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NES-cartridge art from 72 Pins makes retro games new, new games retro
72 Pins has recreated modern classics by designing custom NES cartridges to feature hit games of the post-8-bit world, as seen above. These time-warped squares of nostalgia are awesome art installments -- not actual remade games -- although the cart's original game is intact. Think of it as buying a piece of art and getting a used game thrown in for free. Available redesigned cartridges include God of War, Dead Space, Halo, BioShock, Shadow of the Colossus and others, with Super Meat Boy, Castle Crashers and PaRappa the Rapper coming soon. All cartridges run $20, but follow 72 Pins on Twitter for some sweet deals, such as today's, which is a code for 50 percent off an Okami cartridge. Suggested uses for NES-cartridge art include wallpapering, bookshelf-filling, 3D-sculpture building, framing and wall-hanging, or sprawling carelessly across your table at the local coffee shop to complete that old-school hipster vibe your thick-rimmed glasses, plaid button-up and copy of the Communist Manifesto have been trying to attain for months.
Memorex intros Nintendo DS game-changing case, other not-so-game-changing accessories
The Nintendo DS line has had many redesigns up to the present 3DS, but one thing that hasn't changed are the tiny, easily lost cartridges. Enter Memorex's $20 Universal Game Selector Case, announced as part of its gaming accessory lineup for E3. The UGSC stores up to three games and hooks up to the cartridge port on any DS, letting you swap between them using a signal routing switch. We've seen cases similar to this in the past, but Memorex's take is the first to support 3DS titles as well. Based on the renders, the unit looks to make for a weird fit and some noticeable extra thickness (10.5mm to be exact), especially on the DSi XL, but hopefully we'll get a better idea of how it feels in hand at E3. From a functionality perspective, the case does seem rather useful for those with forgetful tendencies, if a bit underwhelming for anybody else. Memorex will also be displaying its new third-party PS3 and Wii motion controllers at the E3, which are viewable in the gallery below, and there's a press release with details after the break. %Gallery-124348%
Jerry Lawson, creator of cartridge-based video game consoles, dies at 70
Gerald "Jerry" Lawson, the man who invented the video game cartridge, died Saturday morning of a heart attack at a Mountain View, California hospital at the age of 70. His brainchild, the Fairchild Channel F Video Game System, more commonly referred to as the Channel F, came out just one year before Atari's cartridge-based console, the VCS, opening the floodgates of modern gaming. His earliest foray into consumer electronics began early on, but it wasn't until he joined Fairchild in 1970 that he really made his mark on the tech industry. During that time, he became the only black member of the infamous Homebrew Computer Club that counted Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak as members. He was honored at this year's GDC for his monumental contribution to modern gaming.
Nintendo can remotely brick your 3DS after flash card use?
Bad news for those that plan on using a flash card with their 3DS -- if Nintendo detects that you've been dabbing with one, the company might send a firmware update that could possibly brick your system. According to GoNintendo, Japanese retailer Enterking posted a warning message on their site, suggesting that your system might be unbootable after a software update if Nintendo detects you've been using an R4. Enterking is not buying used 3DSs that have a history of using an illegal cartridge -- a transparent indication that it's not taking any chances here. We can't know for sure if Nintendo will dish out said update or how Enterking might tell -- however, Nintendo did issue this statement to Eurogamer in response to their story on the topic: "We do not discuss product security details (for obvious reasons), nor can we discuss the details of countermeasures available in the Nintendo 3DS system. Nintendo 3DS has the most up-to-date technology. The security has been designed to protect both the creative works in the software and to protect the Nintendo 3DS hardware system itself. Nintendo, like most companies, takes a palpable stance against piracy. We recommend that those fortunate enough to own a 3DS stay away from the flash cards altogether, just in case. Update: Flash cards aren't illegal to use per se -- homebrew, anyone? -- although certain countries have banned them from import and sale, and their widespread use for illegal activity makes them a dubious proposition quite often.
