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A Guided Tour of the NES [Hackaday]
No matter your age or background, there’s an excellent chance you’ll recognize the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) at first glance. The iconic 8-bit system not only revitalized the gaming industry, but helped to establish the “blueprint” of console gaming for decades to come. It’s a machine so legendary and transformative that even today, it enjoys a considerable following. Some appreciate the more austere approach to gaming from a bygone era, while others are fascinated with the functional aspects of console.
The NesHacker YouTube channel is an excellent example of that latter group. Host [Ryan] explores the ins and outs of the NES as a platform, with a leaning towards the software techniques used to push the system’s 6502 processor to the limits. Even if you aren’t terribly interested in gaming, the videos on assembly programming and optimization are well worth a watch for anyone writing code for vintage hardware.
In truth we’re a bit late to this party, as the channel has been up and running for about a year now. But a recent installment, titled “NES Hardware Explained” is what really got us interested. In this video, [Ryan] first takes the console apart in classic teardown style, showing how all the bits and pieces come together. That includes the occasional pause to show the pinout of a particular connector or some other interesting hardware detail.
After that, he breaks the main PCB down section-by-section, explaining the function of each IC on the board. This is a particularly nice resource for anyone who might need to do some repair work on their system, or perhaps those looking to piece together their own breadboard NES clone. We appreciate that he also takes the time to explain how to put the system back together, paying close attention to getting its notoriously finicky cartridge connector working again.
We really like the style of the NesHacker videos, which are well produced without feeling forced. There’s no annoying music or shocked-face thumbnails, just a competent discussion of a fascinating device. While this latest entry might be a bit pedestrian for some in the audience, we’re willing to bet the previous deep-dives [Ryan] has uploaded to the channel will teach you something new about this legendary machine.