect this. You should do Emulator guides with all your knowledge and testing skills.
This video had an absolutely phenomenal track list.
If you know the names of any of the tracks please do tell.
I just got my Super Nt today, and the first thing I did was to test Mega Man X2's attract mode on the no lag buffering mode. It worked as it should, so apparently the Cx4 chip's speed is tied to the CPU speed. Good stuff.
Awesome video!!!!!!!!!!!! Love all the collaboration going on here. You +MLIG ... KEVTRIS+BYUU+MARSHALL .. so cool
I'm kind of surprised that the HD Retrovision component cables weren't mentioned, aside from the TV compatibility issues, it's probably the best alternative for people who are looking for a more inexpensive option for a high quality image.
So not only did they release a product which is great value for money, operates exactly the way you would want it to and functions perfectly, they're also incredibly responsive when it comes to fixing whatever tiny flaws are found by the community of enthusiasts? How often does this sort of thing happen with modern consumer electronics? This is awesome. Thanks for bringing it to my attention because I'm seriously considering purchasing one and going on the hunt for SNES cartridges.
Great episode John, I especially liked that Tengai Makyou Zero Music.
This is a cool video. I've seen a lot of Super NT coverage, but this is the most comprehensive video that I've found.
John really are the best! Love these DF Retro videos!
the video itself is really pretty evenhanded but I can see why people are criticizing the intro. it's probably totally unintentional but it comes off as looking too slick and like marketing material (similar to how less reputable places "review" things) the difference is that your actual content is honest and technically informed and doesn't read like a press release. I think interpreting the criticisms as "stop putting effort in" is the wrong way to go, just next time watch what you've created and wonder "even if I like this product, does it come across like I'm selling it?". the way thing are now with so many people being paid for "reviews" people's bullshit detectors are turned to 11.
regarding this product, I think 240p games running upscaled on HDTVs will always look wrong, no matter how accurately the code is being executed. even a real SNES with an upscaler doesn't really work me, nothing can match the look of RGB from the real console output to a PVM or other good CRT. It's hard to capture how great this looks on video though, and this review is a perfect example of that with the CRT shots looking not so hot (not really your fault, it's the nature of the beast). It's easy to understand why many people wouldn't want to go the CRT route though and the super NT seems like a hassle free solution for them. I like that analogue actually made it look like the thing it is simulating this time around, the case design of their NES clones was really tone deaf imo and I think the success of nintendo's NES/SNES mini line finally made them see the light and realize that the look of those consoles is part of the appeal/nostalgia/etc.
I've never been the biggest fan of this company (or at least their marketing team) but the fact that this exists is undeniably a good thing, it's a plug and play solution that doesn't suck and leaves more real hardware available for people who enjoy the tinkering side of the hobby.
This is such a well-made video. Just top quality all the way through.
always impressed by the production values and level of research provided in this series, some of the best content on youtube!
John, I can imagine how disheartening it is, after all the hard work you put in to these videos, to then read nasty comments (which is a tiny minority) which would make you think 'I won't bother' but the way you do these pieces, is what separates you from the average crap on UA-cam! These are trolls, and have no idea about pretty much anything. Likes and dislikes should tell you, all you need to know, about the quality. :)
what nasty comments? i cant see any. you do a deep dive in the comments or just trying to virtue signal?
isturbo1984 plenty of tossers, slamming what he's done, guess you can just call it trolling, but a lot of hard work goes into these videos, which is plain to see. So yeah nasty.
i guess. i just came in here a couple of days late... comments sorted by "most popular"... i scrolled WAY down and hadnt found a single negative one.
This is the review I was most looking forward to and it did not disappoint. Thank you John!
This is one of the few options I've seen being done the right way, I've always thought things like Snes Mini are pointless when they can be emulated with ease but it's a diffrent story when you can run your own games that you bought on it and even thought it's still emulated, it's more or less like running the real Snes, all the others that are more or less just an emulator to look like a real Snes, whats the real point of that when you might as well just play on an emulator it's self.
Anyway, you've got my vote if you do a Turrican series, one of my fav games when growing up on the Amiga.
Nicely done. Best review of the Super NT yet. An actual comparison to Higan and mimics Byuu's sentiments that the emulation accuracy will basically be equivalent and not superior.
God I love DF Retro, another amazing video. Very in-depth. I didn't know the Analogue NT guys made a SNES ! This is great! Definitely to me seems the best way to go around playing SNES accurately on a HDMI flat panel.
You can get rid off the sync and audio crackling problems from higan by using it within Retroarch. Smooth scrolling without any audio hiccups.
just download Retroarch, download the higan core within it and you are ready to go. ;)
The Mega Lo Mania bug was fixed which I'm sure you heard by now which is just incredible to me. I'm incredibly happy I bought one for myself yesterday. My only hope is that they add a Zero Lag 60.09Hz mode, because I know my monitor can take it.
