Retro Gaming Hacks

Play with Power: Set Up an NES

Discover Nintendo-mania all over again.

If you were born during the early ’80s, the hacks at the beginning of this chapter probably aroused little more than a curious interest in the back of your brain. Yes, you might have some vague memories of the Atari days. But most of your brainpower circa 1983 was probably spent mastering the complexities of toilet training and shoelace tying.

Thinking about the Nintendo Entertainment System, however, probably produces different results more akin to a burning desire to replay everything you used to have when you were a kid—then find all the games you wanted but never had enough allowance to buy. Well, good news: with some standout collectible exceptions, NES games are now cheaper than ever. Be aware: there is no one flawless solution for playing Nintendo games. But there are more than enough options to choose from that you should be able to find the NES hardware to suit your needs.

First, Some World History

When the Famicom (the Japanese version of the NES) was released in 1983, it looked a lot like a traditional video game system. Small cartridges plugged into the top of the unit, which was painted a toy-like red and white. This was perfectly acceptable in Japan, where the video game market was healthy, if relatively untapped—though a great number of different consoles, both imported and domestic, had been released, none had caught on like the 2600 did in the US.

But when it came time for Nintendo to launch the ...