| Developer | Analogue |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Analogue Inc. |
| Type | Home video game console |
| Release date | 2015 (2015) |
| Introductory price | $499.00[1] |
| Discontinued | By July 2017 |
| Media | NES and Famicom cartridges |
| CPU | Ricoh 2A03[2] |
| Graphics | Ricoh 2c02 PPU |
| Input | 3.5mm microphone jack[1] |
| Controller input | Up to 4 NES controllers[3] |
| Dimensions | 1.7 by 9.7 by 5.7 inches (43 mm × 246 mm × 145 mm) |
| Marketing target | Retro gamers |
| Backward compatibility | NES and Famicom game cartridges |
| Predecessor | CMVS[4] |
| Successor | Analogue Nt Mini |
TheAnalogue Nt is ahome video game console designed and manufactured byAnalogue,[5][6] designed to play games for the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Famicom.
In March, 2014 the system was announced.[7] Analogue began accepting pre-orders for the system on May 5, 2014.[8]
Pre-orders began shipping in June 2015.[9]
A limited run of 10 24 karatgold plated special edition systems were produced by April 2016, and were available for sale at a price of $4999.[10][11]
In 2016 Analogue announced a followup system, theNt Mini, a smaller model which includes RGB & HDMI output in the base model and uses anFPGA as a processor.[12]
By July 23, 2017, the Analogue Nt had been discontinued.[13]
Instead ofsoftware emulation or anFPGA, the original Analogue Nt uses parts sourced from damaged Famicom HVC-001 systems.[3][8] In particular the system incorporates aRicoh 2A03 CPU and anNTSC[4] Ricoh 2c02 PPU, on a custom printed circuit board.[2][14][15] A notable original chip which was omitted included thelockout chip used on the NES.[3] The system was designed to be compatible with NES, Famicom, andFamicom Disk System titles.[2]
The default model was released with RGB (RGB,Component,S-Video,Composite,VGA, andSCART) video outputs,[1] with an additional "add-on" for 1080p HDMI output and other digital features.
The Analogue Nt's enclosure is solid aluminium unibody enclosure manufactured from 6061 aluminium inChina, and assembled in theUnited States of America.[2][3][8] Casing could beanodized red, blue, or black for an additional fee.[1] The system dimensions are 1.7 by 9.7 by 5.7 inches (43 mm × 246 mm × 145 mm).[1]
The Analogue Nt received positive reviews, with critics praising performance onHD TVs, while noting an unusually high price for the system. Will Greenwald'sPCMag review gave the Analogue Nt a 4/5, praising the graphical output of the system as "simply the best-looking direct feed of an NES cartridge I've ever seen.", while noting that the price of the console with HDMI output was "tough-to-swallow".[1]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.", while also noting that NES games may have limited appeal to gamers not nostalgic for them.[16]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." while noting that "At $500 the Analogue Nt is obviously not for everyone."[17] The high price of the system was noted by many, such as Kyle Orland ofArs Technica, who noted that "it's hard to recommend to anyone besides the most committed 8-bit retro gaming addict".[18]