There's plenty of buzz right now around the The Super NES Classic Edition (NA) / The Nintendo Classic Mini: Super Nintendo Entertainment System (PAL), as plenty scramble to secure pre-orders and stock ahead of the September release. That's prompted a surge in interest around the original hardware, of course.
Our chums at Digital Foundry have produced an interesting video focused on the technology of the SNES, taking us back to the time when a game like Star Fox could run at 15fps but no-one cared, because games of that kind were mind blowing at the time. The video not only talks through the technology of the original system, but also addresses some of the considerations of the SNES Mini, for example the fact that Nintendo is officially emulating Super FX games for the first time.
Check it out below.
Ah, the nostalgia!
Comments 21
Demon's Crest is not the best game to not make the cut. That honour probably goes to Chrono Trigger. There's a lot of technical jargon talk in this video that goes right over my head but still really, really interesting.
Edit: I'd never heard of Do-Re-Mi before. Being released in Japan only explains why. It's visuals are super crisp. Great call on Terranigma. That's tied at the top as my first choice for extra games to be included.
Yes, I know all of you guys are waiting with pre-order in hand for your retail price SNES Mini
@SLIGEACH_EIRE naw, it's got to be Illusion of Gaia! 😆 has fanboy bias good choices though!
I think I'm gonna enjoy this. . . .
I mean, the selection of games is to cover as much bases with the most recognizable games as possible. Who in the general public knows of Terranigma? Or Demon's Crest?
Still I wouldn't worry, this thing is going to get hacked ASAP and the more hardcore types can include their most wanted games.
Curiosity... Are they actually emulating the Super FX, or does the mini have the FX chip already? If so, they still not emulating it.
Nice video, but no mention of Chrono Trigger = fail.
They must be emulating the fx chip?
But the real question is... why only 21 games? Licensing / ip I guess must have stopped more great games making the list? ... 21 should be 41 😂
To name a few games missing (random order ofc) ... Axelay, gradius 3, tmnt iv, pilotwings, mk2, mystic quest, ff2, ff4, chrono trigger, shadow run, super sf2, the missing dk games, zombies ate my neighbors, sunset riders, smash tv, actraiser, wild guns, secret of evermore, super mario all stars, nba jam, Earth worm Jim / 2, terranigma, lost vikings, final fight series, star wars series, demons crest, mystical ninja (missing out of Japan), super tennis, i could keep going all day....
Such a great time for gaming and no wonder the SNES mini will forever be sold out.
Contra 😍
@Multi I think we'll see that this thing is using either the same ARM chip as the mini NES, or something a tad more powerful. It wouldn't make sense to do anything but emulate the Super FX. As for why 21 games, that's for business reasons. It gives them the ability to have a different lineup if they ever do future editions. It's also because they have a price target to hit, but don't want to reduce their SNES game pricing too much.
Three games I would have liked on this without major licensing issues are Sunset Riders(which you mentioned), Pocky & Rocky 1, and Ninja Warriors.
Ah yes, Byuu's cycle-accurate SNES emulator: HAIgan
Act Raiser is one of puzzling non-inclusion to me. It's a very unique action/citysim game, which came out quite early in the system's life and even had a sequel.
Maybe it got lost in licensing limbo somewhere.
I understand the absence of Terranigma, because a translated 60Hz ROM never actaully existed, and Chrono Trigger, becasue it was re-released physically several times, and was likely to come with too high a licensing price-tag for Nintendo prioritize.
Demon's Crest I never found to be as good a game as it's two predecessors, however blasphemous a statement that might seem to some. I appreciate the non-linearity, but the game suffers from many confusing elements and difficulty spikes that feel very out of place.
Cool video though, I really enjoy it when DF goes turbo technical.
Asks himself why so many people grossly misunderstand the concept of "missing" games...
Stunt Racer FX would be so cool since they are finally emulating the FX chip.
I also Uniracers and Super Famicom Wars would be cool.
@Mart1ndo Because it's the SNES Classic not the SNES Obscure. Digital Foundry makes the same mistake with Demon's Quest and those odd Japanese games. As much as we'd love our favourites, it must be restricted to noted classics. If there's one true classic that is missing it's Pilotwings. One of the Kirby games should go. Personally I'd love to have seen UN Squadron and, yes, Demon's Quest. We can't have everything.
I hope it's more than a straight emulation and Star Fox is at least full screen. Frame rate, I'm not so concerned. The slow motion feel of the game actually suits it.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE
I know the reasons behind the 'why' but still would have loved to see Donkey Kong Country 2 Similarly Earth Worm Jim original would have been fantastic.. It wasn't exclusive but had better graphics (but minus a stage) than the MegaDrive/Genesis.
.. And ... if they are bringing in FX chip games then Stunt Race FX would have been a fantastic addition.
@Mart1ndo Stunt Race wasn't big enough. I don't dispute its greatness. I loved the game and would prefer it in front of several others.
Personally I'd take Stunt Race, UN Squadron, Demon's Crest and Pilotwings in front of SF2, both Kirby and... umm, that's the problem, who do you cut?
Awesome video. Hats off to the creator.
I'm a bit on face with these mini consoles. Don't get me wrong there awesome its just i feel nintendo isn't doing these games justice with their half baked attempt at emulating these games (both nes mini and virtual console). Nintendo isn't willing to make an investment and do it properly that is a travesty to those awesome games.
Nintendo has access to the design documents schematics and source code of those games and hardware which any emulation dev would kill for. Instead were offered a official emulators that's worse than the current open source emulations which are free more accurate and offer better features. Nintendo is a position to offer something better at 80 pounds this thing is way overpriced for a product that cost them less than $10 to make.
Yet despite all those short comings i want one really bad.
Man, one day I would love to be able to play Hagane
Looking forward to playing the PAL version day-one.
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