Nintendo said it couldn't be done, but that hasn't stopped a few technically minded people from trying to hack the Nintendo NES Classic Edition. Now, not even 2 months after the release of the mini console that shipped with 30 classic NES games, hackers have managed to expand the games library to 60 games.
The video below was uploaded to YouTube on January 5 and shows off the Nintendo NES Classic Edition running games that didn't come with the console.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2c5JLHl56g
The YouTube channel also has a step by step guide of how to softmod the console yourself without having to mod the physical console.
According to an article on Digital Trends, some hackers were able to install Ubuntu, making use of the NES Classic Edition's Linux kernel that came preinstalled with the console (a guide on how to do that can be found here).
The ‘hack’ was first carried out by using a serial-to-USB cable to connect his PC to the motherboard within the Famicom Mini, which is a Japanese version of the NES Classic Edition console that sports an identical motherboard. Using the U-Boot loader, he then grabbed files from the console’s operating system via FEL mode that would be required to run his custom Linux kernel on Nintendo’s hardware.A Japanese hacker managed to configure the console so it recognizes SD cards, which could pave the way for an almost infinite amount of possibilities for the 60 dollar console. You can find out more about that by going here (page is in Japanese).
The Nintendo NES Classic Edition released in November of 2016, with the small console becoming one of the most sought after gifts during the Christmas period in its native Japan (as the Famicom Classic), and supply in other parts of the world failing to meet demand.
What do you think of this news? Have you tried tinkering with the device's OS? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section down below!
