Engadget

Fort Atlantic releases new album on modded NES cartridge, no chiptunes in sight

Donald Melanson — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:04:00 EST

It's getting tough for bands to out retro each other these days (what with even cassettes making something of a comeback), but Birmingham, Alabama's own Fort Atlantic has managed to come up with something that's likely to break through the nostalgia-filled haze. While you'll soon be able to buy the band's self-titled debut album in all the usual formats, you can now pre-order a limited edition version that ships a week before the proper release date and comes in the form of an NES cartridge modded to hold a USB drive ($25 and apparently limited to just 50). That includes the full album in both lossless and MP3 formats, along with an added EP, videos and other bonuses. Unlike past NES album releases, though, there's no chiptunes to be found here -- you can listen to one song from the album courtesy of the Paste Magazine link below, and see frontman Jon Black explain the cartridge decision in the video after the break.

Continue reading Fort Atlantic releases new album on modded NES cartridge, no chiptunes in sight

Fort Atlantic releases new album on modded NES cartridge, no chiptunes in sight originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Maps 8-bit version for NES: April Fools arrives a day early in Mountain View

Joe Pollicino — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 13:39:00 EST

Well, it appears that April Fools is in full effect -- at least if you ask Google. Today the company introduced its "latest" build of Google Maps, dubbed Google Maps 8-bit version, tailored specifically for the Nintendo Entertainment System. According to Google, this Dragon Quest spoof version of Maps will come in the form of a special NES cartridge that can connect to the internet via dial-up. This apparently allows most of the heavy lifting to get done on Google's servers, where the maps are rendered to 8-bit form "in real-time." Better yet, it even supports voice search. Naturally, there's no word on a release date, but you can currently check out the "beta" by visiting Google Maps in your browser and selecting "Start Your Quest." That said, that company warns that "your system may not meet the minimum requirements for 8-bit computations" -- something tells us it'll still be less resource-intensive than Crysis, though. We've checked it out and found some goodies, including an alien at Area 51, so let us know what you come across during your journey in the comments.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Google Maps 8-bit version for NES: April Fools arrives a day early in Mountain View

Google Maps 8-bit version for NES: April Fools arrives a day early in Mountain View originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 31 Mar 2012 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NES controller lets you stomp Koopas, save Princess Peach in capacitive fashion (video)

Jason Hidalgo — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:37:00 EST

Is your NES controller in another castle? Maybe you're just pining for your smartphone's capacitive game controls for some reason. Regardless, here's a little piece of tech that just might put the fire in your flower: the capacitive touch NES controller. This sucker is milled from a copper board using a device called the MezzoMill, which -- besides making turtle-stomping peripherals -- also can be used to produce guitar effect pads, virtual keyboards, bicycle rim lights and all sorts of circuits that might tickle your fancy. Unfortunately, the creator isn't as well-funded as this inkjet-based control circuit project so he's trying to raise money through Kickstarter to make the mill in a large enough run to lower costs. Given how Kickstarter generated nearly $100 million in funding last year, maybe he's got a fighting chance. See the buttonless controller work its capacitive magic after the break.

Continue reading NES controller lets you stomp Koopas, save Princess Peach in capacitive fashion (video)

NES controller lets you stomp Koopas, save Princess Peach in capacitive fashion (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Retrobit RetroDuo portable and RetroPort hands-on

Sean Buckley — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 07:00:00 EST

Inspired, perhaps, by the fruits of Ben Heck's dual-console handheld dreams, Retrobit has retrofit their Retroduo NES / SNES hybrid game console to fit in your hand. The Retroduo Portable, a handheld SNES console shown for the first time at CES 2012, hopes to one-up Hyperkin's SupaBoy by adding support for classic NES games. We dropped by their booth to get a closer look.

