Nintendo Classic Mini announced

[phoenixdownita]

Wouldn't it be something if the Nintendo Classic Mini stole the holiday season from the likes of Sony and MS and sold more consoles than them?

Party like is 1985.

 

Anyone knows if there is a Japan version that looks like a Famicom?

Party like is 1983.

[SoundGammon]

I'm running out of HDMI ports......

I'm getting one of these:

[soviet conscript]

I think I'm the only one thats not excited for this...I mean, OK, its neat and all but other then being official its not really anything new. Its just between PC emulation and retron/clone units, virtual console, ect... this thing is just kinda "Meh" to me. But then I'm looking at it from the perspective of someone that has an original unit and a flash cart. I'll grab one if I see it at Goodwill in the next few years for $9.99 or something.

[roland p]

I think this device is perfect because:

- 30 games is enough. If you put 700 games on it, the end user doesn't know which games are good and which not.

- hdmi is great, video quality will be consistent.

- Small, so you can easily store it, or bring it with you on holidays.

- Hassle-free setup (buy > connect > play). You can give this to your kids and they can probably operate it. Less tech-savvy can use this device too (retropie probably some computer-knowledge to setup).

 

Saying it sucks because it emulates is a bit premature I think.

 

It would be nice to be able to buy extra games for it though...

[MotoRacer]

AtGames makes a Genesis with built in games and cart support or handheld systems with SD card support for any rom you want to play. Everyone laughs at the company for even bothering.

Nintendo makes the same thing but with no cart support, no sd card or any way for expansion, and hdmi output.

The world loses its collective mind.

 

Half my co-workers are buying this thing. Each and every one of them either has an original NES or a Wii.... which can do the same thing but better (minus hdmi output). I don't get it...

 

So they made it look like an NES. So do half the shells for Raspberry Pi computers on eBay. Whoopi di do! Honestly, I think the only reason why anyone is freaking out is simply because "it's Nintendo".

 

If anyone else pushed a product out like this, with this limited support, they'd be laughed at.... as they have in the past. "But it's just 60 bucks" I hear many reply. And the AtGames Genesis home console was 39. And it came with two pads. AND allowed you to use original Genesis pads as well.

 

Doesn't make the AtGames system not a piece of crap. But it doesn't make this anything to behold by comparison. What am I missing? Half my favorite games aren't built into this thing, and without an SD card slot or cart slot it's completely future-less.

Edited July 15, 2016 by MotoRacer

[Skippy B. Coyote]

AtGames makes a Genesis with built in games and cart support or handheld systems with SD card support for any rom you want to play. Everyone laughs at the company for even bothering.

Nintendo makes the same thing but with no cart support, no sd card or any way for expansion, and hdmi output.

The world loses its collective mind.

 

Half my co-workers are buying this thing. Each and every one of them either has an original NES or a Wii.... which can do the same thing but better (minus hdmi output). I don't get it...

 

So they made it look like an NES. So do half the shells for Raspberry Pi computers on eBay. Whoopi di do! Honestly, I think the only reason why anyone is freaking out is simply because "it's Nintendo".

 

If anyone else pushed a product out like this, with this limited support, they'd be laughed at.... as they have in the past. "But it's just 60 bucks" I hear many reply. And the AtGames Genesis home console was 39. And it came with two pads. AND allowed you to use original Genesis pads as well.

 

Doesn't make the AtGames system not a piece of crap. But it doesn't make this anything to behold by comparison. What am I missing? Half my favorite games aren't built into this thing, and without an SD card slot or cart slot it's completely future-less.

I think it's mostly because, since it is made by Nintendo and not AtGames or another small third party company, it's expected that it will be of excellent quality in terms of both game emulation and physical construction. Nintendo generally puts a lot of work into releasing quality products, so I think the people who are excited about it are fully expecting the games to look and sound just like they remember them on the NES and the controller to feel just like they remember the NES controller feeling in their hands. And I think those are both safe bets, knowing Nintendo. The included games list is also really outstanding when it comes to system defining titles.

 

Then there's the "It's Nintendo!" factor, which instantly makes the NES Mini a collectible item that people are going to want just to have it in their collection. Just look at how much more the Classic NES Series model Game Boy Advance SP goes for in comparison to any other model of GBA SP. If it's made by Nintendo and is styled like an NES then you can bet collectors are going to be all over it. The added benefit of being able to use the included NES controller with virtual console or emulated games on the Wii and Wii U is just icing on an already very pretty cake.

