One thing that you might have missed given the deluge of information coming at you regarding the Super NES Classic Edition, was that those SNES shaped controller ports are actually just for show. As shown in the photo of the Japanese version, you can clearly see the panel pops out and unveils two Wii Remote style ports (which is the same as the NES Mini).

We'd like to think that the eject button is used in some way to help make this process easier. Time will tell.
If you need a reminder of what these ports look like, they're the same as those used for the Nunchuk / Classic Controllers on the Wii Remote, and you can see how they looked on the NES Mini below (though they'll have been rotated 90 degrees on the SNES Mini).

For the time being it is a mystery how the North American controller ports are revealed. We're guessing that the fake controller ports will slide either to the left or the right separately from one another.

We're also not sure what the mysterious hole is for to the left of the fake controller port on the North American version. [Update: Apparently this is the power light, excuse us for being so British]
Let us know your theories on how all this might work in practice with a comment below.
Comments 48
uhhh... the mysterious hole is the power light indicator... you were joking right?
Anybody have any idea when NA pre-orders are going to open?
Also, neat little hidden compartment!
It makes me a little bit sad that the controllers don't use teeny tiny SNES connections, but I suppose I'll live.
Preciso!!!!
@numlocks Haha forgive me, we're used to where the power LED is positioned on the Super Famicom casing in Europe!
@AlexOlney I'm not. Imagine how flimsy and breakable those little connections would be if they were? The original SNES ports worked because they were big enough to have thick plastic. Here? Not so much
At least with the ports they are going for we will get good strong connectors.
A tiny of "Black Hole" ?
I think looking closely at the NA model that the two "fake" controller ports will be on a letterbox hinge just like the European model. The plastic between them looks like it connects them. It'll look a little like a dog bone.
If you look very closely at the photograph you can actually see the seam.
So do these controllers work with Wii/Wii u's VC games? Are they the same as the one on the old club Nintendo site?
@jswhitfield8 exactly. I need another one
@jswhitfield8
Less worried about the old one being limited edition. More thinking I can finally play Secret of Mana 3 player on Wii with the proper controller!
I like the idea of the SNES mini, but I have all the games I want to play on here on my Wii/Wii u. As adorable as this is I can just see it gathering dust... Despite that I want one!
I'd no idea either what that little hole was until @RedMageLanakyn told me. Those faux controller ports will probably pop out.
@AlexOlney ...Does this mean these conteollers will also work as Wii Classic Controllers? If so, this is even more of a must buy for me.
@AlexOlney I couldn't be happier as its basically a chance to get a pair of those Club Nintendo SNES classic controllers that many people missed out on and can be used to play VC games on the Wii or Wii U.
@-DG Yes, Yes it does. The NES Mini ones worked on Wii and Wii U (at least thats what I'm told, I never managed to grab one).
Although the SNES Mini has most of the VC titles I wanted anyway (that were released), there are still a few others released on Wii and Wii U that are missing.
i wonder if these will work in nes mini as well
@All If those SNES Mini's are made with the same plastic that the original SNES used, don't leave them where the sun can react with them.
I bought a couple of Japanese Club Nintendo Super Famicom controllers, one I kept in it's box, the other I used to play my Wii VC games. The one that I was using, I left out by the TV.
The thing is, the sun shines into my room, across the chest of draws where my TV and games conesoles sit. And like an idiot, I forgot about the horrible yellowing that the SNES plastic gets from when reacting with the sun. After spending a small ransom to get them, the yellowed one serves as a reminder, be careful of your prized possessions.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE And what is the purpose of the little hole? Don't leave us hanging: not everyone saw RedMageLanakyn's earlier comment on it...
@NEStalgia Ha! Something about not being left...
@Alexface They more than likely will, since it's the same connector. The controllers of the NES Mini also work with the Wii/Wii U.
@dizzy_boy That's a bummer, man. I had no idea that yellowing was still a thing. I thought that nowadays, they use different plastics that don't degrade as much.
@ThanosReXXX I maybe wrong, but I think they did that to keep them feeling as authentic as possible.
@dizzy_boy Well, using newer types of plastics doesn't mean that they can't make them look like the original thing. It's only a different chemical mix, that doesn't have to affect the look or texture of the final product.
Wiimotes also don't yellow, so those are a good example.
@ThanosReXXX lets just hope Nintendo uses better plastics on the SNES Mini then.
