NES.css vs Simplefolio
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A CSS library that styles buttons, boxes and forms to look like retro NES-era games.
Open source · MIT
A minimal one-page portfolio template for developers, built with Parcel and SCSS.
The short answer
Choose NES.css if you need…
- Developers building a retro or game-themed web page or demo
- Designers prototyping pixel-style interfaces quickly
- Developers who want styled components without writing CSS from scratch
- Projects that need Japanese or other non-English text with a pixel font
Choose Simplefolio if you need…
- Developers who want a simple one-page personal website without designing from scratch
- Students or job seekers who need a portfolio to share with employers
- People comfortable editing HTML files and running a couple of terminal commands
- Anyone who wants a starting point they can restyle with SCSS
Side-by-side
| NES.css | Simplefolio | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 21.9k | 14.2k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Beginner |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Clone and build from source |
| Main language | SCSS | SCSS |
| Last code update | 3 years ago | 10 months ago |
What each one is
NES.css
NES.css is a CSS framework that gives web pages a retro 8-bit look inspired by Nintendo Entertainment System games. It provides ready-made components such as buttons, containers and forms, but the README says it only supplies components and you define your own layout. It needs no JavaScript.
Simplefolio
Simplefolio is a free, one-page portfolio website template for developers. You edit its HTML files to add your name, photo, projects, resume and contact links, then run a local development server to preview it. It is styled with Bootstrap v4.3 and custom SCSS and is built with the Parcel bundler.
Best for
NES.css
- Developers building a retro or game-themed web page or demo
- Designers prototyping pixel-style interfaces quickly
- Developers who want styled components without writing CSS from scratch
- Projects that need Japanese or other non-English text with a pixel font
Simplefolio
- Developers who want a simple one-page personal website without designing from scratch
- Students or job seekers who need a portfolio to share with employers
- People comfortable editing HTML files and running a couple of terminal commands
- Anyone who wants a starting point they can restyle with SCSS
Strengths
NES.css
- Installs with npm or Yarn, or loads from a CDN with one link tag
- Requires only CSS and no JavaScript
- MIT licensed and actively starred on GitHub
Simplefolio
- Simple, one-page layout that is easy to understand and edit
- Responsive design with reveal animations, according to the README
- MIT licensed, so you can use and modify it freely
Not ideal for
NES.css
- Projects needing a full layout system, since the README says NES.css only provides components
- Corporate or minimal interfaces, because the retro style is its defining look
- Users who need Internet Explorer or Edge support, which the README lists as untested
Simplefolio
- Non-technical users who want a drag-and-drop site builder, since setup requires Git, Node.js and the command line
- People who need a multi-page site or a built-in blog, because the README describes only a single page layout
- Teams needing a maintained, versioned release, since the repository has no published releases
Trade-offs
NES.css
- The README says it provides no fonts; you must pick and load a pixel font yourself, and Press Start 2P only covers English
- Browser support is listed for Chrome, Firefox and Safari; IE/Edge is untested
- The README does not describe the full component list, and the last push shown is January 2024
Simplefolio
- Setup depends on Node.js, npm or Yarn and Git, which can be a hurdle for beginners; the README includes a dependency workaround for npm issues
- The README contains a 2022 fix step and no release is tagged, so some instructions may be out of date
- Content is edited directly in HTML, so there is no content management interface
Getting started
NES.css
Install via npm
npm install nes.cssInstall via Yarn
yarn add nes.cssSimplefolio
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/cobiwave/simplefolioMove into the repository
cd simplefolioFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between NES.css and Simplefolio?
NES.css: A CSS library that styles buttons, boxes and forms to look like retro NES-era games. Simplefolio: A minimal one-page portfolio template for developers, built with Parcel and SCSS. NES.css suits developers building a retro or game-themed web page or demo, while Simplefolio suits developers who want a simple one-page personal website without designing from scratch.
Are NES.css and Simplefolio free?
NES.css: Free and open source. Simplefolio: Free and open source.
Is NES.css or Simplefolio more popular?
NES.css has more GitHub stars (21.9k) than Simplefolio (14.2k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to NES.css and Simplefolio?
Other options people compare them with include Bulma, Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS, daisyUI, Materialize.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.