If you’re a fan of retro gaming, you probably know that the NES expansion port remained unused during its heyday. However, if you own the classic NES-001 model and have been looking for a way to breathe new life into it, RetroTime has just the thing. They’ve introduced the “NES Hub,” now available for pre-order through 8BitMods, which brings Bluetooth capability to the beloved console.
This exciting new expansion offers Bluetooth controller support and enhanced audio options. It also comes with its own ingenious add-on system. For those who wish to keep things a bit more traditional, there’s an optional “SNES Add-on” available that allows you to connect wired SNES and 15-pin Famicom controllers to your NES.
These products are expected to hit the market by December 2024. If you’re looking to purchase both, the NES Hub is priced at $57.28, while the SNES Add-on comes in at $26.03, bringing the total to $83.31 before taxes. With the NES Hub, you can connect up to four Bluetooth controllers to your console simultaneously. And if you have a modified NES capable of running Famicom games, this hub also enables Expansion Audio mode for certain Famicom games, offering more audio channels than the typical titles from that era.
For those unfamiliar, the Famicom (short for “Family Computer”) was the original name for the NES in Japan, and it was packed with intriguing features, even offering online functions like checking stock prices. This was long before American gamers had similar capabilities, which didn’t appear until consoles like the Sega Dreamcast and Microsoft Xbox came around.
Bluetooth technology, as we know it, didn’t become mainstream in gaming consoles until the early 2000s with the Seventh Generation consoles like the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Nintendo Wii. The NES, being a third-generation console released back in 1985, was a whole 14 years ahead of Bluetooth’s introduction in 1999. Seeing this technology now integrated into the NES for the first time is a delightful surprise, closing the gap between retro and modern gaming.
Granted, this is quite a niche product with pricing to match, but for those nostalgic souls intent on upgrading their NES, the NES Hub looks like the ideal solution, especially if you have the compatible NES-001 model.