NES becomes world's least efficient flash drive (video)
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.
iFixit continues its retro gaming rampage, reduces an innocent Atari 2600 to bare components
iFixit, is no device safe from the scars of your screwdriver? These eyes have been scarred, forced to witness the destruction of yet another childhood icon. Previously it was the RCA Studio II and the Magnavox Odyssey 100 before that. Now it's the rather more memorable Atari 2600 going under the scalpel, four simple screws removed to reveal an eight-bit, 1.19MHz processor featuring 128 bytes of RAM (yes, a massive 1,024 bits) and a graphics adapter capable of 192 x 160 resolution with 128 colors -- though only four could be used on any given line. Through these humble beginnings the cartridge-based console was born... and now here it rests.
Nintendo 3DS game cart pictured, wireless ebook reader on tap?
It was easy to get lost amidst all the attention surrounding the 3DS itself, but Nintendo also had an actual 3DS game cart on hand at E3 and, well, it looks pretty much like a regular DS cart (probably a good thing, since the two are compatible). About the only difference, it seems, is that small extra tab on the corner, and a slightly slimmer case that they'll come packaged in. In other overshadowed-by-E3 news, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata has apparently told Nikkei that the 3DS' wireless connection could be used to automatically download newspaper and magazine articles (and books, presumably) which, when combined with the 3DS' ability to actively seek out and connect to any open WiFi network, could potentially turn into a Whispernet-like service from Nintendo -- something that Iwata has, incidentally, publicly mused about in the past.
Japanese gurus unveil 50TB magnetic tape cartridges, are officially 'taking it way back'
It's comical, really -- we can't get a decently powerful Atom to save our lives, but the absolutely thrilling world of magnetic tape storage is bounding ahead at a record pace. Priorities, people. For the archivists and A-type pack rats in the crowd, you'll probably be atypically elated to know that Hitachi Maxell and the Tokyo Institute of Technology have teamed up in order to develop the world's most capacious tape cartridges. Back in January, IBM and Fujifilm celebrated a momentary victory by announcing a 35TB version of this same product, but this record shattering attempt takes areal density to spaces never before ventured into in order to hit the magical 50TB mark. 'Course, you'll probably never see one outside of your state's largest library, but at least that 3TB HDD you're drooling over for your next PC seems so much more bodacious now. Oh, wait.
NES harmonicas hit eBay, three lucky gamers cheer
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.
'8-bit Xmas' breathes new life into your 'Bah! Humbug!' NES
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.
This '8-bit Xmas' NES cart makes your heart, NES glow
We apparently missed one release in our Now Playing list for this week: 8-bit Xmas 2009 for the NES. The cart was apparently constructed entirely from new parts and -- aside from incorporating the festive light display you see above -- is actually a fully functional NES game. The best part: you can totally buy it. RetroZone is selling the cart up until tomorrow for $43 and there's even a demo you can try out right in your browser. If you forgot someone on your gift-giving list, you can throw down $5 more and get a personalized title screen added along with a nice Christmas card. If there ever was a way to make up for being such a Procrastinating Pete, this is probably it. [Via Video Games Blogger]
Portable NES modded into a cartridge, hearts modded into love
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Portable_NES_modded_into_a_cartridge_hearts_modded_into_love'; 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]
'Law of the Game' lawyer explores GameStop used vs. new controversy
Joystiq LGJ columnist Mark Methenitis has written a piece analyzing the claims posited earlier this week by Kotaku surrounding the legality of GameStop's employee "checkout policy" and found that, in his professional opinion, the illegality of this practice may be in question for a variety of reasons. The main question at hand: Is GameStop deceiving customers who purchase employee-played (read: "used") games as new? His answer: Much like most legal matters, it really depends. Depends on what, you ask? For one, Methenitis says games sold at GameStop as new where, "the disc, packaging, or other materials are damaged in any way, or if one-time use download codes are used" could be "a deceptive act." The problem with minutiae such as this, he says, is that damages are so small (monetarily speaking) that a lawsuit would be ineffective in court. Furthermore, he says that laws put in place to protect consumers from used vs. new item fraud are often based on products that degrade rather than "nebulous" products like DVD discs and, to a greater extent, cartridge-based games (such as Nintendo DS titles). With legal ambiguities surrounding this issue, we'd simply suggest buying used titles from your friendly, online click-and-order retailer in the meantime, rather than contributing to billions of dollars in used game sales at your own and other gamers' expense.
