So, I bought a NES and SNES Classic Mini...
...in the aftermath of their huge demand, going all the way back to the outsold NES Mini in 2016. I simply couldn't get hold of it, or even a SNES Mini, at launch. However, earlier this year I picked up a SNES Mini and recently a NES Mini as they re-emerged on shop shelves.
Let's take a quick look at both them!
The NES and SNES Mini's are powered by USB and have a HDMI video output. They both operate at a 720p resolution and offer a few choices in screen displays, more on that later for each model. Be warned though, the controller cables are extremely short and in combination with the console needing to be near the TV for HDMI and near a USB power source, it's an inconvenient setup. You'll need long HDMI and USB cables to get the consoles closer to your sofa, to compensate the short controller cables!
What they have in common
Their hardware replicates, in a small form factor, the real console designs. My versions replicate the European models for both the NES and the SNES. They're well made, with working power and reset buttons. I like how the SNES has hidden it's modern controller ports, for added authenticity in it's visual appearance. Both consoles have controllers that are fantastic quality and extremely close to the originals. Incredible work has been put into the hardware, even down to the original looking packaging they arrive in and their retro manuals. Great design aesthetics all round.The NES and SNES Mini's are powered by USB and have a HDMI video output. They both operate at a 720p resolution and offer a few choices in screen displays, more on that later for each model. Be warned though, the controller cables are extremely short and in combination with the console needing to be near the TV for HDMI and near a USB power source, it's an inconvenient setup. You'll need long HDMI and USB cables to get the consoles closer to your sofa, to compensate the short controller cables!
I get that wireless controllers would've made the total price far higher, but they could've fixed the problem simply by making the controller cables really long.
Both the NES and SNES controller connection inputs are alike, and incidentally they're the same as the Nintendo Wii's controller ports. Thus, you can use a Wii "Classic Controller" or a "Classic Controller Pro" for both the Mini consoles as an alternative control method. In reverse, you can use the NES and SNES controllers on a Wii for classic retrogames!
Both the NES and SNES controller connection inputs are alike, and incidentally they're the same as the Nintendo Wii's controller ports. Thus, you can use a Wii "Classic Controller" or a "Classic Controller Pro" for both the Mini consoles as an alternative control method. In reverse, you can use the NES and SNES controllers on a Wii for classic retrogames!
SNES games will, of course, not be playable with a NES controller, as it lacks the right amount of buttons, but a SNES Mini controller will work fine with the NES Mini. It's all about if you want the authenticity of the actual console's controller or not. For me, the original controller is a combining, tactile feel, of the experience that triggers nostalgia for me.
Annoyingly, as they've re-released the hugely popular NES Mini this year, they still only package it with one controller. While the SNES Mini has two. It's a real cheap move and an annoyance that you need to hunt down a second controller separately. I get that they missed it on the first run of NES Mini in 2016, but this time around they should've packed in a second controller.
The menu system on each mini console has a retro look and features Wii-like charming menu music. The games are lined up with cover art and have QR codes which grants you access to their manuals online. Selecting a game boots it up, but sadly there is no way to return to the menu without pressing reset on the actual mini console. Thus making the need to have the actual console close by and so the annoyances with the short cables continues.
Annoyingly, as they've re-released the hugely popular NES Mini this year, they still only package it with one controller. While the SNES Mini has two. It's a real cheap move and an annoyance that you need to hunt down a second controller separately. I get that they missed it on the first run of NES Mini in 2016, but this time around they should've packed in a second controller.
The menu system on each mini console has a retro look and features Wii-like charming menu music. The games are lined up with cover art and have QR codes which grants you access to their manuals online. Selecting a game boots it up, but sadly there is no way to return to the menu without pressing reset on the actual mini console. Thus making the need to have the actual console close by and so the annoyances with the short cables continues.
On the main menu you can save state your current position in the current title you're playing, a dedicated quick save would have been nice, but at least you have save states. Everything is tidy and easy to navigate, although I felt the way you save stated a little confusing.
Not much else to say about the common features, other than their fantastic value for money. Even attempting at obtaining these retro consoles, with the amount of games and controllers in good condition would set you at insanely high prices these days. Their good value for money times ten considering their library.
Not much else to say about the common features, other than their fantastic value for money. Even attempting at obtaining these retro consoles, with the amount of games and controllers in good condition would set you at insanely high prices these days. Their good value for money times ten considering their library.
