The classic NES. It brought a whole new generation of video game consoles to market, showing what could be done with the more modern technology that had developed since the previous generation of consoles. Though we in the West missed out on some of the cool features of the Famicom (like Famicom BASIC!) we certainly did get our share of amazing video games. The Legend of Zelda. Super Mario Bros. Metroid. Final Fantasy. Castlevania. So many incredible series got their start on the humble NES. But for us collectors who nurse our old hardware, it can get pricey and difficult to maintain things. Introducing the USB-C Power Mod for the NES. Internally, the NES runs everything on 5 V, so why not supply it that instead of having it generate it with a fairly inefficient supply?
The design here is extremely well-made. It fits in perfectly with the back panel, looking quite natural. Only those who know what they are looking at will realize the anachronistic USB-C connector. Installation does require some desoldering, so make sure to use the right tools. A vacuum desoldering pump is ideal, but a solder sucker can work if you get a decent amount of heat into the board.
The trick is to use a combination attack — a decent soldering iron to apply some fresh solder, a hot air gun to heat up the board and ground plane surrounding the points to be desoldered, and if you have it, a small hot plate to heat the opposite side of the board where needed. The number one cause of damage when desoldering is not getting the area well-soaked in heat. Remember, it doesn’t need to be hotter than your usual soldering temperature, it just takes time for the heat to permeate into the copper and attached components. Hot air is a must for a clean job! The designer, GilTesa, wrote a great installation guide that will walk you through the whole process. They also have a ton of other USB-C mods for various consoles that are worth checking out.
Once complete, the only downside is the RF output will no longer function, though I doubt that is much of a problem for most modern NES owners. There are mods to get even better quality video out, so you might want to take a look around for one of those to install at the same time! Then you can power your NES off of a power bank, and with a small composite monitor that runs off of USB, you could play Final Fantasy at your local park!