Gallery: Retrobit RetroDuo portable hands-on

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Retrobit RetroDuo portable and RetroPort hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Jan 2012 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo's Game Boy Advance thank you package rolls out to 3DS early adopters this Friday

Chris Barylick — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:53:00 EST

Following August's dramatic price drop for the 3DS, Nintendo has announced that, come Friday, members of its Ambassador Program will finally be able to download the ten Game Boy Advance games they were promised. The complimentary titles in question are F-Zero Maximum Velocity, Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, Kirby & the Amazing Mirror, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Metroid Fusion, Wario Land 4 and WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames, each of which will be automatically added to your purchase history. In other news, Nintendo expects you to receive your bouquet of three dozen long-stemmed roses and promises that "It'll never happen again" by this afternoon.

Nintendo's Game Boy Advance thank you package rolls out to 3DS early adopters this Friday originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HandyNES mod shrinks console, makes light gun look like light cannon

Mat Smith — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 23:41:00 EST

Vita schmita. This red mushroom-themed portable NES is the latest gaming tribute from modder LovableChevy, combining the original Entertainment System's innards with a 3.5-inch LCD screen, built-in controls and a rechargeable battery. The tinkerer has taken the time to include an AV out, headphone jack and an extra USB port for either a light gun or a second controller. However, the old tech involved takes its toll: the whole thing weighs in at around one pound (sans game) and offers up only three hours of play from a single charge. Think you can handle this portable heavyweight? Then check out the video after the break.

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HandyNES mod shrinks console, makes light gun look like light cannon originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 23:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Arduino hacker conjures NES and Etch-a-sketch wonderment (video)

Sharif Sakr — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 22:01:00 EST

You never know when that creative spark will ignite in your brain and compel you to sketch out some ideas. But when that genius moment finally arrives, you might consider grabbing your original Nintendo controller, quickly wiring it up to an Arduino board, connecting that to some motors and then using those to drive the dials on an Etch-a-Sketch. Modder Alpinedelta32 tries it in the video after the break and it turns out to be a breeze -- and so much more tactile than other idea-capturing devices.

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Arduino hacker conjures NES and Etch-a-sketch wonderment (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Nov 2011 22:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Pixel Bros is Super Mario for squares (video)

Brian Heater — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 11:17:00 EST

Is the complexity of regular Super Mario Bros. getting you down? Good news: modder Retro Brad has been putting a lot of time into his own version of the game, recreating levels of the original title on an 8 x 8 LED matrix, with all of its characters represented by a single pixel. Below that screen is an LCD, which lets users keep track of their score, lives and level, while a Monofonic Audio Chip offers sound effects played through a built-in speaker. All of this is housed in a portable eight-button system that, for the record, is decidedly less clunky than Nintendo's new circle-pad add-on for the 3DS. Video of Super Pixel Bros in action after the break.

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Super Pixel Bros is Super Mario for squares (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 11:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo's 3DS Ambassador Program line-up revealed, games available September 1st

Joseph Volpe — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 17:09:00 EST

Early 3DS adopters, your smorgasbord of throwback make-goods is now only a day away. Nintendo recently announced via its Twitter account the full line-up of ten Famicom / NES virtual console games headed for the company's Ambassador Program. Owners of the 3D handheld in Japan and North America can look forward to re-acquainting themselves with such 8-bit classics like Metroid, Super Mario Bros., Ice Climber, The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II : The Adventure of Link, Balloon Fight, Donkey Kong Jr., NES Open Tournament Golf, Wrecking Crew and Yoshi. Those golden games of yore will be available to download from the eShop tomorrow, but gamers looking for the GBA goods will have to wait until later this year.

Update: Turns out the games are available to download now.

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Software

Nintendo's 3DS Ambassador Program line-up revealed, games available September 1st originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 17:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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3DS NES Ambassador Program games will add multiplayer, other features

Terrence O'Brien — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 19:28:00 EST

Nintendo really wants to make it up to those of you who already shelled out $250 for the 3DS, in light of the looming $80 price drop. You probably already knew that you'd be getting a pile of free NES games on September 1st, but you can also expect them to be updated and improved going forward. These aren't going to be half-hearted ports that get pushed out to early adopters, riddled with bugs, and forgotten. Sometime later this year, they'll be offered as payed versions through the eShop with features like multiplayer simultaneous play. The best part? Those eligible for the Ambassador Program will get free upgrades to retail version. One feature we can tell you wont be added though, is 3D -- the classic titles like Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros. will remain blissfully two-dimensional.

