The SNES Classic Mini Has Already Hit Two Million Sales Worldwide

My annual SNESlloween has been slightly different this year...

I have mine, but I see it's having the same trouble that the NES Classic Mini had. I think it was 4 months maybe 6 months before I got that, completely by fluke, despite ordering it within minutes of going live. I hope those without get one soon.

I love my snes mini. Bring on the nes classic, this time I'm going for it! ^_^

This blows my mind. Nostalgia is great, but in the end this is just a plug and play system... But to each their own.

I want VC on the Switch, but if Nintendo can make this much money on these little toys, I imagine they are going to continue with this trend. :/

I'm a bit confused. How can there have been over 2 million systems sold when only 200 were manufactured?

</jokes>

I thankfully managed to get a pre-order through GAME, but I feel sorry for everyone whose only options are scalpers on eBay, or in Cash Generators/CEX-style stores for double the retail value.

It's a great system, emulation is really good, it includes two original controllers and has some of the best games ever made. I'm so happy I could get one and I hope that everyone gets one at RRP. Not just the emulation but the finish is also very impressive. Plus, best 2D controller ever.

Can’t wait to get my hands on the NES Mini next year.
My need for VC has waned tho so will be interesting to see how Nintendo address that - I’m sure I’m not the only one.

I haven't seen one in the wild since launch. Hopefully one will turn up before Christmas.

@Heavyarms55 True, but it is a plug and play system that stands on a lonely, high mountain where quality is concerned, both in build and in emulation. Nothing that other companies bring out in that price range comes even close, what with the likes of all the AtGames crap and so on.

The only other devices that perform so well, or better, are the RetroUSB AVS or the Analogue NT, but both of those cost an arm and a leg, and that is without even having a single game on it.

Now that I've hacked my own SNES Mini, it's value has more than quadrupled to me; it's so small, I can take it anywhere and it offers instant two player fun. It's great for the holidays or when going away for the weekends.

Imagine how many sales they could have had if you could actually - y'know - FIND THEM IN SHOPS OR SOMETHING?!?!

Grrr...

@ThanosReXXX
Must...resist...innuendo...

People can keep harping on Nintendo about supply issues but 2 million for a plug and play system in it's first month is insane. That's a console launch.

@WinkSugoi "People can keep harping on Nintendo about supply issues but 2 million for a plug and play system in it's first month is insane. That's a console launch".

It sold more than Switch, indeed.

It's a nice product and it's good to see it selling well. What I'd be interested in is how much of this success is because people legitimately want the system and how much is because it's going to be a limited run and people thought they could make money by buying and re-selling? In the end, I'm just happy I got one. My old SNES doesn't work anymore but the Classic Edition is more than a decent replacement.

@Gamer83 SNESC (60 Hz) is even better here in Europe because we have played PAL SNES with 50 Hz games.

Nintendo is really back in the game!

@BlueOcean
Yeah, I forgot about that. Definitely an improvement for you guys.

There's no surprise the new SNES Classic Mini has sold over 2 million as many Nintendo classic fans were already eager to get their hands on the game console: http://snesclassicmini.yolasite.com

@BlueOcean Not to mention the 3 games that were never released in PAL regions too.

Luckily, at my local game shop, there is a shop (Game Republic) that sold Both Mini SNES & Mini Super Famicom.

@retro_player_22 True! Final Fantasy VI (III) is one of the best in the series and the SNES version is superior than the GBA version, Star Fox 2 is brand new and while Super Mario RPG and Earthbound, the other two games not released in Europe, have been released on Wii and/or Wii U, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island has never been re-released before, same case with Star Fox. This console is packed with gems even without adding anything and the emulation is almost perfect.

I have one - but now I’m just keeping an eye on eBay to see which genius modder can cram the most snes games in there and then I’ll strike! Just like I did with the nes mini!! 😃 meanwhile- with 2 million sold that fast what does that tell you Nintendo regarding our hunger for classic games on the Switch!! It’s a big statement indeed!!

@joey302
Why bother? You don't even have to do anything to hack it. You literally run the program and tell it which games you want added, and there you go. I could understand if it was some complex 5 hour process transferring files and downloading stuff and risk bricking an expensive system... but this thing is practically hacked out of the box. Your run the program, you add games, it even browses the web for box art covers for you.

