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Nintendo Releasing Classic NES This November

by Donald Theriault - July 14, 2016, 5:20 am EDT
Total comments: 64 Source: Nintendo

An official Nintendo Entertainment System with HDMI? What a time to be alive.

Nintendo will be releasing new hardware this November, but not what most expected.

The classic Nintendo Entertainment System will be reissued on November 11 in North America and Europe, with a suggested US MSRP of $59.99 (Australia $99.99). It will be a smaller version of the system that will come with a new Wii-compatible Classic Controller (in NES style) and 30 games. Existing Classic Controllers will plug into the controller ports, or the NES Classic Controller can be purchased separately for $9.99 (AU$19.99). The system will use HDMI (cable included) to plug into the TV.

The games included with the base unit are:

  • Nintendo published: Balloon Fight, Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr, Dr. Mario, Excitebike, Ice Climber, Kid Icarus, Kirby's Adventure, Mario Bros, Metroid, Punch-Out! Featuring Mr. Dream, StarTropics, Super Mario Bros 1, 2 and 3, The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
  • 3rd party: Bubble Bobble (SquareEnix by Taito), Castlevania, Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (Konami), Double Dragon II: The Revenge (Arc System Works), Final Fantasy (SquareEnix), Galaga (Bandai Namco), Ghosts and Goblins (Capcom), Gradius (Konami), Mega Man 2 (Capcom), Ninja Gaiden (KoeiTecmo), Pac-Man (Bandai Namco), Super C (Konami), Tecmo Bowl (KoeiTecmo)

Suspend point functionality will be supported for the games as well.

PAL systems (Europe and Australia) will not include the AC adapter for the system, but the North American systems will.

Canadian pricing is $79.99 for the console and $12.99 for the controller.

Talkback

Disco StuJuly 14, 2016

Well that was unexpected.  Let me be first spoiled, entitled Nintendo fan to make a complaint: If only it was a mini SNES instead!

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorJuly 14, 2016

Wow.  That's a pretty top-shelf lineup of games for $2/each.

ejamerJuly 14, 2016

Pleasantly surprised by the third-party additions, and definitely interested.
Also interested in picking up an extra (or two) classic controller in the NES style.


Very cool.

LemonadeJuly 14, 2016

Im not a huge fan of the NES, but I will probably buy this. It is pretty cool and $100 isnt too bad. I would be worried if it doesn't have save states though, that woud put me off buying it.
I have no real interest in buying VC games on Wii U or 3DS, but getting a new bit of hardware with 30 games on it already would be worth it.

I agree with Disco Stu about the Mini SNES, but I already have at least 30 super games. I would buy a Mini 64 because I dont own a 64.

nickmitchJuly 14, 2016

I think this is officially Nintendo's big holiday release, and I think it's a good move.  It's not gonna sell 3DSes, but at least it'll keep Nintendo relevant in the public mindshare as the NX launch approaches.

I have some questions about this thing. It's obviously one of those shite lil' plug n' play things. will it have eShop access? is it made by those same jokers who did the Neo Geo Gold and the Sega Genesis HDMI Plug n' plays that had shite emulation and bad build quality?

Also, this is the complete affirmation that They really don't believe in Paper Mario Color Splash to carry them into the holiday.

SorenJuly 14, 2016

Yeah, if Nintendo is making these babies then it's and instant buy for me. If someone else is making them then it will probably be wait-and-see. I agree with Stu, I want an mini-SNES. Also waiting for SNES Remix.

Pretty cool that this seems to use the controller ports that the Wiimote has for classic controllers. Also sounds like you can use the NES Classic Controller here and plug it into a Wii Remote for your Wii/WiiU!

And seriously, first I was "That's nice" about this but when I saw Dr. Mario I realized my entire family needed it. That game is a killer app for my Mom and Dad!

Luigi DudeJuly 14, 2016

This is a great idea for Nintendo to finally leverage their Virtual Console lineup.  Back on the Wii the Virtual Console should have been a bigger deal but Nintendo never advertised it and so many outside of the internet circles didn't even know it existed.

I wouldn't be surprised if this lineup is going to be the next big thing for Nintendo.  The fact it's called Nintendo Classics: Mini NES points very heavily to a SNES and N64 coming in the future as well.  Hell, maybe for the Gamecube's 20th anniversary we might have a Mini Gamecube released at that time as well.

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorJuly 14, 2016

Any word on a Japanese Famicom-mini release?  I'd probably import that.

My buy-or-no buy decision will be based off of:



Whether it'll play cartridges, or at least have options to buy more games in the future.
How good the controller appears to be, or if the buttons are sticky/tough to press.
If it appears that they're flying off the shelves and I won't even have an option to get it later down the road.


