More Rumours Add Weight to Talk of a SNES Classic Mini

With how the NES mini was handled, if anybody wants to get ones of these, place your pre-order the very moment it becomes available. If you do not, the scalpers will grab them all.

@SilentS I did, and I still didn't get one. I ordered it through Zavvi, who by the way run Nintendo UK's online store. They cancelled my order 2 weeks after it was supposed to be shipped.

I luckily got 2 of them in Smyths months later. Just happened to be passing by and was going up to enquire about them and the shop assistant was literally unpacking them. They had got 10 in, they were gone in under an hour. They never got any more in after that.

I will pre order the SNES Classic Mini day 1 dependent on what games are on it and it being reasonably priced which I'm sure it will be.

Well, that probably why the Switch VC is not here and probably won't be till awhile after they sell out of these. Just for the love of Mario Nintendo, either double or triple the production of this!

Mind you if I remember correctly, the NES Mini was announced July-ish and preorders opened very soon after....

@SLIGEACH_EIRE Yeah... I hate it when that happens. It has happened to me on a number of occasions for various orders in the past (twice for the Switch itself). But still does not change my statement. You have to try asap, because if you hesitate, it will be sold out and you lose out anyways. It is basically the only way, but it still has that risk of cancellation.

I already have a mini snes on my Vita, thanks to the Henkaku hack.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE I have a vague memory of you saying you had 6 of them... EDIT: should clarify, could obviously be wrong about that.

@teamshortcut You couldn't be more wrong. I have just the 2 of them.

The reason Nintendo cut the NES mini off at the root was simple: the damned thing didn’t have much legs due to the limited nature of 8-bit gaming.

Consider that the NES Mini would have continued to sell but they knew the SNES Mini would sell a lot more and they needed to manufacture a bazillion of them in time for Christmas.

But it boils down to the games and 8-but titles are fun for about 5 minutes before the nostalgia factor rubs off and you remember that they weren’t quite as good as you remember.

But the 16-bit generation had no such limitations. Every SNES update from the NES was better in every way and a stone cold classic: Mario World, Final Fantasy IV-VI, Link to the Past, Super Metroid, Mario Kart, Secret of Mana et al: all games with tremendous longevity that still look and play great.

Who in their right mind would rather have a NES than a SNES?!

It will most likely sell out again. Nintendo has has numerous chances to fix stock issues as mentioned in this article. If after 3 years of mishandling stock with rare amiibos, 3ds models, Nintendo Switches, and NES classic editions I HIGHLY doubt they'll get it right now. Ive come to expect incompetence from Nintendo on that front. With that I said I'd still be interested in getting a SNES mini because I think SNES games hold up far better than NES games. Here's hoping they at least try to have more stock

At this point the question is what games and how many?!

@RadioHedgeFund
Raises hand

I'd love to be a fly on Nintendo's wall. SCANDALOUS.

I'm not even going to bother wasting time spamming F5 on amazon or wherever. I still have an SNES and a bunch of games, and emulators. If I feel the need to scratch the SNES itch I'll haul everything out of storage.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE Fair enough then, my bad.

Ya, I'm not feeling it. There's a reason I never bought the NES Mini (despite buying on for my retired father who always liked Mario).

I want my retro classics as VC. I've only got so many HDMI inputs, and even with 2 separate HDMI switchers I'm almost all out of space, what with Switch, Wii U, PS4, Xbox One and Gaming PC. Had to run cable through Xbox just so I wouldn't use my last port.

@DarthNocturnal @RadioHedgeFund It was cut off because it was supposed to be a one-off holiday stocking stuffer, as was reported time and time again (and in a Time interview, IIRC), not because it was 8-bit or lack of Wii parts.

For me, I consider the NES as my minimum barrier to entry for my retrogaming itch, and the NES Mini had only a relative handful of the games I really wanted (still good for what it is, though). But yeah, an SNES Mini will probably see an even greater demand. I might need to preorder from a few places just to be on the safe side. (Unless Nintendo raises the price to $100 or something, then I'll just cross some fingers and hope for the best)

@SLIGEACH_EIRE Just out of curiosity: why do you have two NES Minis? Keeping one boxed for collecting purposes?

@RadioHedgeFund The NES Mini didn't have much legs? Tell that to the angry mob consisting of millions of people worldwide that weren't able to get one, myself included.

Then we all know that there aren't going to be any VC games coming out on the Switch for at least another year.

@DarthNocturnal Well, the UK did anyway, you could preorder it off the UK Store and Game offered store and I think site preorders.

I don't really trust the sources but I'd say it's likely for the future anyway. For this year though? I don't know if they would want to step on the Switch's toes.

