Old Skool Games Classiq III HD Unboxing & Review - 720P Retro Games

In this episode, we unbox & test the Old Skool Games Classiq III HD clone system, designed to play NES, Super Nintendo, and Sega Genesis games in 720p HD

Over the years, the HDMI cone systems from Old Skool Games, well, they've always left me wanting more. When I saw them post about the New Classiq III HD system, it definitely caught my eye. Expanding upon the Classiq 2 which plays both NES and Super Nintendo games, the Classiq III adds a third port for Sega Genesis games. Will this be more of the same from them or a redemption story? Let's find out

For $90, out of the box the Classiq III HD includes the system itself, HDMI cable, AV cables, micro USB cable for power, a USB power brick which many other manufacturers omit, and two, shall we say, unique controllers.

I tested out all the cartridge slots to see how the pins grabbed my cartridges. Starting with the Sega Genesis side I was floored at how hard it was to remove cartridges. It wasn't quite a death grip, but I will tell you last rights had been administered and people were planning for the probate hearing. These were way too tight in my estimation. The Super Nintendo ports were not nearly as tight as the Genesis ones, either on insertion or removal, and the NES pins felt the best out of all three. I'm hoping the Genesis pins loosen up over time, but hearing that crunch as the cartridge was inserted was crunch-inducing.

Testing Results:
Famicom Disk System - As expected, the Famicom Disk System did not work. I don't know of any clone systems that do work with the FDS, short of something like the Analogue NT or the AVS.

Famicom - Through the use of a 60-to-72 pin adapter, the Classiq III HD played Famicom games as expected. It did suffer from some of the same issues we will talk about with the NES in just a moment.

NES - The performance of the Classiq III HD's NES side is virtually identical to that of the Classiq N and the Classiq 2 HD. All three systems suffer from reverse duty cycle issues, meaning the audio in certain games just does not sound correct. The most noticeable test for me has always been the coins and Super Mario Bros, and they just do not sound right here. Other than that the typical issues cropped up similar to other clones, Battletoads locked up on level two which is pretty common. I think the color palette is a bit too muddy for my personal taste as well.

Super Nintendo/Super Famicom - Again, the Super NES performance is virtually identical to that of the Classiq 2 HD. The audio is much better here compared to the NES side, but I still think the color palette is very muddy. Thankfully, I did not run into any game compatibility issues.

Super Game Boy - The Super Game Boy worked by and large without issue, however the audio when I was trying to capture it was extremely hot. I didn't hear this issue when I was playing, so I don't know what issues this may be having with my capture cards. I did have an issue where my first system would not work with Super NES cartridges or the super Game Boy out of the box. But eventually, I got it working.

Sega Master System - Inserting the Master Drive adapter, I was able to play Master System games without any issue. I'm not entirely surprised about this, but it's a nice feature to be able to find.

Sega Genesis - Most clone systems do not work with Virtua Racing, and this is no different. Again, I did not expect it to so I will not hold that against it. Sonic 3 and Knuckles worked flawlessly with the lock-on technology which was great to see, not all clone systems do. Other than that, it played every single Genesis game that I threw at it, minus Virtua Racing.

Why it RoX:
- Only $90
- Plays the three most popular retro systems
- Works with Super Game Boy & Master Drive
- 10 ft long controller cable
- Decent responsiveness
- The LEDs look sharp
- HDMI out
- 4:3 & 16:9 modes
- Compatible with NTSC, NTSC-J, & PAL games

What could be improved:
- I had to buy two just to get this video done
- Does not work with Virtua Racing or Battletoads
- Reverse duty cycle issues on the NES causes audio issues
- NES and Super NES color palettes are muddy
- Captured audio on Super Game Boy did not sound good
- Not a fan of the default NES button mapping
- System was set to PAL out of the box

Should you buy one?
If you already have a decent way to play NES and Super NES games and you just need the Genesis, I would recommend buying a standalone Genesis or Genesis clone instead. This doesn't do anything different on the NES or Super NES side then the Classiq N or the Classiq 2 HD. As such if you already have a way to play those systems you don't need this. If you have nothing, this is an okay way to start out, but Old Skool really needs to address their quality control. Spending money on two different systems just to get one working unit is not acceptable.

#oldskool #ClassiqIII #VideoGames #Nintendo #Sega #Famicom #SNES #SFC