Ian SaneJuly 14, 2016

Does it have a cartridge port?  If it doesn't then this goes from must-buy to pretty much useless to me.  A reliable first party NES would be fantastic but if it's not that why don't I just stick to the VC on the Wii or Wii U?

Seems like an obvious product idea either way that I'm surprised Nintendo didn't think of sooner.

LouieturkeyJuly 14, 2016

I'd like to buy this.  I would like to know if it accepts cartridges or not.  It'd be much more functional if it did but I'm guessing it's just using the emulation used on the Wii and they don't have an actual NES inside the thing.  I would love to be proven wrong on that though.  The system just looks smaller than an original cartridge.


I'll be getting one regardless.  I want my son to know about the history of video games and this is a good way to introduce the NES to him since the one we have is broken.

fred13July 14, 2016

I would guess that if this sells really sell then we'll see an SNES one next, but if it doesn't sell well then that'll be the end of it

ShyGuyJuly 14, 2016

Brilliant strategy. This thing is going to be on EVERY 'holiday shopping guide' this year. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.

I think I may give in and get one.

Seriously, I could almost justify this as a Dr. Mario machine alone. The family NES basically became that for like 5 straight years.

But even outside of that, yowza, this doesn't have everything but it's got BIG NAMES! Final Fantasy, Tecmo Bowl, Kirby, Gradius, Zelda, Mario, Bubble Bobble, Galaga?

And also, Nintendo just found a way to sell me more Classic Controllers in the form of the NES controllers that will be released with this. Good short-term money-making play to tide them over a bit until the NX.

AdrockJuly 14, 2016

http://i.imgur.com/R4lK0vv.jpg

Quote from: Ian

Does it have a cartridge port?  If it doesn't then this goes from must-buy to pretty much useless to me.  A reliable first party NES would be fantastic but if it's not that why don't I just stick to the VC on the Wii or Wii U?

Seems like an obvious product idea either way that I'm surprised Nintendo didn't think of sooner.

I mean, granted, there's a lot of these "30-in-1" retro consoles that don't, but I think even the latest iteration of the Sega Genesis one had a cartridge port. 

TOPHATANT123July 14, 2016

That's a really neat holiday gift, it has tons of variety and works straight out of the box with none of the nonsense of the modern game consoles. If I had children this is how I would introduce them to videogames.

SorenJuly 14, 2016

NoA has clarified:

- The cartridge slot doesn't work.
- It does not connect to the internet
- The 30 games announced are the only one that will be included.

MythtendoJuly 14, 2016

Still a good value, The selection of games is pretty good (well, Castlevania II has problems), which average out to $2 each. And it comes with a controller you can use for the Wii.

TrueNerdJuly 14, 2016

So, those controllers are compatible with Wii/Wii U via Wiimotes which is some hot shit. Playing NES games with that sharp-edged, non ergonomic rectangle controller is how God intended it. PLEASE don't screw up that controller, Nintendo.


I'm definitely getting one of those controllers, but I'm probably getting the system too. Wii U emulation of NES games is, uhm, bad. Seriously, it was much better on the Wii. So hopefully they don't screw that up either.


Also if you want one, you better preorder. Demand for this thing is gonna be insane.

LemonadeJuly 14, 2016

Maybe it does have save states. On the game list page it says "Players needn’t worry about losing any hard-earned progress either as each game has multiple suspend points, allowing them to start where they left off at a later time, no passwords needed."​
https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Misc-/Nintendo-Classic-Mini/Nintendo-Classic-Mini-Nintendo-Entertainment-System-1124287.html

But that is right after talking about the Wii U VC, so Im not sure.

I would preorder one, but I will be on a holiday on the other side of the country when it comes out. I might have to pick one up while Im over there.

Darth AsterixJuly 14, 2016

Will get for the wiimote compatible controllers, if nothing else. I have one of the Super Famicom classic controllers and adore it.

Also, taking wagers on the over/under until somebody manages to hack a cartridge slot into one of these things.

I'm keeping my eyes peeled for any information about a Japanese Famicom version being released here. Right now, it's only 9 am. At the earliest, NCL has new information out for the day starting at 10 am.


Regardless of this thing coming to Japan or not, this is really cool! I'm gonna work out a way to get one. About no internet connectivity - with this product I don't think it really matters. It seems like the purpose of this thing is to be simple and to tap into nostalgia. It's vintage-sploitation at its finest! If Nintedno wants to give us more games, I'm sure they'll throw another system like this together and sell it. They gotta do something with all of those refurbished Wiis and unsold Wii Minis! :-p

For what it's worth, I'm one text away from preordering this for my brother's Christmas gift. Also buying one of the controllers for myself.