 

While I do have a soft modded Wii that can already play everything that the NES Mini can, I still plan to get one for all of the above reasons and maybe pick up a few more of them to give as gifts. Most people just don't have the motivation or technical inclination to set up their Wii as an emulation box, and I think it'll make a great gift for many people I know who fall into that category.

[roland p]

Not sure if this is posted here already:

 

http://kotaku.com/the-mini-nes-wont-open-cant-connect-to-the-internet-1783693116

Will the mini-NES be able to connect to the internet?

No. The console is a standalone device, so it cannot connect to the internet or any external storage devices. The game lineup was chosen to provide a diverse mix of popular and recognizable NES games that appeal to a wide variety of players. Everyone should be able to find multiple games to enjoy.

On the same note: does Nintendo plan to sell other NES games for the mini-NES beyond the 30 it comes preloaded with?

No. The console is a standalone device, so it cannot connect to the internet or any external storage devices. The 30 games included with the system were chosen to provide a wide variety of top-quality, long-lasting game-play experiences.

Are there plans for other mini-consoles, like a mini-SNES or mini-N64?

We have nothing to announce at this time.

Just because people have been asking: safe to say it cant play old cartridges, right? (Based on the image it looks like an NES cartridge would have around the same width as the entire console.) Does it open up at all?

The console does not use physical media and therefore the Chamber Lid does not open.

[sleeky]

Chamber Lid eh, sounds like a posh way of saying toilet seat.

 

No surprises there then, although their response regarding future versions was nice and open ended which is always a positive. I'm sure if this does well a SNES version will be release, N64 I wouldn't be so sure on.

[HoshiChiri]

I'm getting one of these:

I got this one, myself: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049SCB2Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

The auto-switching is super nice, it doesn't take up a lot of space, it has a button/remote for manual switching if you need. I have two complaints:

1) the lights on this thing are flashlight-level bright. You'll need to cover them up if it's a bedroom setup.

2)Mine, at least, is VERY picky about how it's used. It hates my 360 & all the ports on my TV except port #2. The customer service is good, they offered me a new box, but I turned them down to see if it was a wire issue. Should not have done that. I have friends who need a switcher, I may try a second one & give my current unit to them.

 

AtGames makes a Genesis with built in games and cart support or handheld systems with SD card support for any rom you want to play. Everyone laughs at the company for even bothering.

 

Nintendo makes the same thing but with no cart support, no sd card or any way for expansion, and hdmi output.

 

The world loses its collective mind.

 

Half my co-workers are buying this thing. Each and every one of them either has an original NES or a Wii.... which can do the same thing but better (minus hdmi output). I don't get it...

 

So they made it look like an NES. So do half the shells for Raspberry Pi computers on eBay. Whoopi di do! Honestly, I think the only reason why anyone is freaking out is simply because "it's Nintendo".

 

If anyone else pushed a product out like this, with this limited support, they'd be laughed at.... as they have in the past. "But it's just 60 bucks" I hear many reply. And the AtGames Genesis home console was 39. And it came with two pads. AND allowed you to use original Genesis pads as well.

 

Doesn't make the AtGames system not a piece of crap. But it doesn't make this anything to behold by comparison. What am I missing? Half my favorite games aren't built into this thing, and without an SD card slot or cart slot it's completely future-less.

You basically nailed it with 'it's Nintendo!' Because the company proper is making it, people are going to assume it's a better unit than the other plug n' plays out there. If this WAS an AtGames machine, I don't think people would be as excited.

 

I'm annoyed the front doesn't open. Even if it didn't do anything, I'd want it to open! Although, if they'd put an SD card slot in there, & made it compatible with NES classic games downloaded from the virtual console, it would have been quite awesome.

 

As it stands, I may consider getting one for my sister. She's had a habit over the years of getting an NES itch, buying a unit and a bunch of games, then selling it all off a year later. Good for my collection as I always got first dibs- but I imagine this would be a good way for her to keep some NES around without taking up space.

Edited July 15, 2016 by HoshiChiri

[Trinity]

I'm sure modeers will find how to add a SD port mere hours after it will be released.

I hope your right!

[Flojomojo]

Apart from occasional sales and giveaways, Nintendo has never priced their old stuff as low as they have in this bundle. You may not love every game on this list, and you may feel that some of your favorites have been excluded, but there's no filler here. Everything is significant and there should be something that almost everyone can remember and play. They've gone out of their way to get some third party licenses. There are no jurassic turds like "Air-Sea Battle" like we have clogging up the Atari Flashback lineup. I think that adding more stuff just to get the numbers up would be counterproductive and would make it look like a shovelware collection.

 

If it's not for you, then you don't want an instant virtual NES collection. Maybe you already have one, maybe you have the real thing ...but remember that there are more casual people than collectors.