@JaxonH what are you doing this Saturday night?? I’ll have my wife make you a lovely dinner while you hook me up! Lol - I have no clue how to do any of that stuff. It might be as easy as you say but I don’t have the first clue I admit! Pure ignorance on my part. Lack of time doesn’t help either. The concept of cherry picking my own games out of the snes library does appeal to me for sure instead of the games being chosen for me. Anyway my wife makes a mean Macaroni and meatballs spread. You’ll be stuffed!! 😂😂😂😆😆😜😜 also, the other part of my thought process was to keep my original snes mini as it was sold & intended for collective purposes. Which is what I did with the nes mini. 1 original 1 hacked & loaded! 😊

Got lucky and picked one up at my local toys r us last Friday! Started Final Fantasy 3 and Super Castlevania IV!!!

@joey302
Honestly, just google it. You don't have to have a clue- that's what Google is for. Two minutes from now you could be downloading the program and connecting your SNES and have games on it. In the time it took you to respond to me you could've already had games on your system, that's how easy it is.

Google it. Trust me on this. Tutorials will spell it out for you step-by-step. Although it's so easy you really don't even need a tutorial- it's pretty much self-explanatory.

@JaxonH you know what? ok I’ll see if I can give it a shot this coming weekend! Thanks! I’ll assume you’ve done it to yours so if I have Any questions then you’re my guy! If you don’t mind...😉😆

These numbers should finally open Nintendo's eyes. Your fans have money just waiting to be thrown at you. Make enough stock of your products and you WILL profit heavily.

Keep pumping out SNES Classics, bring back tons of NES Classics next year and have 5 million N64 Classics ready to go for launch next Fall.

@joey302
No problem. You'll be glad you did

I still have never seen one in a store. When I do, I will buy it. No way am I paying over the retail price from some scalper for games I could (and used to) emulate on my Wii U for free.

Still haven’t found one in stores

@NinChocolate No worries, just fire up your PC, do a little downloading, and you can play every SNES and NES game on it for free. Why waste time waiting to buy something you may never find?

Got mine on launch day. Played the preloaded games, then modded it with 40 more of my childhood faves. Now sitting idle in my mancave while I play Mario Odyssey, but it'll come out when my brother visits for christmas. There's some Turtles in Time that'll need playing.

@BezBot
I've seen it in stores a few times, seems like Nintendo is at least trying to do a better job restocking this system than it did with the NES Classic. Hopefully you'll be able to find one.

They should just actually re-release the SNES, carts and all...

I still think they missed a trick, they should have put in wifi connectivity and turned it into a stand alone SNES only virtual console.

Thought the same with the NES Classic to be honest

At this point Nintendo might as well deliberately and directly sell to scalpers. Maybe also limit production to 3 units per console.

@ThanosReXXX So it basically takes the Switch's place for a while then?

@gordjscott Clearly they're reporting the total number of "sales", not fulfilled deliveries. I had 4 pre-orders for example, but they were all cancelled. Also, /sarcasm (Except the cancelled pre-order bit. That's sadly true D= )

@Heavyarms55 Though the product isn't for you, and I would really like the VC as well, it shouldn't be hard to see how this type of device is great former gamers. It's a cheap(ish) and simple way to play a bunch of games people used to love. I mainly want one just for my collection - I still have my SNES hooked up to my TV if I actually want to play it.

@UmniKnight Yeah, I guess so. More or less, albeit in a retro-gaming kind of way...

@ThanosReXXX The strength of nostalgia is not to be underestimated

@UmniKnight I absolutely agree. Then again: I actually AM a retro gamer, so it's highly likely that I would agree, isn't it?

@ThanosReXXX Well, all within perks of course. I mean ye olden games are fantastic, I have ridiculously fond memories of Digimon World 2, but when I go back to it, I see that it had some serious trouble ageing in the graphics department.

So, while we're on the subject, is there a recent release is up there with a retro game that's beloved to you?

