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snes posts

Quickdev16 SNES developers cart: now you too can make games no one will ever play

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Oct 26th 2009 at 11:13AM

If homebrew SNES development was an obscure affair in the days that the platform reigned supreme, undertaking such a project almost two decades later can be nothing left than a labor of true geek love. But if you've always dreamed of writing the next great first-person shooter for a retired game platform you're in luck: the Quickdev 16 is a cartridge that includes everything necessary for bringing your creations to the Super Nintendo, including the Atmel AVR ATmega644 with boot loader, USB connection for placing your code on the cart, 16 megabits of SRAM, and an RS232 converter for a debugging terminal. Works with Windows, Mac, and Linux systems as long as you know your way around a command line (and if you've read this far, you just might). Available now for $120 including shipping.

[Via Hack-A-Day]

SNES / Sega Genesis USB cartridge adapter now available for pre-order

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Oct 19th 2009 at 11:04AM

Looks like our old friend, Matthias -- the developer of the USB SNES cart reader -- is back on the scene, and this time he's going commercial. His newest project, Snega2USB, adds Sega Genesis, read and write for battery-backed SNES games, open source firmware, and up to four gamepads to the homebrew fave of classic gaming fanatics world o'er. This is a work-in-progress, but all the pieces are in place to have all orders met on the December, 2009 street date. Pre-orders will be taken until October 31 for $90 in the United States or €75 in Europe. Video after the break.

[Via Gadgetoid]

Continue reading SNES / Sega Genesis USB cartridge adapter now available for pre-order

Video: SNES runs beautifully on N900, makes our hearts flutter

by Darren Murph posted Sep 30th 2009 at 9:53AM

We've already seen Nokia's Maemo 5-powered N900 pull off some pretty fanciful tricks, but without qualification this is the one most dear to our hearts. Somehow or another, Konttori managed to get his palms around an N900 of his own, and rather than testing out the social networking abilities or battery life, he simply installed an SNES emulator, tweaked it to accept Wiimote controls and even connected it to his TV for a staggeringly authentic gameplay experience. Vicarious living is just a click or two away, so hop on past the break for a video of the action. Oh, and don't mind the baby -- he's not in the corner or anything.

[Thanks, Sathish]

Continue reading Video: SNES runs beautifully on N900, makes our hearts flutter

Portable SNES mod is slick enough to hit retail

by Vladislav Savov posted Aug 14th 2009 at 11:44AM

Sometimes mods go to such lengths that words like 'homebrewed' and 'DIY' no longer do them justice. Presenting the Nintendo SNES Portable. Not the first, and probably not the last of its kind, this bad boy mobilizes Nintendo's venerable console with a few buttons from a PSOne controller and a ridiculously detailed skinning job -- yes, even the packaging gets a makeover. The sheer nostalgic overload at the sight of it must be worth something to Nintendo, no? There's not a person, with both a heart and a history of gaming, that can glance at that bulky unwieldy-looking thing and not break into a wistful smile. Really, we dare you. More snaps after the break.

Continue reading Portable SNES mod is slick enough to hit retail

Modder places USB flash drive in Atari 2600 cart, amuses geeks world o'er

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Jul 6th 2009 at 7:08PM

Well, kids, if you like your USB drives with a little style, a little kitsch, and far too large to be carried conveniently, a gentleman named Robotic Evil, Inc. has just the thing for you. The evil one is hard at work as we speak, taking 2GB thumb drives and placing them in the artifacts of genuine geek nostalgia. Really, who wouldn't want to receive a hand-assembled computer peripheral in the shape of an Atari game cartridge or an NES controller? These things cost $29.99 (add another $5 for shipping and handling) and they're available at this dude's Etsy store. Check out the NES controller / drive yourself after the break.

[Via BoingBoing]

Continue reading Modder places USB flash drive in Atari 2600 cart, amuses geeks world o'er

SUPERTENDO portable SNES hack elevates an artform to something impressively commercial

by Paul Miller posted Jul 2nd 2009 at 10:06AM

Yeah, we're all been-there-done-that with portable SNESs these days, but we've never seen it done like this. Marshall posted his creation, dubbed the "SUPERTENDO," to Ben Heck's forums, which seems to imply (along with the looks) that he took some queues from similar designs already floating around those parts. What really sets this one apart, however, is the vacuum-formed chassis and the instant "make me an offer" move to a sale -- being owned by a major faceless media conglomerate ourselves, we like to see a guy who's out for a buck. A quick hands-on Video is after the break.

[Via benheck.com]

Continue reading SUPERTENDO portable SNES hack elevates an artform to something impressively commercial

SNES USB cartridge adapter should set eBay aflame

by Joshua Topolsky posted Jun 21st 2009 at 10:02AM

Sick of having to use your inconvenient mouse and keyboard to do "internet searches" for ROMs of your favorite retro games? Well a gentleman named Matthias might just have the answer to your prayers -- a USB SNES cartridge adapter. The enterprising DIY'er has created a combo hardware and software solution that allows you to plug in your dusty carts directly to your rig, and see the ROMs appear as standalone files which you can then load into the emulator of your choice. Apparently there are still some kinks to work out (like getting data rates up for larger games), and Matthias already has plans underway for a multi-system solution. Still, this is impressive stuff, even if it means we'll have to repurchase any titles we're missing from reputable online auction houses. Hey, at least it'll cut down our visits to "Russian porn sites." Check out the video of the whole thing in action after the break.

