FAQ
What modded consoles do you sell?
We specialize in high-quality mods for retro Nintendo consoles including the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Super Nintendo (SNES), Nintendo 64 (N64), GameCube, Wii, Game Boy, and Game Boy Advance (GBA). Occasionally you might find some Sega Genesis and Sony Playstation 1 consoles in our shop as well.
Can I send you my old console to mod?
No, we do not do mail-in mods at this time. Especially if it's your childhood console, our recommendation is keep your nostalgic artifact unmodded to preserve its original appearance and functionality (and avoid any potential damage in shipping). Buy a new modded console that you can use as your daily driver and keep that baby safe.
Do your products have a warranty?
Yes, we 100% guarantee our pre-built and custom consoles! If you notice any issues with your console, let us know and we will fix it free of charge within one year of purchase. Within the first 30 days, we'll even cover the round trip return shipping. If you run into any issues beyond the one year mark, we're still happy to perform repairs for a reasonable fee.
What is your refund policy?
Custom consoles are built to order, and cannot be returned due to change of mind. However we do have a full guarantee (see above). So if you run into any issues, we'll work hard to debug or repair/replace damaged consoles if neccessary.
Where do you ship?
We ship anywhere in the United States from our NYC workshop. Packages are shipped fully insured via USPS or UPS, and generally require a signature for delivery. If you are ordering from another country, send us a note and we'll see if we can acccomdate you.
Do you have a physical store?
No, we sell exclusively online.
If I only have the space/money/time for one console, which one should I buy?
Probably the one you grew up with! But if you want the ability to play multiple generations on a single system, the Wii RVL-001 is your best bet. It natively supports Wii and GameCube, along with many NES/SNES/N64 games via the Virtual Console.
What cables/adapters do you recommend for modern HDTVs?
Not necessarily, the above options are all plug-and-play and will output at least 480p (up to 1440p in case of the N64 internal mod). If you want the absolute best picture, an upscaler like the RetroTINK-5X (1440p) or RetroTINK-4K (4K) can be added to your setup down the road to improve resolution and provide additional features like scanline options. It can also be used to upscale RGB-modded consoles for HDMI displays via SCART.
For a budget option, the mClassic can also scale up HDMI sources to 1440p.
What cables/adapters do you recommend for retro CRTs?
We highly recommend Component (YPbPr) cables (green/blue/red plugs) for the best possible picture if your TV supports it:
I want to do more research before buying, where can I start?
Visit RetroRGB for the essentials, search videos on YouTube, or get in touch with questions.
This all seems pretty complicated, should I just buy one of those mini classic editions (or other emulator)?
Sure, retro consoles might not be everyone's cup of tea! Devices like the NES Classic Edition or Nintendo Switch Online offer built-in HDMI and are great little devices to scratch the retro gaming itch via emulation. If you're on the fence, try those options first and if you're still hungry, come back and visit us for more authentic nostalgia.
How do I keep my console clean and running like new?
When buying from 8bit.shop, all included consoles/controllers/games are carefully cleaned and tested. For cartridge-based systems, the console’s internal pins will be cleaned and re-tensioned. When buying or using other games (especially from yard sales or second hand shops), take care in cleaning your cartridges *before* testing them in your console. Dust and gunk inside old games could make the internal pins dirty and that will make your console unhappy.
By default PixelFX Retro GEM supports up to 720p output. To unlock 1440p output as well as extra deinterlacer/scaler features, you can upgrade the software to Shiny edition over wifi for $80: https://www.pixelfx.co/retro-gem-shiny-upgrade
Where can I download software updates for my N64/GameCube/Wii/etc?
Yes, of course :)
We specialize in high-quality mods for retro Nintendo consoles including the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Super Nintendo (SNES), Nintendo 64 (N64), GameCube, Wii, Game Boy, and Game Boy Advance (GBA). Occasionally you might find some Sega Genesis and Sony Playstation 1 consoles in our shop as well.
Can I send you my old console to mod?
No, we do not do mail-in mods at this time. Especially if it's your childhood console, our recommendation is keep your nostalgic artifact unmodded to preserve its original appearance and functionality (and avoid any potential damage in shipping). Buy a new modded console that you can use as your daily driver and keep that baby safe.
Do your products have a warranty?
Yes, we 100% guarantee our pre-built and custom consoles! If you notice any issues with your console, let us know and we will fix it free of charge within one year of purchase. Within the first 30 days, we'll even cover the round trip return shipping. If you run into any issues beyond the one year mark, we're still happy to perform repairs for a reasonable fee.
What is your refund policy?