 

[Trinity]

I hope the the new controllers are built as good as the original ones and not like the totally worthless Tomee controllers on eBay.

[Atariboy]

Has Nintendo ever screwed up their controllers? Sure, there are some flaws from time to time, but I think we can safely assume that their build quality will be excellent and that the controller cable's length will be generous enough to satisfy most situations.

 

I wonder if there will be a shortcut to the main menu without resetting the system? Perhaps start/select pressed down simultaneously will get it done without having to get up and physically touch the system, with the home button on actual Classic Controllers taking you directly there (A button absent on this NES styled controller, hence the need for a workaround button combo).

 

A concern I have though is aspect ratio. I hope it's proper 4:3, unlike the situation on the Wii U until it was finally fixed a year into its lifespan with a patch (All Wii U Virtual Console games were stretched to 16:9 during the internal upscaling process previously). With how this is casually oriented, stretched output is a real possibility, but hopefully both camps will at least be accommodated.

 

And button remapping hopefully is included as well when using a 4 button Classic Controller, for the many that prefer using Y & B in something like Super Mario Brothers over A & B.

Edited July 15, 2016 by Atariboy

[godslabrat]

Chamber Lid eh, sounds like a posh way of saying toilet seat.

 

No surprises there then, although their response regarding future versions was nice and open ended which is always a positive. I'm sure if this does well a SNES version will be release, N64 I wouldn't be so sure on.

 

Yeah, that answer says to me that there are already plans made and feelers out for SNES and N64 versions, each of which hinge on how well this thing does. It also boosts the odds that this is closed and locked down from 99.9% to 99.999999999%.

 

However, if they like to remake old controllers with new connectors... I'd be totally down for some N64 pads with gamecube connectors. Put me down for four.

[Flojomojo]

I'd be more inclined to believe it's scaled back Wii U technology than either Wii or 3DS since they'd arguably have fewer steps to take to make it do what they needed.

 

Maybe. But either of those is more engineering than they need for this low-cost, mass-market item. Like you say, the controller adapters shouldn't be a big deal either way. The modder types will be all over it to try to figure out exactly what kind of closed-off, dead-end system on a chip is powering these. I doubt it's going to be a recognizable offshoot of any existing Nintendo tech product we know about. I really doubt anyone will be able to hack in extra ROMs, let alone an SD card slot. Maybe they'll figure out a nice way to get the controller ports off of the Classic Mini and onto a Raspberry Pi so modern, wired Nintendo controls could work on more things.

 

All the roms are out there for the taking. Have been for years. So, why not monetize that? "Buy" a rom and get a certificate of authenticity like a card with 2 screenshots, cover art, and a summary. A trading card certificate like thingy. Sell a nice binder..

 

I'm sure they'd never go for it but it'd be cool. The new age collector doesn't want the burden of 500 cart boxes sprawling everywhere.

 

If Nintendo were going to try to monetize every ROM in the universe, don't you think they'd try to do that through their existing eShop? Where they control the platform and the store? Both they and Sony have said that they basically break even on their retro stuff, that they do it to enhance value of the platform, not to make a lot of side money.

 

Besides, it's a pain in the ass for the consumer to buy an old game online with a credit card, and I'll bet plenty of people haven't bothered. I was somewhat surprised to learn than 80% of Wii U units are online. I thought it would be a lot lower (as it likely was for original Wii). Looks like the eShop statistics show that their customers are overwhelmingly male. This all-in-one, ready-to-go product should fill in some of those gaps. Even an otherwise tech-savvy, connected person can get frustrated when something doesn't work out of the box.

 

A thought on powering this thing: most HDMI-compatible TVs have USB ports, right? I hope they include some instructions that point to that. I assume they left the power adapter out so this could be a universal package to be sold in every territory, keeping costs low.

 

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Misc-/Nintendo-Classic-Mini/Nintendo-Classic-Mini-Nintendo-Entertainment-System-1124287.html

 

It's nice to see this announcement coming from Nintendo itself, thanks for that. It's from the UK site. A quick web search tells me they had the same NES packaging as us, which makes it almost certain that we know what our box will look like.

[Atariboy]

With the limited lineup of N64 content on the Wii U, I'm not so sure of that one. But I think that if this even comes close to approaching their sales hopes, that a SuperNes sequel is a sure thing next year and that handheld Game Boy counterparts are a strong possibility for the future.

 

Might even see a sequel to this NES system down the road. You don't even necessarily need 30 new games for a follow-up. allowing you to still have flagships like Zelda on it which otherwise would have to be absent if you go for an all-new lineup. Go the AtGames route and just add to the lineup. Keep these 30 and add 15 more fan favorites like Castlevania III while labeling it as the NES Classic Mini: XL Edition and people will still lap it up.

