The Big list of all the NES/Famicom Models
When possible model numbers are given.
Japanese Models
The Original Famicom (HVC-001)
Spoiler
The Famicom model number HVC-001, the console that started it all. Came out in 1983 the Family Computer or Famicom was the successor to Nintendo’s Color TV-Game line and took design inspiration from the Game & Watch portable series for the first game pads. The console only supported RF out on Japanese Channels 1 and 2. It had short hard wired game pads and its a very basic and simple console.
http://i.imgur.com/UDg8VyG.png
Famicom AV (HVC-101)
[details=Spoiler]A Redesign for the Famicom, it phases out the RF out for AV (composite) via the Muti-out port, the same multi out that was introduced with the Super Famicom/ Super Nintendo. The NES 101 is based of it’s design.
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Sharp Twin Famicom
[details=Spoiler]An authorized 3rd party console, Sharp made the Twin Famicom under licensed from Nintendo came with a built in Famicom disk system and features both RF and AV video out put. The console features similar hardwired controllers to the HVC-001 Famicom. Comes in various color schemes. The game pads although simular to the HVC-001 game pads had its own style to them.
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Sharp Famicom TV a.k.a. Mai Konpyuta Terebi C1
[details=Spoiler]Another Famicom from Sharp, this time the console is built into a Sharp Television. The console uses the 2C03 PPU which naively supports RGB output at cost of some compatibility and color limitations with games.
This is the console of choice for many magazines form screen captures (which was done by photographing the actual screen). The Sharp Famicom TV C1 came in 14 inch and 19 inch models, both versions came in Red and Black. The system had one of the TWO authorized FAMICOM multi-carts a cut down versions of Donkey Kong Jr. and Donkey Kong Jr. no Sansuu Asobi (Donkey Kong Jr Math).
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FamicomBox (hotel model)
[details=Spoiler]Used primarily in hotels in Japan, strangely the system took and accepted the US version of the game pads and had two 2nd player controller ports to accommodate for the US version of the Zapper. The Carts locked inside (with a key) were also a variation of the US NES carts (black plastic) rather than the 60 pin Famicom Carts. The side of the machine has an access panel for a coin mech for pay-to-play.
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Sharp Famicom Titler
[details=Spoiler]Last of the Many Sharp made Famicoms, this is a hybrid Famicom and video screen titler in which people can add their own subtitles to their own video. The system accepted RF, Composite and S-video input. The system has a unique PPU with can support RGB out without the color pallet issues so the unit is compatible with all games. The Console can be easily modified for RGB video output, one of the few Famicom consoles to do so.
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Famicom Floppy Disk writer Kiosk
[details=Spoiler] It’s not known to me at this time if this system is built on actual famicom hardware or is just compatible with famicom floppy disks. But its worth mentioning anyways. This is a store Kiosk where you can buy or rewrite (with another game) Fmaicom disk games, these Kiosk were in service till 2003. At some versions of the Kiosk you had the option to “fax” your high scores to Nintendo to be part of the national leader boards decades before online gaming became viable.
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US/European Models
Nintendo Entertaiment System (NES-001) (Front loader)
[details=Spoiler]Released in 1985 this is the console that got the video game industry jump started and back to it’s feet after the Big video game market crash of the 1980s. The console most people around the world is the most familiar with.
Nintendo took the extra effort for the NES to resemble a piece of home entertainment system hardware and nothing like the game consoles that came before it opting for the console to superficially resemble a VCR. Unlike it’s Japanese sibling the NES 001 supported RF and AV (mono) video out.
Along with the original Deluxe bundle the console came with a NES Zapper, the R.O.B. robot accessory and 2 (separate) pack in game carts, Gyromite and Duck Hunt. Super Mario Bros was not a pack in until months later. It was not till 1988 the Action set bundle was released with Super Mario Bros and Duck Hunt being in a Multi cart. The console design had some serious system flaws which was the cart insertion mechanism and the ZIF pins breaking and corroding easily, and has the pins loose connection the NES10 lockout chip in the cart can’t communicate with the consoles counter part causing the “Blinking Light” issues. The console came in NTSC, PAL and SÉCAM analog TV formats.
