Nintendo releasing mini NES HDMI pre-loaded w/ games!

[Josh128]

http://www.nintendo.com/nes-classic

http://www.dailydot.com/debug/nintendo- ... te/?fbv=gk

Pretty neat at $59.95

Game list:

Balloon Fight™
BUBBLE BOBBLE
Castlevania™
Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest™
Donkey Kong™
Donkey Kong Jr. ™
DOUBLE DRAGON II: THE REVENGE
Dr. Mario™
Excitebike™
FINAL FANTASY®
Galaga™
GHOSTS’N GOBLINS®
GRADIUS™
Ice Climber™
Kid Icarus™
Kirby’s Adventure™
Mario Bros. ™
MEGA MAN® 2
Metroid™
NINJA GAIDEN
PAC-MAN™
Punch-Out!! ™ Featuring Mr. Dream
StarTropics™
SUPER C™
Super Mario Bros.™
Super Mario Bros. ™ 2
Super Mario Bros. ™ 3
TECMO BOWL
The Legend of Zelda™
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link™

[Josh128]

http://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail ... experience

This is straight from the official Nintendo website. Should be an actual quality piece of kit-- it would be incredible if you could somehow add /purchase more games for it.

Im shocked that Nintendo itself is releasing something like this. Wonder what kind of hardware /emulation/ lag it has...Im sure its going to be pretty bare bones, but if it doesnt have emulation lag that would be pretty neat.

[BazookaBen]

I'm curious what hardware it's using.

Theoretically, Nintendo could have all the design documentation necessary to make a completely cycle-accurate NES with on a smaller die.

But it's probably a cheap ARM processor running an emulator.

[kamiboy]

It has save state ability, so yeah, just an emulator.

[Guspaz]

Overpriced for what it is, but it'll sell a huge number of units, so I guess that means it's not overpriced. No wireless controllers, no cartridge slot, no ability to buy more games. You get 30 games and never more.

[blizzz]

Save state doesn't necessarily mean that it's emulated. You can use save states on some consoles (inclusing the NES) with flash cards. It's probably just a generic emulator box. Nothing to get excited about really.

The choice of games is also a bit sad. No all time classics like Nintendo World Cup or Ducktales.

[Ikaruga11]

I'll probably buy one just to see how it is and a few of the NES Classic Controllers to play NES games on the Wii Virtual Console.

[BazookaBen]

I'm looking forward to using the controller to play Mega Man 9.

[Blair]

I'm surprised they have a few non-Nintendo games on there like Castlelvania, Ghosts and Goblins, Final Fantasy.

but why bother with middling games though? (Castlelvania 2, Balloon Fight, Zelda 2) add some really interesting games like...

Earthbound/Mother,

Little Samson,

Mighty Final Fight,

Rygar,

Crystalis

Castlelvania 3 (this one definitely should have been included)

[tjstogy]

At least there will now be a source for new OEM NES controllers to buy.... but will they work with an actual NES?

Edit: looks like they use a Wii type plug.... oh well. Maybe the shell is the same.

[BazookaBen]

At least there will now be a source for new OEM NES controllers to buy.... but will they work with an actual NES?

Look at the ports



Look familiar?

[blizzz]

tjstogy, No, they use the Wiimote plug and not the FC / NES plug.

[Ikaruga11]

but why bother with middling games though? (Castlelvania 2, Balloon Fight, Zelda 2) add some really interesting games like...

Balloon Fight is decent. Castlevania 2 and Zelda II are the weakest in the series though.

[Blair]

I guess so, I've only played Balloon Fight for a short amount of time, it seemed kind of repetitive and a little too 70's arcade style (score based game with no real sense of progression)

but a lot of the early NES library is like that, Popeye, pinball, wrecking crew etc.

[Josh128]

but why bother with middling games though? (Castlelvania 2, Balloon Fight, Zelda 2) add some really interesting games like...

Balloon Fight is decent. Castlevania 2 and Zelda II are the weakest in the series though.