It's not for me since I came of age on the SNES, but the NES was such a phenomenon that I hope Nintendo's preparing an awful lot of these for North America.

azekeJuly 14, 2016

Quote from: The_Dan_x

I'm keep my eyes peeled for any information about a Japanese Famicom version being released here. Right now, it's only 9 am. t the earliest, NCL has ne information out for the day starting at 10 am.

I remember all those Famicom game re-releases on GBA completely obliterating it in the sales.

This thing might outsell both wii u and ps4 in japan if that was any indication.

Welp. It's after 10. Nothing yet, but sometimes they don't update their "latest news" until the afternoon. If we don't hear about it today, we probably won't for a few months, or ever. NCL does like to do their own thing.

ShyGuyJuly 14, 2016

So, If it doesn't have cartridges, what's under the flap?


edit: also, does it have the mystery port on the bottom?

ejamerJuly 14, 2016

Quote from: ShyGuy

So, If it doesn't have cartridges, what's under the flap?


edit: also, does it have the mystery port on the bottom?

There is no flap. 
But I'd put money on a mystery port that never gets used for anything. That's a long-standing tradition.


Seriously, being a closed system makes sense. Reminds me of the Wii Mini in that way.


A cartridge slot would be awesome, but I doubt it has any real NES hardware in there and is just running existing Virtual Console software on some stripped down hardware - so trying to add the ability to plug and play games would be more hassle (for Nintendo) than it would probably be worth.  If the selection of games wasn't pretty much awesome, I'd be more critical... but the 30 picked are really good, so this gets a pass from me assuming build quality is decent and emulation doesn't suck.

nickmitchJuly 14, 2016

Quote from: TrueNerd

So, those controllers are compatible with Wii/Wii U via Wiimotes which is some hot shit. Playing NES games with that sharp-edged, non ergonomic rectangle controller is how God intended it. PLEASE don't screw up that controller, Nintendo.


I'm definitely getting one of those controllers, but I'm probably getting the system too. Wii U emulation of NES games is, uhm, bad. Seriously, it was much better on the Wii. So hopefully they don't screw that up either.


Also if you want one, you better preorder. Demand for this thing is gonna be insane.

Images on Polygon article show that the controller is legit.

Ian SaneJuly 14, 2016

I think the ideal target demo for this is someone who had an NES as a kid but doesn't really play games these days and this is a really cheap and easy way to revisit some of their old favourites.  Someone like myself is looking for a reliable way to play his collection of NES cartridges without having to blow into them or fuss with the really unreliable pin connector.  I'm looking for a first party version of the Analogue NT at a more affordable price tag.  Or a Retron that uses hardware instead of emulation.  Nintendo doesn't really want to give me that since they don't make anything from me playing old used games.  But then with this they're not selling games either.

If you're interested in LP records you can buy modern turntables and even get new albums and reprints of old albums on brand new records, despite LPs being replaced by CDs and CDs getting replaced by digital formats decades ago for mainstream music purchasing.  There is enough of a enthusiast market to make this worthwhile.

There is a similar enthusiast market for retro game systems.  The fact that you can buy clones of old systems proves that.  This mini-NES will probably sell very well and have some crossover with the market for those clones.  If Nintendo had a proper retro NES or SNES or combo unit that plays both it would sell.  I'll bet Nintendo could even make NEW cartridges of their most popular games and those would sell if the price point was right.  If they made a limited run of Earthbound Beginnings cartridges that worked on legit NES consoles it would sell.  They could even make NEW games like some new 2D Mario that's a VC download on the main platforms but was designed for the NES or SNES and a real cart will work on a real system or the clone Nintendo themselves releases.  You can buy pirate carts of Mario, Zelda and Metroid mods.  Why doesn't Nintendo make official mods?

This isn't big mainstream numbers like what Nintendo strives for with their consoles and handhelds.  It's a smaller enthusiast market with retro appeal, like LPs, that's big enough to be worth investing in as side revenue to their main business.

LemonadeJuly 14, 2016

More evidence to support save states

Quote:

And if you ever need to step away from the NES Classic Edition in the middle of a tough level. Each game has multiple suspend points

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160714005388/en/Relive-Glories-Nintendo%E2%80%99s-Ultimate-Retro-Gaming-Experience

Thats good news to me

NeoThunderJuly 14, 2016

Can't wait to get the SNES one in 5 years

ThePermJuly 15, 2016

If Nintendo is making it themselves then it is a must buy. If not then hell no.