3DS NES Ambassador Program games will add multiplayer, other features originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 Jul 2011 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RoboTouch brings a wired NES controller to a wireless iPad (video)

Tim Stevens — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:16:00 EST

Oh Arduino, is there anything you can't do when put in the right hands? The hands in this case belong to a guy named Joven of ProtoDojo, and they whipped up the contraption you can see in the video below. Basically, it's a wired NES controller that goes to an Arduino board, which in turn controls a set of servos. Those servos articulate conductive arms to touch the screen in just the right places. The whole contraption enables a rather playable version of Reckless Racing, making it feel all the more like the RC Pro Am successor it's trying to be. Check it out in the video below, and then hope that Jovan hurries up and posts the instructions so we can start building our own.

[Thanks, Chad]

Continue reading RoboTouch brings a wired NES controller to a wireless iPad (video)

RoboTouch brings a wired NES controller to a wireless iPad (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Mario Bros. gets modern sound effects, nostalgia ensues (video)

Sam Sheffer — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 10:53:00 EST

We can only wonder what'll happen when you reach a certain score -- you know, somewhere above 8000...

Super Mario Bros. gets modern sound effects, nostalgia ensues (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 10:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NES becomes world's least efficient flash drive (video)

Sean Hollister — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 06:58:00 EST

Hold on to your Zapper, because we're about to blow some minds -- this Nintendo Entertainment System has been outfitted with a USB port, and its Tetris cartridge transformed into an 8GB USB flash drive. Not only that, there are simple step-by-step instructions to craft your own online, so you too can slot, socket, mount and feel blissfully anachronistic all the same time. Speaking of time -- it looks like we've finally got a sufficiently retro alternative to your Iomega ZIP drive.

NES becomes world's least efficient flash drive (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 06:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NES becomes an HTPC, turns your FOF upside down

Michael Gorman — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 03:52:00 EST

Nintendo Entertainment Systems have proven to be fertile ground for the DIY community -- purses, guitars, and belt buckles are just a sampling of the more unusual NES mods out there. We've also seen our share of NES PCs, and now an enterprising Finn going by the name Ana-5000 has crammed a fully-fledged home theater PC into everybody's favorite 8-bit console. An Asus AT3IONT-I Deluxe motherboard with an Intel Atom 330 dual-core processor and an NVIDIA Ion GPU provides the computing power and offers HDMI and VGA ports, six USB 2.0 ports, optical and RCA audio connections, integrated 802.11b/g/n wireless and Gigabit ethernet, and Bluetooth connectivity. Ana-5000 gave the repurposed Nintendo a fresh black and white paint-job to set it apart from your garden variety NES as well. Hit up the Source link for pics and an explanation of the entire mod process if you feel like doing some console recycling yourself.

NES becomes an HTPC, turns your FOF upside down originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 03:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Great Gatsby gets a beautiful, enthralling NES version, kills productivity of the literary gaming elite

Laura June — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 14:33:00 EST

Prepare yourself for the best, most enthralling gaming experience of your life. No, it's not the newest-fangled of the fangles, it's not the latest tech around. It's just The Great Gatsby, lovingly squeezed into an NES game (well, it's really a stylized Flash game, but you know what we mean). The game itself is sort of a cross between Castlevania and Super Mario Bros., and that's just fine with us. In fact, it's the greatest thing we've seen all week. Hit up the source link and get to wasting the rest of your day.

