Nintendo Classic Mini announced (1 Viewer)

[Clinton McClure]

Good luck finding one. Nintendo says they are going to be steadily releasing them but I have my doubts. I think it will still be like when it took me almost 6 months from release date to find a Wii for my nephew.

 

[Bryan^H]

Literally 200 systems on E-Bay priced buy it now for $2,000 or more. And many, many more at $150 and up(average selling price is $300).
I give up, and in a perfect world none of these would sell at the inflated prices. But desperation feeds the scum sucking maggots we call scalpers.

 

[Joseph Bolus]

About all the cables:

Many gamers in the target audience have dedicated TV/monitor set ups, and won't be bothered by running a dedicated long HDMI cable to the NES Classic.

Heck, some of them may even stick it into a homebrew cabinet utilizing an inexpensive 32" 720p set. (Total cost would be about $250 -- Once you can actually purchase the console for the $60 MSRP.) That's still a really good price for best-in-class NES emulation (with enhancements) for some of the most popular games ever released for the console.

 

[LeoA]

Since an online order went through which I thought would be cancelled, I'll soon have another.

I hate to join the dark side, but if prices remain high, I might put it up for auction and let the market dictate what it's worth when it arrives. If not, I'll do the honorable thing and just return it for a refund if no friends are interested in buying it at cost.

I wonder if any of these 3rd party wireless controllers are worth the bother? At least one of the new 3rd party offerings released to cash in on the NES Classic, the NES Advantage styled arcade stick, ended up only compatible with the Wii and Wii U. Apparently how a Classic Controller works internally wasn't perfectly understood and something is just out of spec enough here to break compatibility. Some other older 3rd party controllers also have issues.

If there's one with a home button, it would be perfect for the user that is playing this with the system a fair distance away. That allows you to do everything remotely other than powering the system on and off, where as the NES Mini controller itself lacks the home button which requires you to press the system's reset button for save states, changing games, etc.

 

[DaveF]

“Why people want an NES Classic so badly - Polygon”
http://www.polygon.com/2016/11/11/13598104/nes-classic-lines-christmas-sales-why-people-want-one

As I review the game list I realize this isn't a strong draw for me. I think a Super NES equivalent for $60 would more likely get my money, especially with wireless controllers. Maybe next year

 

[Edwin-S]

The appeal of purchasing repackaged obsolete 8-bit gaming hardware, loaded with retreads, escapes me. What's next? A Colecovision retread? If that's the case I'm going to regret that I ever got rid of my original system.

 

[LeoA]

This Nyko controller might be a good match.

It's wireless and looks like it might have the home button that is needed to remotely bring up the dashboard. Still have to physically power the system on though (And off unless you just let it time out and automatically shut down after an hour).

The appeal of purchasing repackaged obsolete 8-bit gaming hardware, loaded with retreads, escapes me. What's next? A Colecovision retread? If that's the case I'm going to regret that I ever got rid of my original system.

Not sure what's so odd about it, but it has already happened.

There will always be a place for classic games.

I think a Super NES equivalent for $60 would more likely get my money, especially with wireless controllers. Maybe next year

I suspect we may have to wait a few years since they'll be focused on the first Christmas for the Nintendo Switch next year, but I bet it happens eventually. I kind of hope it remains a Classic Controller though, just with a longer controller cable next time.

It means that accessories like existing Wii arcade sticks and other gamepads can be used on the SuperNes Mini, and that the SuperNes Mini controller can also be used on the Wii/Wii U and hopefully the Switch. And you're not tied to a possibly proprietary wireless controller that could be difficult to replace or buy a second of.

They don't even have to design one. They can just dust off this Club Nintendo controller from the Wii era.

 

[Edwin-S]

That Colecovision retread was hilarious. I didn't have a clue that they had done that. I'm going to be kicking my butt that I gave away my original one, along with my Sega Genesis and all of the games.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

The Atari, Colecovision, Sega Genesis, etc. retro consoles are a bit unique in that they are usually not produced by the original company and often try to allow you to plug in and play original cartridges, however they use emulation rather than the original hardware to run them so you have a bunch of issues like some games not working or messed up sound/graphics. So yeah, those exist, but they're shoddy products as it is.

