Through Virtual Console formats and even the neat retro Mario amiibo effect in Super Mario Maker (sort of), Nintendo has mastered alternative display options with a retro look. From smoothing of DS games on Wii U to the native resolution feature for SNES games on New 3DS, there are often simple options to view retro games in the best way.
With the NES Classic Edition (Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System in Europe) on the way, it's only logical that it'll have some options built in. We already know of 30 included games and individual save states for each title, and it transpires it may also have some display options. We're hesitant to say it definitely will as the report (via Nintendo Everything) is a translation from a Canadian radio show in French. Julie Gagnon from Nintendo Canada said the following regarding some alternative screen modes, which we hope are going to be included.
What is interesting is that we can play through HDMI, but there will be different modes of how we will see the screen – a mode simulating the retro aspect of our old CRT screens, there will be a mode which can be at the resolution of the modern screens in 4:3 format, and a pixel perfect mode which will display each pixel as a square, so people can have fun with this too.
Occasionally details from interviews like this can be a little off base, but we reckon the odds are high that features like these will be present in the upcoming mini NES.
As mentioned above, there's little reason why the system won't have these sorts of options - which tempts you the most?
[source montreal.radioenergie.ca, via nintendoeverything.com]
Comments 40
Sounds good.
Seems legit. I'm excited to play many of these games for the first time nonetheless!
Cool I hope it's real
A mode that will display each pixel as a square...?
What's that supposed to mean?
Aren't pixels inherently square?
This all seems fine.
This is cementing my purchase of one of these
Nice... love the pixel-perfect mode for SNES emulation on New 3DS. Glad to see it on this device!
@FireFlower - Download an SNES game on New 3DS Virtual Console to see what you should be expecting.
Read this yesterday. More features and options are always welcome.
One thing that sets this apart from other plug and plays, that Nintendo touch.
Fingers crossed the NX VC actually has features like this...
Sounds great
I bet the menu will be awesome too. Nintendo always goes above and beyond with their products. This could just have a barebones menu with no options and people would be satisfied but they went the extra mile and added some awesome features.
I predict this will sell like gangbusters come the holidays. It really is the perfect Christmas present. It's fun and it's just expensive enough to show you care without breaking the bank. Nintendo will make a fortune.
I end up preordering the UK version even though I live in the US only because there's no preorder for it here.
The Virtual Console online discussion is mostly a wasteland of demands and dissatisfaction
So why can't it have av cable support so I can play it on the CRT tv i have?
NES pixels were just a bit too wide to be called square. When they are made square, the game screen is not quite as wide as 4:3, leading to all the narrow gameplay videos. The 3DS can play SNES (and theoretically NES) games in "pixel perfect" mode because it has the same vertical resolution, not including overscan. Fitting those pixels evenly on a 1080p screen is a bit more problematic.
@dok5555555
Most likely, they thought the chances of people still having CRTs hooked up were low.
Where can I order this please ? Any help ? I can't find it on eBay or Amazon =
Thanks
Still can't pre-order one in the US.
I've seen attempts at imitating the CRT look that only convince me when I'm tired, so maybe just play when tired? Or maybe just have fun with the different display modes. Hey, maybe they've even figured out how to actually make it look and feel just like a real CRT. One can hope, right? (Especially for those who have no access to the real thing.)
Everything this system made me a lifetime Nintendo fan can't wait to getry one .
Pre-ordered on Amazon day one
@able_to_think I wish that was true, but sadly they do not always go above and beyond with their products, whether hardware or software. Sometimes they do, but there's as many times when they don't. For every Mario Galaxy, there's an amiibo festival. For all their hardware innovations, there's "let's sell a portable console without an adapter", a 32GB hard drive when others use 500GB as standard, and not bothering with home themes and other basic features. Sadly, Nintendo doesn't love its fans as much as they love Nintendo. That being said, if the internal design is as awesome as the physical design of this delightful-looking little toy, owners of it should be in for a treat.
@samuelvictor Thanks for the information. I still use my 16:9-CRT for all my consoles and movies. I don't have a problem with that
Nintendo should have included wifi so that the mini could connect with a server full of Mario Maker levels.
My 14'' CRT is still doing its job for the occasional quick retro fix. I actually prefer this small screen as it makes the low res sharp and beautiful in all it's retro glory.
The screen smoothing in DS VC is there because of the amount of screen layouts, not for anything retro related.
It's not in the Virtual Console, so... it will be nice to see Nintendo finally try this out!
Still though there is no way to play Wii U VC games full screen wich is bizarre.
I would expected and asked for no less.
Sounds quality!!
@samuelvictor I wonder what it might look like on a 3840x2160 screen...
"a mode simulating the retro aspect of our old CRT screens"
Sounds cool, hope this is well implemented.
I think several modes would be great. I'm most interested in a perfect "non-square" pixel mode as that is the way games were presented on the original hardware. But I could see trying smoothing mode, a scan line mode, or even an exaggerated "retro mode" that has a slightly rounded CRT television or arcade cabinet border with scanlines, and color bleed for an artificial classic look.
@FireFlower On the NES they were originally slightly taller than square, so more like standing rectangles if it was true to the original hardware.
@Kirk I honestly expected less!
@World Well, I sort of half did too. lol
I just want video quality which is better than the Wii U VC... For those who don't care or know about video quality - Nintendo basically makes the pixels look blurry and softened around the edges on the Wii U.
I want some scanlines and nice bright colors... And I want this thing to boot quickly. It shouldn't take 15 seconds to get a NES game booted and running the way it does on the Wii U.
@samuelvictor @Nico07
Thanks for explaining that, guys.
It really helped! I understand it now. 😊👍
@samuelvictor That is good because I have a 3840 x 2160 TV.
@Mbrogz3000 I agree. I'm also eager to see the menu screen, and, I'd like to see how you'll be able to access the suspend feature... Given how the system and controllers only seem to have the buttons the originals had, it might be a bit of a trick...
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