@UmniKnight Well, always liked the Mario series, on any of Nintendo's consoles, so Odyssey is definitely no exception. That'll probably be one of the first games I'll buy and play, once I have my Switch. And the Zelda series is another favorite of mine.

But having said that, I definitely also appreciate the third party efforts, so there's going to be quite a few Switch titles on the must-buy list...

@UmniKnight As for Digimon World 2: I can easily see why that has aged badly, although I don't think it has aged THAT badly that it would become unplayable, but most early 3D efforts simply can't stand the test of time as well as 8 and 16 bit games, simply because of the fact that 2D art has a much higher longevity.

But play PSX or Nintendo 64 games on an emulator on PC, such as ePSXe and Project64 respectively, and you'll see how good they can actually still look, especially with the often present hi-res texture packs.

EDIT:
By the way, playing N64/PSX games on the Wii or Wii U isn't too shabby either, courtesy of the wonderful Wii64 and WiiSX emulators, especially in their recompiled USB-loader variants.

@ThanosReXXX It's more that when they do attacks, you can see how far they got with 3D (gaping holes in the models) I still love it to bits and have played it fairly recently

Third-party games on the must-buy list? Enlighten me

@UmniKnight Games like Doom, Wolfenstein, NBA2K18, Skyrim, Rime, and also quite a few indie games. Not going to list all of them, because that would be a LONG list. Suffice to say that I'm quite happy and pleasantly surprised with the growth and variety in the Switch game library.

@ThanosReXXX Aye, I just hope these versions can stand up to the competition's in docked mode. I'd buy DOOM and Wolfenstein myself, but I've been a PC gamer for a long time, and I just can't enjoy my shooters if there's not a mouse to control them with.

I've reached my personal list for the year, the only thing I'm waiting for is Xenoblade 2 and, potentially, Nine Parchments, though so far I've bought Dragonball Xenoverse 2 for co-op with people I knew, and it hasn't happened, so I feel that multiplayer games may be something to best avoid.

@UmniKnight Well, if it's about the controls, then I can kind of understand and respect it, but on here, a lot of people, or rather: f***ing annoying whiners, only talk about these games not holding up graphics-wise, and validating their choice not to want to play them on the Switch because of that.

Anyone with half a brain understands that a portable console could NEVER get games to run in the same fidelity as the other two, which are dedicated home consoles, with far superior hardware. And yet somehow, they STILL demand it, which is idiocy at its worst, and I positively HATE it, and thoroughly dislike the people using that as a lousy excuse to not play or buy the Switch versions of these games.

Even worse, these are the same idiots that will be crying about the lack of third party support if these games will almost inevitably sell too little, making it harder for third parties to keep supporting the Switch. Let's just hope that this doesn't happen...

@ThanosReXXX I've bought Xenoverse 2, ignoring 50% off sales on PC, just to support the system (also for the promise of multiplayer, but that's a sailed ship) and I honestly feel regret for doing so. For people who want portability, having these games on the Switch is absolutely grand, but for me, I don't see the value in it.

If a game doesn't come to PC that does multiplat on consoles and I like it, sure, I'll buy it on Switch, as I don't own any other console, but if it's on PC as well, especially seeing as I'll upgrade mine soon to play Monster Hunter World among others, then I'll go PC first. The Switch's main feature just isn't something I use, and won't until the 3DS completely dies out and I've no other choice but to start using it that way (and I hardly use my 3DS as is. The concept of too little time for games is alien to me).

If people want these games for their portability, I fully understand that. But if they can get a version that needed no compromise, then I can also understand why they go for that one instead.

@UmniKnight Not preferring/using the portability is something that I can also understand and respect, but with that should come an understanding that games can NEVER look as good (and in some cases run as fast) as on the other systems, so any complaints by anyone on that part of it, are still highly unrealistic and as such rendered completely invalid.

It is a positive miracle that all these titles are coming to the Switch in the first place, but instead of applauding or appreciating that, a lot of people prefer to whine about what they aren't getting.

Probably because being negative and going with the general consensus is SO much easier...

@ThanosReXXX Tis just a shame, that for as great as the Switch is, it compromises power to be this way. I understand these compromises, I understand that it will bring games to the system, that a pure box wouldn't have, and I also understand that it's what drives the sales, what gets people to even pick it up.

