Nintendo Entertainment System NES Controller (1985)

After the video game crash of 1983, the NES brought home gaming back to life in 1985, and its simple rectangular controller, with Gunpei Yokoi’s cross-shaped D-pad and two red buttons, became the template every controller since has followed. Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda and Mega Man were all played on this exact design. In this piece, the controller parts sit inside a Super Mario scene built from many layers of cut paper stacked one on top of another, so it has true depth that changes as you walk past, not a flat print.

Behind the glass is something you rarely get to see: the inside of a NES controller that once lived in someone’s hands, backpack or living room. Our studio members spend hours on each piece, from disassembly and cleaning to designing the layout and producing the final frame, all by hand in Los Angeles. We grew up with these devices, and every build is our way of giving a beloved piece of gaming history a second life.

WHAT’S IN THE FRAME

• Genuine Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) controller parts: real and original, not prints or replicas
• The circuit board, D-pad, A/B buttons, Start/Select buttons and the shell, set in a real 3D multi-layer Super Mario paper art scene, laid out so you can see how it all fits together
• Every part hand-disassembled, cleaned and mounted one by one
• Shadow box frame, ready to hang on the wall or stand on a desk or shelf
• Size: 15.4″ x 12.5″ x 2″ (approx. 39 x 32 x 5 cm)
• Comes in a gift box, ready to give
• Handmade by the FunBox Design studio in Los Angeles

A NOTE ON CHARACTER

Each piece is built from a real pre-owned device, so light scratches or small signs of age may show. We think they are part of its story.

PERFECT FOR

Gaming wall art, game room and man cave decor, home office and desk setups, and a one-of-a-kind gift for gamers and collectors, especially Nintendo, Super Mario and NES fans. A memorable birthday, Christmas, Father’s Day, anniversary or graduation gift.