@invictus4000 I don't think it's stepping on the toes of Switch. I mean, it's likely going to be $60-$80 about the price of one game. For someone that enamored with SNES playing those old games is only going to remind them of why they used to love Nintendo games... and that Switch will start looking better and better.

Short version: I think it's more complementary and either sale is a sale for Nintendo.

Remember, Nintendo is all about driving customers to their main platforms, Switch and 3DS. That's the strategy they quote all the time when speaking about smartphone games. Or the way they saw a bump in 3DS sales after Pokemon Go.

I'm pretty sure they see the "limited edition" appeal the same way. It generates buzz around Nintendo and drives customers to buy a Switch or a 3DS. I think we'll see a SNES Mini, but in that same period Ninty's gonna announce VC for Switch. And boom, all those games that you wanted the Mini consoles for, plus online connectivity and more, are available on Switch! Go buy that!

Which, of course, will be a lot more profitable for the big N in the long run. The Mini costs what, like one Switch game? And a potential buyer is gonna buy at least a Switch plus several games.

@Vriess My guess is that the paid online service will launch together with VC in early 2018. So, yes, there's a good chance there will be no VC equivalent until then. So about 6 months at best.

@pinta_vodki It's a possibility. I think they'll wait to use VC as a push-over-the-edge feature for paid online in early 2018.

Kinda wish they'd make the SNES mini double as an amiibo and unlock all the games right on the Switch and the controller work with the Switch as well. I'd love that and it would play into your theory.

@DarthNocturnal They were addressing the holiday stock issues due to chip shortages at that point in time (part of that whole "we didn't realize the demand" period). The bigger picture is still that the NES Classic Mini was not supposed to be a persistent product line. https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/04/nintendo_has_discontinued_the_nes_classic_edition_in_north_america

The Wii parts shortage is a bit of a stretch, to be honest. If you mean for the controller inputs and the plugs, themselves, right? Sure, the discontinuation of the WiiU happened in December, but those kinds of parts are are rather abundant. They're abailable on every 3rd party Wii controller and nunchuck, y'know the cheap ones like PDP's Afterglow and Rock Candy lines of controllers that are cheap because they break.

@masterLEON

I had a Master System and whilst I love Nintendo to pieces, I will always be a SEGA kid at heart

To that end I will always see the MS > NES. The NES started some of gamings greatest genres but there is nothing on it as good as Wonder Boy III.

@pinta_vodki That's a good point, and it's probably not far from the truth that Nintendo sees it that way, but adversely, people that weren't able to acquire a NES Mini, and who will potentially suffer the same fate with a SNES Mini might also very well give Nintendo a big middle finger instead of succumbing and buying another one of their products instead of the one they actually wanted.

And which would have cost them way less...

@SLIGEACH_EIRE I know it shouldn't matter which store you order from. A pre-order should be fulfilled. But I wouldn't have picked Zavvi as they don't specialise in games. I've always pre-ordered from GAME and Nintendo UK and never had a cancellation. There may be some who have, but you'll definitley have better chances with the specialist retailers.

@RadioHedgeFund I remember wanting a Master System before I got my NES. Mostly because of My Hero, the arcade version of which was in a corner store down the block from me. Also, the Light Phaser looks cooler than the Zapper!

Why not sort out the NES Mini fiasco first before attempting the SNES Mini. Also why bring it out on Switch's first holiday season? What's the rush?

Nintendo can shove this so far up their butt that they should never find it again. After the NES Mini, they clearly don't care to sell these units to real people rather than just scalpers

@Angelic_Lapras_King there were never, ever pre orders for the NES Mini anywhere. Not sure what you and some others are talking about there

@Nookingtons
Yep Henkaku is ace, It gives me a ps1 and N64 plus others on the go, any game i want for free

@Mando44646 Was in the UK, preordered mine months in advance and got it from Nintendo's UK Store. Around that time, I don't think anyone had any idea just how bad the stock supply would be.....

Unless Nintendo plans to make certain that supply meets the demand this time around, they're wasting everyone's time. Corporations don't make one red cent from items sold by eBay scalpers; deliberate scarcity makes zero sense business-wise if money is being left on the table, and self-inflicted PR damage that leaves more consumers angry than happy is NEVER a good thing.

I don't believe them

"While supplies last" is the oldest trick in the book, as they say.

Y'all gettin nothin. Now, buy a 2DS

@EDF I'd still say the psp is the original emulation god

It would surprise me to see a mini SNES so quickly and during Switch's first holiday season. Doesn't seem like Nintendo's style. SNES mini is less appealing to me than a NES mini.

Preordering was not available in all regions for the Mini NES. That's worth keeping in mind.