But at the same time, the problems associated with it are equally clear as day, and they're not something that the snap of a finger will fix, if Nintendo even sees them as a problem, and thus wishes to "fix" them in the first place.

My problem with the system, is that I'd personally opt for power over portability, but I don't have that choice. If I want Nintendo's IP, and (hopefully) the best third-party offerings besides PC, then I've no choice. As I tend to say, 3DS players can upgrade to the Switch, and Wii-U players don't have any upgrade. That path is closed, arguably, it's been closed since the Gamecube era or even before then, when Nintendo forfeited their position to Sony/Microsoft.

The 3DS will probably end in the Switch, but then that's a serious upgrade and can only get better. When looking at the system from a Wii-U perspective, sure, it's far stronger, but it could've been much much more beyond this, and it isn't due to how it was made.

But my absolute main gripe, is when developers use the power-argument, because I'm not tech savvy. I can't see if it's the Switch's hardware limitations, or laziness on the developers end that has games look/play the way they do. Whatever the case, beyond the games that don't reach the system for whatever other reason, power would have opened it up for more, that's a given. Less than now? Quite possibly, but I wouldn't know.

As for celebrating what we are getting? Agreed, I have enjoyed the games I've bought, and still will and do, but right now, I've only got 8 games because my tastes aren't as broad and expansive as they used to be. I don't own Odyssey and don't plan to (sue me, I blaspheme!) and most of my games are third-party. It's just hard to appreciate what you've got, when you're constantly getting slammed by messages like the recent one of EA not supporting it until they're absolutely sure. Don't see that with Sony/Microsoft, it's only Nintendo that gets this crap stuck to their boot (Though that said, I know of their history with third-parties, but it has to end somewhere.)

@UmniKnight I can understand your sentiments, but I don't agree with the "sacrifice" bit: Nintendo knew full well what it was doing and this is the most powerful the machine could get, for the price they wanted to sell it at, so it is more or less exactly the thing they wanted. Maybe they can do a firmware update somewhere later down the line, to uncap the now under-clocked CPU (it is slightly under-clocked compared to the same CPU in the Nvidia Shield), but that would at the most bring the difference to a 3DS vs New 3DS level, so nothing really Earth-shattering.

And marketing technically, Nintendo couldn't have come out with identical black box nr. 3, because they can't compete directly with the other two where number of games/third party supporters is concerned, and also cost-wise, it would have been far too risky for them.

No, they've done all they could in that respect, and so far, their choice seems to pay off big time, so that seems to indicate pretty strongly that the Switch is going to be a pretty big success, regardless of how exactly people are using it. And the Wii U's path isn't closed at all: the Switch is EXACTLY what the Wii U should have been and now has become. The home console that you can also play anywhere, anytime, without fear of losing a signal because there's a wall between your GamePad and the Wii U console...

And it's also not all about portability, though: a lot of people seem to forget or ignore that the people that ARE enthusiastic about these titles, are often also people that have never even played a game of those series, so while it might all be old hat to the whiners (meh, these games are all two year old ports, boohoo... ) it could very well be the very first experience with Doom, Skyrim or L.A. Noire for the Nintendo-only people.

Apparently, a lot of people find that weird or odd, so they choose not to believe that this is possible, instead trying to force their opinion on others, another thing I hate with a passion.

As for gaming on PC: personally, I do play some old stuff, mainly because my PC is old, so newer games won't run and I don't have the cash reserves to buy a new PC or new components.

And with most titles, I actually use an Xbox 360 controller, except for when I'm playing RPG's or RTS games, other than that, I find using a mouse and keyboard cumbersome and even rather archaic in some ways. But of course that's only my personal opinion...

@ThanosReXXX I get the idea of people being exited to play it, to never had played it, I just wish the home-console part was more than it is now. To me, it feels like it's that after-thought inclusion to keep people who love home-consoles (aka not handhelds) happy.

I've got over 500 hours in a much beloved game of 2004 on PC, and I'm pondering giving it another run. Plenty of old games that are great, if only because the modern iteration of them has gone astray (I'm looking at you, Heroes of Might and Magic) or just isn't my cup of tea any-more for whatever reason (Heroes' example is rather complex).

