Why The Gaming Community Went Crazy For This $500 NES?

At first, it sounds absolutely crazy. Who would pay nearly $500 ($499 before tax) for a Nintendo Entertainment System?

The surprising answer: thousands of retro fans from around the world!

Retro gaming company Analogue previously sold two different versions of their version of the NES: the NT (which relied on actual scavenged NES hardware) and the NT Mini (which relied on custom FPGA hardware).

They sold out of these models and went on to make their version of the Super Nintendo (the Super NT) and their version of the Sega Genesis (the Mega SG). These were more affordable than the first NT Mini run (the new systems were $189.99 compared to $449 for the original NT mini).

Cheaper systems brought in more new fans, though, and many of them were sad they missed out on the NT Mini. After a successful Change.org petition, Analogue agreed to create one final run of the beloved system.

The NT Mini Noir boasts an improved cartridge slot and an even higher price — $499. However, after a week of pre-orders, it sold out entirely. All of which brings us to the big question: why the heck would anyone pay that much for a modern Nintendo Entertainment System?

The Power of FPGA

Part of why the price seems staggering is that there are so many low-cost NES alternatives out there. The NES Classic, for example, costs only $59.99, though (without an easy mod), you are limited to those initial 30 games. And you can play any cartridges you want with products from Hyperkin (systems are typically $85 or less), or simply load every NES ROM you can find by building a Retro Pi for under $100.

What makes the NT Mini superior to these choices? The fact that it’s powered by a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

All of the previous solutions use software-based emulation. Hardware or no hardware, playing games on these systems is no different than emulating them on the PC. Even the products you can put cartridges in are reading the ROM from the cartridge–they are not “playing” it as genuine hardware would.

With an FPGA, the NT Mini has hardware-based emulation. It runs your actual cartridges or ROMs the exact way that an original system does. To many retro gamers, this is the truest way to relive classic games.

Lag-Free On Modern TVs

I know what you’re thinking: if someone wants to relive classic hardware, why not just buy classic hardware? But the sad truth is that you’ll run into problems as soon as you try to play that old NES on a modern TV.

First, it can be difficult to even get a picture. The original system wasn’t designed for HDMI or composite cables, so you’re either going to have to seriously mod the old system (which can be both complex and expensive) or get an adapter.

With cheap adapters, you’ll quickly discover lag problems. That’s because these systems were designed for clunky old CRT televisions. If you want a lag-free experience on regular hardware, you need to make space in your home for a CRT or make space in your wallet by buying a more expensive external upscaler (such as an OSCC or a Retrotink).

With the NT Mini, you can enjoy lag-free gameplay on a modern TV via HDMI right out of the box. No tinkering or secondary purchases required.