Nintendo NES Classic Mini is a smaller replica of Nintendo NES with an HDMI output, and powered by an Allwinner R16 SoC. Nintendo has released a model with the same or similar hardware, but a different case for the Japanese market called Famicom Mini. Those two consoles are pre-loaded with about 30 games, and in theory you can’t add any more games. But as everything with an Allwinner processor, it can be hacked to match your needs, and people have already managed to add games using the micro USB connection and Hakchi2 script. What’s new is that you can now run RetroArch on the consoles, and probably on other Allwinner R16 platform such as the upcoming Banana Pi BPI-M2 Magic board, provided it’s connected to an LCD display.
To achieve that, first you’ll need to install the latest Hakchi 2.12 tool with the procedure, clearly explained (with an older version) on this YouTube video, involving getting a micro USB to USB cable connected between your game console and your computer.
Once this is done, you can go to the next step with the installation of RetroArch mod for hakchi, based on LibreRetro work, and that comes with the following cores:
- fceumm (NES, many mappers, UNIF support)
- nestopia (NES, FDS)
- snes9x2010 (SNES)
- gambatte_libretro (GB, GBC)
- mednafen_gba (GBA)
- genesis_plus_gx (SMS/Genesis/MD)
- mupen64plus (N64)
Watch the video below, if you want to check out how it performs on NES Mini Classic Edition console before trying it on your own device.
Thanks to Harley for the tip.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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