I'd like to buy every game on Switch, regardless of whether they're on PC or not. But I can't keep ignoring the fact that they're probably cheaper on PC, bound to look/run better, and customizable to boot (stuff like the Steam Workshop is not to be underestimated. It's mod-ability that has kept Skyrim alive this long.) As for the question "Well, why don't you buy an Xbox One X/PS4 Pro or any other of that line then?" two words: Nintendo IP. I've grown up with it, and like an insidious, immortal parasite it's ingrained into me, so I might as well try to help the third-party situation to get the better offer, eh?

@UmniKnight By the way: agreed on some developer's lousy excuses, but that is something we probably have to accept when gaming on a Nintendo system. Accept the bad with the good, so to speak...

@ThanosReXXX But do we have to? Can we not try to get better? There's a couple of thirds that really have me want to sit down with them, and let my inherent Dutch stubbornness have a word with them for a few hours (first and foremost being you, Capcom).

The third-party woes with Nintendo must end, for all of our sakes. I may not use/like portability, but that's the key reason why now is the perfect time to get on board, why even old games are selling.

@UmniKnight Yeah, I can understand wanting to have a stern talking-to with these third parties, such as Capcom and EA.

All these half-baked attempts drive me crazy too, especially since the expected outcome where the customer's enthusiasm is concerned, can be seen coming from a mile away, and still they blame the sales/the customer, for their game not doing well on a Nintendo platform...

I do think that there's a responsibility for the gamer as well, though:
you're also continuously comparing. It's understandable to a degree, but in the end, it makes no sense. The Switch isn't a high end PC. It's not even a mid-range PC, so lamenting the decision of Nintendo to charge €60 for an old game that can be bought on PC for €15 - €20 and looks and plays much better as well, is an unfair and unrealistic comparison, so that REALLY has to go.

Cartridges simply are expensive to produce, and then there's of course the additional costs for marketing, revenue and the retailer's share in the profits. Bargain bin games have already been through that process, so they've already delivered all that to the involved parties, and that's the ONLY reason why they're so cheap.

P.S.

I don't see the Switch home console functionality as an afterthought at ALL, and I don't think that was Nintendo's intention either. Just look at all their initial statements and marketing: that's all about the HOME console that you can take with you on the go.

The Wii U was considered a home console, and the Switch is easily 3 times more powerful than that, so either it's a ridiculously powerful handheld, or it is indeed simply a home console with benefits, or rather: a hybrid, offering maybe not the best of both worlds, but definitely a pretty damn good alternative.

And Nintendo's own titles once again show that there's no reason at all to skimp on the looks of games either, because everything that they themselves bring out simply looks gorgeous. Then again: it usually does, regardless of what hardware it's on. Maybe Nintendo should start giving programming/game development courses to third parties, so they can learn how to get the most out of the hardware...

@ThanosReXXX Then what do you suggest? Buying the objectively, sadly as it is, worse looking and at times worse working (FPS) version for support alone? I get it if people want those games for portability, yes that's a valid one. But if you own a PS4/Xbox One/PC, then you've no reason to buy multiplats for the Switch, unless you really want that portability factor. There is, a side-factor of wanting to really support the Switch, but logically and financially, that is not the best course of action. But I rest my case, lest I ramble about this.

Nintendo's games look incredibly well polished, tis true. But again, you look at the marketing, you look at people saying they don't even unpack their dock, you consider the differences between all console offerings and why people even buy games on Switch save for exclusives and you arrive at portability. You don't buy a Switch for the home-console mode, it's a nice little side-benefit, but it's not your main reason for buying it. Nintendo gets many non-Nintendo people buying the Switch, solely through the promise of quality games on the go. The docked mode is a side-piece here, the only thing that gives it any staying power, is that the Switch doesn't have much Switching without it.

I bought a Switch, because of their IP and so I hope the third-parties will join to reinforce it into an offer any can find themselves in, despite my reservations.

@UmniKnight No, that's not what I suggest: that is what I would call "settling for less". If you have a PC, Xbox One or PS4 and of course IF portable play isn't important/interesting to you, then by all means, buy that other version instead of the Switch version.

