With retro consoles gradually breaking down and becoming harder and harder to get I've gone to what some call the dark side and own a clone system; the Retro Duo.
NES clone systems have been around for a long time but recently the copyright on the SNES has expired so now many SNES clones are being release, the Retro Duo is by far the best. It is a combination of a NES and a SNES, so it's two great consoles in one.
You can play both NSTC and PAL games on this console, and even use expansion cartridges like Actoin Replay, it even supports the original SNES controllers. Unfortunately you can't use the original NES controllers, but if you're willing to put a little modding effort in you can easily attach a NES controller to a SNES plug, so problem solved.
As with any clone system there are some compatibility issues with the Retro Duo. As it is only sold in the U.S. it is technically a NSTC console, it just doesn't have any of the hardware lockouts of the SNES. Some later SNES games contained software lockouts, so some later PAL games, such as Donkey Kong Country, can't be played on the Retro Duo without the addition of a crack cartridge. The holy grail of these cartridges is the Action Replay Mk III. It's sometimes a little hard to get and pretty pricey if you're buying it from the UK, but if you can get hold of it then you won't have to worry about any region lockouts at all. I managed to get hold of one pretty cheap from Germany, as long as your German goes as far as 'Speil Starten' then you won't have any problems using it and you won't have to pay the astronomical prices UK sellers ask for it.
However even with a region crack cartridge some PAL games still have some small colour issues, but nothing that stops you from playing the game.
Even with these drawbacks it is still an excellent alternative to trying to find a fully functioning new console if yours has died. I was mainly a SNES gamer when I was growing up, but this console has also introduced me to the world of the NES, so I'm enjoying getting to explore a whole new era of gaming.
If you're looking for a replacement console, or just curious about retro gaming, this is certainly a console worth checking out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retro_Duo(The console also appeared in the new Simon Pegg/Nick Frost film Paul...I let out a nerdy little squeal)