The Great Gatsby gets a beautiful, enthralling NES version, kills productivity of the literary gaming elite originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 14:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gaming's first-person history lesson: 1958 to 2008 edition (video)

Ross Miller — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 19:11:00 EST

There's just so much to love about this video, described by co-creator Florian Smolka as a university video-project from Munich. In a little over four minutes, we're given a first-person tour of console gaming from 1958's Tennis for Two (played on an oscilloscope) through late 2008's Rock Band for Xbox 360 (using a Guitar Hero drum set, but hey, nobody's perfect). Not every console gets a mention -- apologies to Atari Jaguar and 3DO apologists -- and it unfortunately stops before new hotness Move and Kinect get a nod, but that should in no way deter you from setting aside a handful of minutes to watch. Be sure to note the passage of TVs, too, and remember fondly the CRTs of your youth. Unless you grew up with LCD flatscreens, you lawn-lounging whippersnapper, you. Video after the break.

Continue reading Gaming's first-person history lesson: 1958 to 2008 edition (video)

Gaming's first-person history lesson: 1958 to 2008 edition (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 19:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NES emulator lands on Windows Phone 7, barred from the Marketplace

Paul Miller — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 17:58:00 EST

It's an important time in any young OS's life: NES emulation. Windows Phone 7 has just passed this important puberic milestone, thanks to the hard work of Matt Bettcher. Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn't seem to recognize the significance, and is keeping the emulator out of the Marketplace (as per its no-funny-business terms of service). Matt's trying to drum up some community support to change Microsoft's mind on the matter, and in the meantime he's planning to open source his project. There's video after the break of the emulator running inside the WP7 emulator. It does the heart good!

[Thanks, Sheeds]

Continue reading NES emulator lands on Windows Phone 7, barred from the Marketplace

NES emulator lands on Windows Phone 7, barred from the Marketplace originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 Jan 2011 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Legend of Zelda prototype surfaces, makes itself readily available

Darren Murph — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 09:45:00 EST

Retro gamers, take note -- The Legend of Zelda is back, and this version's more intriguing than ever. From the pits of a mythical, magical unknown lair has arisen an early build of the original FDS version of Zelda, and thanks to the wonders of the internet (along with a few dedicated Earthlings), we're able to break down the differences between the prototype and the retail edition, download the FDS image and pore over the disk scans. From what we've been able to gather thus far, the early version is quite a bit easier to beat than the final build, with fewer enemies, easier money and more gullible partners. Sounds like our kind of place. Hit the links below to nerd out in fantastic fashion.

The Legend of Zelda prototype surfaces, makes itself readily available originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kinect used to control Super Mario on a PC, redefine convergence (video)

Vlad Savov — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 12:59:00 EST

If, like us, you've been waiting to see Kinect in control of a truly marquee game, your wait has now come to an end. The same fella that brought us the Kinect lightsaber has returned with a hack enabling eager nostalgics to enjoy a bout of Super Mario controlled only by their body contortions. OpenKinect was used to get the motion-sensing peripheral -- originally intended exclusively for use with an Xbox 360 -- to communicate with his PC, while a simple NES emulator took care of bringing the 25-year old plumber to life. The video awaits after the break.

Continue reading Kinect used to control Super Mario on a PC, redefine convergence (video)

Kinect used to control Super Mario on a PC, redefine convergence (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Nov 2010 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NES controller gains a Rumble Pak, DIYer gains a dedicated following

Darren Murph — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 16:59:00 EST

Ah, the Rumble Pak. It was arguably the must-have accessory for the Nintendo 64, and had it been around during the time of R.B.I. Baseball, we're certain it would've went over well. One Andy Goetz decided that he'd be interested in reshaping history a bit, and spent 20-some-odd hours building a rumble device for his NES controller as a deadline loomed. He ended up submitting it in Oregon State University's Engineering Expo, and while it seems that they can't actually control when the rumble happens, at least your youngster will likely believe that he / she is doing something right while they're being humiliated by CPU racers in Excitebike. Cruel? Maybe. But totally practical.

