Our editors have compiled a list of the “Top 10 Strangest (or Coolest) NES Mods” for your enjoyment. Which ones are your favorites?
10. iPod Shuffle NES Controller
This follow up to the first NES controller MP3 player builds on the premise of that device, but uses an iPod Shuffle instead of a hack job. Aesthetically, everything has remained intact, other than the modified start/select buttons.
A brief description of the controls: Up/Down: Volume up/down. Right/Left: Track forward/backward. Select: contains a 3-way switch for continuous play, shuffle play, and off. Start: contains a switch for hold. A Button: play/pause. B Button: absolutely nothing
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9. Lexan Case Portable NES
FastMHZ created this strange portable NES system. Parts used in its construction include: 1 x PSOne TFT screen, 1 x NES console, 1 x 3rd-party controller, 8 x lithium-ion cells, 1 x 72-pin game connector, and a homemade clear Lexan case.
It’s actually quite comfortable to play as I sanded down the corners on the bottom half of the unit. It’s a bit heavy though, but I have no trouble playing it while laying down or sitting at a table.
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8. Mac Mini NES
Underneath the shell you’ll find a fully functional Mac Mini, DVD-Writer, and IDE to USB 2.0 circuitry. The power button turns off the Mini (or puts it in sleep mode), reset ejects the DVD tray, and both controller ports have an integrated circuit which allows any NES peripheral to be plugged in/used with emulators.
Well, someone had to do it! The Mac Mini NES was an idea born out necessity, and a love of the hardware modification arts. Necessity because I owned an internal DVD writer for my previous PC and, with the switch to an Apple PC, I was left to use an IDE to USB adapter (enclosures are expensive). This was to much of a ghetto looking setup for my taste. Most of all, the two tone 8-bit console has appealing style and is a famous icon of console gaming (not to mention, ideal dimensions for a desktop system.)
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7. NESPlusSega
This all-in-one machine can play both Sega Genesis and NES games. The case was made from custom molded ABS plastic and features controller ports for both systems. [Source]
6. Lego NES Case
If Nintendo came out with a Lego NES case, this would be it. Everything is 100% Lego – power/reset buttons, controller ports, LED light cover, and even the vents up top. One more picture here.[Source]
5. NES Cartridge Hard Drive Mod
All you need is an NES cartridge, a laptop hard drive, and a USB/drive converter to make the “Zelda Drive 1.0”. This would make a great addition to any Nintendo collection.
The first thing that you need to do, is get a NES cartridge. If you dont have one, used video game stores usually still have a few. I had two copies of Zelda, so I chose to use that one. Next, you need a laptop drive of some sort. I started this with an OLD ~1000 RPM laptop drive. I swear I could piss bits faster than this thing could read/write. BUT it worked. And then you need to get a hold of a USB/drive converter appropriate to the drive you are using. I got mine from geeks.com. It came with this steel black enclosure that my old drive didnt even fit in, which is why I did this
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4. NES Controller TV Remote
What better way to hide the TV remote then by stuffing it inside an old NES controller. Plus, you only have to spend around $13.00 buying the parts needed for this project: an old controller, remote, two AA batteries, and a few hours of hacking.
All the parts used in this project were very cheap ( about $13.00 total ) and the entire construction took place in one weekend. Not too bad for the coolest TV remote I’ve ever had
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3. NES DVD Player
VintageComputing managed to fit a CyberHome CH-DVD 300 DVD player into an old NES case, complete with retractable DVD tray, infrared receiver, functional remote control, and stereo/S-Video/RCA jacks.
All that being said, here are some nice features of my particular NES DVD Player: NES Power Button turns DVD Power on/off. NES Reset Button ejects DVD tray. Fully functional remote control…control. Infrared receiver (for remote control) inconspicuously placed in first-player controller port area. Upon ejecting or retracting the DVD tray, the NES cartridge slot door opens/closes automatically
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2. NES Powerglove Mouse
Austin Weber decided to make his own PowerGlove mouse hack — based on ZeroSign’s original design . This new version features in game controls that are mapped to the thumb (forward motion), pointer finger (trigger), and arm (camera view).
In addition to cleaning up all the wires and using smaller circuitry components he also has a killer demo of the glove with Unreal Tournament.
1. Functional Wii Controller NES System
Similar in size to the new Wii controller, this custom built NES/Famicon system is fully functional and offers integrated controls along with A/V inputs. It features a durable polypropylene case and is AC powered. Video here.[Source]
Honorable Mention – NES (Famicon) Drum Machine
Constructed from eight NES (Famicon) consoles and a Roland 606 drum machine, this thing definitely rocks. Its creator wasn’t worried about the cost, the real headache came when building a “flightcase” that actually fit everything. [Source]
Honorable Mention – NES Alarm Clock
This modder gutted his old NES and fitted it with a fully functional alarm clock. The buttons are wired to the console’s player 1 controller port (clock settings), reset button (snooze), and power button (alarm indicator). Lastly, he custom mounted an LED display behind the cartridge slot to display the time. [Source]