Super Nintendo cartridge wallet: you probably want this
Sure, it might be a little more cumbersome than your current billfold -- but whatever -- this is awesome. This SNES cartridge has been modded so that it holds a photo ID on the front plate, but it's also been gutted of its internals and outfitted with a hinge so that there's storage space on the inside. Oh, and it's got an LED that can be powered on and off, plus it plays game music / noises! Crazy, right? Well, it's slightly complicated to build one of your own, but Instructables has the details, should you want to give it a whirl. Ask yourself this: what better way is there to spend New Year's Day?[Via Hack A Day]
Japanese retailers jack up the price of R4
We can't say we're surprised that they're asking for more money for the R4, in light of all of the recent developments. Business owners like money, so we can understand them taking advantage of what's going on. In Japan, these business owners have more than doubled the price of the flash cart over the span of only days.So, all we're saying is that if you don't have one and want one, you probably should see about getting one before they get more expensive. Why would you want one? Uh, have you not read our homebrew guide?[Via Go Nintendo]
Gamechains are off the hook
While we're more for the pouch method of storing multiple DS game carts, some of you might appreciate the subtlety of a metal chain. You can see what we're talking about on the right there. Frankly, we're surprised someone hasn't come up with this idea sooner!Gamechains come in a basic set, which will cost you $9.95. Within this basic set, you'll find: 8 Laser-cut acrylic GameChains tabs in four different colors 1 powder coated metal ball chain (black or white) to connect your now containable games 10 Adhesive pads What do you all think? Ridiculous accessory or are Gamechains useful?[Via Gizmodo; thanks, Paul!]
Mod plays NES in a NES cartridge
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Mod_plays_NES_in_a_NES_cartridge'; This might just be the coolest thing we see all weekend.Darkeru from the Ben Heck forums came up with the idea for this beauty, and after months of "careful planning," finally finished his creation. It's exactly what you think it is; a mod that plays NES games on a NES game cartridge. What an ingeniously simple idea (though if we really think about it, our brains might implode).The games are built into the portable -- ninety-nine of them, in fact -- which sounds pretty convenient. Other than that, we have nothing to say except that we're still gawking at this thing. Oh, and do want.%Gallery-22424%[Via Engadget] We're always talking about Mods here at Wii Fanboy. Have you seen the Super Mario Galaxy mod? How about the homage to the original Super Mario Bros? How about this air-brushed Twilight Princess mod? Keep up with the modding scene by staying up to date with Wii Fanboy!
Modder shoves NES into an NES cartridge, makes us feel sort of uneasy
Looking to put those dust-collecting tools of yours to use here on Independence Day? Then we've excellent news, you introvert you. Rather than grilling up some red meat (or chicken, or tofu, whatever) and handling highly volatile explosives, we have no doubt that modder "darkeru" is spending his day playing with his brand new toy: a Nintendo Entertainment System... crammed within an NES cartridge. We'll be honest, this one does feel a little incestuous for some odd reason, but we greatly appreciate the ingenuity. Hit up the read link for more pics.[Via MAKE]
Handheld NES ... in an NES cartridge
Our first thought upon seeing this very cool hack was "that's awesome." Our second thought was "do you have to blow on it to make it work?"BenHeck.com forum member "darkeru" created this inventive new take on a home made NES portable, which manages to squeeze all of the 8-bit dynamo's guts into a 4.1" by 5.5" space ... with a backlit LCD display. We just had a third thought: what happens when you connect it to this portable NES?[Via Hack a Day]
Nintendo neon sign up for auction, DS Fanboy contemplates purchase
Perhaps it's the bright lights, but something about neon signs just interests us. No, it's not the science of it all (it's actually gas in there!), but the ... yeah, bright lights. Hey, look, a bright sign!If the neon Nintendo sign doesn't interest you, then there are other Nintendo-related auctions today. There's a Mario statue and some test cartridges up for grabs, as well.[Via Gamesniped]
