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nintendo_entertainment_system

Nintendo Entertainment System

Every good boy deserves Famicom

Models

Family Computer

ファミリーコンピュータ or ファミコン (Famicom)

PAL Famicom

A PAL version of the Famicom sold in Hong Kong.

Famicom Disk System

Disks are based on Mitsumi’s Quick Disk format. You can use QDs via an adaptor1). Not sure if the data is stored in the same format; Famicom uses a linear layout structure format, so it's like tape.

Sharp C1 / Sharp Nintendo Television

Twin Famicom

Made by Sharp. Single unit incorporating Famicom and the disk drive. Have mono composite out.

Two main versions. Original has that nice curved bump on top, and no power light. Disk drives in these have no write restrictions, so are good if you want to write full games to disks. Revision has turbo-fire on the controllers.

Famiclones

Audio

All the NES waveforms are a bit wonky, but my favourite NES sound is the triangle wave. Nice bassy, airish, 'bah' sounds.

Video

Library

There's nothing like getting a box of brightly coloured Famicom carts in the post.

  • Famicom Games - Details like serial number, cart colour, controller compatibility…

Pirate Carts

Playing ROMs

Flashcarts

Disk

Storage

Regular-sized Famicom carts are about the same size as an audio cassette, so racks and cases made to hold those are great for storage. Note that Famicom carts come in a variety of heights, so drawers and cases won't hold everything unless you lie stuff down, but racks (where carts are held horizontally) should have no problems.

People 3-D print a variety of little racks (sometimes called display stands) on Etsy, and I assume other places like that.

Maintenance

Main issue I've run into is games just needing a clean. First steps is to just try cleaning the connector with some isopropyl alcohol and cotton buds/swabs. If that's not successful and they still look dirty you can use an eraser to try remove whatever junk is on there, but you'll have to open the cartridge to do so.
NES carts are held together with screws, but Famicom carts are held with clips and will need to be pried open. Heat and/or pressure in the right spots help a lot here. Still, sometimes you may end up breaking a plastic clip :(

Trivia

  • Diskun yellow is (CMYK) M30%, Y100%. So Hex #FFB300.

Appearances

Joy Mecha Fight

See Also

1)
Consensus seems to be it's easier and cheaper to rewrite Famicom ones
nintendo_entertainment_system.txt · Last modified: 2024/12/04 12:59 by rjt