I bought my friend and my mom bought me a Sega Genesis retro console last year, and its shit. The music is wrong, and visually it only works well on old TVs. The controllers were also shitty line of site, and sticky.

If it's not made by Nintendo it would be best to wait for reviews. Nintendo holds themselves to a higher standard, so we're less likely to get a shitty cash in. This is very un-nintendo like as they usually want to sell you these games for at least 4.99 each. 2 each is pretty good.

ShyGuyJuly 15, 2016

Between Pokemon Go and this, Nintendo is doing an excellent job of building good will and mind-share before the release of NX.

I'm actually kind of shocked there wasn't a Japanese announcement today simply because it's the Famicom's birthday.

LouieturkeyJuly 15, 2016

I'm also surprised there's been no Fami-Mini announcement.  This is the type of thing that Japan would love and importers would love more.

Bman87301July 15, 2016

This would be a must buy for me if it only had a slot for original cartridges... I just can't justify the purchase without it, since I have most of those games in one form or another and my NES still works like a dream (aside from one controller getting lost and the other's pad starting to go bad). It's a damn shame too, since those original shaped controllers would be perfect for playing Gyromite with my original R.O.B.... oh wait, R.O.B. wouldn't work with an HD screen anyways would he? Regardless, I'll still probably pickup the new controller as the parts should be perfect for refurbishing my actual NES controller.

Quote from: Louieturkey

I'm also surprised there's been no Fami-Mini announcement.  This is the type of thing that Japan would love and importers would love more.

Wait and watch them reveal theirs with a cartridge slot... which will be useless for importers here because of the different pin count... Then again, I might be able to get around that if I can manage to get my copy of Gyromite open.

Double post combined - Shaymin

nickmitchJuly 15, 2016

Cartridge support would only serve a smaller market than having the games preloaded.  Those cartridges are finite in quantity and very limited in availability and only people who collect them would be able to use it.

Still, it's kinda interesting that Nintendo is giving up the VC as a selling point to the main consoles.  Most of the games here are enough to give people their nostalgia fix, even if the VC has (much) more options and a variety of systems.  But at least this is a guaranteed boost to Nintendo's social currency.

Quote from: Ian

Seems like an obvious product idea either way that I'm surprised Nintendo didn't think of sooner.

Let's be absolutley clear on this product; The only reason Nintendo is finally getting in on the shite plug n' play market is because they literally have fuck-all this holiday otherwise, Especially given the dubious feedback some of the games they've shown are having.


I learned not to salivate over Plug n' plays after the Neo-Geo X.


Seriously, though. this reeks of something that Tommo approached Nintendo about and Nintendo at least offered to make pads for.

Here's hoping the pads and the emulation quality is good, but I will not be buying this product.

Bman87301July 16, 2016

Quote from: nickmitch

Cartridge support would only serve a smaller market than having the games preloaded.  Those cartridges are finite in quantity and very limited in availability and only people who collect them would be able to use it.

That would only be the case if it relied solely on cartridges. But there are still so many of those old carts still floating around that it would be more than worth it to include as a bonus feature along side those built-in games (which is exactly what the Genesis rerelease already offers). Seeing how all these games can already be played via the Wii Virtual Console, there's a plenty of reason to pass. But that little slot would easily clinch the deal.

ejamerJuly 16, 2016

Quote from: Bman87301

Quote from: nickmitch

Cartridge support would only serve a smaller market than having the games preloaded.  Those cartridges are finite in quantity and very limited in availability and only people who collect them would be able to use it.

That would only be the case if it relied solely on cartridges. But there are still so many of those old carts still floating around that it would be more than worth it to include as a bonus feature along side those built-in games (which is exactly what the Genesis rerelease already offers). Seeing how all these games can already be played via the Wii Virtual Console, there's a plenty of reason to pass. But that little slot would easily clinch the deal.

"More than worth it" is an odd statement.  I mean, you are asking for totally different and unrelated hardware to be added, presumably without any noticeable increase in cost. It could totally happen, and for a relatively small number of people it would be awesome...  but I strongly doubt that most people would find the added cost to be justified.

nickmitchJuly 16, 2016

Quote from: ejamer

Quote from: Bman87301

Quote from: nickmitch

Cartridge support would only serve a smaller market than having the games preloaded.  Those cartridges are finite in quantity and very limited in availability and only people who collect them would be able to use it.

That would only be the case if it relied solely on cartridges. But there are still so many of those old carts still floating around that it would be more than worth it to include as a bonus feature along side those built-in games (which is exactly what the Genesis rerelease already offers). Seeing how all these games can already be played via the Wii Virtual Console, there's a plenty of reason to pass. But that little slot would easily clinch the deal.

