Here we have an interesting exhibit, it's an Amstrad branded games console that looks like a shrunken Sony Playstation 2, which plays Nintendo NES games. This makes it a Famiclone, or you could call it a Polystation due to the style
It seems this console was made in Italy, this would explain the Euro plug on the PSU, and for some reason they chose "Amstrad" as the brand to use for Europe. It was also sold in other markets under different brands
Unusually for a cheap console it has an RF output, I've no idea which standard it uses, the UK would be PAL-I, PAL-B/G was common in Europe. Some devices would have a switch to choose which audio carrier to use, similar to the CH 3/4 switches in the US
An attempt to make it look like a PS2 was mildly successful, it is smaller though. Why they had to use light grey for the cartridge door and buttons I don't know, they really ruin the look of the console
The Amstrad logo is off centered which annoys me greatly
The base of the console with model label
The front of the console with the cartridge slot which apparently takes 60 pin NES cartidges, I didn't try this
Close up of the very bright power LED, Atari style joystick ports, and the toggle power switch and momentary reset buttons
The rear of the console with the RF output, video and mono audio outputs, and power input sockets
The sides
Styled after the original non analogue PlayStation controllers but missing the shoulder buttons, and they are slightly smaller, they feel horrible to hold and the buttons get stuck in the controller
Very cheap feeling light gun, I did not try this as I was using a modern LCD TV
The gold plated plugs suggest this is not the original AV lead
The power supply with Euro plug, luckily I had an adaptor handy, it looks like a ZX Spectrum power supply would work
Time to power this bad boy up, and I found the controller plug does not stay in the socket very well
Some examples of the built-in games, it claims there are EIGHT MILLION of them, but in reality it seems there are only 18 and then they are repeated with slightly different names, I am not going through every page to check
The menu has no music or sound effects
The games are ok but the picture quality is the video equivalent of horse manure and the controllers are so bad the buttons get stuck which ruins your game
The games are obviously hacked as the copyright messages have been hidden or removed, this makes me wonder what else have they broke?
It is not a good experience
?NEXT WITHOUT FOR ERROR