Buy a real nintendo instead...

[Andromeda Stardust]

Yeah, many of them don't understand the meaning of the word "journalism" anymore. For instance, last Friday (November 11th) on the evening news of my local TV station, a reporter covered the story of the NES Mini selling out in minutes in the morning of that same day. She interviewed store owners and people who bought the Mini. All that's fine and well, but the lady reporter completely neglected to investigate whether or not more units would arrive in stores during the holiday season. Hello??? That's probably the main reason why many people will be watching your stupid report all the way to the end! Major fail there!

They did a featurette on the NES Mini at one of my local news stations as well. Apparently one of the reporters got one and they demoed it right there in the news studio, then talked about how it was sold out everywhere and selling for hundreds online.

 

So yeah this thing has gotten tons of press coverage. You don't see that with the Atari/Sega Flashbacks or the Retrobit multi-in-one-bee-list-games which also came out recently. Not that "bee list" games are necessarily a bad thing.

 

If Nintendo floods the market on Black Friday (I hope they do so the scalpers can eat it), they will generate millions in sales for sure.

[Flojomojo]

I don't believe that these local news stories just happen on their own. They certainly aren't borne out of crackerjack Action 5 news copters finding the hot scoops.

 

Nintendo has a strong press presence, as do most big operations with a public relations department. It's commonplace for them to send around readymade press kits with statements about their products, couched in newsy language -- it's great when news joints pick these up and run them. It's a win-win, the news/blog/site gets "content," and the developer/manufacturer gets unpaid advertisement placement with a whiff of journalism attached to it.

 

I'm tempted to register on the Nintendo Press site just to see how closely their materials mirror the "stories" we read and watch in the media. I don't want to make up an organization name or agree to any non-disclosure terms, so I won't.

 

https://press.nintendo.com/User/Registration

 

AtGames and Retro-Bit don't get this kind of attention because they lack the resources to gin it up. This is part of why I found the "all hat, no cattle" Coleco Chameleon so egregious -- their marketing was actually somewhat effective. Even though they had nothing (but a name, a logo, and some Jaguar shells), they generated a bunch of community buzz just by spreading around lies and innuendo. The "press" was all too happy to lap it up and regurgitate it in exchange for web clicks.

 

TL;DR watch the local news with a critical eye if you must watch it at all

[The Usotsuki]

There's a term for it but I can't remember it. Was it "VNA" ? You know, advertising sold to news programs and passed off as news.

[Flojomojo]

There's a term for it but I can't remember it. Was it "VNA" ? You know, advertising sold to news programs and passed off as news.

 

VNR = Video News Releases https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_news_release

I don't think Nintendo would stoop so low as to produce video segments to be run by the local news, but yeah, that's the general idea.

[The Usotsuki]

Thank you, that's the acronym I was looking for.

[0078265317]

They did a featurette on the NES Mini at one of my local news stations as well. Apparently one of the reporters got one and they demoed it right there in the news studio, then talked about how it was sold out everywhere and selling for hundreds online.

 

So yeah this thing has gotten tons of press coverage. You don't see that with the Atari/Sega Flashbacks or the Retrobit multi-in-one-bee-list-games which also came out recently. Not that "bee list" games are necessarily a bad thing.

 

If Nintendo floods the market on Black Friday (I hope they do so the scalpers can eat it), they will generate millions in sales for sure.

 

Yes and at target few days ago I saw an atari flashback 7. Did not even know it was out yet. No press coverage for that. But this mini nintendo is all the rage.

[Andromeda Stardust]

 

VNR = Video News Releases https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_news_release

I don't think Nintendo would stoop so low as to produce video segments to be run by the local news, but yeah, that's the general idea.

No these were the real local newscasters in the real studio. I don't know if Nintendo paid money or not for the news crew to do a feature on it, or if the demonstration was scripted (probably was), but it was the actual news crew running the story, not some paid actors.

[Dashopepper]

What a complete trash article. The author must have zero knowledge of Ebay or retro gaming... and no common sense. "Poor bub and bob," what an idiot.

[Gentlegamer]

I don't believe that these local news stories just happen on their own. They certainly aren't borne out of crackerjack Action 5 news copters finding the hot scoops.