"More than worth it" is an odd statement.  I mean, you are asking for totally different and unrelated hardware to be added, presumably without any noticeable increase in cost. It could totally happen, and for a relatively small number of people it would be awesome...  but I strongly doubt that most people would find the added cost to be justified.

The added number of sales would in no way justify the cost.  That market is too niche.  And it would require a totally separate set of parts that would have to wedged in there.  And it would likely make the thing notably bigger (or have the carts stick out).

Bman87301July 16, 2016

Quote from: nickmitch

Quote from: ejamer

Quote from: Bman87301

Quote from: nickmitch

Cartridge support would only serve a smaller market than having the games preloaded.  Those cartridges are finite in quantity and very limited in availability and only people who collect them would be able to use it.

That would only be the case if it relied solely on cartridges. But there are still so many of those old carts still floating around that it would be more than worth it to include as a bonus feature along side those built-in games (which is exactly what the Genesis rerelease already offers). Seeing how all these games can already be played via the Wii Virtual Console, there's a plenty of reason to pass. But that little slot would easily clinch the deal.

"More than worth it" is an odd statement.  I mean, you are asking for totally different and unrelated hardware to be added, presumably without any noticeable increase in cost. It could totally happen, and for a relatively small number of people it would be awesome...  but I strongly doubt that most people would find the added cost to be justified.

The added number of sales would in no way justify the cost.  That market is too niche.  And it would require a totally separate set of parts that would have to wedged in there.  And it would likely make the thing notably bigger (or have the carts stick out).

I full-heartedly disagree. Sure, it would require a completely different design, but it could definitely be done for the roughly the same price if they either dropped or reduced the suspended save feature or the HDMI (which is kinda overkill anyways). Remember, the retro Genesis plug and play has a cartridge slot for old games and only costs $40 (though the hardware quality is complete shite from what I hear). I assure you, there are more than enough people with old carts that would buy it in an instant if it had the slot but won't without it. Whereas having it certainly wouldn't stop any one who just wants the pre-loaded games from still buying it.

LemonadeJuly 16, 2016

I think if you have cartridges, you should just use an original NES. Thats what they are for.

The Mini NES is aimed at people who have no interest in buying or using old hardware. They just want somethat simple that works and has a bunch of games on it. Thats exactly what Nintendo have made.

If you want online functionality to download more games, thats what the Wii U is for.

nickmitchJuly 16, 2016

Quote from: Bman87301

Quote from: nickmitch

Quote from: ejamer

Quote from: Bman87301

Quote from: nickmitch

Cartridge support would only serve a smaller market than having the games preloaded.  Those cartridges are finite in quantity and very limited in availability and only people who collect them would be able to use it.

That would only be the case if it relied solely on cartridges. But there are still so many of those old carts still floating around that it would be more than worth it to include as a bonus feature along side those built-in games (which is exactly what the Genesis rerelease already offers). Seeing how all these games can already be played via the Wii Virtual Console, there's a plenty of reason to pass. But that little slot would easily clinch the deal.

"More than worth it" is an odd statement.  I mean, you are asking for totally different and unrelated hardware to be added, presumably without any noticeable increase in cost. It could totally happen, and for a relatively small number of people it would be awesome...  but I strongly doubt that most people would find the added cost to be justified.

The added number of sales would in no way justify the cost.  That market is too niche.  And it would require a totally separate set of parts that would have to wedged in there.  And it would likely make the thing notably bigger (or have the carts stick out).

I full-heartedly disagree. Sure, it would require a completely different design, but it could definitely be done for the roughly the same price if they either dropped or reduced the suspended save feature or the HDMI (which is kinda overkill anyways). Remember, the retro Genesis plug and play has a cartridge slot for old games and only costs $40 (though the hardware quality is complete shite from what I hear). I assure you, there are more than enough people with old carts that would buy it in an instant if it had the slot but won't without it. Whereas having it certainly wouldn't stop any one who just wants the pre-loaded games from still buying it.

Think about what you're saying.  Sega did one for $40, but it was "shit"?  What would the price be to design something not shit? $60? $80?  Then, that's ON TOP of what they're already putting out for $60.  Get rid of the HDMI?  That port isn't about HD, it's about ease of use.  One plug, that's all you need, and it's easily replaceable.  Get rid of the save states?  That's half practically half of the selling point!

And trust me that the market for the cartridge slot is niche.  It's not like those RetroN machines are all that hard to find.  That market is likely saturated.  An official device from Nintendo might influence a few people, but mostly people on forums like these (no offense, I love us guys) but not regular joes.

Bman87301July 16, 2016

Exce

Quote from: Lemonade

I think if you have cartridges, you should just use an original NES. Thats what they are for.