Balloon Fight and Tecmo Bowl could have been replaced by better for sure. Castlevania 2 and Zelda 2 are absolute classics and definitely deserve their place. CV 2 has some of the most memorable music and Zelda 2, well, I just love it. My opinion is that people who dont just cant handle the heat-- its easily the most challenging of the early Zeldas-- casual gamers need not apply.

The list is pretty strong actually with a few exceptions.

What has me really intrigued about the whole thing is that this is being released by Nintendo, not some knock off Chinese company with shabby support. Had they added some sort of way to purchase and load more games for it, it would be a retro fans dream come true. Nintendo generally release quality stuff-- at the very least, you know its going to work.

[tjstogy]

I hear Nintendo is using FBX's natural color palette

Honestly, they should just instead release a classic NES with HDMI output... done correctly, no emulation. Full ability to play the old cartridge games, and a 30-in-1 cartridge included. Heck even put an SD slot on the cartridge so you can use it to download new games from their Nintendo store. Oh, and wireless controllers (and wireless zapper, with full ability to kill the dog).

That'd sell like craaaaaazy.

[Blair]

@Josh128

that's true, castlelvania 2 does have some pretty awesome music (but the gameplay is much weaker than CV1 or CV3). although we don't know how well this little box will reproduce the sound of the NES yet. (a lot of clone/emulator systems are pretty awful when it comes to that). (input lag is another concern I have)

I played a lot of Zelda 2 when it came out, I never enjoyed it nearly as much as the first game. and then I didn't play another Zelda game tell ocarina of time on the N64. (which I really liked up untell the volcano dungeon.)

there is no definite answer about who or how it's being manufactured, Nintendo could just be putting its name on some other companies product. (that's happened before with some of these other micro reproduction systems)

[Einzelherz]

My hope is that 1. It's the most full blooded, first party NOAC we could ever hope for and 2. It'll be cracked for SD cards within a week.

[TheRac25]

My hope is that 1. It's the most full blooded, first party NOAC we could ever hope for and 2. It'll be cracked for SD cards within a week.

crosses fingers, i'd settle for data/address lines exposed on the pcb though

[Ikaruga11]

At least there will now be a source for new OEM NES controllers to buy.... but will they work with an actual NES?

Look at the ports



Look familiar?

The realization that you can insert a Nunchuk or the Classic Controller Pro into the NES Mini.

[bobrocks95]

Overpriced for what it is, but it'll sell a huge number of units, so I guess that means it's not overpriced. No wireless controllers, no cartridge slot, no ability to buy more games. You get 30 games and never more.

Is $2 a game without factoring in hardware cost really overpriced?

Honestly, they should just instead release a classic NES with HDMI output... done correctly, no emulation. Full ability to play the old cartridge games, and a 30-in-1 cartridge included. Heck even put an SD slot on the cartridge so you can use it to download new games from their Nintendo store. Oh, and wireless controllers (and wireless zapper, with full ability to kill the dog).

That'd sell like craaaaaazy.

You can feel free to dream, but you know that would cost a whole lot more and only actually gain an additional very niche portion of the potential audience right?


I'm most excited for a $10 source of brand new OEM D-Pad and button replacements (maybe shell too???), and if the emulation doesn't have artificial darkening like the Wii U and 3DS NES Virtual Console titles I'll buy one.

Absolutely love the packaging as well. It looks like a fun product.

[BazookaBen]

It looks like a fun product.

This is the take home message for me. Some of the best games ever made, mixed with a few decent games and a couple bad ones, all in a box that looks 100% like the original.

[tjstogy]

Honestly, they should just instead release a classic NES with HDMI output... done correctly, no emulation. Full ability to play the old cartridge games, and a 30-in-1 cartridge included. Heck even put an SD slot on the cartridge so you can use it to download new games from their Nintendo store. Oh, and wireless controllers (and wireless zapper, with full ability to kill the dog).

That'd sell like craaaaaazy.

You can feel free to dream, but you know that would cost a whole lot more and only actually gain an additional very niche portion of the potential audience right?

