TheBestUserName

I tried doing this in a Dreamcast, but in spite of my research, it turned out to be extraordinarily difficult.  So I abandoned that enclosure and bought a broken NES console from eBay. 
 
It is 98% physically complete (see very last comment in this post) and it is 100% functional.  It boots and works great. 
 
Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157687
Memory: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820232301
Power supply/brick and converter:  http://www.mini-box.com/picoPSU-150-XT-102-power-kit
CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1N83U90919&cm_re=g4500-_-19-117-624-_-Product
I bought the CPU used on eBay for $45. 
 
It has a 256GB Samsung SSD, and a 750GB HDD that is nearly full with NES, SNES, Genesis, GameCube, PSP, and Wii roms and emulators. Although I probably won't use it for Wii because I have a perfectly functional Wii console with its own USB HDD. 
 
It has Windows 10, and it's set up with the Launchbox front-end with the Big Box setting autoloading.  
 
 
NES with the top off. 

 
I started cutting off posts with my rotary tool. 

 
I cut the power switch leads off a really old case that I'm not using any more. I used the original solder beads to attach the cable. It's not pretty, but it works.  
I also cut off half of the circuit board that the original Power and Reset switch used to operate.  It's not necessary for a momentary switch to turn on a computer, so it's harmless. 

 
 
I had to cut the circuit board to make room for the motherboard mount.  The bottom nuts are held in place with a small dab of superglue. 

 
 
The motherboard is only on three legs. The front right mounting hole (to the right of the power button) would have gone directly through the NES foot. 

 
I drilled and enlarged three holes in the back for the Wifi antenna and power port. Each connector is threaded and has a nut and locking washer under it.  The power cable's connector doesn't thread onto the socket, but the Wifi antennas do. 

 
Cleaned up and sanded the cuts a bit.

 
I don't really have any incremental shots showing the parts going in one at a time, but it's basically like building any other PC.  The only difference is adding a nut onto each bolt to vertically secure the motherboard.  I tried to run the cables as tidy as I could. 

 
 
Another top shot to help see. 

 

 
 
There's actually a really decent amount of space in there. The power button is functional, but the reset button had to go. If you scroll up you'll see why. I super glued the external parts to the case.  This doesn't bother me, my S340 [case] gaming PC doesn't have a reset button either.  I don't like or use them. 

 
 
The stains came that way from the eBay seller, but I did wash it. I'll probably try again later. 
The back port cut-out is bigger than it needed to be because of the adjustments I had to make as I was sizing and fitting the location.  But, it's really not all that terrible.  I'm happy with it. 

 
 
The only thing I have left to do is to get a shorter USB 3 header cable so that I can replace the two front controller ports with USB ports. I already have a cable, but it's twice as long as I need it to be.  And any one that has built a PC knows that USB 3 header cables are pretty rigid. This will be a cheap and easy step. 

I've always like Catapult King and Sky Force 2. 
 
Xcom: Enemy Within is $3 now.  It's a port of the full PC version.   The bigger the screen the better for that one, though.  
 
All three are worth the download... especially the first two because, well, they're free. 
 
 

1. Which console you should keep is no one else's decision but your own.  Which games you have, which games you want to play, and what hardware you can afford is all up to you. 
 
2. Never trade in hardware to Gamestop. It's no secret that they re-sell what they buy, and it's equally no secret that they're a business and are in it for the money.  You won't get street value for it.  It's exactly the same as trading in a car for a new one or selling it on the street.  Simplicity versus value. 
 
3. Between eBay and PayPal double-dipping (they're the same company) you for fees, you'll loose approximately 12.9% in your TOTAL sale price.  Item price plus shipping. Consider that when you're decided where to sell it.  
Source: I sell plenty of thing on eBay.

Lite Switch.
You know it'll happen... because it has to.  

1. Which console you should keep is no one else's decision but your own.  Which games you have, which games you want to play, and what hardware you can afford is all up to you. 
 
2. Never trade in hardware to Gamestop. It's no secret that they re-sell what they buy, and it's equally no secret that they're a business and are in it for the money.  You won't get street value for it.  It's exactly the same as trading in a car for a new one or selling it on the street.  Simplicity versus value. 
 
3. Between eBay and PayPal double-dipping (they're the same company) you for fees, you'll loose approximately 12.9% in your TOTAL sale price.  Item price plus shipping. Consider that when you're decided where to sell it.  
Source: I sell plenty of thing on eBay.

Ya I have mixed feelings I guess. 
 
I suppose pre-launch I just wish they'd focus on other games, too. This console needs it. I feel like they've been the party-game-console for long enough.  They can be that *too* but if they want to push more sales they should appeal to other types of gamers as well. 

For real... back when DVDs were relevant. 

Favorite console game?  That'd be either Super Mario Land on the original GameBoy, or Eternal Champions on Sega Genesis. 
 

 
 
I also played BBS games a lot when I was younger.  My favorite was Trade Wars.  Text based.  Man it was fun.
 

Why does any one else know what you want?  If there are games you want to play, then buy the damn thing. If there aren't any games you want to play YET, then don't buy it yet. Why is that so complicated? 

My god. Stop splitting hairs.  He's just asking how to capture game play. 
 
What hardware do you have?  You obviously have to plug it into something that can record.  What do you plan or want to use? 
 
 

I do want the console, I'm just skeptical about the launch line up as I'm sure many are. Zelda is the only worthwhile launch title I plan on playing, maybe Mario Kart in april as well as some virtual console games. I just keep thinking if I wait a bit and maybe get a killer deal, but even that's not guaranteed. I don't feel like buying Zelda on the wii u though if I'm going to be rebuying it up the road on the switch for another $60. Kind of a waste of money IMO. I've still got about a month to decide, but I think either way I will keep the preorder.

Good.  
 

Understood.  That was addressed by a subsequent post of mine.   Quoted below. 
 
I'm pretty sure we agree on this topic. 

Good.  
 

A really great hooker for the evening. 

A really great hooker for the evening. 

A really great hooker for the evening. 

A really great hooker for the evening. 

I just want to point out the comedy in saying that...  you remember but don't remember.  
Or maybe you remember not remembering. 
 
 

The term "casual gamer" is tossing around meaninglessly.  It's dismissive of genres that aren't FPS or MOBA.  
 
"Casual gaming" isn't defined by the title or the genre, it's by how serious and intense (or lack thereof) the player is for whatever game he happens to be playing.   
 
Now I realize that games like "My Pet Horse" or "Dogz" or any of that crap don't invite any sort of "hardcore" players or styles, but realistically speaking, a person can be a hardcore gamer and play Mario Kart or Splatoon (or even Mario).   Those games are very competitive in the online arena. 
 
 

I follow you.  The terminology is just a failure of the gaming industry and gamers.  I'd still argue (in spite of my online reference above) that hardcore gamers can play single player, too.  It's the mental state of mind, not the game or how many players are involved at one time.**
 
It's just a stupid label that gamers toss around to denigrate other gamers and/or specific kinds of hardware.  
 
 
** Another example could be Fire Emblem. It's a strategy game that takes a lot of skill, patience, and planning. A person can easily dump many dozens of hours into it. But it's entirely single player, and only on Nintendo [aka, inferior] hardware.   I'd still call that pretty hardcore. 
 
 

No, you love it. We all know you do. 

I just want to point out the comedy in saying that...  you remember but don't remember.  
Or maybe you remember not remembering. 
 
 

Good.  
 

No, you love it. We all know you do.