Also, just to let you know, the plastics used an the analouge sticks for the Nunchucks and Wii classic controllers, they yellow in the sun too.
@dizzy_boy Yeah, the soft parts do, at least with mine, so only the tops of the thumb sticks, but not the controller casings themselves, and mine lie in the sun almost all day.
I was hoping they'd be USB controllers so you could use them on the Switch.
Man, the American system is sooo fugly--even the power light is uglier than the other versions. lol
@numlocks I'm used to the nice smooth PAL version so i had no idea either haha.
@impurekind It's so true haha. For those who grew up with it they wouldn't agree I'm sure but it's definetely the ugly brother =P
@FTL Yeah, I'm sure it has a lot of nostalgia for a lot of Americans--but fuuuugly.
@FX102A Awesome! This is such a great deal. 2 contollers that work for multiple consoles + 21 of the best games ever... Ugh I hope I don't miss a preorder while I'm at work today...
Pretty sure the North American controller ports will be revealed the same way as the PAL /JAP versions. Just flick down the fake controller ports.
Please Nintendo; meet demand.
My guess is that the two plastic sockets on the front can be pop out revealing the familiar Wii controller plugs. The best thing about this is that if you had previously bought the 8Bitdo NES30 controller for the NES Classic Edition, you can still use that controller and receiver to play on this as well or with the SNES30 controller too.
"We're also not sure what the mysterious hole is for to the left of the fake controller port on the North American version. [Update: Apparently this is the power light, excuse us for being so British]"
You're excused...for now.
@impurekind I grew up with the US Snes and it's uglier but seeing it in that box gets my blood pumping. Also, at the time of the Snes's release in the US, many different electronic items were using the same small round red power lights. It sort of provided a universal understanding of when different things you had never used before were on or not. A sense of familiarity.
@LiberatedAnimal Hey, I can totally understand.
It's like a mother's love.
I sorta don't like how that looks. I think they should have just done like the NES Classic and put the ports front and center.
@ThanosReXXX So if not left, then being (a) behind?
Haha, yeah....got to admit I did NOT see that coming. I said yesterday maybe they hid them on the rear, but that would be weird because it would then have more connectivity than a Switch. And sure enough....the front is a false panel and the ports are behind it. That's just....so weird.
But, there goes the last theory for what happened with NES Mini....it wasn't the connectors...
@NEStalgia Oh, there are probably dozens of theories left, we just don't know them all...
It should mean the controllers are compatible with the NES Mini. Good news if you're frustrated with the short cables or failed to find a second controller.
Im sorry, but Nintendo should ashamed for releasing snes-mini with just 21 games without the games that were on the NESmini. They have discontinued the NES mini, then why not release those 8 bit games on the SNES mini. Nintendo shouldnt put such a high value on their classic games. There a lot of ninty fans who bought these games over and over on multiple console, why cant they spoil their fans little bit more. Emulators arent that hard to find Nintendo and you are mos def taking our love for you for granted. Nice for the hardcore collectors but if NESMINI games arent on this then i wont be buying this. Let them scalpers do their thing.
"We're also not sure what the mysterious hole is for to the left of the fake controller port on the North American version. [Update: Apparently this is the power light, excuse us for being so British]"
LOL. They don't know our hardware like we do.
With all due respect, that speculation about the "hole" is beyond embarrassing... It wouldn't have taken two seconds to Google a pic of the authentic American SNES and see the same hole present. Even if you still couldn't figure it out what it was by that point, you'd at least know it wasn't anything new, and therefore not relevant to the new Classic Edition story. Not trying to embarrass you guys further, just giving some constructive criticism for the future.
I think this is the one design feature that the US one does better. I'll only have the one controller plugged into mine for 99% of the time so it would be nice if the player 2 port wasn't exposed because you have player 1 plugged in.
@Sanangelo89 The sense of entitlement is strong in this one... Why doesn't it have switch games too?
Seriously this is a SNES mini, it has SNES games.
@Baker1000 I hate to break it to you, but you're assuming their speculation is correct.... However, their inability to identify the power LED should probably make you think twice:
I'd say there's a 90% chance it'll actually open the same basic way.
@Sanangelo89 Who ever said the NES Classic's discontinuation would be permanent anyway? Nintendo's response is remarkably similar to the ones they gave for the first wave of SSB amiibo and for the Wii release of Super Mario All-Stars-- both came back. Just sayin'.
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