Let's take a closer look at each one!
NES Classic Mini
Nintendo's massive 8-bit success from the 80's. This console rebuilt the flooded and grounded games industry in the U.S. It's Japanese model, the Famicom, is available as a mini in Japan. Here in Europe, and the U.S., we're familiar with the grey box that utilises a sort of VHS player lid and springed mechanical cartridge slot.
This boxy design was done to make the reluctant market back in the 1980's view the NES as a sort of quality entertainment device, much like a VCR player, rather than just another console flooding the dead market. I feel the western NES design is very iconic and has stood the test of time far better than it's more weird looking Famicom brother. Although that might just be my nostalgia kicking in.
The NES Mini offers 30 built-in games. The library is mainly Nintendo's first party titles, as expected, and features a diverse line-up of some of it's best selling titles, third party too. With timeless classics like: Super Mario Bros. 1 to 3, Mega Man 2, Castlevania 1 & 2, Metroid, Zelda, Super Contra and Excitebike. Save states are a huge welcome for those that find retrogames too hard to complete!
My perhaps most missed NES titles are TMNT 2, Super Mario Bros. 2 from Japan and Tiger Heli. Reasons probably being that Turtles 2 has a movie license, the original SMB2 never released outside of Japan, other than on the remastered All-Stars collection on the SNES, and the latter being a personal Toaplan favourite of mine nobody else cares much about!
The NES originally did not come with RGB video output, it's difficult to get a clean image out of the original console without modding. As such, the NES Mini is perhaps the best visual upgrade to modern screens you can get, if you want a product straight out of the box. The visual quality alone on the NES Mini, becomes a big selling point for owners of an original NES wanting to play on a big modern TV.
There are a few screen options available. "4:3", which is the classic CRT TV aspect ratio and the one you'll most likely end up using, it's the the default option. A nice, sharp and clean NES image upscaled digitally to 720p for modern TV's! "Pixel Perfect" is how the games were developed, as a completely square picture, ratio 1:1. However, this was not like it was intended to be shown, as all TV's had the 4:3 ratio. Why this is included I don't know, but it's nice to have options I guess.
The last picture option is a "CRT filter" and while I can appreciate a good scanline filter for modern TV's to replicate a CRT TV, aiding in making the picture less pixelated. Basically closer to how we used to view the games through a CRT TV, this NES Mini filter, however, also replicates a antenna interference to the output. Much like the degraded picture an original NES outputs, as it had no RGB output and only composite out. I would've liked to have clean scanlines but without the blurry filters.
Verdict
For fans of the NES, that will be a ton of SMB and Zelda players, this is a perfect purchase. Judging by it's huge popularity I would think Nintendo have really hit the perfect market for older generation gamers and parents wanting to go back to their childhood days of NES gaming in the 80's. Great care has been taken in replicating the original feel of the console too, albeit a second controller is very much missing from the deal and sold separately.
The library might come across as very outdated for newcomers, though. The 8-bit days have a pure, direct to the point gameplay, but presentation wise they lack the polish of the 16-bit titles. Their learning curve and difficulty will be off-putting for young players too. Rest assured for young players, though, 8-bit titles require little prior knowledge or explanation to play and enjoy. The gameplay is stratight to the point and simple enough to just jump in and learn. The visuals may not be fancy but they're clear and to the point.
The library might come across as very outdated for newcomers, though. The 8-bit days have a pure, direct to the point gameplay, but presentation wise they lack the polish of the 16-bit titles. Their learning curve and difficulty will be off-putting for young players too. Rest assured for young players, though, 8-bit titles require little prior knowledge or explanation to play and enjoy. The gameplay is stratight to the point and simple enough to just jump in and learn. The visuals may not be fancy but they're clear and to the point.
Considering the old age of 8-bit titles, NES Mini is best suited for those that have nostalgia of playing the actual console back in the day.
SNES Classic Mini
Feeling the pressure from Sega's early jump to 16-bit era in 1988, their fast Motorola 68000 processor powered the Mega Drive and their increasing market share success in the U.S. And so, Nintendo felt the pressure to deliver a next generation console. The SNES launched in late 1990 in Japan and 1991 elsewhere. It too, became a huge 16-bit success, albeit not as much as the NES due to the loss of market domination.