NES controller gains a Rumble Pak, DIYer gains a dedicated following originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NES controller pressed into service to Android overlord (video)

Vlad Savov — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:07:00 EST

Perhaps the worst, and least repairable, shortcoming of touchscreens is their failure to act as viable game controllers. Keyboard-equipped smartphones alleviate that pain a little (particularly if you pair them with a Game Gripper), but ultimately we'd all prefer real controllers for our real games. Such was clearly the thinking behind the homebrewed setup here, which combines an HTC EVO 4G -- with Android and an NES emulator inside -- with an Arduino board, a BlueSMiRF Bluetooth module, and a classic NES control pad. The result might look like a mess of wires, but who cares when you can rock Super Mario 3 the way Nintendo surely intended?

Continue reading NES controller pressed into service to Android overlord (video)

NES controller pressed into service to Android overlord (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iFixit tears apart the Nintendo Famicom

Laura June — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:04:00 EST

Do you remember the Nintendo Family Computer, or Famicom? Well, you might not -- it came to earth in 1983 and was Japan's version of the NES. Now, continuing its week of vintage teardowns, iFixit's gotten its hands on one of these colorful gems and done what it does. The Famicon is pretty easily dismantled, and simple inside, as well. As you can see, there's almost nothing going on in there! There's one more photo below, but hit up the source link for the full set.

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iFixit tears apart the Nintendo Famicom originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gadget bandz bring gear lust to tween wrists

Trent Wolbe — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:57:00 EST

You know about Silly Bandz, right? Well, maybe you don't have subscriptions to Tiger Beat and spend your evenings at home alone on Bieber message boards like we do, so allow us to explain. They are rubber bands that are shaped like things--unicorns, peace signs, hamburgers, aliens, emoticons--traditionally worn on the wrists, and eventually traded with like-minded collectors. They are very popular in the 8 - 12 demographic. You might relate them to Pogs, slap bracelets, Lisa Frank pencils, and baseball cards. Now that you know what's up, the point is that they are now available in gadget shapes: iPod nano, laptop, iPhone 3G, NES controller, digital camera, and the "most collectible" iPad...er, "tablet." That is all.

Gadget bandz bring gear lust to tween wrists originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Reformat the Planet' chiptune doc on DVD this month, Laserdisc version slated for 2012

Trent Wolbe — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:27:00 EST

It's no secret that we love chiptunes around here, so we'll just go ahead and say that we're super stoked about Reformat the Planet, an in-depth look at one of the few groups of people we can unequivocally say are geekier than we are: those who make music with Game Boys, NES's, and C64's. 2 Player Productions has combined footage from the insane Blip Festival with up-close-and-personals with some of our favorite retro-gaming musicians -- Nullsleep, Glomag, Tugboat and Bubblyfish -- for a thorough portrait of the rapidly-growing scene. A little art, a little science, a lot of awesome. The 2-disc set is out on August 24th, but for now, you can check the trailer (which includes an introduction to square-wave moshing) after the jump.

Continue reading 'Reformat the Planet' chiptune doc on DVD this month, Laserdisc version slated for 2012

'Reformat the Planet' chiptune doc on DVD this month, Laserdisc version slated for 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eye Mario System enables your face to control any NES game (video)

Darren Murph — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 11:08:00 EST

We'll be straight with you -- prior to this fine day, we'd never heard of the whiz kids at Waterloo Labs, but we'll be keeping our focus locked on their initiatives from this point forward. Why, you ask? Just look at that bloke above, who is in the middle of asking Mario to leap over a tunnel with a simple eye movement. Granted, we've seen eye-controlled interfaces before, but there's just something -- shall we say... inspirational -- about being able to control your favorite NES titles with your own face. Better still, the crew is providing the full blown how-to down in the source, and if you're not a fan of strapping an array of electrodes on your person, you still owe it to yourself to peek the video past the break. Oh, and it's good to see these guys still have to blow on their NES cartridges to get 'em to work right -- misery adores company, eh?