 

Could even style it like the top loader with dogbone style controllers to help it further stand out from the original release.

Edited July 15, 2016 by Atariboy

[TPA5]

Not sure if this is posted here already:

 

http://kotaku.com/the-mini-nes-wont-open-cant-connect-to-the-internet-1783693116

Are there plans for other mini-consoles, like a mini-SNES or mini-N64?

We have nothing to announce at this time.

 

That answer is the one that most excites me. I would die if they released a Gameboy Colour with a bunch of built-in games.

[CatPix]

 

That answer is the one that most excites me. I would die if they released a Gameboy Colour with a bunch of built-in games.

 

Tho it's more like 64 games, the other additionnal games being repeats.

Edited July 15, 2016 by CatPix

[TPA5]

 

 

Tho it's more like 64 games, the other additionnal games being repeats.

 

Yeah, I've seen those before but it just isn't the same as playing an 'official' one from Nintendo. Plus, it doesn't have a nice curated list of games. A lot of the games on those units are actually NES games. My plan is to grab an Everdrive for the Game Boy in any case, it would just be cool if Nintendo would release something like that.

[Flojomojo]

Might even see a sequel to this NES system down the road. You don't even necessarily need 30 new games for a follow-up. allowing you to still have flagships like Zelda on it which otherwise would have to be absent if you go for an all-new lineup. Go the AtGames route and just add to the lineup. Keep these 30 and add 15 more fan favorites like Castlevania III while labeling it as the NES Classic Mini: XL Edition and people will still lap it up.

 

I disagree, I don't think this should be a series. I think it should be a home run product that they sell for as long as they can. If they make a next generation sequel, they should wait at least five years, then make it a major upgrade. Make an event out of it. Don't cheapen it by making it a disposable toy. Make it an on-ramp to their REAL platform(s) that play both old AND new games, including the SNES and N64 and GameBoy and GBA things the true fans want.

 

Nintendo should release a really nice companion strategy guide that compiles their Nintendo Power articles from these games. Or maybe release them for free on the internet, wouldn't that be generous?

 

AtGames does annual revisions of its Atari and Sega things. They're largely the same thing over and over again, and they're not known for amazing quality.

 

The fact that Nintendo did this at all is amazeballs. They're being very strategic in the way they dribble out their retro stuff very slowly, like one title per month. Dumping it all in a cheap bundle gets our attention this time, but I don't see how that would work year after year.

[Trinity]

https://www.amazon.com/NES-System-Video-Console-nintendo-entertainment/dp/B00004SVYQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1468591175&sr=1-2&keywords=nes

[Flojomojo]

https://www.amazon.com/NES-System-Video-Console-nintendo-entertainment/dp/B00004SVYQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1468591175&sr=1-2&keywords=nes

It looks so old, dirty, and big.

[atarifan88]

 

I agree that it should help AtGames to a degree because it helps to further validate the category and should have at least some halo effect. Where it will really help is that if this sells like we expect - in the millions with trouble keeping it in stock - which will validate to retailers the higher $60 price tier and allow other companies like AtGames to release products at that same price point. There's a LOT AtGames could do with an extra $20+ to play with. That's why competition in more niche areas, particularly from companies with deep, deep pockets, can sometimes be a positive.

 

I also wonder if this will encourage ATGames to go with HDMI for their Atari products if the NES sells well?

[atarifan88]

 

Kinda ...but it looks as though they future-proofed this a little bit by using HDMI instead of AV cables (yay) and their Wii/Wii U controller cable standard hookup instead of something entirely new.

 

This is going to sell like gangbusters. AtGames is lucky they have some portable Flashback systems in the pipe this year to differentiate their stuff from this (of course, Nintendo did portable first, with their handhelds). Nintendo's going to create a lot of buzz, maybe AtGames can ride on some of the coattails with its Atari and Sega offerings.

 

I don't "need" this but I kinda-sorta want it, even though I have most of my favorites from the game list in other places.

 

You've heard of the console wars back in the 80's, well now we have the flashback wars!

[Newsdee]

I know I'm completely fantasizing here, but how awesomely epic it would it be if this was a bored hardware guy at big N that saw the open-source NES clones, reverse engineered an Everdrive, and came up with a mass-produced ASIC NoaC that loads games from an EEPROM.

 

If they did that... making the hardware for this box would cost peanuts and they'd make a killing at $60. Buuuuuuut it's probably an emulator in a box.

Edited July 15, 2016 by Newsdee