70

NES Modded to Retro Style Gaming PC

Euphoric | August 18, 2008 | News | PC Nintendo Entertainment System 
In the same vein as those XBOX Computers and PS Laptops from a few months ago, a NES has been modded into a Retro style gaming computer. Defintately one to look out for for those into the modding gig, or just those who want a bit of a nostalgaic blast from the past.
Check out this excellent casemod which is so neat and tidy that you wouldn’t think that it’s anything but an old 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System. But hidden beneath the hood of this inconspicuous looking NES is a fully-functional Windows PC, loaded up with emulators for playing games from other consoles.

Imaging hooking up this plain-Jane NES to your television, turning it on for your friends, and starting to play games from not only the NES, but from the SNES, N64 and other retro consoles with a flick of the joypad. That’s exactly what modder cbutters managed to do when he gutted this old NES and stuffed it with the brains of a modern PC. The system runs on an Intel mini-ITX mobo, which is plenty powerful to run retro game emulators at optimal speeds.

Even the old NES controller ports have been rewired to work via the PC’s USB system. The modded console hides a four-port USB hub that snaps neatly into the original NES expansion port on the bottom, allowing a variety of non-NES controllers to be connected with ease. And to really keep the retro feel, the console can only connect via composite video, preserving that old-school blurry image quality that’ll some older games relied on to conceal their graphical flaws. See the system in action in the video clip below:

5 comments | go to source (technabob.com) | Add to favorites! favourite this article | send to friend
Images about this story:
nes_modded_to_retro_style_gaming_pc nes_modded_to_retro_style_gaming_pc
nes_modded_to_retro_style_gaming_pc nes_modded_to_retro_style_gaming_pc
Related Articles
73 Japanese retro gaming model tells off pirates (9)comments November 27, 2008
91 The Future of PC Gaming? (9)comments November 2, 2008
151 Is WoW Killing PC Gaming? (25)comments November 24, 2008
104 Top 5 Franchises for Retro Revivals (4)comments September 23, 2008
68 Retro Gamer Interviews Hideo Kojima (4)comments October 6, 2008
Register as a member to subscribe comments.
  • 0 thumbs!
    Deathsythe | August 19, 2008
    This isn't exactly new news. Its been done a million times over. Hell I have one sitting in my living room back home.

    • 1 thumbs!
      Euphoric | August 19, 2008
      You have a NES converted into a gaming PC? [/skeptical]

      And this sort of thing is interesting, fascinating and to some inspiring. I haven't seen it 'done a million times over' either.
      • 0 thumbs!
        Deathsythe | August 19, 2008
        Its really not that difficult of a process- just google 'NES PC' and you will be amazed at the number of results.

        Also if you will note that some of them date back to September 20, 2002, so yes- this is old news.

        Mini-ITX boards can be pretty much retrofitted into anything- all you need is a little computer engineering knowledge, some money for your project, and a dremel.

        I have one in an NES and another one in a PS2 case.

        The ultimate goal of any of my modding projects is to preserve the original integrity of the unit- so to the untrained eye it looks just like its actual system. Which means the CD drive comes out of the NES cartridge slot and the PS2 optical drive slot respectively.

        The hardest part with projects like these is overheating and PSU placement. Fortunately they make PSUs for ITX boards that are very similar to laptop ones- with an external transformer. (which really helps)
        • 1 thumbs!
          Euphoric | August 19, 2008
          Touche.

          It's still interesting to those of us who didn't know all that though
  • 0 thumbs!
    Livewire_19 | August 19, 2008
    I bought that Magnavox tv in the video! And it was the biggest piece of crap ever. Whatever people tell you, lcds can have images burned in.

This news story is archived and is closed to comments now.

Submit Newshelp
(0.1062/d/aeon)