The Mini NES is aimed at people who have no interest in buying or using old hardware. They just want somethat simple that works and has a bunch of games on it. Thats exactly what Nintendo have made.

If you want online functionality to download more games, thats what the Wii U is for.

Yes, because all NESes still work... Oh wait, no they don't and that's the whole point. By that same logic you might as well say if you want to play an old NES game at all you should be doing it on an actual NES. If it truly was aimed at those uninterested in old hardware, they wouldn't be trying emulate the original design with identical controllers. The reality is the Wii Virtual Console is the place for old games on modern hardware. This new Classic NES, is intended for nostalgia. And those with fond memories of the old hardware very likely had the original at one time. And if so, likely still have old cartridges that they haven't been able to play in years. Anyone who thinks it's too niche a market is forgeting how popular the system was back in the day and underestimating how many homes still have original carts stored away in box-- it's big.

Quote from: Bman87301

Exce

Quote from: Lemonade

I think if you have cartridges, you should just use an original NES. Thats what they are for.

The Mini NES is aimed at people who have no interest in buying or using old hardware. They just want somethat simple that works and has a bunch of games on it. Thats exactly what Nintendo have made.

If you want online functionality to download more games, thats what the Wii U is for.

Yes, because all NESes still work... Oh wait, no they don't and that's the whole point. By that same logic you might as well say if you want to play an old NES game at all you should be doing it on an actual NES. If it truly was aimed at those uninterested in old hardware, they wouldn't be trying emulate the original design with identical controllers. The reality is the Wii Virtual Console is the place for old games on modern hardware. This new Classic NES, is intended for nostalgia. And those with fond memories of the old hardware very likely had the original at one time. And if so, likely still have old cartridges that they haven't been able to play in years. Anyone who thinks it's too niche a market is forgeting how popular the system was back in the day and underestimating how many homes still have original carts stored away in box-- it's big.

You're making a lot of assumptions there. Some people would want something that could play the cartridges, but I really don't think it's a large enough subset of the audience to justify including that feature in this. They'd have to include real NES hardware instead of using emulators, make the device larger, cut down on features and increase the price. None of those things make sense for what Nintendo's trying to do here.

Disco StuJuly 17, 2016

I had no idea we had such experienced engineers/product managers posting here on NWR. You all should be working for Nintendo!

SorenJuly 17, 2016

Quote from: Bman87301

If it truly was aimed at those uninterested in old hardware, they wouldn't be trying emulate the original design with identical controllers. The reality is the Wii Virtual Console is the place for old games on modern hardware. This new Classic NES, is intended for nostalgia.

Ah yes, the nostalgia of playing old games designed for CRT televisions on HD screens instead. I think this console is designed with equal parts nostalgia/accessibility in mind. That's the reason why it's $60 and has an HD port.

Bman87301July 17, 2016

It's true, that it would definitely require different innards and most likely a larger design, but I'm pretty confident it could be done for around the same price. And while I understand why so many think it would only appeal to nerds like us and not the mainstream, if you stop and think about it, it's actually the exact opposite--We're the ones whose original NESes are more likely to still work because we know about deactivating the finicky block-out chip. Or we sold our old carts after it stopped working to buy the latest new systems.  The mainstream more likely just packed them away somewhere waiting to be dug out. The feature would definitely appeal just as much to them as it would us... Especially since we've more likely kept playing those games, whereas this would be the first oppotunty for them them in years

Mop it upJuly 18, 2016

This sounds like a good, cheap way for Nintendo to make a little money as they wait for NX. If this had a cartridge slot, I'd probably be all over it, but as it stands I own most of these already. I have less SNES games though, so if that happens I might be interested.

I don't expect there to be a version of this or future retro devices to actually have a cartridge slot though, as it would encourage people to track down the original cartridges rather than buy them on the VC. I have no idea how true that would be given things like the price difference and the collector's market, not to mention that there are plenty of games not on the VC, but I can imagine Nintendo seeing it that way.

StogiJuly 18, 2016

This thing is adorable. I have a feeling once we hold it, it'll feel like a clever box to hold 3DS games rather than an actual system.

What I'm  concerned about the most is, can you use a Wiimote? Or can you use a Wiimote/NES combo? I really don't want a wired system.

LemonadeJuly 18, 2016

It only works with Classic Controllers, so the original CC, CC Pro, the new NES controller and I assume the SNES/Super Famicom controller.

I wonder how long the cable will be on the new NES controller. The normal length probably isnt going to be enough

ejamerJuly 19, 2016

Quote from: Bman87301

...

I like your idea of an actual first-party NES replacement. That would be great.