 

Nintendo has a strong press presence, as do most big operations with a public relations department. It's commonplace for them to send around readymade press kits with statements about their products, couched in newsy language -- it's great when news joints pick these up and run them. It's a win-win, the news/blog/site gets "content," and the developer/manufacturer gets unpaid advertisement placement with a whiff of journalism attached to it.

 

I'm tempted to register on the Nintendo Press site just to see how closely their materials mirror the "stories" we read and watch in the media. I don't want to make up an organization name or agree to any non-disclosure terms, so I won't.

 

https://press.nintendo.com/User/Registration

 

AtGames and Retro-Bit don't get this kind of attention because they lack the resources to gin it up. This is part of why I found the "all hat, no cattle" Coleco Chameleon so egregious -- their marketing was actually somewhat effective. Even though they had nothing (but a name, a logo, and some Jaguar shells), they generated a bunch of community buzz just by spreading around lies and innuendo. The "press" was all too happy to lap it up and regurgitate it in exchange for web clicks.

 

TL;DR watch the local news with a critical eye if you must watch it at all

 

The same goes for national political news.

[wolfy62]

I can wait forever to either get one of these or not.........I still say $59.99 or bust!

[0078265317]

I can wait forever to either get one of these or not.........I still say $59.99 or bust!

 

Ya I am not paying morre than 60 either. Unless its online. 60 plus shipping. But shipping not more than 15-20 at the most.

[ls650]

Hmm. I haven't had an NES for many years. Although I'm more of an Atari guy, I have to admit that the NES has some pretty good games. The thing is, the more I mull over eventually buying one of these NES Classics, the more I think that there are some decent games _not_ included that I would really miss.

 

I've decided to go out this weekend and check out a couple of local video game stores to see if I can find a cheap original NES or a decent clone, then maybe pickup one of those cheap 150-in-1 multi carts you see on eBay.

 

Sorry, Nintendo. Maybe you should have made it easier for me to buy a Classic. Now some knockoff factory in China might get my money instead of you guys.

Edited November 19, 2016 by ls650

[atarian63]

Since the prices in that article were so vastly off, I decided to use https://www.pricecharting.com to find out what it would really cost to buy an original NES system and all 30 games included on the NES Mini. PriceCharting tracks what systems and games actually sell for on eBay then averages the prices out, so I find them to be a very reliable source for determining the value of games with good condition labels. That said, here's how the prices work out (rounded to the nearest dollar for each game):

 

NES Console - $67

Balloon Fight - $20

Bubble Bobble - $18

Castlevania - $21

Castlevania II: Simon's Quest - $10

Donkey Kong - $29

Donkey Kong Jr. - $18

Double Dragon II: The Revenge - $10

Dr. Mario - $5

Excitebike - $8

Final Fantasy - $15

Galaga - $10

Ghosts 'n Goblins - $13

Gradius - $10

Ice Climber - $15

Kid Icarus - $17

Kirby's Adventure - $18

Mario Bros. - $21

Mega Man 2 - $22

Metroid - $18

Ninja Gaiden - $12

Pac-Man - $11

Punch-Out!! - $15

StarTropics - $8

Super C - $17

Super Mario Bros. - $10

Super Mario Bros. 2 - $17

Super Mario Bros. 3 - $13

Tecmo Bowl - $10

The Legend of Zelda - $19

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link - $15

 

Total: $512

 

 

That's not including shipping costs mind you, so unless you're able to get good deals with free shipping on the system and all the games then you can probably tack on another $100 or so for shipping (figuring $2.80 per game for USPS First Class Mail shipping and around $15 for Priority Mail shipping on the console). All told you're looking at about $600 to buy an original NES system and all the games included on the NES Mini, which makes the Mini a very attractive option for the average consumer at 1/10th the price of the original and none of the hassle of trying to buy the system and all the games individually then finding a working CRT TV to play them on.

 

It may not be the ideal solution for the avid retro gamer (for them I'd recommend an original NES and an EverDrive N8) but it's still a neat little product for reintroducing the masses to a timeless piece of gaming hardware. Plus it's really cute.