Korean version of the NES, the Comboy made by Hyundai as to get around the restrictions of Japanese products in South Korea. Except for being made by Hyundai the Comboy is identical to the US NES version of the console.
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Nintendo Entertaiment System a.k.a. NES 2 (NES-101) (Top Loader)
[details=Spoiler]Coming out after the SNES (Super Nintendo) was release to cut down on the cost of NES manufacturing and to fix some serious system flaws. Unfortunately as Nintendo got rid of the RCA AV connectors the NES 101 console only had RF and had worst picture quality then the eariler NES 001. At the time the few people that complain to Nintendo and sent their console for repairs came back with instead of a RF connector came with a Multi-out connector (Similar to the Famicom AV) and their is a very few US versions of this console that has this. It is possible to mod the console for AV Out, and when modded correctly had superior video quality than the NES 001.
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Sharp NES TV A.K.A. C1 NES TV
[details=Spoiler]The US version of the The Sharp Famicom TV C1, it does not have a RGB PPU instead having the exact same hardware specs as the NES 001, it even uses the exact same cart loading mechanism the NES 001 used.
Still the console had superior video quality to all the other consoles out there even the AV modded NES 101(except for it’s Japaneses cousin which used RGB) as its composite video was a heavily shielded and direction connection to the TV. Unlike the Japanese version it only came in 19 inches and came in black. The console even had it’s own matching version of the game pad.
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M82 Retail Kiosk demo console
[details=Spoiler]The version of the NES used for store Displays, it does not use the same mech as the front loading NES 001. It does have multiple cat slots so that people can change games with a selection button. The system sports 2 player 2 controller ports so that the 2nd player game pad and NES zapper can be plugged in. The console does have a timer that automatically resets the console after a set period of time, not making it suitable for home play.
http://i.imgur.com/lkSl42w.jpg
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Nintendo NES Test Station
[details=Spoiler]A variation of the NES 001 hardware without the typical frontloader mech. It also has a internal cart famicom style that holds NES test station programs. Selection of the regular game slot or the test programs was done with a turn knob,
The test station can test game carts, controllers, (NES 001) AC adapters, the Nintendo RF switch and RCA cables. The system was often bundled with a compatible monitor and can play NES titles normally. It’s unknown if the internal famicom cart would play real famicom games.
http://i.imgur.com/I2PyU4V.jpg
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Nintendo NES Counter Tester (based on the NES 101 hardware)
[details=Spoiler]A variation of the Test station, this version unlike the original Test Station houses a full NES 101 motherboard with added AV capabilities.
It lacked a built in test cart, instead for peripheral devices has a light for pass or fail.
http://i.imgur.com/vLdfLMY.jpg
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IC Chip Tester (basically moddiffied NES 001)
[details=Spoiler]A Nintendo made modified NES 001 with a factory cut out. All the various chips are socketed, one of the Work Ram is in its own ZIF socket. This was made excursively to gets chips from a NES or Famicom.
The repair technician would have to unsolder chips from problematic consoles and insert them into the test unit to see if they worked. The technician can also install a socket in the console to be repaired to see if known good chips (most likelt from the IC chip tester or extra stock) would be a optimal repair or not.
http://i.imgur.com/BxVVj74.jpg
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Nintendo Advanced Video System
This is a Unrelased prototype that made the NES similar to computer systems like the Commodore 64. Would have came with a keyboard, a cassette tape recorder (for saving programs) and a cart loaded with BASIC.
A Keyboard, Cassette recorder and BASIC cart did get released for the Famicom.
Arcade Hardware (Mentioned mostly because of hardware similarities)
Both hardware used “carts” to swap the games in the Arcade Cabinet and various versions of both systems were made.
Vs System (Arcade)
Came out right after the NES, it uses similar hardware and it’s game roms are semi-compatible with NES hardware. Although the game code needs some modification and to address the lack of coin input on the home console.
It uses a different PPU with a different color pallet so games are not cross compatible without modification. Emulators often assign Coin to a key on the keyboard or a button on a game pad. The system featured early but harder versions of NES games denoted with a VS infront of it’s game.
