Tag Archives: nes

8bitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard turns an old iconic console design into a fun-looking keyboard

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When you talk about video games, most people will probably think of game controllers immediately, even if a large chunk of these aren’t played that way. Even disregarding mobile games that only use touch screens, many are actually played with good, “old-fashioned” keyboard and mouse. There are, of course, keyboards made for gaming, with noisy mechanical switches and bright RBG lights, but most of these are designed to match the aesthetics of most computers, which is to say they almost always come in black, a few in off-white. Nothing screams “gaming,” however, more than a keyboard that’s designed to look like a gaming console. Ever the masters of making old things new, 8bitDo is coming out with its very first keyboard, one that pays homage to a gaming classic in an endearing and tasteful way.

Designer: 8bitDo

8bitDo is a brand best known for its multitude of game controllers catering not just to console owners but also to PC gamers. Although many of these look like your typical gamepads, the company has a penchant for applying the design language of past gaming controllers to present products, giving an ode to the rich history of video games. Its portfolio, however, has been growing recently to cover other accessories and gadgets, including a wireless charging pad, a wireless speaker, and a computer mouse. For the first time, it’s dipping its toes into keyboard territory, and what better way to start that venture than with one of the most iconic consoles in history?

Launched in the 80s, the Nintendo Entertainment System or NES, which was called the Family Computer or Famicom in Japan, kickstarted Nintendo’s own journey from making playing cards to the gaming giant it is today. Although it is hardly the first home gaming console to be launched to the masses, it is one of the few to have gained worldwide acclaim to the point of being an icon. The new 8bitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard pays tribute to this landmark gaming device but does more than just get a paint job to match the gray or red themes of the NES and Famicom, respectively.

The retro keyboard is filled to the brim with details that will really give you that old-school vibe, from the fonts used on the keycaps to the analogy dials for volume and for switching between Bluetooth or Wireless modes. There’s even a classic power light that thankfully uses a more modern LED. The package also includes two giant programmable red buttons in the style of the A and B buttons of the original NES controller. You can connect up to four of these pairs via a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is a pretty old-school connector by now.

As for the keyboard itself, it’s a tenkeyless keyboard, which means you don’t get a numeric keypad on the side. Like with many mechanical keyboards, you have the option to change not only the keycaps but even the switches to your liking. It can connect via Bluetooth, the included wireless RF receiver, or a USB cable. Unlike most gaming keyboards, however, there is no backlighting at all. The 8bitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard costs $99.99 and will ship starting in September. If you really dig the NES motif, you might be tempted to also grab the brand’s N30 wireless mouse which was also inspired by the classic console.

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8BitDO morphs NES Gamepad into a wireless charger – because why not!

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The classic gamepad with the Nintendo Entertainment System was hard to live with due to its boxy corners, but gamers loved it to the core because of the gaming goodness in the era. The nostalgia factor of the gamepad still lives on, and reason enough for 8BitDO to morph into a utility wireless charger.

8BitDO is already known for its impressive third-party accessories, especially controllers like the Pro 2, Zero 2 and OG NES gamepad. Now, with the NES gamepad-like wireless charger, they promise to bring home a gadget that’ll evoke sweet old memories while juicing up your device. To top it off, the price tag of $20 is the icing on the cake for all you NES lovers.

Designer: 8BitDO

Since your smartphone will sit flush on the surface of the wireless charger, the physical buttons give way to convincing graphics, and the D-pad is also gone here. Gamers will instantly recognize the infamous Konami code from the 80s replacing the control buttons for a fuller look. Yes, I’m talking about the “up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A” code list. In place are the classic black and gray color schemes, along with the red buttons to brush up the iconic look without hindering the wireless coil underneath the pad. One nifty inclusion I really love is the addition of red action buttons as the wheels to make the accessories roll forward or back. Now, that’s going to be yet another nifty fidget toy to fiddle with on your work desk.

For nerdy gamers, the charger will juice up compatible devices at 15W speed. While most of the phones from major IEMs like Google, Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, OnePlus and more are supported; some newer devices are still not on the list. So better go through the list before making a buying decision right away. These phones include the latest Google Pixel, Samsung’s 2022 flagship, and OnePlus’ freshest premium device. That however is expected to be sorted in the coming months.

8BitDO has made it a point not to overload the charger with unwanted gimmicks – just a LED that lights up when the phone draws power from the cool gadget. For the more skeptical lot, the NES gamepad wireless charger comes with voltage and current surge protection, and also shield against overheating.

The post 8BitDO morphs NES Gamepad into a wireless charger – because why not! first appeared on Yanko Design.

Super Mario Bros. Build-A-Light Level Is a Definite 1-Up

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The original Super Mario Bros. changed the course of video games as we know it, and arguably the most influential game of all time. And what better way to celebrate that than with a Super Mario Bros light with stackable, interchangeable, light blocks? Okay, I’m sure there actually are better ways to celebrate that, but this article isn’t about those. This is about the light.

The Build-A-Light level, available from FireBox, includes a lighted base and 16 double-sided light blocks to stack as you see fit, constructing the perfect level and lighting ambiance for your gaming room. Or your bedroom. Granted my wife said there will be no Mario light in our bedroom, but she also said the same thing about food, and I keep a stash of OREOs in my bedside table.