Continue reading Eye Mario System enables your face to control any NES game (video)

Eye Mario System enables your face to control any NES game (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 11:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Modder loveablechevy completes HandyDuo, her two year quest for portable NES and SNES bliss (video)

Tim Stevens — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 10:04:00 EST

We never get tired of playing the classics, and we never get tired of new ways to play those classics -- especially hand-crafted portable ones. A modder by the name of loveablechevy has been working on this custom creation for over two full years now, a combination of a RetroDuo gaming system, providing NES and SNES compatibility, with a PSOne portable screen and a whopping 4,250mAh battery. The resulting creation, shown in a video after the break, looks to be on the beefy side, but we would definitely make room for it in our backpacks.

Continue reading Modder loveablechevy completes HandyDuo, her two year quest for portable NES and SNES bliss (video)

Modder loveablechevy completes HandyDuo, her two year quest for portable NES and SNES bliss (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 10:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NES harmonicas hit eBay, three lucky gamers cheer

Sean Hollister — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:12:00 EST

Remember the HarmoNESica? A brief refresher, then: it's what happens when you've got a copy of Super Tecmo Bowl, a Pocket Pal harmonica, and the desire to create a unique musical instrument. But if you don't have any of the aforementioned ingredients and just want the end result, eBay's got you covered as usual -- three HarmoNESicas have been gathering bids at the online auction house this week. Whether your pleasure be Dick Tracy, Super Mario Bros. 3 or The Legend of Zelda, there's a harmonica to match; and if (for some reason) you want to actually play one of the games, you'll find the ROM guts tastefully included. But before you make your bid, remember: there's more than one way to skin an NES cartridge.

NES harmonicas hit eBay, three lucky gamers cheer originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Neo SNES / SFC Myth Flash cart brings emulation magic to your aged console

Darren Murph — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:28:00 EST

Oh, sure -- the Wii's Virtual Console may put you in direct contact with some of the best titles from yesteryear, but for the purists in attendance, it just feels like cheating. If you've been hanging onto that Super Nintendo (or Super Famicom, as it were) and you've recently been dealing with the emulation itch, Neoflash just might have the remedy. The Neo SNES / SFC Myth cart is pretty much the most magical cart you could ever slap into your classic console, offering up ROM support for "99.5 percent" of SNES games. Better still, titles can be offloaded from your PC and onto the cart via USB, making the entire transfer process a cinch. Of course, the $169 price tag will likely offend all but the most dedicated of retro gamers, but hey, at least you'll be staying true to those "roots" you value so highly.

Neo SNES / SFC Myth Flash cart brings emulation magic to your aged console originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'8-bit Xmas' breathes new life into your 'Bah! Humbug!' NES

Paul Miller — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 21:08:00 EST

Is there still room in your heart for eight more unassuming bits of Xmas? We hoped you'd say yes. See, 8-bit Xmas 2009 is an all-new NES cart full of festive LEDs and an original multiplayer snowball fight NES game. It sells for $43, but for $5 more you can get a personalized title screen -- which seems like a relatively cheap fulfillment of that decades long dream of yours to have your name up in pixelated lights on the home console that defined the home console. The cart should be compatible with all real NES systems and hopefully many fake ones, and while it can't help you forgive your Aunt Samantha for giving you that Sudoku quilt, it might just do the insignificant task of teaching you the true meaning of Xmas.

'8-bit Xmas' breathes new life into your 'Bah! Humbug!' NES originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 21:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yobo's handheld SNES gives your old carts a new lease on life (video)

Joseph L. Flatley — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:31:00 EST

If you've been lusting after the various one-off SNES portable mods we've been posting 'lo these many years, this next item's all you: Yobo, a company known for its various game system clones and accessories, is now offering a little something called the FC 16 GO. A riff on Hyperkin's FC Mobile II (we're assuming they share an OEM) this guy accepts SNES cartridges for classic game play, and ups the display size to 3.5-inches to boot. Your hard-earned $60 gets you a device with a fully functional built-in joypad, TV outs and two wireless 2.4Ghz controllers. Powered by either a replaceable, rechargeable battery or the included AC adapter. Check out the video after the break to see what you've been missing.