It became part of perhaps the most competitive and famous console war generation witnessed, between itself and the Mega Drive. Mario and Sonic became prominent competitors and 16-bit technology was pushed in numerous advertisements as the new leap in technology. By the end of the battle, though, the SNES had sold the most.
This SNES Mini has 20+1 games built-in, that extra one is a really cool addition, it's the completed, but never released, Star Fox 2! While the title itself perhaps isn't that amazing, it's a really cool addition in my opinion and a statement of the work put into these mini consoles. Finally, there's a chance for old SNES veterans to play the sequel that never got released!
The SNES Mini has a truly fantastic line-up of classics: Zelda: Link to the Past, Super Mario Kart, Mega Man X, F-Zero, Super Metroid, Super Street Fighter II Turbo, Contra III, Super Mario World 1 & 2, Donkey Kong Country, Final Fantasy VI, Super Castlevania IV, Secret of Mana, Super Mario RPG and, of course, the first Star Fox. To mention the most famous releases.
The lack of a few titles, for me, are: Donkey Kong Country 2, yes we have the first game, but the second is a masterpiece. Then, we have Squaresoft's huge heavy hitters FFVI and Secret of Mana, but no Chrono Trigger?! I'd also have appreciated the inclusion of Super Mario All-Stars, the 16-bit remastered collection of Super Mario Bros. 1-3, especially since it contains the true original SMB2 from Japan, titled Lost Levels. Perhaps they skipped All-Stars since the original titles were featured on the NES Mini?
Some strange omissions in my opinion, but alas with that kind of line-up of timeless and fantastic titles, how could I really complain?!
As far as screen options go, the SNES has the same "4:3" and "Pixel Perfect" modes as the NES Mini. However, while not perfect, the "CRT filter" is much better here than on the NES Mini. Trying harder to actually resemble a CRT screen with a clean and crisp scanline effect.
If you play an original SNES on a modern TV, passed through a Framemeister or an OSSC device with RGB output, I'd wager to say this mini isn't exactly something that will look better. As such, the graphical upgrade from original hardware isn't as major as the NES. However, most people played the SNES through the default composite cables. These composite cables connected through the bad analogue inputs on modern TVs degrades the picture even more. As such, the mini will visually be very sharp and an upgrade for most players.
If you play an original SNES on a modern TV, passed through a Framemeister or an OSSC device with RGB output, I'd wager to say this mini isn't exactly something that will look better. As such, the graphical upgrade from original hardware isn't as major as the NES. However, most people played the SNES through the default composite cables. These composite cables connected through the bad analogue inputs on modern TVs degrades the picture even more. As such, the mini will visually be very sharp and an upgrade for most players.
Verdict
As timeless and incredible as some of these 16-bit titles proved to be, years later, makes SNES Mini my favourite of the two Nintendo classic minis. They represent the pinnacle of 2D popularity, that has never since been replicated. They are from a era that is perhaps the best and most iconic console generation ever, the amount of fantastic titles that were unique and spread across the SNES and the Mega Drive were of fantastic quality and diversity.
The SNES Mini then, unlike the cheap rip-off Sega clone consoles through the years, takes great care in representing the original hardware in a best possible way. I'll also wager that the more polished 2D graphics of the 16-bit era fair better with young gamers of today than the 8-bit days. The 16-bit titles have more forgiving difficulty curves making them easier to get into and there's more depth to the game experience, compared to the hard and bare bones 8-bit experiences.
The SNES Mini then, unlike the cheap rip-off Sega clone consoles through the years, takes great care in representing the original hardware in a best possible way. I'll also wager that the more polished 2D graphics of the 16-bit era fair better with young gamers of today than the 8-bit days. The 16-bit titles have more forgiving difficulty curves making them easier to get into and there's more depth to the game experience, compared to the hard and bare bones 8-bit experiences.
A perfect purchase for any SNES fan back in the day, as well as young gamers, as great doorway into some of the best 2D classics ever made.
Summary
Well, that's my take on the two Nintendo mini consoles. The focus on quality of the end product and care that the games behave like they did back in the day, combined with almost identical copies to the original controllers make these the best retro throwback consoles to date.They may be a little higher in price than other retro throwback systems, but rest assured, the quality is top notch and the amount you'd pay for bloated retrogaming on eBay would far exceed the asking price of these mini's.
Let's hope for a Game Boy Classic Mini next?!
Let's hope for a Game Boy Classic Mini next?!