Analogue’s Super Nt+ and Mega Sg+ Add Wireless Controllers

Analogue has announced updated versions of two of its most popular retro consoles: the Super Nt+ and the Mega Sg+. These follow-ups to the original Super Nt (2018) and Mega Sg (2019) keep the same core idea of faithfully reproducing 16-bit hardware, but add modern conveniences, most notably wireless controller support. Both consoles are priced at $220 and are set to ship in December.

FPGA, not emulation

Like their predecessors, the Super Nt+ and Mega Sg+ are built around FPGA (field-programmable gate array) chips rather than software emulation. Instead of mimicking a Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis in code, the FPGA is configured to behave like the original hardware at a circuit level. The practical upshot is lag-free gameplay on a modern TV with none of the input delay or compatibility quirks that can show up in emulators.

The tradeoff is that these are not ROM machines. You still need your own physical cartridges to play anything, which makes the experience closer to plugging a turntable into a modern receiver than firing up a retro game on a phone or PC. If your SNES and Genesis library is long gone, these consoles won’t help you get it back cheaply.

What’s actually new this time

The headline upgrade is wireless support. Both the Super Nt+ and Mega Sg+ now include built-in Bluetooth and 2.4GHz radios, along with a dedicated pairing button for gamepads. You can also power the console on and off directly from your primary controller. Wired controllers still work if you’d rather skip pairing altogether.

Neither console comes with a controller in the box, so that’s an extra cost to factor in. Analogue specifically calls out 8BitDo’s retro-styled M30 and SN30 pads, built to match the Genesis and SNES look, at $30 each. Beyond wireless, the new models add USB-C power, a USB-A port that can be used for CRT connections or charging a controller, and an SD card slot. There’s also a redesigned case, a new onboard OS, and the ability to swap cartridges without powering the system down, a small but genuinely useful change from the original hardware’s reboot-on-swap behavior.

Compatibility and limits

Analogue says each console plays more than 2,200 games and is region-free, meaning imported cartridges should work without modification. The Mega Sg+ keeps its Sega CD connector and still ships with a Master System adapter, so owners of either console’s broader library have a path to play those games too.

Video output tops out at 1080p. There’s no 4K support here, which is worth noting if you’re building around a newer TV and expecting the sharpest possible output. For most SNES and Genesis games, originally designed for standard-definition CRTs, 1080p upscaling is already a significant step up, but buyers chasing 4K throughput elsewhere should know this isn’t that kind of product.

Pricing and availability

Pre-orders for the Super Nt+ and Mega Sg+ open on Analogue’s website on Monday, October 19, at 8AM PT. Each console is $220, before any controller purchases. Shipping is expected to begin in December, so buyers ordering at launch shouldn’t expect units in hand immediately.

The bottom line

The Super Nt+ and Mega Sg+ are iterative rather than reinventive: the core FPGA approach that made the originals appealing to purists hasn’t changed, and you’ll still need real cartridges to get any use out of either box. What’s new is mostly about convenience, wireless controllers, hot-swappable cartridges, USB-C power, and those additions make sense for anyone who already found the previous models a little clunky to live with day to day. If you’ve held onto a stack of SNES or Genesis carts and want the cleanest possible way to play them on a modern TV without hunting for ROMs, these are worth watching for come their December shipping window.

Sources: Engadget, The Verge