Gizmodo: nintendo entertainment system

In the 90s, NES Graphics Were Best Viewed Up Close

Danny Allen — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:40:00 EDT

Now, this is a story all about how…Wow, this pretty much hits the early-90s on the head. Baseball Stars, Nike Ultra Force kicks, Mariah Carey CD, those pants! But where's the SNES? I mean, he was the Fresh Prince, right?

Baseball Stars! [Twitter via GamOvr Via WTFoodge Via BuzzFeed]

NESynth iPhone App Pumps Out Nintendo-Style Chiptunes

Danny Allen — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:05:00 EDT

Like the 8Bitone synthesizer app, NESynth lets you create 80s-style music with 8-bit sounds. But the coolest part: You can control it all with an on-screen NES-style gamepad. Watch the rockin' video after the jump to see what I mean.

Also fun is the $2 app's use of the iPhone's accelerometer to pitch-bend sounds, and its ability to let you jam along with a friend—and hear what they're playing on your phone.

As you'll hear in the video below, NESynth has built-in classic sound effects (jump, fire, laser, etc), and an arpeggiator to help build up melodies using the on-screen piano keyboard.

(For the synth geeks out there: sound generation comes from 3 pulse waveforms, a triangle waveform, and white noise.) [NESynth | iTunes Store]

NES Controller Box Stashes Keys, Konami Codes

Mark Wilson — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:40:00 EDT

If you've needed box to hold your jewelry, keys or loose marshmallow Puff, this $12 NES controller container will work. And by "work" I mean "keep your shameless adolescents intact 4ever." [Etsy via CraziestGadgets]

NES Air Max Sneakers Are Dignified Even If Geriatric

Mark Wilson — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 09:20:00 EST

They aren't exactly what we pictured, but we can't deny that Nintendo and Nike's dual venture NES Air Max sneakers do invoke fond memories of the drab Nintendo Entertainment System. Featuring two tones of gray and a stripe of muted reddishness, only the keen sneaker aficionado will know notice the subtle reference to the Start button, but anyone who doesn't get it might not be worth talking to anyway. Available now, our guess is that collectors will gobble stock quickly if they're not already gone. [kicksonfire via Kotaku]

Make Your Broken NES Into a Lunchbox

Elaine Chow — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 16:00:00 EDT

If you're like me, you probably have an old, broken-down NES somewhere in your house, gathering dust while you try to decide whether you should keep it for nostalgia's sake. How about turning it into a lunchbox, which will allow you to bring those warm early gaming memories with you to work or school every day? Instructables contributor fluctifragus has posted a pretty easy do-it-yourself for making your console useful (and deliciously so!) again. All you need is your NES, a rotary tool, two small hinges, some glue and... a Canadian superhero? [Instructables via Lifehacker]

NES Cartridge Modded into NES System With Screen, Space-Time at Risk Again

Kit Eaton — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EDT

I've changed my mind: this has to be the most jaw-dropping NES mod ever, beating April's one. And this time the space-time continuum is at risk of ripping. Modder Darkeru over at Ben Heck forums has twisted reality around by including an entire NES emulator system, plus controls, plus an LCD screen into an original NES cartridge. It got a tiny bit beaten-up during the mod work, but I think we can forgive that because it's so ingenious. If I was wearing a hat, I'd doff it in Darkeru's direction. [Ben Heck Forums]

FC Mobile Portable NES, Because One Screen Was Once Enough

Mark Wilson — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:10:00 EDT

Since Nintendo's patent has dropped on the NES, we're finally seeing all of the Nintendo gear that we could only dream about as kids. The FC Mobile is such a product, bringing a Nintendo Entertainment System into your hands. Reading real cartridges, 8-bit glory can either shine on its 2.4" display or be outputted to a television—all while fueled by classic AA batteries (sure, lithium ion would be more convenient, but it wouldn't capture the battery-burning nostalgia of yore). If you refuse to partake in emulation or your heart yearns for a simpler era, the FC Mobile will run about $40 on eBay. It's a shame the controls aren't just right. [eBay via technabob]