But don't moan about it (generally speaking of course, not directed at you personally) and don't make unfair comparisons. And the fact that these better versions are there, is also no excuse to bash the Switch version. The versions that are on the Switch, are the best that they can be on THAT hardware. Mindlessly and continuously asking for more is useless, and I'm pretty sure that most people know that to be true, somewhere in the back of their minds...

If you DO only have a Switch however, then it definitely would be good/smart if people would support titles like these, because if they don't, then third party support is going to disappear from yet another Nintendo platform once again, and that is something that none of us should want. And if that happens, people will once again have something to moan and complain about, even though it will be their own damn fault...

And personally, I don't give a crap about 720p vs 1080p. I hardly see the difference, it is all nice and sharp to me. A lot of that comes from being the age that I am, and having played games ever since the first Pong home console and Atari 2600, so I've seen it all, and there has never been as much focus on graphics as there is now, and HD graphics have only been a thing for the last two generations, so that's only a minor part of my gaming life.

I do however like smoothness in games, so I can get wanting to have 60fps, but the whole resolution/pixel debate, just like the unfair comparison between Switch and the dedicated home consoles, has got to be thrown out of the window.

@ThanosReXXX You say it's an unfair comparison, and granted that might be true, but a comparison that will be made nonetheless, if only because Nintendo decided to brand it a home-console. If they chose to brand it a handheld with TV connectivity, then I doubt people would draw that conclusion as quickly, if at all.

I understand settling for less, if I was a portable fanatic, I'd probably do the same. That said, I'm on the opposite site of that spectrum, though I do wish to support Nintendo as best I can, since they hold the majority of my childhood, and still make great games today. Come to think of it, that, and hopefully great third-party games was why I've bought the Switch in the first place (those I can't play on PC, at any rate. Though that ship is sailing fast, considering that PC is getting more and more games that were console only)

I just feel that there's a good chance the docked mode will be phased out in the future, depending on if enough people continue to use it. I can imagine that, in Japan, they'd phase it out as soon as they could, since home-console gaming is next to non-existent there.

As for the graphics debate, I guess that just came with the time. As I've had to upgrade my PC to play the latest games, I couldn't help but notice that difference, that transition from old to new graphics. Once you see the difference, you can't "unsee" it. Keep in mind, that this comes from someone who sent their New 3DS XL back about 3 times because it had a dead pixel and I wouldn't stand for it

I feel like this is gonna sell more than the WiiU.

@UmniKnight Forget about the settling for less: if you re-read my comment on that, you'll understand that I'm not advocating that AT ALL. In fact, I strongly believe that no one should EVER settle for less with anything in their lives. Always go for the maximum achievable.

And I have seen all the wonderful "purdy" new graphics, many, many times, even in 4K and although it does look good when implemented right, it still doesn't bother me in the slightest that the Switch is "only" displaying in 720p. I think it looks great regardless of whatever resolution.

And currently, I don't even have a Switch yet, so I only played on a friend's Switch. I only have consoles from the previous generation: an Xbox 360 and a Wii U, and just about everything before that (except nothing from Sony. Long story... )...

Needless to say, since I still use both of them, that I still thoroughly enjoy all the games on them and I'm never bothered by them lacking certain features or resolutions. Heck, I still use my GameCube and Dreamcast as well, and some games on there have definitely stood the test of time pretty well, in my opinion.

On a related note: my PC is maxed out at 1280 x 1024, and that is also more than fine to me. I can do almost anything I want with it, and it works adequately enough, long as I don't install anything too demanding on it, but I've got quite a few titles installed on it that came about during the first half of the Xbox 360's life cycle, so think COD Black Ops 2, Blades of Time, Split Second Velocity, Spec Ops: The Line, Blur, Pure, Skydrift, Burnout Paradise, The Alien Breed HD trilogy, Wheelman, Trine 1 & 2, How to Survive, Blades of Time, Gears of War, and so on. I could make a list 5 times as long as that, what with all the stuff I have installed on there, but I think you'll get the picture: it's a decidedly modest PC, but there's still more than enough games that I can play on it.

