Superjoy 3 with 64 games

As with the previously prodded Megajoy 2, the Superjoy 3 was part of my personal introduction to Direct to TV and NOAC gaming; like the Megajoy 2, it also bears more than a passing resemblance to a Nintendo 64 control pad with the difference between the two clones being that, along with the standard NES controls of D pad, A, B, select and start buttons, the analogue joystick is present… but does absolutely nothing! It’s not a controller at all, merely part of the moulded plastic case and therefore about as much use as myself after four pints, at which point I’m usually anybody’s even if nobody actually wants me!

Another couple of cosmetic differences to the Megajoy 2 are the addition of a 9 pin connector to allow a second controller or light gun to be connected for certain games and, along with the composite audio and video phonos, a super VHS socket. Granted these aren’t hugely exciting since nobody actually uses SVHS (well, I’ve never met anybody) and the 9 pin port isn’t a standard wiring so only Superjoy-specific peripherals work and hens teeth would be marginally easier to locate but at the same time they’re extra options offered and can be considered improvements. The overall build quality is above average for these units in that it’s remarkably rugged for something that probably cost less than three quid and a packet of Wine Gums to manufacture.

Superjoy 3 - playing Star Force

And there are some great NES games in there too, the excellent conversion of Star Force was the reason I originally bought the thing to be honest so everything after that was a bonus for me, but also of note are the fabulous cute ‘em up Twin Bee, another explosive outing for Bomber Man and, along with a selection of 1980s arcade classics (Pac-Man is present, as are Galaxian, Arkanoid and Donkey Kong), there are also some true NES staples; Excite Bike and Balloon Fight are included and the latter’s “Balloon Trip” mode is a huge plus to my mind since I’ve always found it to be far more enjoyable than the main game. There isn’t any sign of a bootlegged Harry Potter this time, but clone cartridges are still represented; Mortal Kombat 3 is available once more, this time in a “turbo” form that seems to fix a few graphical glitches (although that might be down to an improvement in the NOAC itself rather than a change to the software) whilst making the game faster to play and there is a modified version of Tecmo World Cup Soccer which has amusingly been badged up as Soccer 97 FIFA.

Superjoy 3 - playing Mortal Kombat 3

The menu on the Superjoy 3 claims to have sixty four games in the one unit and of course this is a total fib! Along with the well-worn ruse of including the same game under two different titles, the sneakiness here revolves around use of the word “super”; on the third page of the menu there are no less than nine “super” titles which are exactly the same as the “non-super” versions elsewhere on the list; Battle City manages to crop up no less than three times, once under its own name and twice more as Super Tank 1 and, unsurprisingly, Super Tank 2. Another spot of mild duplicity is that both Wild Gunman and Duck Hunt are included but are reliant on the light gun attachment which doesn’t come shipped with the unit as standard, meaning they’re useless to the average Superjoy 3 owner.

Superjoy 3 - playing Balloon Fight

So at the end of the day there are a few games here that I’ve never actually been able to play and several others that are merely repeating titles, but even after that the Superjoy 3 is still reasonably well stocked and, as with the Megajoy 2, despite mine heading towards what must be it’s ninth birthday the only real sign of aging is the yellowing of the previously cream-coloured outer plastic and a few issues with the directional controls where the contacts are presumably wearing down a little. After that it’s lasted remarkably well, seen a considerable amount of service over the years and even the fake analogue stick hasn’t snapped off!