Custom consoles are built to order, and cannot be returned due to change of mind. However we do have a full guarantee (see above). So if you run into any issues, we'll work hard to debug or repair/replace damaged consoles if neccessary.
Where do you ship?
We ship anywhere in the United States from our NYC workshop. Packages are shipped fully insured via USPS or UPS, and generally require a signature for delivery. If you are ordering from another country, send us a note and we'll see if we can acccomdate you.
Do you have a physical store?
No, we sell exclusively online.
If I only have the space/money/time for one console, which one should I buy?
Probably the one you grew up with! But if you want the ability to play multiple generations on a single system, the Wii RVL-001 is your best bet. It natively supports Wii and GameCube, along with many NES/SNES/N64 games via the Virtual Console.
What cables/adapters do you recommend for modern HDTVs?
- Wii: internal HDMI ideal, otherwise Electron Shepherd (or budget option)
- GameCube: Retro-Bit Prism HDMI Adapter (or budget option)
- N64: internal HDMI ideal, or see below if RGB-modded
- All other Nintendo RGB-modded consoles: RAD2X (or budget option)
Not necessarily, the above options are all plug-and-play and will output at least 480p (up to 1440p in case of the N64 internal mod). If you want the absolute best picture, an upscaler like the RetroTINK-5X (1440p) or RetroTINK-4K (4K) can be added to your setup down the road to improve resolution and provide additional features like scanline options. It can also be used to upscale RGB-modded consoles for HDMI displays via SCART.
For a budget option, the mClassic can also scale up HDMI sources to 1440p.
What cables/adapters do you recommend for retro CRTs?
We highly recommend Component (YPbPr) cables (green/blue/red plugs) for the best possible picture if your TV supports it:
- Wii: HD Retrovision Component Cable
- GameCube: Retro-Bit Prism Component Cable (or budget option)
- All other Nintendo RGB-modded consoles: HD Retrovision Component Cables
I want to do more research before buying, where can I start?
Visit RetroRGB for the essentials, search videos on YouTube, or get in touch with questions.
This all seems pretty complicated, should I just buy one of those mini classic editions (or other emulator)?
Sure, retro consoles might not be everyone's cup of tea! Devices like the NES Classic Edition or Nintendo Switch Online offer built-in HDMI and are great little devices to scratch the retro gaming itch via emulation. If you're on the fence, try those options first and if you're still hungry, come back and visit us for more authentic nostalgia.
How do I keep my console clean and running like new?
When buying from 8bit.shop, all included consoles/controllers/games are carefully cleaned and tested. For cartridge-based systems, the console’s internal pins will be cleaned and re-tensioned. When buying or using other games (especially from yard sales or second hand shops), take care in cleaning your cartridges *before* testing them in your console. Dust and gunk inside old games could make the internal pins dirty and that will make your console unhappy.
- Cartridge games: we strongly recommend picking up some 1UP cards which come in various sizes. In a pinch, Q-tips and 99% isopropyl alcohol can also do the trick. This is a much better idea than blowing on your cartridges :)
- Console pins: if the internal pins get dirty over time, you can also pick up some 1UP cleaning cartridges for the console itself. In a pinch, you can try repeatedly inserting a clean game a few times. Blowing out dust with some compressed air can also help.
- Clear console shells: to keep your clear console looking shiny and new, we recommend dusting with compressed air (or an electric air duster). To polish or remove fingerprints, spray a small amount of Pledge onto the included eyeglass lens cloth and use gentle/light pressure only. Make sure to use a *clean* lens cloth, and avoid paper towel or textured microfiber as this can be abrasive.
By default PixelFX Retro GEM supports up to 720p output. To unlock 1440p output as well as extra deinterlacer/scaler features, you can upgrade the software to Shiny edition over wifi for $80: https://www.pixelfx.co/retro-gem-shiny-upgrade
- PixelFX Retro Gem (N64/etc): https://firmware.pixelfx.co
- Swiss (GameCube): https://github.com/emukidid/swiss-gc/releases
- PicoBoot (GameCube): https://github.com/webhdx/PicoBoot/releases
- GC Loader (GameCube): https://gc-loader.com/firmware-updates-hw2/
- USB Loader GX (Wii): https://github.com/wiidev/usbloadergx/releases
- WiiFlow Lite (Wii): https://github.com/Fledge68/WiiFlow_Lite/releases
- BlueRetro recievers: https://darthcloud.itch.io/blueretro
- EverDrive flashcarts: https://krikzz.com/pub/support/
- EZ-Flash carts: https://www.ezflash.cn/download/
Yes, of course :)