Continue reading Yobo's handheld SNES gives your old carts a new lease on life (video)

Yobo's handheld SNES gives your old carts a new lease on life (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox 360 controller ingeniously hacked for NES use

Joshua Topolsky — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:08:00 EST

Hey, it's just what you've always wanted: to use your Xbox 360 controller on your old NES. Using a Cortex M3 processor left over from a school robotics project, Francois Gervais managed to rig his wireless pad to control something decidedly less advanced than a game of Modern Warfare 2. There's a video of the controller in action after the break, and you can grab some of the code being used in the Google link below -- perhaps one of you brainiacs will finally hack the Wiimote to control a Jaguar. A tech writer can dream...

Continue reading Xbox 360 controller ingeniously hacked for NES use

Xbox 360 controller ingeniously hacked for NES use originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ProtoDojo turns NES controller into flash drive with Konami-level security

Donald Melanson — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:22:00 EST

The humble NES controller has certainly provided plenty of inspiration for mods over the years, and even a little dreaming, but it doesn't look like the well is showing any signs of drying up just yet. The latest to take a crack at the iconic gadget is one man shop ProtoDojo, which did what many others have done and turned the controller into a flash drive, but went the extra step of adding an ingenious security measure to ensure that only true NES veterans are able to mount the drive. We won't spell it out here, but let's just say this drive stands a better chance at Contra than most -- all possible thanks to the magic of Arduino, as you might have guessed. Head on past the break for a complete overview on video.

Continue reading ProtoDojo turns NES controller into flash drive with Konami-level security

Filed under: Gaming, Storage

ProtoDojo turns NES controller into flash drive with Konami-level security originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Portable NES modded into a cartridge, hearts modded into love

Nilay Patel — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:03:00 EST

We've seen NES mods that incorporate a screen and controls into a cartridge in the past, but this example from Airz in BenHeck's forums is just so clean and well-polished that we had to give it some love. Inside Airz says it's just a generic Chinese media player that can play NES, Gameboy, and Gameboy Color ROMs, along with the relevant controller bits, a 2.8-inch LCD, 4GB of storage, and a rechargeable battery. Oh, and if you're feeling particularly retro, you can hook it up over TV-out and play on the big screen. Not bad -- and it's for sale if you're as in love as we are. Video after the break.

[Via 8bitfix; thanks, Gusto]

Continue reading Portable NES modded into a cartridge, hearts modded into love

Filed under: Gaming

Portable NES modded into a cartridge, hearts modded into love originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Papercraft NES and Dreamcast cost less, play just as many cutting edge games

Vlad Savov — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:19:00 EST

Finally, your lovingly prepared SNES model is getting some well-heeled new friends to hang out with. Cubeecraft is a website wholly dedicated to the paper-based recreation of cultural icons, and it's prepared a pair of exquisitely detailed clones of the NES and Dreamcast. While some such projects might require patience and finesse, putting together the above templates doesn't even ask for any glue or tape. So what are you waiting for, grab your scissors and run to the links below for full 150dpi printouts -- just be sure to make the time for some imaginary Contra action afterwards.

[Via Technabob]

Read - NES cutout
Read - DC cutout

Filed under: Gaming

Papercraft NES and Dreamcast cost less, play just as many cutting edge games originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Probably-fake video roundup: 24-inch iPhone OS, PS1 emulation on the Pre

Nilay Patel — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 01:27:00 EST

This video of iPhone OS 2.x running on a 24-inch multitouch monitor from Swedish design firm Dreamfield is almost certainly fake, but hey -- it's Sunday night, nothing's going on, and we were thinking about how well touch-specific systems would work on a larger screen after seeing those CrunchPad videos anyway, so we thought we'd get some conversation going. We'd be willing to bet that a future Apple tablet has more in common with the experience shown in this video than with what we currently think of as OS X, but we're not so certain we're seeing anything here that makes us want to throw our mouse or keyboard away -- or spend the entire day with gorilla arm. So -- artfully mocked-up glimpse of the future, or just a pipe dream?