I think the NES Classic looks awesome and I'm happy they made it, but I just don't feel like playing through the games it offers. If they had some sort of cheat mode where you could activate infinite health or unlock level select or whatever else Game Genie would have let you do, then I'd be interested. When Square rereleased FF7 for the PS4, Android, and PC with built-in cheats to make the game easier, I was hopeful that more companies would approach retro releases the same way. But apparently not.

Regarding the controller and cable lengths, I've seen good things about the wireless controllers and I believe the price is reasonable. Keep in mind that the short controller cable is for a very important purpose: you need to have access to the RESET button on the front of the mini-console to access the menu for game selection and save states. There's no Home button on the controller and any Wii controllers or other add-ons that have one won't work because the system is not designed for that, so you NEED to have physical access to the button. It kind of sucks, but it explains exactly why they did that.

 

[LeoA]

As a follower of these products since I'm a classic gaming fanatic and enjoy seeing these classics escape the vaults to be seen again, that's actually not entirely accurate. These self-contained plug and play consoles that are preloaded with software are actually a mixture of "system on a chips", emulation, and full fledged recreations/ports.

Take the Atari Flashback line for an example. Started with shoddy ports of 2600/7800 games running on an off the shelf 'NES on a chip' (NOAC), transitioned to a nearly 100% accurate recreation of a 2600 with the system recreated in miniaturized form on a single integrated circuit, and then the apparently cheaper emulation solutions of more recent Atari Flashbacks.

And unlike clone systems like the Retron 5, most plug and plays don't accept original cartridges and are limited to the built-in lineup of games. In fact I can only think of one line of exceptions (The AtGames Sega Genesis console line), and those are basically hybrids that straddle the line.

They're a self-contained plug and play system with dozens of built-in games, but they also function as a clone console that accepts original media.

Keep in mind that the short controller cable is for a very important purpose: you need to have access to the RESET button on the front of the mini-console to access the menu for game selection and save states. There's no Home button on the controller and any Wii controllers or other add-ons that have one won't work because the system is not designed for that, so you NEED to have physical access to the button.

The home buttons on controllers like my original Classic Controller work just fine and bring up the dashboard exactly like the reset button does on the system itself.

With a compatible home button equipped controller, you only have to touch the system itself to power it on or off.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Oh, the Home button works? I didn't know that!

In that case, yeah, I would imagine people should just use a newer Wii/Wii U controller.

 

[LeoA]

Sadly, this took 1 step backwards compared to their NES emulator on the Wii U's Virtual Console which rather detracts from that option in my eyes. There's no button remapping on the NES Classic Edition.

So for instance anyone that prefers to use the Y button to run in Super Mario Brothers and B to jump with Nintendo's ABXY button layout, are stuck using the A/B buttons.

Nice that it's supported and that the home button works here, but I wish we would've been allowed to remap the controls.

 

[Ruz-El]

Sadly, this took 1 step backwards compared to their NES emulator on the Wii U's Virtual Console which rather detracts from that option in my eyes. There's no button remapping on the NES Classic Edition.

So for instance anyone that prefers to use the Y button to run in Super Mario Brothers and B to jump with Nintendo's ABXY button layout, are stuck using the A/B buttons.

Nice that it's supported and that the home button works here, but I wish we would've been allowed to remap the controls.

I don't think replicating the exact experience of the NES would include button remapping when it was a 2 button controller in the first place.

 

[LeoA]

I agree when we're talking 2 button controllers being used for 2 button games. But button customization is important when you're instead using a 4 button controller like a Classic Controller for games originally designed around a 2 button controller.

If only Nintendo hadn't been foolish when they designed the Super Nintendo 25 years ago, this might've never been an issue. Prototypes showed that what we know as Y & B were supposed to be B & A, but they scrapped that perfect layout and left us with this.

So ever since when 2 button Nintendo games are played on a 4 button Nintendo system, there's a dilemma of user comfort or matching up the button lettering.

