The Analogue Nt is a home video game system created and made by Analogue. It is designed to play games from the Nintendo Entertainment System.
History
In March 2014, the system was announced. Analogue started accepting pre-orders for the system on May 5, 2014.
Pre-orders began shipping in June 2015.
A limited run of 10 special edition systems made of 24 karat gold-plated material was produced by April 2016. These systems were available for sale at a price of $4999.
In 2016, Analogue announced a follow-up system called the Nt Mini. This smaller model includes RGB and HDMI output in the base model and uses an FPGA as a processor.
By July 23, 2017, the Analogue Nt had been discontinued.
Hardware
The original Analogue Nt does not use software emulation or an FPGA. Instead, it uses parts from broken Famicom HVC-001 systems. These parts include a Ricoh 2A03 CPU and an NTSC Ricoh 2c02 PPU, which are placed on a custom printed circuit board. A key original chip, the lockout chip used in the NES, was not included in the system. The system is designed to work with games from the NES, Famicom, and Famicom Disk System.
The default model includes video outputs such as RGB, component, S-Video, composite, VGA, and SCART. An extra add-on provides 1080p HDMI output and other digital features.
The Analogue Nt has a solid aluminum unibody case made from 6061 aluminum in China and assembled in the United States. The case can be coated in red, blue, or black for an extra cost. The system measures 1.7 by 9.7 by 5.7 inches (43 mm × 246 mm × 145 mm).
Reception
The Analogue Nt received good reviews, with critics praising how it works with HD TVs, while noting that the system is very expensive. Will Greenwald's PCMag review gave the Analogue Nt a 4/5, saying the images it produces from NES cartridges are "simply the best-looking direct feed I've ever seen." However, he mentioned the price of the console with HDMI output is "tough-to-swallow." Vice praised the Analogue Nt's build quality and video quality, stating, "the Analogue Nt is a gorgeous machine…The Analogue Nt makes NES games look phenomenal." They also noted that NES games may not interest gamers who are not nostalgic for them. CNET.com said, "In an age where retro games just don't look right on modern HDTVs, the Analogue Nt is a magical piece of hardware," while noting, "At $500 the Analogue Nt is obviously not for everyone." Many critics, including Kyle Orland of Ars Technica, pointed out the high price, with Orland saying, "it's hard to recommend to anyone besides the most committed 8-bit retro gaming addict."