Nintendo is hawking its wares at Gamescom this year, and showing off what will be for many the most sought-after hardware purchase of Christmas 2016: the NES Classic Edition, or NES Mini if you prefer.
YouTube user MyGamingBoulevard has gotten up close and personal with the new console and posted the video shown above. In it, we get a good look at the rear of the unit - which has a MicroUSB port for power and a HDMI socket, but nothing else - and we get to see exactly how it compares to the original console in terms of size.

If you're keen to get your hands on this console then be sure to check out our UK and North American pre-order guides.
Comments 49
It sure is tiny.
Looking forward too getting this Mini but not as much if Nintendo does a SNES n N64 minis.
Glad to see the NES controller chords are longer than what previous images have shown/indicated. (I mean, it's longer than a classic controller chord and that's what I was expecting this to be)
I just think it's such a missed opportunity that they didn't include a cartridge slot. They could have sold additional games for $10-$20 a pop and the nostalgians would eat them up. They could even throw in a download code in the box (usable with either Wii U or 3DS) to justify the higher cost of admission, and to tempt those who do not already own one, into upgrading to a 3DS or Wii U.
Ah, so much potential...
Genuinely worried about the length of those wires. They look way too short
D'awww it even has HDMI tattooed on its butt. XD
I love the simplicity of it.
Ha ha. The controller looks massive next to it! Massive!
@sillygostly The problem is that it probably doesn't have original hardware so it would be all software emulation and the cartridge would be more a power draw making it necessary for a different power cord.
@sillygostly Every time Nintendo doesn't do what someone on this site thinks they should have done, it's a "missed opportunity." One of the biggest cliches in all of video game fandom.
This thing has save states, so it's probably just a stripped down Wii that plays built-in Virtual Console games. It would have nothing physically in common with the original NES. Asking for cartridge support is like asking for NES cartridge support for the Wii or Wii U.
Big N wants to make money off of this model before they make more money off of the NES Mini 2, which ships with a cart slot and actual power cord. They know what they are doing.
Microsoft calculated that the mini is 200% smaller than the original...mind you...they don't seem to be very good at scaling :/
@sillygostly I kinda think you miss the idea behind the NES Mini. And I don't think you realise just how much your idea would add to the cost of buying the device, let alone resources needed to make it work Nintendo's end.
So mini...
So tiny...
Almost as big SNES cartridge...
Damn I love this! Give us a mini snes and 64 and I'm set!
@sillygostly This is not for people who'd want to play original cartridges, those who do probably have other means to do it, and make up a very small segment of those who might want one. For this to make business sense, it needs to be as simple and cheap as possible. This is for people who just want to quickly jump in and play classic Nintendo games (think what the Wii was for the mass market). Even if they then introduced another version that does played cartridges, then it could confuse customers who don't know as to which one to get, so I'd doubt another version would ever be released.
@nab1 @FragRed @sillygostly How much money does Nintendo, Konami, Capcom or whoever make on the sale of a second hand cart? Exactly. No cart slot!
Ironically, it's the first Nintendo home console that can't connect to a tube TV
I’m curious what the menu will look like, similar to the Wii?
@PatHawks
That is what im wondering as well. I hope it has a cool retro theme with soundfx similar to NES REMIX but mini-er.
@NinChocolate Yes, and therefore no buy for me (I play all my games on an old CTR without input lag ; )
I would like to see how the save states work and the main menu.
@sillygostly The addition of a working cartridge slot for original cartridges would definitely mean that the console couldn't have been a "Mini", unless you would want something that had cartridges sticking out of it almost entirely when connected.
And like a lot of others have already said, you're completely missing the point here. There is no missed opportunity or potential here, this is EXACTLY what they intended and were going for.
It's nothing more than a nice and relatively cheap extra for collectors, retro lovers and those curious to get to know original NES games that don't want to buy a second hand console with a lot of separate cartridges and so on.
small is good
It's all good. And better than the rest. Buy it and give it some love...
@NinChocolate now that is a missed opportunity.
I would've loved to keep this connected to my tube tv in my room, next to my wii.
Are the controller connections the same as the wii classic controller? it looks like the same connection on the console that is on the bottom of the wii motes.
@MrTanuki Yes, so you can also use them for VC games on Wii and Wii U.
@ThanosReXXX Awesome, will definitely be purchasing one of these.
@ThanosReXXX @GrailUK @nab1 @FragRed @Smash_kirby : I'm aware of how the system works, and I made no suggestion that the device should support the original NES cartridges.
I was referring to new smaller cartridges designed specifically for the NES Mini. This would not only appease collectors, but also extend the shelf life of the system.
@sillygostly You're right, I mistakingly thought you were referring to original cartridges. But I still think that any form of cartridges or digital game downloads might make it too complicated for their target audience though.