As for where the Switch will go: I don't think that they'll drop the dock. If anything, the useless space inside the back of it could be used for expansions, so I'd sooner expect a more beefier dock and I'm also still suspecting something to come from that completed patent concerning the Supplemental Computing Device.

It's the only patent that has been completed and paid for by Nintendo, so it should come to life in some shape or form eventually.

Further possibilities depend on a number of things: how cheap is the Tegra 2 chip going to be once that will be phased out for Tegra 3, or is there even going to be another Tegra chip?

Either way, for the Switch (or the Switch line/family of consoles/devices) to be able to grow in features and/or power, they'll definitely need a considerably more powerful SoC, but right now, that newer chipset simply costs to much for it to be a good investment for them.

I fully expect this version of the Switch to last until mid 2019 at least, and maybe they'll do that firmware update to unlock that CPU somewhere along that cycle, to give it a bit more speed, but a true upgrade is going to take another couple of years, maybe even 4 or 5 years.

@ThanosReXXX Speaking of that Computing Device, wouldn't that clash with this? http://letsplayvideogames.com/2016/10/report-nintendo-switch-dock-doesnt-support-external-usb-drives/

"Nintendo’s concern internally is that allowing consumers to attach large external drives to the Dock will cause players to see the system as less inherently portable, harming their core branding for the system as a portable home console."

Not sure if the device is outside or inside, but you get the point.

My computer is held back by it's 960 Nvidia card, I really need to upgrade that asap, but getting a 1060 ain't cheap >.>. It's a modest machine as well, I just want it upgraded to handle the games that currently require unlimited memory settings to run and not look blurry as hell. If we're talking about Switch and graphically, what I just don't want to see, is blurry textures when the rest of the game looks just fine, like my current avatar (will update quickly to give you the idea of what I mean) may look nitpicky, but if you constantly see that, then it just gets in one's eye.

And I thought it was on the Switch's hardware, but I heard that Koei Tecmo tend to skimp and cut corners, so it may just be them being lazy... And this happens a lot, like another game I have that's 720P even in docked mode. I didn't mind it in terms of looks, but if your icons are clipping into your TV, then that warrants a frown if you ask me. This brings me to the point: When is it hardware limitations, and when is it laziness? There's the very real possibility of devs blaming lazy-work on the Switch's innards, and I can't honestly tell the difference...

@UmniKnight My PC has an Nvidia GeForce GT430, but even so, I can still play all these "Xbox 360 generation" games. Try and wrap your head around that one...

And no, I don't think that the Supplemental Computing Device would clash with external USB drives, because its purpose and the way it is supposed to operate, is completely different: it can lend power locally or from a distance, as long as you have a wifi or other online connection, so it's not exclusively tied to the console being in the dock. It can also lend power to other people's Switch via the online network connection, for example when playing multiplayer games.

The concept really interests me, and I truly wonder how that would look in real life. In the patent, it's a rather big and crude box, but that's always the case with patents. It's more about the idea than the exact looks of something.

I missed your avatar swap, so that's not something that I could use as an example to understand what you're trying to convey to me. The whole 720p across the board thing (docked and undocked) is in most cases to assure that games can run at a certain locked frame rate, whether that'll be 30 or 60fps, although there are obviously, and sadly, also some developers that do indeed choose the easy route. As far as horrible icons on the Switch go, the only one that really bothers me, is Snake Pass. What the hell where they thinking when changing that into the ugly thing that it is now?

But again: personally, the whole resolution thing doesn't bother me in the slightest. It kind of makes me think of a simple game I know of that was often used when I was little to occupy kids when they were on a very long road trip with their parents, and they had to keep them entertained while sitting in the back of the car. It's called "count the red cars" and it's simply an attention game.

It still works today, even if you're an adult. Go take a drive and take notice of how many cars of a certain color you can see. Back then, red was popular, nowadays it's mostly darker colors.

Anyway, once you've done that, every next time that you go take a drive, you'll suddenly notice that there are far more cars of a certain color on the road, without counting them, like you did before. In reality, there aren't really more cars of a certain color on the road, but it's also a case of seeing things and not being able to unsee them.

