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[Pathfinder]

If you managed to get your hands on an NES Classic Edition this holiday season, you may already be tired of the 30 classic games pre-installed on the system by now. Nintendo has made clear that the tiny replica NES will not officially receive new games, especially with no WiFi protocol to download them. But that hasn't stopped budding hackers from scoffing at Nintendo's claims and adding games their own way.

This week saw separate hackers in Japan and Russia figure out soft-mod solutions to adding new games to the NES Classic. This means you don't need to grab a screwdriver or a soldering iron to mod yours.

As this exploit has only been in the wild for less than a day, we've yet to confirm exactly how many commercial and homebrew games are compatible with the NES Classic's default emulator. But proof-of-concept videos have already shown classics such as the Mega Man series running without a hitch. (Interesting choice of game there, considering how badly Capcom butchered a nostalgic Mega Man launch this week.) Nintendo could have coded this emulator with the most basic routines, after all, as opposed to supporting the system's full array of capabilities and abnormalities.

UPDATE 1: Apparently, the UI is limited to 60 games.

UPDATE 2: It might not be limited to 60?

UPDATE 3: Here's a new tool that some are using to swap games in and out. There have been some reports that is contains malware, but it seems only Windows Defender complains. Use at your own risk anyway.

hakchi2 tool on this thread worked great!

https://gbatemp.net/threads/hakchi2-nes-mini-very-simple-pimp-tool.456256/

I uploaded a handful of NES games to the classic, and works perfect.

HAKCHI2 TOOL REDDIT: https://www.reddit.com/r/nesclassicmods/comments/5mj06h/nes_classic_mini_easy_softmod_hakchi2/

UPDATE 4:

Hakchi 2.02 released

Just from looking at it, it seems this release allows you to set the number of players as well as whether or not they're simultaneous - I think this is just for the UI to change the color of the "2P" icon.

It appears a lot of fixes were made to the process of actually flashing the custom kernel file, so those that had errors with the previous version might find this version useful.

UPDATE 5:

2.10 is out already

https://github.com/ClusterM/hakchi2/releases/tag/2.10

I will no longer be updating the OP regarding updated versions of hakchi2. Please refer to the github page for further application updates.


SOURCE: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/...games-via-usb-cable/?comments=1&post=32590629

REDDIT: https://www.reddit.com/r/nesclassicmods/comments/5mghje/i_just_browsed_through_the_amazing_work_of/

PROOF: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2c5JLHl56g

 

[QisTopTier]

Damn I need to get one for my dad now.

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

If Nintendo ever blocks this in future revisions, resale on these is going to go through the roof permanently.

 

[Oblivion]

I don't understand the point of this.

 

[giancarlo123x]

I don't understand the point of this.

More games?

 

[Pathfinder]

I don't understand the point of this.

More games is the point.

NES Classic is missing some jewels.

 

[Elfforkusu]

Hackers, uh, find a way

 

[PinkyMonkey]

SNES games on this would be killer.

 

[Oblivion]

More games?

Well, I mean, if you're going to use a USB to install games on this thing, why bother getting it to begin with? Why not just stick with an emulator?

 

[R_thanatos]

I don't understand the point of this.

A nes classic with more NES games

so if you want to play more nes games you could ?

Like a NES but with current components

 

[BAW]

That fast huh.

Imagine if the Switch is hacked within the first year.

 

[MUnited83]

I don't understand the point of this.

Playing the crapload of great NES games that the NES Classic doesn't come with? Maybe?

 

[sixteen-bit]

Would be cool to sideload my entire legally obtained library onto one.

 

[Garrett Hawke]

Well, I mean, if you're going to use a USB to install games on this thing, why bother getting it to begin with? Why not just stick with an emulator?

Because it's an hdmi nes? Lol

 

[Nategc20]

Well, I mean, if you're going to use a USB to install games on this thing, why bother getting it to begin with? Why not just stick with an emulator?

This for me is more idea then playing on the pc or pi

 

[Fat4all]

Well, I mean, if you're going to use a USB to install games on this thing, why bother getting it to begin with? Why not just stick with an emulator?

People like tinkering around with electronics and seeing what they can do with them.

 

[TangoAlphaLima]

Oh, baby. If they can get the entire NES library on there...

 

[SinCityAssassin]

Playing the crapload of great NES games that the NES Classic doesn't come with? Maybe?

It's more why bother doing that to an NES Classic when you can just use an emulator.

The answer is because you can, of course. Though I'm wondering if all th ebenefits of the Classic's emulation system also affect the added games.

 

[Pathfinder]

One now wonders just how much space the NES Classic has for extra roms and how many you can fit on it...

 

[LewieP]

Pretty neat. I wonder what the limit of number of games/total storage is.

 

[Aeana]

One now wonders just how much space the NES Classic has for extra roms and how many you can fit on it...

You're limited to 60 games due to UI limitations, apparently. I don't know how much space it has, but I assume it has plenty more than it uses due to the consideration of things like save states.

 

[SinCityAssassin]

One now wonders just how much space the NES Classic has for extra roms and how many you can fit on it...

1 GB, 60 games for UI limit.

 

[Keyouta]

While I'm not super interested in the NES Classic, I'll definitely buy a SNES Classic of they release one.

