When Amazon put the Mini NES Classic Edition from Nintendo on its page, it was sold out within minutes. And since it is suspected that various retailers did not get a mass amount of the console in the first place, the result is a large, albeit aging group of individuals who want more of their past in the present. But what exactly is it about the console that had many itching to get their hands on one? What nostalgic buttons does the console hit?
According to Endgaget, almost everything. The NES Mini Classic Edition sports an iconic design, comes with a built-in collection of 30 classic games and pixelized emulation that is definitely all charming and not frustrating. The only deal breaker, it would seem, is the 2.5 foot long controller cable, which is no longer a match for 40 inch television sets.
This short issue aside, the Mini NES does deliver on exactly what it set out to do. The game list is filled with Nintendo's most iconic games - from "Mario Bros." to "Final Fantasy" to "Donkey Kong" and "The Legend Zelda," among much more - which play almost impeccably and are priced at just US$2 a game.
The publication goes on to rave about how perfectly the Mini NES Classic is a carbon copy of the original Nintendo Entertainment System. The design alone, though smaller, is a mirror image of the initial minimalistic gray and black approach. Despite its miniature look, however, it sure packs a punch and definitely delivers. At this point, the console has proven to be very reliable and steadfast.
The physical similarities do end somewhere though, as Nintendo did opt for a few modern alterations. The new console, for example, sports Wii Remote accessory connectors, which are compatible with Wii Classic Controllers and other third party accessories. That, and its lid door does not actually open.
Keeping things simple, gamers can boot up the NES Classic in about five seconds and will be greeted with the simplest menu that Nintendo could possibly provide - which is pretty much made up of a scroll through of the 30 available games. The menu can, however, be grouped and sorted for easier choosing. And when a title is picked, the real game begins.
The NES provides vivid colors that pop despite the pixelated images. It is like seeing the exact same heartwarming games with clear glasses; the new HDMI connection has cleared the blur that older wires and television sets could not provide. It has been said that the new Mini NES outperforms the Wii, the Wii U and the original NES in terms of visual quality.
As The Verge notes, the NES was available thru Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target and Walmart, among others. Despite this, the unit was unavailable quicker than the time it took Nintendo to release it. Other than its nostalgia-granting capabilities, its price definitely added to its appeal. At just US$59.99, individuals got a premium console for the price of a single modern game.
Fortunately, Nintendo has confirmed that more of units of the Mini NES will arrive to the market before the holidays hit. It seems that the company just needed assurance that its risk would pay off. "The Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition system is a hot item, and we are working hard to keep up with consumer demand," it posted on Twitter. "There will be a steady flow of additional systems through the holiday shopping season and into the new year."