Kevtris must've broke it again then, since it's happening for me on the latest firmware (And in both the PAL and Super Famicom version of the game).
Yes do a DF Retro Turrican episode please. Chris Huelsbeck's Turrican 2 soundtrack on the Amiga might be the greatest piece of European synth music ever scored.
17:04 John suffers for our entertainment. Respect.
As a owner of a SuperNT I wouldn't part with it. Fantastic piece of hardware
i really appreciate your content, well-made, informative and absolutely not boring (actually very entertaining). Thank you.
Just to set the record straight, this is hardware emulation, essentially, and that it's not more accurate than Higan. I'd say it's 1:1 equal and extremely accurate. Not a bad thing at all, it's good, very very good. This is one of the best reviews I've ever seen on the Super NT :D
Great video! I ordered a Super NT myself and just got it today. Can't wait to check it out.
Looks beautiful
This is fantastic. You guys always go above and beyond with your videos. The passion and care is all there! Thank you for all the exceptional content! keep it up :D
More DF Retro please ! Maybe an episode on the TurboGrafx 16 ?
Heck yes, I'd love to do that.
That'd be sweet. I've only just discovered this system. What a hidden gem (in the Western market)
You're the best, John.
Great review as always John! I ordered my Super NT last night :D Very excited!!
Always excited when theres a new DF Retro video
I was impressed that you tested actual edge cases like Air Strike Patrol rather than crap some other people might test ("Does it run Donkey Kong Country with its amazeballs graphics?!!!"). I would like to point out that the fact that you ran A.S.P. on a 1chip SNES accounts for the lighter shadow. On an original 1990 SNES, it will look more like the Super Nt or Higan.
One thing you didn't test is Mega Man X2. I am interested to see if X kills the boss on attract mode or not. On most emulators, X dies due to timing issues involving emulation of the Cx4 chip. I am wondering especially if the three buffer modes will affect the timing on this attract mode. Any chance you could check this?
Overall, good stuff. I liked seeing a lot of my favorite games used here and there: Blackthorne, DoReMi Fantasy, Super Metroid. Would have been cool if they'd gone ahead and rounded out the included Turrican games with Targa though.
I was able to test this myself finally. It works perfectly even in No Lag mode.
To be fair, though, Donkey Kong Country has a little more aggressive copy protection measures than most SNES games. It's worth testing on clone hardware for that reason, if nothing else. (Though being such a high-profile game it's hard to imagine the Super NT, with its attention to detail, wouldn't work with it.)
Awesome stuff. Impossible to determine which one is the better video - this or the MLIG one.
Awesome video and production quality as always!
DF edges closer and closer to being a show a bit like Top Gear. Excellent production and info.
Fantastic video! Really nicely presented and you covered a LOT there lol. This is quite possibly the first FPGA based system I want to purchase! Original SNES hardware isn't as hardy as some of the other systems of that era, this is a good investment for anyone wanting to play SNES games - you can then put your original hardware away somewhere safe.
Amazing DF Retri cap as always... my favourites videos in DF alone with the new games coming out. Please make the Turrican video... I would love to see that video and hear the amazing Turrican music. Turrican music defines generations in gaming since the Amiga time.
This was an excellent video, thank you so much for posting it! I do have some constructive criticism:
- For the shots of you talking at the camera, I would advise raising the camera up a bit and tilting it downward a touch. The angle at which you're looking at us through your glasses is not optimal, I think mostly because of your glasses, but the adjusted angle should solve this completely.
- For these same shots you didn't always know what to do with your hands? Which was not necessarily negative, actually quite endearing, but worth thinking about. I might suggest cropping the shot tighter so your hands are entirely out of the equation, but you do lose your background if you go that route. You could also just talk over more footage without being on camera at all, but that's not a fun option so I wouldn't choose it. :)
That's it, I think! Like I said, the video was great, and I love how much work you put into it. This is the first thing I've seen of yours, and I'm subscribing. Looking forward to seeing more!
Awesome music the whole way through! You got a tracklist? Where can I find that awesome Dracula GB genesis remaster track?
I never click on a video as fast as I do when I see a DF retro upload.
DF Retro about Turrican ? Yes please !
This video and channel is my favorite.
Subbed!!!
All SNES content is loved
A very well made and in depth review, thank you!
Amazing video, such an in-depth review of the system that delivers what you need to know about it with a fair and accurate comparison with software emulators and original hardware. Great work!
That Turrican shirt is awesome!
I love that they worked with 8Bitdo for the controllers
Awesome video from start to finish. Great job John.