NES $50 at local shop

SD Reader Stone Age Gamer $125

Games Free

--------------------------------

$175 is way cheaper than scalp price and many many hundreds of games

[atarian63]

I won't argue that when the the word "emulation" pops up on a videogame forum that it means games played on modern hardware through a program that simulates the behavior of a console. I think we all agree on that. PC + MAME = Arcade game emulator.

 

I also won't argue the multicart stores billions of games.

 

But "emulator" can and does apply to many more things than just the above. There's In Circuit Emulation. There's replacement CPLD/FPGA for custom chips. The C64 has a glue chip that goes bad, IIRC. And a software configured FPGA is available as a replacement.

 

Everdrives and flashcarts are ROM emulators. They simulate/replace the standard masked ROM. They use a chip a hundred billion times more complex to recreate and simulate the function of proper original roms. In that way they are emulating a cartridge.

so a cart emulator like a disk drive on an Atari, but not a system emulator,unless it does some of the custom chips,then quasi system,rom/drive emulator?

Edited November 19, 2016 by atarian63

[Keatah]

Something like that. I understand the SNES SD flashcart has to emulate a bunch of co-processors and specialty chips.

[0078265317]

NES $50 at local shop

SD Reader Stone Age Gamer $125

Games Free

--------------------------------

$175 is way cheaper than scalp price and many many hundreds of games

 

Wait for 6 months the mini to go on clearance for 30 bucks.

 

nes + sd reader 175 dollars.

 

Not so cheap after 6 momths.

[keepdreamin]

NES $50 at local shop

SD Reader Stone Age Gamer $125

Games Free

--------------------------------

$175 is way cheaper than scalp price and many many hundreds of games

 

again, no $50 NES is going to do HDMI or look as nice as the mini on a HDTV.

[Andromeda Stardust]

 

 

AVS + PowerPak $325 dollars.

 

 

Fixed that for you...

 

HD display and access to every game ever made? Priceless!

[0078265317]

Fixed that for you...

 

HD display and access to every game ever made? Priceless!

 

Yes but mini nintendo is only 60 dollars not 325 dollars. 325 is 5 mini nintendos + tax. So that is 150 games. I mean there is one mini right now. But if they make more in the future with more games. An AVS + 150 games is about 1500-3000 dollars.

[Andromeda Stardust]

 

Yes but mini nintendo is only 60 dollars not 325 dollars. 325 is 5 mini nintendos + tax. So that is 150 games. I mean there is one mini right now. But if they make more in the future with more games. An AVS + 150 games is about 1500-3000 dollars.

Not sure I see your logic here. With the AVS and a Powerpack, I can play over 1700 games, if you count the Famicom library. That's hella more than 150.

 

Also if you buy 5 Minis, you still only get 30 games, not 150. Given what they've been selling for on eBay, 300 dollars isn't far fetched...

[Flojomojo]

It's still possible to get a retail Mini and scalp it for funds to get a flash cartridge -- but one must do it quickly, while tulip fever is still endemic!

 

This thread is almost as smart and handsome as Homer Simpson.

[icemanxp300]

From my understandings and research Everdrive is better than Powerpak overall.

 

The everdrive and powerpak do have a small different mapper compatabiity, which does allow for a small amount of games to be play on one and not the other. From my understanding the everdrive is better on saving and does it automatically.

[Andromeda Stardust]

From my understandings and research Everdrive is better than Powerpak overall.

 

The everdrive and powerpak do have a small different mapper compatabiity, which does allow for a small amount of games to be play on one and not the other. From my understanding the everdrive is better on saving and does it automatically.

This is true. However many NES games don't use SAV data, and Powerpak is easier to use with the AVS scoreboard app.

 

I actually have both flash carts, an NES PowerPak and an FC Everdrive.

 

I chose Super Everdrive over Super Powerpak for this reason. Never could be arsed to create and rename SAV files for *EVERY* game on the Powerpak that uses SRAM.

[atarian63]

 

again, no $50 NES is going to do HDMI or look as nice as the mini on a HDTV.

False .. av to hdmi converter, unlimited games instead of only 30.

Edited November 20, 2016 by atarian63

[atarian63]

 

 

Edited November 20, 2016 by atarian63