But there are a bunch of retro consoles that play NES games on the market now, not to mention a bunch of old NES consoles available as well. Pricing of those consoles don't convince me that what you say regarding pricing of a new production line would be accurate. (Oh right, but there is that $40 Genesys console that offers terrible build quality and poor emulation... let's throw that into the comparison just for fun.)

Nintendo is offering Product A - a quick and easy blast of nostalgia that comes in a small, stand-alone package and doesn't require any extra purchases (ok, maybe buy a second controller) to start playing right away.
You want Product B - a niche product aimed at hardcore collectors who already have games or are keen to start tracking them down and collecting, that isn't as small or convenient.

Both are good ideas, but they are different ideas and it sounds like Nintendo has clear goals about where they are going with this product. Get over it.

Quote from: Lemonade

...  I wonder how long the cable will be on the new NES controller. The normal length probably isnt going to be enough

This is a good point. There are clearly ports for controllers on the mini-console, so I'm assuming no wireless. Not a deal breaker, but it does make you wonder about cords and cables.

Fatty The HuttJuly 19, 2016

Kinda off topic: does anyone know if there's an Atari 2600 emulator box thingy that has built-in or downloadable games? I'm not that keen on acquiring a bunch of old cartridges but I would really like to play some old Atari games with the right controllers. I have a bunch available on an iPad but the touch screen controls just don't cut it.

ejamerJuly 19, 2016

Quote from: Fatty_The_Hutt

Kinda off topic: does anyone know if there's an Atari 2600 emulator box thingy that has built-in or downloadable games? I'm not that keen on acquiring a bunch of old cartridges but I would really like to play some old Atari games with the right controllers. I have a bunch available on an iPad but the touch screen controls just don't cut it.

Yes - there are a couple available and they aren't half bad from what I've read. Different versions offer different games and overall quality though, so do a bit of research before buying.

Helpful links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_Flashback
http://forum.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?172384-Atari-Flashback-Which-One(s)

Some versions are even pretty easy to hack and add a console port to, apparently. Not sure if that's something you care about - for Atari I'd rather just get the convenience of everything in one box, but others will disagree.

Bman87301July 19, 2016

Quote from: ejamer

Quote from: Bman87301

...

I like your idea of an actual first-party NES replacement. That would be great.

But there are a bunch of retro consoles that play NES games on the market now, not to mention a bunch of old NES consoles available as well. Pricing of those consoles don't convince me that what you say regarding pricing of a new production line would be accurate. (Oh right, but there is that $40 Genesys console that offers terrible build quality and poor emulation... let's throw that into the comparison just for fun.)

Nintendo is offering Product A - a quick and easy blast of nostalgia that comes in a small, stand-alone package and doesn't require any extra purchases (ok, maybe buy a second controller) to start playing right away.
You want Product B - a niche product aimed at hardcore collectors who already have games or are keen to start tracking them down and collecting, that isn't as small or convenient.

Both are good ideas, but they are different ideas and it sounds like Nintendo has clear goals about where they are going with this product. Get over it.

Quote from: Lemonade

...  I wonder how long the cable will be on the new NES controller. The normal length probably isnt going to be enough

This is a good point. There are clearly ports for controllers on the mini-console, so I'm assuming no wireless. Not a deal breaker, but it does make you wonder about cords and cables.

Clearly you didn't actually read my last post, because I already explained how this wouldn't be a "Product B". You said it yourself, "Product A" is a stand alone package that doesn't require any extra purchases and that's precisely what this would be as it would be in addition to the built-in games. It would merely be an optional bonus feature which would appeal to a large enough portion and guarantee more sales to people who'd otherwise be on the fence. If you believe otherwise it's likely because you're failing to take into account how many mainstream people still have access to old carts. Believe it or not, probably 50% of mainstream owners of an original NES still have access to at least SOME of the original cartridges. Of course, there would be no market for new NES hardware that would REQUIRE old carts, but that's not what we're talking about here. People who this feature would actually appeal to is FAR beyond the hardcore collectors you're picturing.

It's pretty clear to me that the reason isn't Nintendo taking the extra effort to include a slot Nintendo is most likely just because this was thrown together as a last minute cash-in. They've already got VC emulation versions for all these games so they're just easily throwing on simplified Wii hardware to have something ready for Christmas. If they took their time they could easily make a version that used original chipsets or a reliable enough emulator to run games from carts, and it would sell significantly better.

Fatty The HuttJuly 19, 2016

Quote from: ejamer

Quote from: Fatty_The_Hutt

Kinda off topic: does anyone know if there's an Atari 2600 emulator box thingy that has built-in or downloadable games? I'm not that keen on acquiring a bunch of old cartridges but I would really like to play some old Atari games with the right controllers. I have a bunch available on an iPad but the touch screen controls just don't cut it.