At best, Nintendo was not clear on whether the NES mini was a limited, holiday-only product or if it would continue for, at least, some time. They certainly did not come right out and say it in their product announcement or marketing. If they said it in certain interviews, a lot of people never saw that. However, telling people there would be new production runs, which seemingly amounted to very little product, and saying they would meet demand contradicts any such declaration of it being strictly limited to being a holiday item.

@UK-Nintendo
Can't see how really when the vita does everything the psp can, oh and Vita plays all psp games, it's a great hack. Hackers are developing a DS emulator, it's still in progress, the vita screen is split in two, psp can't do that without a touch screen, but yeah psp was a great emulation machine and original God, but now vita took its crown

@EDF True. Vita has a better screen. I use the psp mainly for all my sega and genesis games. I might upgrade to vita one day. Cheers

@ThanosReXXX

Don't feed the troll, they'll go away eventually.

But seriously, unless I see plenty of minis on the shelves, I'm not going to bother with this.

I'm still plenty miffed that nintendo did what they did and likely won't learn their lesson. How can such smart people be so stupid?

@Tempestryke Do you mean comment #22 or #24? One was actually a genuine question, but I have a suspicion that I've been hit with the ignore button...

As for the NES Minis: over here, I've never even seen one in real life, so fast were they in and out of stores. I'm hoping the SNES will have a better run, but I have this sinking feeling that it won't.

As for that lesson learning: Nintendo steers its own course, and do what they think is good for them, aka Nintendo gonna Nintendo....

@ThanosReXXX

The person who said the NES Mini had no legs because just because it was 8-bit.

I never saw them either and worse Best buy and GameStop didn't do pre-orders. I'm kinda wondering if the insane amiibo pre-orders that constantly crashed there shopping sites kinda scared them off of doing so?

Yes, but nintendo is a big company, surely making lots of money would be what's best for nintendo? Or well, one would think so anyway. :s

Even when Disney started doing their silly vault, they left their movies out for a good length of time. People could just grab it and take it home.

@Tempestryke Of course, making as much money as possible is important for every company, except they all have their own ideas and strategies on how to go about it, and some may not seem all that good, or sane from our point of view.

But then again: we always only get to know about a little part of the entire story since we're not inside Nintendo's walls and they only tell us what they want to tell us, and most of the times in double-tongued marketing speak as well...

EDIT:
What it all boils down to, is that even though WE can't see it (or not yet), there is almost always a method to the madness, and if anything, the success of the Switch is testament to that. But sadly, the general sentiment with outings like the NES Mini, and perhaps now the SNES Mini, is that they simply don't understand how to cater to ALL their fans, creating both misunderstanding and anger/resentment, and that certainly is both a shame and a massive missed opportunity...

@ThanosReXXX

Yeah.

Nintendo, for the love of your US fans, allow preorders, then fulfill those preorders. Thank you.

To be honest I loved the nes mini but it was admittedly the nostalgia factor but that wore off very quickly and after a couple of plays it went into storage . The snes mini I think would be more my thing

I had a couple of chances to get the NES mini, but turned it down. This one I definitely won't turn away if I get a chance.

Let's see.

1) Nintendo will make about 1,000 of these.
2) They will sell it at the store for $200.
3) Ebay scalpers will get about c$750 for them.

Sound about right guys?

@Alikan You sir, are demanding quite a lot there for a company that's only been in business for like 125 years. They are just figuring out this whole supply and demand concept.

@DarthNocturnal I chalk the whole thing up to Nintendo doing something experimental. I mean why not? Nintendo had nothing else going on in holiday '16 other than Pokémon Sun and Moon and Black Friday edition New 3DSes. In November, the WiiU would have already wound down in production (and the last shipment I saw coming into the store I worked in was mid-November). The Switch was just revealed but there was nothing tangible yet. Nintendo would need something else to fill that revenue space as it is. I don't remember where it was verbally said, but on the official NES Classic site the wording on the the bottom of the page says "A perfect gift for collectors or anyone who loves games!" Other than that, yeah, it's poor communication on Nintendo's part.

I'll get the legit one first and then wait for a modded one that has the whole SNES library or even more like Genesis, Game Gear, GBC, etc etc

You're telling me that retail managers just leaked the SNES Mini to Destructoid? What an odd way of leaking something. I mays well head over to several EB Games stores and ask them too. Who knows maybe I'll hear some juicy news on unreleased 2017 Switch games

@XCWarrior lol, yes, yes they are!

I hope it's possiblr to exploit it :>

Would love to play some custom mario kart tracks and some SMW hacks with the lovely filters :>

If it's true, I might try to get a model from the UK. I didn't grow up with a SNES, all I know is those colored buttons look much better than the purple and grey color scheme.

