Analogue NT

The Analogue Nt is an aftermarket Nintendo Entertainment System and Famicom designed an manufactured by Seattle based company Analogue.^[1][2] Designed around the original Nintendo CPU and PPU, the Analogue Nt is the only aftermarket NES and Famicom system that is not designed using emulation, since it uses the original Nintendo CPU and PPU.^[3] The goal of the system was to build a perfect, no-compromises aftermarket NES and Famicom.^[4] The default model was released with RGB (RGB, Component, S-Video and Composite) video outputs only, with an additional "add-on" for 1080p HDMI output and a plethora of other digital features. The Analogue Nt's enclosure is solid aluminum unibody enclosure manufactured from 6061 aluminum.^[5]

After sellout of the original Analogue NT, Analogue announced the Analogue NT Mini, which is 20% smaller than the original. The mini includes RGB & HDMI outputs but, according to Analogue's website, the mini doesn't use the original Nintendo CPU & PPU: "The core functionality of the original NES is engineered directly into an Altera Cyclone V, a sophisticated FPGA."^[6]

Reception

The Analogue Nt was released to critical acclaim, praising how well it looks on HD TV's. PCMAG gave the Analogue Nt a 4/5, calling it "...remarkably crisp, sharp video on 1080p screens...It's simply the best-looking direct feed of an NES cartridge I've ever seen."^[7] Vice praised the Analogue Nt's build quality and video quality saying, " the Analogue Nt is a gorgeous machine...The Analogue Nt makes NES games look phenomenal. Seriously. Like, mouth-open, jaw-on-the-floor, tongue-everywhere remarkable".^[8] CNET.com said "In an age where retro games just don't look right on modern HDTVs, the Analogue NT is a magical piece of hardware."^[9]

References