Keeping with the likely-fake theme, there's also a probably-fake video of SNES and PS1 emulators running on the Pre, controlled by a Bluetooth gamepad. Yes, it's incredibly awesome -- and undoubtedly possible -- but until we see some evidence of how things are loaded up and connected with the gamepad we're sticking it in the fake category as well.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Probably-fake video roundup: 24-inch iPhone OS, PS1 emulation on the Pre

Filed under: Palm, Apple, iPhone OS, webOS

Probably-fake video roundup: 24-inch iPhone OS, PS1 emulation on the Pre originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 01:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Probably-fake video roundup: 24-inch iPhone OS, PS1 emulation on the Pre

Nilay Patel — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 01:27:00 EST

Continue reading Probably-fake video roundup: 24-inch iPhone OS, PS1 emulation on the Pre

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Probably-fake video roundup: 24-inch iPhone OS, PS1 emulation on the Pre originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 01:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pre gets NES emulation in Linux; our thumbs are in for a world of hurt

Paul Miller — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 07:04:00 EST

Sure, once you get Doom onto a device there isn't much stopping you in the homebrew department, but we thought the implementation of an NES emulator on webOS outside of the Classic environment was worth noting -- even if it happens to be astoundingly easy to pull off. All it requires is a quick trip to root on the device a compile of the FCEUltra NES emulator for Linux and bam, it's good to go. Hit up the read link for instructions (we're sure we're simplifying things just a tad) -- and no, the incredible appropriateness of using a Contra ROM to kick things off hasn't escaped us.

Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Handhelds

Pre gets NES emulation in Linux; our thumbs are in for a world of hurt originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Jun 2009 07:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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nesPod is a combo of two blasts from the past we can really dig

Laura June — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:47:00 EST

We see tons of casemods, but the NES holds a special place in our hearts and memories, so anything in the black-redish orange-gray combo catches our eye pretty easily. The nesPod -- the fine work of flickr user recycledgamer -- is made of a gutted NES controller and an iPod mini circa 2004-2005. The back has been carefully cut out to allow access to the screen and clickwheel, and that's really all there is to it -- no intense mapping of buttons, hacking, or anything -- just a totally chill casemod. You cool with that? Because we are. There's a shot of the back after the break. Hit the read link for the full set of photos.

[Via Technabob]

Continue reading nesPod is a combo of two blasts from the past we can really dig

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Portable Audio

nesPod is a combo of two blasts from the past we can really dig originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Retro Mini Handheld plays NES cartridges, brings tears of nostalgia to our eyes

Laura June — Wed, 13 May 2009 14:32:00 EST

We've seen scads of portable NES mods in the past but still: this is probably relevant to your interests. ThinkGeek's got a new portable gaming system on offer, the Retro Mini Handheld. It plays all those 8-bit cartridges you've had stacked in your room next to your hi-fi since the olden days, and it's got a pretty attractive look. Sure, the cartridge is essentially bigger than the handheld itself, but that's part of its charm as far as we can tell. It's got a 2.4-inch LCD and takes four AA batteries for about 8 hours of game time, and it's available now for $49.99. There's one more shot after the break.

[Thanks, Adam]

Continue reading Retro Mini Handheld plays NES cartridges, brings tears of nostalgia to our eyes

Filed under: Gaming

Retro Mini Handheld plays NES cartridges, brings tears of nostalgia to our eyes originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 May 2009 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NES gamepad mouse is the most amazing piece of industrial design in the history of humankind

Joshua Topolsky — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:47:00 EST

Apparently as of right now, this stunning piece of high art is just a foam model mock-up, but listen to us, mouse manufacturers of the world: if you build this, we will give you every penny we have to own it. Our only gripe? The D-pad should definitely be up top for navigation duties. Still... where's the waiting list?

[Via Technabob]

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

NES gamepad mouse is the most amazing piece of industrial design in the history of humankind originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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