If you’re a fan of old-school gaming, it’s no surprise that the NES expansion port was never officially utilized—until now. For those with the NES-001 model, RetroTime has introduced something truly exciting: a Bluetooth-powered “NES Hub” that’s now available for pre-order through 8BitMods.
The NES Hub breathes new life into the classic console by allowing Bluetooth controller support and enhancing audio capabilities. Additionally, RetroTime has designed an adaptable system featuring a “SNES Add-on”. This nifty gadget lets you use wired SNES and 15-pin Famicom controllers with the NES.
Mark your calendars because both the NES Hub and its SNES Add-on are set to ship by December 2024. Priced at $57.28 for the NES Hub and $26.03 for the SNES Add-on, you’re looking at spending a total of $83.31 before taxes to fully expand your NES experience. With the NES Hub, you can hook up to four Bluetooth controllers at once. And if you have a modded NES that plays Famicom games, it can enable Expansion Audio mode, allowing access to extra audio channels supported by certain Famicom titles.
For those not in the know, the Famicom, or “Family Computer,” was the Japanese predecessor of the Nintendo Entertainment System. It had features like internet connectivity for non-gaming tasks overseas, such as checking stock prices. Japanese gamers got a taste of online features much earlier compared to American gamers, who only witnessed similar advancements with consoles like the Sega Dreamcast and Microsoft Xbox.
Bluetooth support, which only became widespread in the Seventh Generation of consoles commencing in 2005, with the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Nintendo Wii, is finally making its way to Nintendo’s third-generation NES. Introducing such a feature into the classic NES hardware, bridging the gap with contemporary gaming experiences like those on Virtual Consoles or PCs, is indeed a welcome development.
Granted, this update is rather niche and the price reflects that specialty. Yet, if you’re on the lookout for enhanced controller compatibility for your trusty NES, then the NES Hub is probably your best bet if you own a compatible NES-001 model.