Well... the original NES sold 62 million units. You know how many people still have NES games somewhere in their house? I wouldn't say making it HDMI ready for current households, with the ability to play old games is "niche". It would increase the price a bit, but what if it was $99 instead? They'd kill it... The wireless controllers don't have to be included, fine But as an accessory... !

[Guspaz]

Overpriced for what it is, but it'll sell a huge number of units, so I guess that means it's not overpriced. No wireless controllers, no cartridge slot, no ability to buy more games. You get 30 games and never more.

Is $2 a game without factoring in hardware cost really overpriced?

Yes, because there are lots of similar products on the market that have have far more games for a much lower price. The AtGames Genesis, for example. 40 games and a $40 street price (as low as $33 MSRP in quantity), includes two wireless controllers, plus it supports original cartridges. Not the greatest execution, but it sets a bar. There are other products out there (some from the same manufacture) that have even more games at an even lower price.

Basically, my feeling is that the thing should either cost $40, or include a cartridge slot. Either option would have made it feel like a proper value.

[bobrocks95]

Well... the original NES sold 62 million units. You know how many people still have NES games somewhere in their house? I wouldn't say making it HDMI ready for current households, with the ability to play old games is "niche". It would increase the price a bit, but what if it was $99 instead? They'd kill it... The wireless controllers don't have to be included, fine But as an accessory... !

Making it not use emulation is the incredibly niche part, most people don't care about that. It's probably not even an FPGA, just software emulation, but that remains to be seen.

I don't even think a functional cartridge slot justifies the cost for what they're going for (more the plug-n-play angle), but I have no clue how much stuff like the RetroN sells as a real-world gauge for demand. People interested in going that route have probably already had their needs met I would venture to guess.

Yes, because there are lots of similar products on the market that have have far more games for a much lower price. The AtGames Genesis, for example. 40 games and a $40 street price (as low as $33 MSRP in quantity), includes two wireless controllers, plus it supports original cartridges. Not the greatest execution, but it sets a bar. There are other products out there (some from the same manufacture) that have even more games at an even lower price.

Basically, my feeling is that the thing should either cost $40, or include a cartridge slot. Either option would have made it feel like a proper value.

I think quality of emulation could certainly justify the additional cost, but of course we don't know anything about that yet.

[bigbadboaz]

After the shit they've put out on the Wii U, I don't think we can count on quality emulation. A huge disappointment after the work they put in on the original Wii. I'm not expecting much until we get some real hands-on reports.

The new NES controllers are the best thing about this by far. It's reasonable to think they'll be very close to the originals, and they're selling them for $10!!

Here's to the SNES Mini you know they're already thinking about.

[austin532]

Here's to the SNES Mini you know they're already thinking about.

The problem with that is the smaller SNES model is often called the mini. So is it going to be called the SNES Mini Mini?

[Guspaz]

Here's to the SNES Mini you know they're already thinking about.

The problem with that is the smaller SNES model is often called the mini. So is it going to be called the SNES Mini Mini?

The "mini" moniker was not official, it didn't have a different name than the previous model. Japan did call theirs the "Super Famicom Jr.", though.

[ZellSF]

I think people who expect any sort of quality from a Nintendo device these days is going to be disappointed.

Putting that 60$ towards a used Wii and buying your favorite VC games there is a much wiser investment.

The problem with that is the smaller SNES model is often called the mini. So is it going to be called the SNES Mini Mini?

People are not going to be confused by that. Most of the target market for this probably don't even know what a SNES mini is.

The new NES controllers are the best thing about this by far. It's reasonable to think they'll be very close to the originals, and they're selling them for $10!!

Yeah I noticed that, 10$ for NES quality controllers is good, but to use them for anything else than this (likely very poor) device you need to attach it to a Wiimote... which is pretty expensive and basically has all the functions of a NES controller anyway. Maybe some hardware mod would make them usable for other stuff, but eh... I think just buying a NES30 is a better choice.

[BuckoA51]

Really don't get peoples excitement over this, did you all get into a frenzy when Atari Flashback was announced?