Nintendo Classic Mini announced (1 Viewer)

[Clinton McClure]

I didn't find Zelda 2 to be that hard. My brother and I got it for Christmas in 1988 and finished it within a couple of weeks. It's been 28 years since I've played it so it might put up a challenge now. Ghosts N Goblins, Castlevania, Ninja Gaiden and Gradius, on the other hand, define insanely difficult games.

 

[Ruz-El]

I love everything about this and about the only reason I wont pick one up is due to having a Raspberry Pi set-up to play all the retrogames I want with a USB SNES controller clone. That said, out of the 30 games, there isn't really a terrible one in the batch. Hell, I might still buy one just to have it on the shelf!

 

[Jacinto]

My family will definitely be purchasing one of these. In fact, I think my 12 year old son is even more excited for it than I am. If only they made the option of the NES Max controller; that one was always the most comfortable in my hands...

 

[Morgan Jolley]

You can use the Wii Pro Controller on this, Jacinto, which is way more comfortable.

 

[LeoA]

Just to be completely clear, it's the Classic Controller Pro that is compatible. Not the controller that Nintendo labels as the Pro Controller, which is a wireless Wii U specific accessory.

That's one of the things that I like with this device. Not only can you use these NES Mini controllers across the last two generations of Nintendo console hardware (And possibly this upcoming generation as well), but the controller compatibility also works in the other direction.

If you own a Hori arcade stick for the Wii, you can use it here to play Galaga. If you loved the GameCube controller and own the officially licensed Wii/Wii U clones from PDP or Hori, you can plug it in here and play. And of course Nintendo's own Classic Controller and Classic Controller Pro can also be utilized.

 

[Greg_S_H]

And yet I still haven't found a way to play most of my Wii VC games since I foolishly transferred them to the Wii U.

I'm going the other direction right now. I pulled my original NES out of storage because I'm wanting to play the NES the real way after years of VC and collections. A lot of people have issues with their front-loaders after all these years, but I got lucky and mine mostly works. A few times, it wouldn't power up, but other times, it did. I don't know if it's my power supply or something internal, and I'm worried about it, but I got to Frankenstein's monster in Castlevania for the first time since the '80s. Something about playing it on the real equipment just elevates it. Now, to look for a CRT in storage or on somebody's curb. . . .

 

[LeoA]

What's keeping you from playing them on your Wii U?

 

[Greg_S_H]

I don't have a controller that will play the N64 games in Wii mode and don't even know how to get one. The only one I know of that works is the Wii's classic controller, but I hate the whole "dangle your Wiimote" design and it would have to be wireless for my setup. If the Wii U pro controller can control N64 games in Wii mode, I've been misinformed about that and will pick one up.

 

[LeoA]

Okay, I think I understand now. I assume that you were using a GameCube controller to play them originally on your Wii?

A lot of the Wii's lineup of N64 games have appeared in the Wii U's own Virtual Console, with more trickling out every few months (I just need Majora's Mask and Mario Kart 64 to appear, both of which are already out in Europe, to have all six of my Wii N64 downloads upgraded). So you do have the option for such games that you've transferred to pay a $2 upgrade fee to get the Wii U version of the game.

That's the only way you'll be able to use the Wii U gamepad or Wii U Pro Controller with them.

 

[Greg_S_H]

Yeah, I was using a Wavebird clone. Also, Mario Kart 64 is the very game I've been wanting to play! At least Rondo does work with the Wiimote.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Do Wii U versions of N64 games come with the Wii U VC enhancements, like save states?

 

[Greg_S_H]

Yeah.

 

[LeoA]

You also have button remapping options as well, just like other Wii U Virtual Console emulators (A feature the Wii VC didn't have). I've found that handy a few times when I didn't like the defaults.

Another benefit is that controller rumble, something Nintendo didn't retain on the Wii Virtual Console back when lawsuits were happening over the feature (Remember the original PS3 controller?), is present with the Wii U's N64 emulator. The catch of course is that it only works in rumble enabled N64 games like Ocarina of Time.

I was just thinking though that if you do hate the thought of a tethered Wii Classic Controller, there's always the 8Bitdo Crissaegrim NES30 Pro controller. That can connect directly to a Wii/Wii U without need of a Wiimote, and will act like a Classic Controller.

http://www.8bitdo.com/nes30pro/

But if Mario Kart 64 is all you want, a bit of patience will reward you and it will only cost you $2 when it releases on the Wii U's own Virtual Console.

 

[Greg_S_H]

I probably will just wait, but that looks pretty awesome.

 

[LeoA]

If it counts, this was my first system launch.

Anyone else get one yesterday morning?

 

[Clinton McClure]

Nope. Most B&M stores here got somewhere between 2 and 10 systems and scalpers were lined up for them Thursday afternoon. A couple of game stores only got one each. Besides, I had to work.

I tried to get in on the Amazon sale yesterday afternoon. As soon as the Mini went live, I was able to put one in my cart and went to checkout only to experience a 404 page error because Amazon's servers couldn't handle the (presumably) millions of hits it instantaneously got at once. When I refreshed the page, the Mini was gone from my cart and Amazon was sold out. The whole frustrating experience took less than 15 seconds.

I'm not chasing this one and will wait until I come across one in Target next year. My only negative thoughts are directed towards Nintendo who, by not taking preorders to gauge consumer interest, dropped the ball as badly as they did with the Wii by underproducing what is a very simple console with no moving parts.

*Edit to add final thoughts*

Glad you were able to snag one Leo! I have fond memories of catching cool things on release day. Let us know what you think about it.

 

[DaveF]

I don't understand this product. It's 2016. I'm not buying a console that requires I buy 15' HDMI cord and a power extension cord, so I can drag the Nintendo out of the cabinet, cables snaked across the living room, to sit on the coffee table so the 30" corded controllers reach the couch. And then when I'm done, cram all those cables back into the hutch.

This makes no sense to me.

I've never been into retro-gaming, but I was intrigued by a $60 device to spend a few hours playing some classic Nintendo games.

But I'm not interested in also re-living the cord hassles of the 1980s as well.

 

[Clinton McClure]

I don't understand this product. It's 2016. I'm not buying a console that requires I buy 15' HDMI cord and a power extension cord, so I can drag the Nintendo out of the cabinet, cables snaked across the living room, to sit on the coffee table so the 30" corded controllers reach the couch. And then when I'm done, cram all those cables back into the hutch.

This makes no sense to me.

I've never been into retro-gaming, but I was intrigued by a $60 device to spend a few hours playing some classic Nintendo games.

But I'm not interested in also re-living the cord hassles of the 1980s as well.

Other options are just buy controller extension cables and there are even 3rd party controllers which add the power and reset functions to the controller. I'm not at all messed up about that.

 

[DaveF]

At 10' long, I don't think the extender cables are long enough.

 

[DaveF]

I wonder if I could buy one for my nieces for Christmas...?