Yes - there are a couple available and they aren't half bad from what I've read. Different versions offer different games and overall quality though, so do a bit of research before buying.

Helpful links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_Flashback
http://forum.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?172384-Atari-Flashback-Which-One(s)

Some versions are even pretty easy to hack and add a console port to, apparently. Not sure if that's something you care about - for Atari I'd rather just get the convenience of everything in one box, but others will disagree.

Thanks! This is very helpful.

nickmitchJuly 19, 2016

Quote from: Bman87301

Quote from: ejamer

Quote from: Bman87301

...

I like your idea of an actual first-party NES replacement. That would be great.

But there are a bunch of retro consoles that play NES games on the market now, not to mention a bunch of old NES consoles available as well. Pricing of those consoles don't convince me that what you say regarding pricing of a new production line would be accurate. (Oh right, but there is that $40 Genesys console that offers terrible build quality and poor emulation... let's throw that into the comparison just for fun.)

Nintendo is offering Product A - a quick and easy blast of nostalgia that comes in a small, stand-alone package and doesn't require any extra purchases (ok, maybe buy a second controller) to start playing right away.
You want Product B - a niche product aimed at hardcore collectors who already have games or are keen to start tracking them down and collecting, that isn't as small or convenient.

Both are good ideas, but they are different ideas and it sounds like Nintendo has clear goals about where they are going with this product. Get over it.

Quote from: Lemonade

...  I wonder how long the cable will be on the new NES controller. The normal length probably isnt going to be enough

This is a good point. There are clearly ports for controllers on the mini-console, so I'm assuming no wireless. Not a deal breaker, but it does make you wonder about cords and cables.

Clearly you didn't actually read my last post, because I already explained how this wouldn't be a "Product B". You said it yourself, "Product A" is a stand alone package that doesn't require any extra purchases and that's precisely what this would be as it would be in addition to the built-in games. It would merely be an optional bonus feature which would appeal to a large enough portion and guarantee more sales to people who'd otherwise be on the fence. If you believe otherwise it's likely because you're failing to take into account how many mainstream people still have access to old carts. Believe it or not, probably 50% of mainstream owners of an original NES still have access to at least SOME of the original cartridges. Of course, there would be no market for new NES hardware that would REQUIRE old carts, but that's not what we're talking about here. People who this feature would actually appeal to is FAR beyond the hardcore collectors you're picturing.

It's pretty clear to me that the reason isn't Nintendo taking the extra effort to include a slot Nintendo is most likely just because this was thrown together as a last minute cash-in. They've already got VC emulation versions for all these games so they're just easily throwing on simplified Wii hardware to have something ready for Christmas. If they took their time they could easily make a version that used original chipsets or a reliable enough emulator to run games from carts, and it would sell significantly better.

Product A + B would be a product that prices itself out the range of Product A's market while creating confusion within it ("Wait, so do I need the carts to play the games?") and is 1/2 a thing that Product B's market doesn't want/need.  That combination pretty much only sells to the overlap of the two markets.  Plus, you'd make it bigger, which is something I assume Nintendo cares about.

SorenJuly 19, 2016

Quote from: ejamer

Quote from: Lemonade

...  I wonder how long the cable will be on the new NES controller. The normal length probably isnt going to be enough

This is a good point. There are clearly ports for controllers on the mini-console, so I'm assuming no wireless. Not a deal breaker, but it does make you wonder about cords and cables.

Wii U Pro Controller USB cables were ridiculously long. Ditto Smash Gamecube controller cables. I wouldn't be too worried.

AdrockJuly 19, 2016

As expected, it''s missing a few games namely Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, Zoda's Revenge: StarTropics II, and Tetris for me. Now that the initial excitement has settled, I'd probably buy this as a collector's item rather than something I'd actually use.

Nintendo would never do this, but it'd be neat-o if Nintendo let you choose 30 games out of a selection of like 50 or so. The personalized nature of it would undoubtedly drive the price up. $60 is a good price for what you get comparatively to Virtual Console downloads though it's still pretty high for what it is. I'd gladly pay $60 had I been given the choice of titles. It isn't a realistic expectation though.

LemonadeJuly 19, 2016

Quote from: Soren

Wii U Pro Controller USB cables were ridiculously long. Ditto Smash Gamecube controller cables. I wouldn't be too worried.

Maybe they have the normal half metre cable plus an extension. If you are just buying the NES controller for use with the Wii U VC, it would be kind of annoying having a really long cable plugging into a Wii Remote.

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