Continue reading SNES USB cartridge adapter should set eBay aflame

SNES PC Case Mod scores endless style wins; can never bring back your childhood

by Paul Miller posted Jun 15th 2009 at 9:22PM

Face it, not all mods are created equal. Take this SNES PC Case Mod, for instance, built by quangDX and DuPPs (their real names? we think not). Sure, they could've just crammed some PC guts in there and called it a day, but with love, care and some Lego spacers, they've crafted a true piece of art. The gutted Super Mario World cartridge acts as a slot-loading CD drive, there's a perfect lineup of connectivity in the back, and the real piece of magic: USB extenders disguised as regular controller plugs, and a reworked SNES controller to plug into 'em. The main guts are courtesy of an Acer Aspire One, and even the webcam and mic have been crammed into the front of that poor shredded cartridge. This is how it's done, folks.

[Via Gossip Gamers]

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

by Nilay Patel posted Jun 15th 2009 at 1:27AM

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

Komodo's Retro Adapter brings your dusty old gamepads to your dusty new Wii

by Tim Stevens posted May 21st 2009 at 9:43AM

While we hear Punch Out!! is quite good, it's safe to say the Wii hasn't exactly been flooded with great titles lately. The most enjoyable part of the system still comes from the Virtual Console and all the classic titles that populate it, and soon you'll be able to pair those games with the classic controllers they were written for thanks to Komodo's Retro Adapter. Sure, we've seen some rather... unsophisticated ways of making N64 controllers work in the past, and Nintendo itself hopped on the retro bandwagon with a first-party Wii SNES gamepad, but Komodo's adapter has no exposed solders, looks like a wee N64, and even lets you use your creaky old NES pad. No official word on availability, but expect a $20 price sometime in June. We'll be bringing you more from E3.

Video: SuperNES Advantage controller mod for Xbox 360

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Apr 21st 2009 at 5:29PM

Sometimes you can't beat the classics. The gentleman who brought his old Super NES Advantage to bear on his Xbox 360 is back, this time working his magic on the Super Advantage joystick. This bad boy is wireless, runs off an internal battery (charged via standard USB), and sports an LED player indicator. If you've never been able to get used to the standard Xbox controller, keep an eye out for this bad boy on eBay. The modster in question has stated his intention to let this one go to the right bidder, but not before he makes another one for himself. The next trick, he says, is to add cross-platform compatibility with the Wii and SNES. Video after the break.

[Via Nowhere Else]

Continue reading Video: SuperNES Advantage controller mod for Xbox 360

Super Nintoaster gets us all ready for the N64toaster

by Darren Murph posted Mar 22nd 2009 at 6:21AM

We could ask if this trend will even end, but considering that we're hoping with all our might that the answer is "no," we'll just skip the inquiry altogether. The same modder who delivered the highly popular, heart-healthy Nintoaster has taken the time to concoct a fitting followup: the Super Nintoaster. It's one part toaster, one part Super Nintendo, and the resulting gaming appliance would sit just perfectly in any dorm kitchen. Head on past the break if you're interested in a demonstration vid.

[Via technabob]

Continue reading Super Nintoaster gets us all ready for the N64toaster

Wii Super Famicom Classic Controller on sale to general public

by Darren Murph posted Feb 19th 2009 at 5:51PM

Remember that limited edition Super Famicom Classic Controller? You know, that one that was once available only to Club Nintendo members over in Japan? By some remarkable feat of magic, wit and unmatched skill, the crew over at Play-Asia has secured stock to sell to the public at large, and wouldn't you know it, they have no issues shipping to the United States of America. Of course, you could also execute the X2Wii hack in order to make your existing SNES controller play nice with the Wii, but where's the fun in that? Unfortunately, this piece will run you just over $80 shipped, so you should make sure you're really as hardcore a gamer as you say you are before plunking down.

[Thanks, Marcus]

DIY SNES alarm clock is kind of cool, truly alarming

by Laura June posted Nov 12th 2008 at 3:01AM

Oh, look -- another SNES mod. This one's actually pretty cute and useful in theory -- an alarm clock! The finished product is completely functional, though we're not too psyched on the sound of the alarm. Then again, we've never heard an alarm we were super stoked on, so it's not this inventive chap's fault. Hit the read link for full instructions on how to make your own, and take a peek at the clock-setting action in the video after the break.

[Via GoNintendo]

Continue reading DIY SNES alarm clock is kind of cool, truly alarming

New SNES portable is heavy on the SNES, light on the portable

by Donald Melanson posted Nov 10th 2008 at 4:53PM

The SNES has certainly proven to be one of the most popular consoles to get the portable treatment among those go-getter console modders out there, and it looks like it's not showing any signs of losing that status, with this so-called SNEP (Super Nintendo Entertainment Portable) only the latest to pop up on our radar. As you can see above, this one is a tad less portable than some other handheld SNES mods we've seen (it also apparently needs to be plugged in), but it does at least do better job than most at staying true to the SNES's (or, more accurately, the Super Famicom's) instantly-recognizable appearance. There's no plans available for building your own, unfortunately, but you can check it out in action in the video after the break.

[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]

Continue reading New SNES portable is heavy on the SNES, light on the portable