 

[Pathfinder]

You're limited to 60 games due to UI limitations, apparently. I don't know how much space it has, but I assume it has plenty more than it uses due to the consideration of things like save states.

1 GB, 60 games for UI limit.

Just 60? Hmm...

Well, 60 is better than 30.

 

[RockmanBN]

Oh, baby. If they can get the entire NES library on there...

Is it possible to have some sort of search function? It'd suck scrolling through hundreds or thousands of games.

 

[CreeperBlocks]

I wonder if you could delete previous games that were already installed on the system?

 

[MUnited83]

It's more why bother doing that to an NES Classic when you can just use an emulator.

The answer is because you can, of course. Though I'm wondering if all th ebenefits of the Classic's emulation system also affect the added games.

I mean, if you bough a NES Classic, you probably want to play NES games on it, with its controller. Being able to play even more games seems like a good advantage if you own one.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

Well, I mean, if you're going to use a USB to install games on this thing, why bother getting it to begin with? Why not just stick with an emulator?

Why use an emulator if I can buy a box that connects to a TV and comes with a functional UI?

 

[Twilight Princess]

Wow 60 games for only 200 bucks, soooo worth.

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

Just 60? Hmm...

Well, 60 is better than 30.

That would cover just about all the big games and then a handful of personal favorites. You'd probably still have to leave out some enjoyable second-tier stuff but I'm not sure that there are more than 100 NES games that run on more than nostalgia.

 

[Pathfinder]

That would cover just about all the big games and then a handful of personal favorites. You'd probably still have to leave out some enjoyable second-tier stuff but I'm not sure that there are more than 100 NES games that run on more than nostalgia.

This is true.

 

[kswiston]

1 GB, 60 games for UI limit.

I don't know how much of that 1GB is being taken up by the OS, but assuming it's not more than half, you could fit the entire NA library on there if it wasn't for the UI limit.

 

[Matticers]

I already wanted a NES Classic but if this really works without glitches/issues then I want one even more. The 30 games that come with it are nice but then you can add 30 of your personal favorites on top of that? Hell yeah.

I mean, yeah, you can just play on an emulator or something but I'd rather use this NES controller while playing. Plus it's just convenient and pretty easy to unplug and bring into another room or someone's place if you want to for whatever reason.

 

[Voysa Reezun]

This is exciting. I could add old-school TSB and the updated TSB from TSB.org, I could add Nintendo World Cup, I could add Blades of Steel, I could add all the Disney Afternoon cartoon games...

I'll wait to see how it shakes out before I mess with my NES Classic, but this would make it an even better purchase. No need to bust out the old NES and more space in my setup would be wonderful.

 

[Tye The Czar]

Excellent! Now we can play the game that really matters:

 

[SpiceMelange]

Now hackers need to fix the audio lag issue from the emulator and we're golden.

 

[n0razi]

If Nintendo ever blocks this in future revisions, resale on these is going to go through the roof permanently.

Anyone who can be bothered to hack/mod already has the option of just running an emulator on a raspberry pi without any of the drawbacks

 

[amnesiac]

Might as well just get a Raspberry Pi if you're willing to hack the NES Classic.

 

[kaiwing]

I wonder if you could delete previous games that were already installed on the system?

My thoughts exactly! Now to decide what games are worthy of the 60 slots...

 

[Pathfinder]

Now hackers need to fix the audio lag issue from the emulator and we're golden.

Heh, right?

 

[SinCityAssassin]

That fast huh.

Imagine if the Switch is hacked within the first year.

I wouldn't imagine the Switch being as easy to hack, it probably doesn't run on Linux.

 

[deim0s]

Will wait a bit further until the hack matures.

 

[AtomicShroom]

Now hackers need to fix the audio lag issue from the emulator and we're golden.

Wait WHAT!? That thing has audio lag!? And the same team is responsible for the Switch VC!? Uh oh!

Why we're people praising them again???

 

[amnesiac]

Wait WHAT!? That thing has audio lag!? And the same team is responsible for the Switch VC!? Uh oh!

Why we're people praising them again???

Because the emulation is still night and day compared to what Nintendo is doing on the Wii U. (Literally - the Wii U emulators are really dark)

 

[Wolf Akela]

Might as well just get a Raspberry Pi if you're willing to hack the NES Classic.

This. I thougt the point of NES Classic was that it was easy to buy it to play legally licensed games.

 

[The Faceless Master]

1 GB, 60 games for UI limit.

enough space to store every NES game ever made and then some.

 

[mugurumakensei]

Might as well just get a Raspberry Pi if you're willing to hack the NES Classic.

More accurate emulator + easier to set up for initial games + now hardware you already own.

 

[SpiceMelange]

Wait WHAT!? That thing has audio lag!? And the same team is responsible for the Switch VC!? Uh oh!

Why we're people praising them again???

There's also input lag apparently. I say apparently because there's conflicting impressions.

 

[RM8]

Lol at people wondering why anyone would be interested in adding more value to a good quality, nice looking HDMI NES.

Also I hope you can do this with the Famicom Mini, I won't be able to buy a NES Mini anytime soon

 

[TemplaerDude]

I don't understand the point of this.

I've yet to grasp why people would want this thing to begin with, knock yourselves out though.