AS much as I wanted one, they should not release it this year. It will take the thunder away from Switch's first Christmas.

Instead of putting a Switch under the Christmas tree, some might just get a SNES MIni, that would be just a one time gain for Nintendo, while the Switch promises repeated profit for the big N in terms of it's own software and licensing fees from third parties.

So I really hope Nintendo will wise up and not release the SNES Mini this year. Wait until the Switch is on the wane, or when PS5 is due out, then put out the SNES Mini to counter-program against a rival. That would be a marketing stroke of genius.

I hope there are stock shortages because I'm going to preorder 5 of them and keep them in storage until the inevitable n64 mini comes out 🤑

The Super Nintendo is my favorite console of all time, but I don't care, don't want a SuperNES mini. What I DO want is all those SuperNES games on a Virtual Console on the Switch.
I hope Nintendo isn't holding back the VC because of a "supposed" SuperNES Mini coming...

I feel like SNES will have a much larger audience than NES so even with higher production of stock, we're probably going to get the same outcome.

I personally wish Nintendo would just re-release the Super NES and original NES with some of the big hits with the original box, manual and the rest of the good stuff we don't see in video game packaging anymore.

SNES Mini would be great, but releasing it now would be a further slap in the face to everyone who couldn't get a NES Mini. Sort that out first before releasing another product that we can't get.

Well I'll be pre-ordering one as soon as I can. I just hope it gets announced at a time when I'm on the internet because I'm going to have to be quick. I just really hope they make more stock available. NES Mini was good, but SNES Mini will have much better games.

So, the craziest thing happened to me last friday. I was checking the local toy store for the new zelda amiibo just in case(I also ordered them online and received them later that same day). Anyway, they did not heave the amiibo but, and this is the good part, there was a controller voor the nes classic mini, the official one just sitting there for 11 euro. I totally forgot to preorder a second controller for the mini so i thought i would never find a real second one ever again. Crazy, I know!😁

SURPRISE!!!! SNES Mini is actually a dock for your Switch that comes with 30 preloaded SNES games and adds 8GB pf memory to your Switch and costs $149.99

At least that's what a Funcoland manager told me when I bought my N64

Here is a pipe dream. They could include the 30 NES Mini games in the SNES mini.

@Alikan

Second this x 1,000!

@XCWarrior

Lol!

@Mando44646

Well that might explain where the rest of the NES Mini stock went.

Call me crazy, but I believe Nintendo when they say that they didnt expect it to be so popular, so they didn't produce much stock. Maybe their plan is to release a SNES Mini this year, N64 mini next year or the one after that. Regardless, I think Nintendo won't make the same mistake again with the SNES mini.

I'm just thinking out loud here, but what if the SNES mini isn't what the nes classic was? What if it is a vehicle for a virtual console. There are a ton of people who wouldn't never buy the switch or 2ds who love classic snes/nes games. I saw it over and over with the nes classic. People who couldn't care less about modern video games went nuts for it. Then there would be a steady revenue stream instead of a $60 one off sale. That would explain the cancellation of the nes classic.

Please make more than 5 of them this time Nintendo!

super scalper bros 2
here eye come!

I'm just waiting for the N64 Mini

Pls be real and have Terranigma on it. I would buy that so fast.

NES Mini was a stop-gap console to fill in the need for a holiday-season product before the Switch came out. It was discontinued for two reasons:

1. The Switch came out and was wildly successful. Focus on new product with an expanding library is better than a standalone novelty item.

2. It was way too easy to hack. Nintendo hates emulation boxes. There was no way to patch the NES Mini after it had been hacked. I believe this was the death knell for the system.

As for the whole SNES vs NES debate, I'm going to say that the better system is the one you spent more time playing when you were 10 years old.

I already got a SNES so I'll pass

If they do that. They have to launch with at least 4m consoles.

@RadioHedgeFund Don't write off the NES dude. My wife's sister and family came to stay this weekend and all her eldest boy (10 years old, Xbox 1 owner) wanted to do was to sit and play Mario 1 - the only game that works on my wife's old NES.

He said, and I quote 'this is better than Xbox'! I don't think for a second he's swap - but Forza Horizon is his big game and I think he loved it because it's such a different proposition. The precision and perfectly pitched challenge of Mario really surprised him I think.

My wife and me sat and played it all night after the kids went to bed and we're both still amazed at how well put together it is.

Wasn't it June or July last year that Nintendo officially announce the NES mini?

Nintendo will have to make millions to satisfy demand, I am hoping this console happens though.

@datamonkey
I don't think 6 or 10 (more than 5) would help with the demand lol.

I'd love to see a SNES Remix game come out to complement this. Either way SNES mini is a day one purchase for me.