@sillygostly i dont think that would be a good thing. Its doesnt make sense for Nintendo at all to do that and would be a waist of there money. They couldv made a way for it to connect to the internet and download eshop virtual console games and maybe even new games based on the 8 bit era or like game boy(color) games. That would make more sense
@sillygostly Ow with ya. Ye that would be neat!
@MarketSquareHero Yeah it concerns me as well. Those wires look like they are maybe 3-4 feet long, which means there's no way this console can sit comfortably by the TV. Probably going to have to put it on the floor every time you play. Granted, that's how it was done back in the day too, so maybe it's not so bad. Good memories sitting with a friend on the floor with the console and all the cartridges scattered around.
@sillygostly Ah okay. Forgive my harsh reaction, then. It would still mean that Nintendo would have to make a bigger investment into this venture, though. In that regard, the original intent is still something that I can understand.
You can keep your PS4 Neo, and your Project Scorpio the only console I want is a Nes Mini.
@sillygostly That would betray the point of the system in my opinion. This is not a new console from Nintendo. It is just a collection of greatest hits from the NES that comes packaged in an extremely cute box. If someone want to play the classics without expending a lot of money on a proper console and then buying individual games separately, they can just get this Best Of "album" for $60 and play right away. That's all that it is. I really don't see the point on including cartridges on this thing or trying to over complicate the whole thing. There are apparently a lot of people (Or a very vocal group) that does care about this stuff, but I certainly don't see it.
I am more excited about the NES Mini, than I am the NX.
I personally think Nintendo are damned if they do and damned if they don't, I'm talking about the 'locked down' (or lack of) the cartridge slot. This might had been considered by the big cheeses at the big N but If it had a cartridge slot where you can play the old games, then Nintendo could be in a bad spot with people returning units saying that they don't work but it could be the games that are over 20 years old being the problem!
Nintendo could have included a DS type cartridge slot and then released physical games that are the size of a DS cart but then Nintendo wouldn't have pleased everyone, also they could have given the unit internet access to the NES VC library but again this could have caused them headaches. I think the fact that we are all getting this console with 30 games is pretty good, we can use the NES style pads with the Wii and Wii U so thats really good news in itself. I’m too I am very excited about this unit, however I feel equally excited about this Playing With Power: Nintendo NES Classics,
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/07/the_official_nintendo_nes_classics_book_will_go_nicely_with_your_nes_mini
Hopefully the Legend of Zelda will get a lot of coverage in this book as I've heard the original game came with a map with the instruction manual, I've also heard that it can fetch for a lot of money on eBay so buying that will be pretty cool too. I'm hoping that the big N will do a direct pretty soon and all will be revealed!
@ThanosReXXX
Thanks for posting that vid! it's pretty good....
As long as he's not trying to be a happier version of the angry nerd.
@Pj1 You're welcome. To be fair, he did focus a lot of the video on the handheld Sega clone, and didn't really show off the actual device, so he kind of used the handheld as a general example of all AtGames consoles, which isn't entirely true, but the Sega one is pretty bad.
Here's two more videos that actually do show what's wrong with the Sega console clone and what games are on there and how they look and sound:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUw7G5K2-Hg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETyj1UYwILM
@sillygostly
It could have been done, but I think even that beats the point of this system. Nintendo's going to try to attract people that want more classic games to the VC on the 3DS, Wii U or (maybe) the NX.
This thing is for people that don't care about getting more cartridges or downloading stuff, its just plug and play for a quick session, then back to the drawer. Those people are fine with a "greatest hits" recollection, they don't care about other games.
I just want to see how the interface looks...
I wish the controller port was made like the original nes so we could use these controllers on a real nes
@samuelvictor Where did you successfully pre-order at??
When the NL article went live a week or two ago, all web page links were something like "Oops, we couldn't find what you were looking for", etc. I'm assuming I was just a little too late, and missed the boat (I hope not).
I signed up for Amazon.com e-mail alerts in the meantime.
I'd love to know if you have any input. Thanks!
I do get the people who wanted a cartridge slot or access to VC. I mean, sure, the Mini NES is a simple Plug N' Play, but this thing is getting more hype and firing more imagination than any Nintendo product in the last decade, right? (certainly more than the NX at this point) I can't help but wonder if maybe Nintendo did underestimate the potential here and what they might have done differently given another chance. I personally think mini carts would have become super collectible (like Amiibo for adults) and given a lot of 3rd party greats a chance to come back into the fold.
Anyone think that the HDMI logo on the back kinds of ruins the retro-ness of the thing? I know why they do it though--the company that makes HDMI actually offers a lower royalty rate if you put an HDMI logo on your device.
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