I liked this illustration that someone made when the 3DS Virtual Console appeared with this same issue.

http://cdn.brawlinthefamily.keenspot.com/comics/2014-05-09-564.png

 

[LeoA]

If they had only stuck with this, it would've never been an issue. Seen prototype pictures too with C & D labeled as X & Y.

Not sure why Nintendo thought at the last minute that Y & B should be the markings for what were destined to be the two most used buttons on games created for a 4 button layout.

The NES A & B markings would've been the logical labels for what served as the primary buttons on the SuperNes controller, with X & Y given to the secondary positions.

And we'd of never had any issues with legacy software being played on 4 button Nintendo systems had they gone down this route.

 

[LeoA]

I don't think this thing will be hacked. It might not even be accessible if they go with a glob top.

I don't know if we can really discuss the details, but thanks to a USB port that ended up having more than just the power leads connected like we were led to believe, this didn't end up one of my better predictions...

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.

If you missed it, Mario Kart 64 has since appeared on the Wii U Virtual Console amid a flurry of N64 releases since December.

Doesn't appear that we'll ever match even the Wii's total of N64 releases (Although two classics at least made their belated Virtual Console debuts on the Wii U). But at least the North American Wii U VC is now at par for N64 downloads with other regions like Europe that have had classics like Mario Kart 64 for a long time now.

Sadly though, I think the Wii U Virtual Console in general is done in North America where additions are concerned. Perhaps a game or two more like Mario vs. Donkey Kong for the GBA (Which has strangely remained absent in NA so far while other regions have had it for a long time), but I'd be shocked if more than 3 or 4 more releases happen.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Yeah, I'd avoid buying anything new for the Wii U VC until seeing what the Switch will get and considering whether you want to buy one or not.

 

[LeoA]

Sadly though, there could be a 5 year wait for the major 1st party title of your choice to appear on the Switch, with how Nintendo spreads their lineup out so that there's a constant trickle of AAA classic Nintendo content on the Virtual Console.

That's one of the big problems with the Virtual Console, albeit one that can't really be fixed unless Nintendo threw out any desire to maximize Virtual Console profits by opening the doors immediately and then hoping that 3rd parties decide to take the baton with new releases.

Depending on how their upgrade scheme works (if there's even one at all), it could still be to your benefit to upgrade it when we find out more, even if a Switch was in your future. For instance, all suspect or at least hope that the Switch can recognize what's on your Wii U or 3DS.

But I would be more surprised if Nintendo sets it up so that it recognizes what resides on your Wii U's Wii mode, with Virtual Console purchases that could date all the way back to 2006 that have already been transferred once, and offer up the appropriate discount like the Wii U eShop does.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

They haven't announced anything for Switch. For all we know, they're going to have every VC game on it at launch or absolutely nothing. It's too soon to say their release rate was too slow.

I say wait a couple weeks until more info comes out.

EDIT: I think Reggie Fils-Aime already said that the Nintendo Network ID would allow them to tie purchases to accounts now, and they're being used on the Wii U and 3DS so the Switch would have an upgrade path similar to Wii U.

 

[LeoA]

Absolutely zero chance that they'll start off with a library remotely comparable with what's available on the Wii U today. Unrealistic all the way around.

As for upgrading, I wasn't talking about upgrading from the Wii U/3DS. I was responding to your suggestion that Greg, if he's even still interested in upgrading Mario Kart 64 or hasn't already done so, just skip paying the $2 upgrade fee on Mario Kart 64 to move it to the Wii U half of his Wii U.

The Wii, including the Wii U's 'Wii mode', had no account system. The Wii U's eShop only knows to offer you a discount for a Wii purchase residing on the Wii half of the system by actively scanning your 512MB flash chip each time you fire up the eShop to check your content licenses.

I don't expect the Switch to have anyway of doing this operation to move from the Wii (Or Wii mode) directly to the Switch, which means that he'd instead have to pay $10 all over again most likely. Even if it's again a $2 upgrade fee to move from the Wii U to the Switch, he'd likely only be out $4 all told rather than $10.

It could be done such as via one of the USB 2.0 connections on the dock or directly via wifi so it could actively scan content license between systems, but I doubt Nintendo thinks the demand justifies the effort.