But at the end of the day, it's a mind trick. Games having to be a certain resolution in order to be conceived as looking good is essentially also a mind trick. The human eye in general is very poorly equipped, certainly compared to other living beings, so although there are people that can or have trained themselves to see certain things, or know what to look for, in general it's herd behavior: all your friends tell you that Wii U games are ugly, because they run at a lower resolution, and so they are ugly. Same with the Switch, and it truly annoys me to no end.

A certain resolution does not exclude entertaining gameplay. Frame rate can, in certain game genres. But graphic fidelity between 720p and 1080p, especially on a screen as small as that of the Switch, isn't really all that easily discernible. Of course being displayed on a TV makes it a bit easier, but even then, most people wouldn't know the difference unless you tell them beforehand what resolution it runs at, or if they have a side by side comparison.

I myself actually would have never believed that several years ago, but I've seen such tests with my own eyes, because a friend of mine used to work at Electroworld, where they once set up a test environment with two similar TV's: one Full HD and one HD ready, both connected to the same Blu-ray player, and both calibrated exactly the same in every aspect.

When asked which screen had the better/more pleasant display, almost 85% of the people that participated in the test, chose the HD Ready TV, and most of them were completely taken by surprise when they were told that they had actually chosen the "lesser" TV as their favorite. Go figure...

@ThanosReXXX Oh, I didn't notice the difference going 720 or 1080 in Zelda, so there's that. It's the clipping that made me notice it on Fate/Extella instead

As for my icon, it's the one current, have yourself a look and tell me what you think.

I duly hope they'll improve the dock, give that side some more legitimacy. I can't wait to have Pokemon on my Switch, because damn, the 3DS is great but it's age is showing...

@UmniKnight Well, still enjoying that too: 3DS XL, my favorite game being Mario Kart, and my third party favorite being Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars.

Maybe I just have a knack for enjoying things for what they are and not expecting more than they can be, which makes it far easier for me to judge them accordingly and not do the whole "well, compared to device x or y it looks like crap" thing...

As for your icon: don't know what to make of that. Is that Dragon Ball?

That's Frederick from Fire Emblem: Warriors. You can see that his hand looks good enough, but that ground-texture is unnecessarily blurry, it just gets in my eye honestly. Especially compared to my new, more permanent avatar of how he properly looks.

Fire Emblem: Warriors is the first game I've actually noticed that in, actually. I mean gnarly textures are everywhere, in just about every game, I'm not someone to be absorbed into graphics and resolution, I've started with the SNES for crying out loud, and I love Terraria

Again, this is a case of outlier. I've never really cared much for it in other games, but since he tends to pick up that rock quite a bit (it's his victory animation) I've seen that plenty of times.

@UmniKnight Fair enough, suppose that can start to be annoying. For me to see that, though, the icon is too small, even on your profile page, but I'll take your word for it.

Could also be my monitor, by the way. It's even older than my PC...

@ThanosReXXX Well, at any case, I've not been disappointed by the Switch so far honestly, it's just during those moments that a dev complains about it's hardware, that it ain't good enough for their game, that's why I'd want the Switch to have, at least parity with the PS4/Xbox One base models. Surely that would silence some of the whining?

@UmniKnight It would, but the reality of it is that this is never going to happen: the hardware is just too small for it to be able to contain such power. A couple of years down the line, that might become a possibility, but by then, the others will once again also have upgraded, so it'll be the same difference once again, even if the Switch 2.0 is going to have a Tegra X2 or even a Tegra X3, so it's a never closing gap until they would make unidentifiable black box nr. 3, and then there would be more options, but that too is never going to happen.

I just wouldn't want people to be disappointed, let alone allow myself to believe such unrealistic expectations. I love positivity, and I'm all for the glass half full view, but I'm also practical and realistic, so unfortunately for the wishful thinkers, I just don't see an equally powerful Switch happening.

Anyways, any follow up on our conversation will have to wait til tomorrow. Gotta go catch some z's now...

@ThanosReXXX GL on catching said Z's then

I can confirm that up to today (November 5th,2017) Amazon.it has still plenty of mini SNES stock for 79,98 € each. If you have a friend in Italy, just ask him/her to help you