Play Choice 10 (Arcade)
Another Arcade hardware based on the NES/Famicom hardware, this time their are a wider selection of titles to choose from, all are nearly identical to their home counterparts in game play. With the right adapter kit the PlayChoice hardware could run real NES or Famicom game carts. The Play Choice 10 is often the target for modders who sacrificed the board for it’s RGB PPU. See RGB Mods section for more info about this.
Remanufactured consoles (3rd party)
These are NES consoles that are rebuilt from the ground up keeping the original CPU and PPU but the rest of the consoles hardware new designed hardware.
Super 8 by low_budget http://www.lowbudgetify.com
[details=Spoiler]Available as both a DIY kit as well as prebuilt console. The Super 8 was the first complete redesign of the NES/Famicom in decades. There been many revisions since its debut in 2012. Newer kits and consoles feature both NES and Famicom cart connectors. The Super 8 features improved audio sound with “stereo” mixing, compatible with expansion Famicom sound from both cart slots (the NES slot takes advantage of the Power Pak and Everdrive N8 delivering Expansion sound) direct interface with Viletim’s NESRGB board, As of version 3.0 the console also includes a Mic port for Famicom games that require a microphone. Fully built consoles are currently $479.00 US.
http://i.imgur.com/iYMnnoE.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/1xCUilO.jpg
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Analogue Nt By Analogue Interactive http://www.analogueinteractive.com/products/analogue-nt-information
[details=Spoiler]A design by Analogue Interactive famous for their Consolized Neo Geo MVS systems (and matching wooden Arcade controllers).
The Analogue NT takes inspiration from Low Budget’s Super 8 by rebuilding the hardware from the ground up using the original CPU and PPU. Including many of the improvements Low Budget has on his kit. Unlike the Super 8 The Analogue NT comes with a built in 4 Player adapter.
The system comes with ether Viletim’s NESRGB or for a extra charge Kevtris Hi-Def NES HDMI.
http://i.imgur.com/XF3AbiV.jpg
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Notable Hardware clones
The Micro Genius ( Taiwan )
Please note: most hardware clones are of the NTSC console and not the PAL console so many clone consoles will not display or play PAL titles correctly, even if the console is designed to output PAL video.
Spoiler
The Famicom clone found in Asian and European PAL territories where Nintendo did not have a presence. The Micro Genius came out right after the Famicom did, taking the strengths of both the Japanese Famicom and US NES. Some reason many of the the Micro Genius is NTSC specs console forced into PAL standards which many cases a drop in screen quality.
http://i.imgur.com/LKQ9SO3.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/h1h2h6N.jpg
This includes the Dendy marketed in Russia and Central Europe, it very popular in Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 90s. It did have competition from other companies also making Famicom clones.
http://i.imgur.com/6BCjvIF.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/rA3Uaoc.jpg
and the Pegasus (not to be confused with the Power Pegasus 16-bit which is a clone of the Sega Mega Drive) , marketed in Central and Eastern Europe
http://i.imgur.com/0Vg1krU.jpg
“NES-on-a-chip” a.k.a. “NOAC”
[details=Spoiler]Avoid these if possible, these are often built very cheaply and have terrible build quality. There are a thousand one one of these built can be cheaply found in flea markets around the world. Often sporting inferior sound, color pallet issues and incompatibility with certain titles (like early PC NES emulators).
May or may not include pack in games or even built in games. Notifiable examples include consoles from Yobo, Hyperkin, Retrobit, later Micro Genius clones, and various others, Some even come in inappropriate packaging making the console look like a Sega Genesis, N64, Sony PlayStation. Also most hand held versions of NES/Famicom clones are a “NES-on-a-chip”.
Unlike the Micro Genius and other early clones, instead of reverse engineering or sourcing the actual CPU and PPU the “NES-on-a-Chip” has most of the hardware in one integrated chip.
example of a cheap NOAC
http://i.imgur.com/Onpk8DY.jpg
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"The FPGA NES"
Unlike the “NES-on-a-chip” who tries just to get buy, the FPGA NES tries to actually emulate the real hardware, producing closer to original hardware performance for NES and Famicom games.
Notable individuals who built their own FGPA NES Brent Allen and Dan Strother, Kevin Horton (Kevtris), and Jonathon Donaldson.
