If you’re someone who loves retro gaming, you probably know that the NES’ expansion port didn’t see any official upgrades back in the day. Well, here’s some exciting news for owners of the NES-001 model: RetroTime has launched a pre-order for a new gadget called the “NES Hub” via 8BitMods, and it’s equipped with Bluetooth capabilities.
The NES Hub is a nifty little expansion that allows you to use Bluetooth controllers with your NES and offers enhanced audio features. It also has an add-on system, and if you’re interested, there’s an “SNES Add-on” available. This lets you use wired SNES and 15-pin Famicom controllers with your vintage console.
Both the NES Hub and the SNES Add-on are set to hit the shelves in December 2024. The pricing stands at $57.28 for the NES Hub and $26.03 for the SNES Add-on. So, you’ll be shelling out a total of $83.31 before taxes if you want the full experience. With the NES Hub, you can hook up to four Bluetooth controllers all at once. If you’re someone with a modified NES that plays Famicom games, you’ll find that the NES Hub can also enable the Expansion Audio mode for those select Famicom games that offer richer sound capabilities than the usual Famicom or NES games.
For those who might not know, the Famicom, short for “Family Computer,” is actually the original Japanese incarnation of what most know as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It even had some non-gaming online features overseas—think checking stock prices—which put it leaps and bounds ahead of its American counterpart in terms of early online connectivity. Over in the U.S., gamers didn’t see anything similar until the era of the Sega Dreamcast and Microsoft’s Xbox.
Bluetooth, now a staple of modern tech, didn’t become part of console gaming until the Seventh Generation days, starting in 2005 with the likes of the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii. The NES, however, is a product of the third generation, having launched way back in October 1985—fourteen years before Bluetooth even became a thing. So, adding this technology to an original NES console fills the gap and offers an experience more akin to emulation on the Nintendo Virtual Console or a PC.
This kind of upgrade isn’t for everyone, though. It’s definitely a specialized interest and the price reflects that niche market. But if you’re someone who wants to improve your NES controller setup and have a compatible NES-001 model, the NES Hub is likely your best bet.
