NES/FC Universal Cartridge Adaptors

There was no shortage of NES/FC universal adaptors released which allow you to play games for one system on a different system. Released worldwide, except in the US, there are adaptors to play FC games on a US NES, US NES games on a PAL NES, and all other combinations you can think of. You can read more about playing games intended for one market/console on another, and all the issues involved, in the NES/FC Cartridge Guide.

Family Converter (FC->NES)

Manufacturer	Functionality	Additional Scans
Unknown	FC -> US NES	White Version Box

This most well-known and popular FC-to-NES adaptor around, also known as the Honey Bee, will serve your FC-to-NES gaming needs well. As you can see, it has a ribbon tied to it, for easy removal from the NES. Note the Honey Bee logo, which is an exact rip-off of Hudson Soft's honey bee logo, which is not uncommon for these Asian "gray area" electronics companies to do. This comes in at least two variants, a gold Zelda-like model, and a white model.

Info and pics courtesy |tsr's NES archive

Family Convertor (NES->FC)

Manufacturer	Functionality	Additional Scans
Unknown	FC -> US NES	None

Virtually identical to the FC-to-NES convertor above, except this allows you to play NES games on the Famicom. This seems to be rarer than its FC-to-NES cousin, it sold for over $100 on eBay!

Info and pic ripped from eBay

Game Key

Manufacturer	Functionality	Additional Scans
Horeleg (Sedimex S.A.)	Any NES <->Any NES	Back of Box

Here is a European adaptor, originally designed to play US and UK/Italy (PAL A) carts on a European (PAL B) NES. However, since this uses a passthrough device (just like H.E.S.'s carts with a "dongle"), it can be used to play any cart on any NES, so long as you have a cart from the same market as the NES you are using. Could one use a FC->US NES adaptor with this to play FC games on a any Euro/UK NES? This device comes from Scandinavia

Info and pics courtesy Marten Nielsen/NES World

Game Convertor

Manufacturer	Functionality	Additional Scans
Unknown	Any NES -> PAL B NES?	Back of Box

This is another European convertor. This is just like a Game Genie, as you can see. I believe this allows both PAL A (UK/Italy) and US NES carts in PAL B NESs, but can't be sure. This has no manufacturer either on the convertor nor the box.

Info and pics courtesy Marten Nielsen/NES World

Magic Key

Manufacturer	Functionality	Additional Scans
Unknown	Any NES -> PAL B NES?	Box

Yet another European convertor. This looks like a cross between the two Euro convertors above; it is like a Game Genie and "dongle" hybrid. You attach a PAL B game into the "dongle" and any other NES cart into the "Game Genie" part.

Info and pics courtesy Marten Nielsen/NES World

Micro Genius

Manufacturer	Functionality	Additional Scans
Unknown	US NES->FC	None

Here we have a rather nondescript NES-to-Famicom adaptor from pirate outfit Micro Genius. Will this work with PAL NES games as well?

Info and pics ripped somewhere

Unidaptor

Manufacturer	Functionality	Additional Scans
H.E.S	US NES->PAL NES Famicom->PAL NES	Complete Unit

Wow! This is one incredible adaptor! This is the *only* adaptor discovered (so far) which converts from both foreign NES and Famicom to any NES! I noted above it converts US NES to PAL NES, but I am almost certain it can convert from any NES to any NES. This is because it uses a pass-through scheme just like H.E.S. carts (both dongle and piggyback) or the Magic Key (above) to defeat the lockout chip, so it should work with any NES and NES or Famicom cart combination. Ok, the one thing it does not do is NES to Famicom, but otherwise, it does it all! As you can see in the picture of the complete unit above, it has three cartridge slots, one for an NES cartridge matching the NES deck you are using, and one of a NES cartridge of any origin or make, and another for a Famicom cartridge. Of course, you can only play either an NES or a Famicom cartridge, I have no idea what happens if you plug 3 cartridges at once into it (anyone know?) Overall, a great accessory for any NES connoisseur!

Info and pics ripped from eBay

Unknown FC-to-NES

Manufacturer	Functionality	Additional Scans
Unknown	US NES->FC	None

I don't know anything about this one, this scan I found is virtually illegible. Anyone know anything about this one?

Info and pics ripped somewhere

Spica T89

Manufacturer	Functionality	Additional Scans
Unknown	US NES->FC	Adaptor w/o Logo

Here we have another NES-to-Famicom convertor. Does this also allow use of PAL NES games as well? There is also an adaptor nearly identical to this one, except without the "Spica" logo (I assume this is made by Spica as well?)

Info and pics ripped somewhere

Wu Ho Cassette Adaptor

Manufacturer	Functionality	Additional Scans
Wu-Ho	US NES->FC	None

Here's an adaptor from Wu-Ho, whom I recognize from somewhere else but can't remember, I think they have pirate ties but can't be sure. Anyways, it is a FC-to-NES adaptor. Like most here, I don't know if it works with PAL NES carts.

Info and pics ripped somewhere