But do you think they’ll also release a Super Mario Bros. 3 version if this one is a financial success? Because I’d buy one of those too. And a Metroid one! And The Legend of Zelda! Actually just take my wallet already, Nintendo, you win.

[via The Awesomer]

The original NES Fire Emblem game is coming to the US for the first time

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Nintendo and Intelligent Systems’ Fire Emblem series is pretty well-known here in the US — but the game that started it all back in 1990 has never been available here, until now. Today, Nintendo announced that Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Bla...

Battle Mech Goomba Is Ready to Defend the Mushroom Kingdom

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Of all of the characters in the Super Mario games, I think the Goombas are some of the most innocuous and easy to deal with. But in the hands of toy customizer KodyKoala, one particular Goomba is a serious badass.

This custom-made figure features a Goomba decked out in armor and ready to do battle against any plumbers who dare to jump into the Mushroom Kingdom. He made the 6″ tall figure by cobbling together a bunch of different toys. I love the spiky turtle shells attached to his gauntlets. His green body almost looks like one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but the feet are wrong for that.

The NES cartridge backpack is also a really nice touch, painted up with “Blow me” graffiti. If you love this guy as much as I do, head over to KodyKoala’s Etsy shop where you can grab this awesome custom toy for $112.

I Need This Official LEGO NES Console in My Life

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I love LEGO, and I love Nintendo games, so when I first heard the two companies were partnering up, I thought it could result in some really great collaborations. While the first LEGO Super Mario kits were definitely targeted to little kids, and not overgrown kids like me, their newly-announced set is definitely up my alley.

This brick-built replica of the classic Nintendo Entertainment System has a whopping 2,646 pieces, and sells for $229.99 – so it’s definitely not kid stuff. It’s not cheap, but on the other hand, it’s 100% awesome. The kit comes with four main components – the game console, a controller, a game cartridge, and the pièce de résistance, an old school CRT TV set which displays a level from Super Mario Bros., all constructed from LEGO blocks.

What makes the TV so special is that the game level actually scrolls from side to side when you turn the crank on the side of its faux wood cabinet. Not only that, the pixelated Mario sprite actually jumps over obstacles and punches power-ups as it moves through the level. Check it out in action:

As the video above shows, the kit also interacts with model of Mario from the LEGO Super Mario starter kit, adding classic game sound effects and music when you place him on top of the TV set. I’m wondering if LEGO and Nintendo will offer up additional game cartridges and scrolling screens at some point. If not, I’m certain that some serious LEGO fans out there will do that for themselves.

The LEGO Nintendo Entertainment System (set #71374) goes on sale on August 1, 2020 over on LEGO.com and other retailers for $229.99. I’d keep your eye out on the LEGO website to see if they offer any pre-order opportunities, as I think this one is going to be really popular once it’s released.

The FunKey S Is the Smallest Handheld Gaming System We’ve Ever Seen

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Like many of you, I love to play retro arcade games. I even have a custom built MAME cabinet in my basement for when I’m craving a little game of Pac-Man, Dig Dug, or Donkey Kong. But what I don’t have is a good way to play these classic games on the go. I could run emulators on my laptop, or maybe pick up one of the numerous Android-based handhelds out there, but if you’re looking for something small enough to throw in your pocket, then check this out.

The FunKey S is a teensy gaming system that’s small enough to fit onto your keychain, yet it’s capable of playing all kinds of retro games thanks to a relatively zippy processor, and a custom Linux-based operating system optimized for gaming. The miniature game system uses Open Source emulation software to run games from the GameBoy (Classic, Color and Advance/SP), NES, SNES, Sega MasterSystem, GameGear, Sega Genesis, Atari Lynx, NeoGeoPocket, Wonderswan and even the Playstation 1.

The handheld features a clamshell design inspired by the good old GameBoy Advance SP. It opens up to reveal a 1.54″ LCD screen and a gamepad style controller. It runs an ARM Cortex-A7 CPU @ 1.2 GHz, and loads games via its SD card slot, which supports memory cards up to 128GB, which should be enough for lots and lots of retro game ROMs. That brings me to the most critical point about this system – it doesn’t come with licensed games, so you’ll have to dig under whatever rocks are out there to scrounge up any games you want. Its emulation lets you adjust aspect ratios too, so you can play games in cropped, scaled, manually zoomed, or stretched to fill its tiny screen.

Its emulation lets you adjust aspect ratios too, so you can play games in cropped, scaled, manually zoomed, or stretched to fill its tiny screen. Battery life is somewhere around 90 minutes on a 20 minute charge, but you can also play without time limits when plugged into a USB power source.

While it’s only a prototype in Retro Dodo’s review video below, the FunKey S looks like a pretty impressive little system, offering fast and faithful emulation – though the tiny 0.5 watt speaker sounds pretty crummy, and it doesn’t appear there’s a headphone jack.

The makers of the FunKey S are currently raising funds for production over on Kickstarter, where you can get in on the gaming action for as little as $71. They’re hoping to start shipping the first orders by November 2020, so hopefully you can get one in time for the holidays if you order now.