6 layers100 × 100 mm
4 layers100 × 110 mm
Nes dev cart
nesos-dev/nes-dev-cart8NES-DEV-CART: Open-source FPGA development cartridge for the Nintendo Entertainment System
- Size
- 100 × 110 mm
- Copper layers
- 4
- Thickness
- 1.6 mm
- Parts
- 42
- Nets
- 157
- Pads
- 562
- Tracks, vias
- 1,853, 360
- Pours
- 3
- Routed
- Yes
- KiCad
- KiCad 10.0 (file 20260206)
- Created
- 1 Jun 2026
- Updated
- 2 Jun 2026
Overview
Nes dev cart is an open-source printed circuit board by nesos-dev, from the nesos-dev/nes-dev-cart repository on GitHub, published under the GPL-3.0 licence. It is a 4-layer board of 100 × 110 mm with 42 parts on 157 nets, routed with 1,853 tracks and 360 vias.
It is built around the 74ALVC164245DL and FT2232HL. Its parts include 20 capacitors, 6 ICs, 6 connectors, 5 resistors and 2 diodes. It belongs with the retro computing and games and fPGA and programmable logic boards of this library.
Main components
2README
README.mdNES-DEV-CART
Open-source FPGA development cartridge for the Nintendo Entertainment System. v4.1 — now with 8MB onboard PSRAM.
Plugs into a real NES. Programs over USB-C. Debug via UART. Full NES bus access. 39 SMT components, professionally assembled.
What Is It
NES-DEV-CART is a cartridge-shaped PCB that replaces the ROM chip with a modern FPGA. It gives your FPGA bidirectional access to every signal on the NES 72-pin cartridge connector — CPU bus, PPU bus, CIC, expansion port — all level-shifted between 5V and 3.3V.
An onboard FT2232HL provides USB-C JTAG programming and UART debug console. No external programmer needed.
Specs
| FPGA | Sipeed Tang Primer 25K (Gowin GW5A-25, 25K LUTs) |
| ROM Storage | 8MB SPI PSRAM |
| USB | FT2232HL — Ch.A: JTAG, Ch.B: UART debug |
| Level Shifting | 4x 74ALVC164245DGG (bidirectional 5V-3.3V) |
| NES Signals | CPU A0-A14, D0-D7, PPU A0-A13, D0-D7, CIC, IRQ, EXP |
| PCB | 4-layer, 1.6mm, ENIG, gold fingers, L-shaped |
| Connector | 72-pin NES edge connector (30-degree bevel) |
| FPGA Connection | 2x DF40C-60DS 0.4mm B2B connectors |
What You Can Build
- Homebrew games — test on real hardware, not emulators
- Custom mappers — design mapper chips in Verilog that never existed
- Flash cartridge — load ROMs from USB, run on real NES
- Bus analyzer — sniff CPU/PPU traffic in real time via UART
- Expansion audio — VRC6, Sunsoft 5B style audio hardware
- Hardware research — study NES bus behavior at the signal level
Repository Structure
hardware/
├── nes-dev-cart.kicad_pcb KiCad PCB layout
├── nes-dev-cart.kicad_sch KiCad schematic
├── nes-dev-cart.kicad_pro KiCad project
├── footprints/ Custom footprint libraries
├── shell/ Cart shell STL files (front/back)
└── production/
├── nes-dev-cart-gerbers.zip Fabrication-ready gerbers
├── nes-dev-cart-bom.csv BOM with LCSC part numbers
├── nes-dev-cart-cpl-jlcpcb.csv Component placement list
├── README-assembly.md Assembly instructions
├── nes-dev-cart-render-*.png Board renders (top/bottom)
└── gerbers/ Individual gerber files
website/ Product website (nesos.dev)
├── index.html
├── style.css
└── success.htmlOrdering PCBs
Upload hardware/production/nes-dev-cart-gerbers.zip to JLCPCB:
- Layers: 4
- Thickness: 1.6mm
- Surface finish: ENIG
- Gold fingers: Yes, 30-degree bevel
- Assembly: Both sides (DF40 connectors on bottom)
Upload nes-dev-cart-bom.csv and nes-dev-cart-cpl-jlcpcb.csv for SMT assembly. See production/README-assembly.md for details.
Requirements
- NES front-loader console (NES-001)
- Sipeed Tang Primer 25K module
- USB-C cable
- Gowin IDE or Yosys/nextpnr for FPGA development
License
Hardware: GPL-3.0
NES-DEV-CART is an independent project not affiliated with or endorsed by Nintendo.
Links
- Website: https://nesos.dev
Parts
42| Qty | Value | Footprint | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 100nF | Capacitor_SMD:C_0805_2012Metric | C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8, C11, C12, C13, C14, C16, C18, C19 |
| 4 | 74ALVC164245 | Package_SO:TSSOP-48_6.1x12.5mm_P0.5mm | U1, U2, U3, U4 |
| 2 | 27pF | Capacitor_SMD:C_0805_2012Metric | C9, C10 |
| 2 | 4.7uF | Capacitor_SMD:C_0805_2012Metric | C15, C17 |
| 2 | 5.1k | Resistor_SMD:R_0805_2012Metric | R3, R4 |
| 2 | DF40C-60DS | DF40C-60DS | J2, J3 |
| 1 | 10k | Resistor_SMD:R_0805_2012Metric | R2 |
| 1 | 10uF | Capacitor_SMD:C_0805_2012Metric | C20 |
| 1 | 12MHz | Crystal:Crystal_SMD_3225-4Pin_3.2x2.5mm | Y1 |
| 1 | 1N5817 | Diode_SMD:D_SOD-123 | D2 |
| 1 | 2.2k | Resistor_SMD:R_0805_2012Metric | R1 |
| 1 | 330 | Resistor_SMD:R_0805_2012Metric | R5 |
| 1 | APS6404L | Package_SO:SOIC-8_3.9x4.9mm_P1.27mm | U6 |
| 1 | EXPANSION | Connector_PinHeader_2.54mm:PinHeader_2x05_P2.54mm_Vertical | J6 |
| 1 | FT2232HL | Package_QFP:LQFP-64_10x10mm_P0.5mm | U5 |
| 1 | Ferrite | Inductor_SMD:L_0805_2012Metric | FB1 |
| 1 | JTAG | Connector_PinHeader_2.54mm:PinHeader_2x05_P2.54mm_Vertical | J5 |
| 1 | LED | LED_SMD:LED_0805_2012Metric | D1 |
| 1 | NES_72Pin | NES_72Pin_CardEdge | J1 |
| 1 | RESET | Button_Switch_SMD:SW_SPST_PTS645Sx43SMTR92 | SW1 |
| 1 | USB_C | Connector_USB:USB_C_Receptacle_HRO_TYPE-C-31-M-12 | J4 |
Questions
How big is the Nes dev cart PCB?
It measures 100 × 110 mm and has 4 copper layers, 1.6 mm thick.
What parts does the Nes dev cart use?
42 parts, built around the 74ALVC164245DL and FT2232HL. The full list of its parts is on this page, with links to each part's symbol and footprint where PCBKit's library has them.
Where can I download the Nes dev cart KiCad files?
From the nesos-dev/nes-dev-cart repository on GitHub, at the commit this page was made from: the board is hardware/nes-dev-cart.kicad_pcb and its schematic hardware/nes-dev-cart.kicad_sch. PCBKit opens the board in the browser, with nothing to install.
Can I use the Nes dev cart design in my own project?
Its repository publishes it under the GPL-3.0 licence: you may reuse it on that licence's terms (keep the author's notice, and for a copyleft licence share your changes alike).
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