By Adam Turner
Is Nintendo's tiny Mini NES simply cashing in on Gen X nostalgia, or will it introduce a new generation of gamers to the classics?
Plans to re-release a pint-size replica of the 30-year old Nintendo Entertainment System were always going to strike a chord with a certain demographic, keen to relive the gaming thrills of their youth, but even allowing for that there's surprising demand for Nintendo's tiny $99 console with 30 pre-installed games. The pre-sale rush saw EB Games' website crash two days in a row and the first batch is already sold out.
Nintendo's Classic Mini NES offers a legit new way to play old games.
Nintendo isn't reissuing the original hardware, instead it's designed a palm-sized replica with a few updates for the modern age. On the plus side it sports an HDMI video output, is powered via USB and is compatible with Wii-controllers connected via cable (as well as the replica controller sold with the unit). On the downside there's no way to load new games, as the console does not have a game cartridge slot or internet access.
The inability to install new games means that the Mini NES won't be an ongoing revenue source for Nintendo, but people are unlikely to complain at this price considering that you get many of the NES' most popular titles including Nintendo's Super Mario Bros, The Legend of Zelda and Donkey Kong along with classics like Galaga, Pac-man and Ghosts 'n Goblins.
Nintendo may have locked down the console for fear of people buying it just for the budget hardware and then jailbreaking it to run other software, but that's less of a concern in the age of cheap yet powerful barebones computers like the Raspberry Pi.
For the price of the Mini NES you could buy a Raspberry Pi, load emulator software like RetroPie or Raspicade and then run practically any old game you desire – although the search for game ROMs will likely see you infringe copyright. You'll also need to spend a few dollars on decent handheld controllers if you're looking to replicate the original gaming experience.
Even then the performance of third-party emulators can be hit and miss, plus you're at the mercy of the quality of your controllers. As much as I enjoy playing Donkey Kong on my homemade Raspicade-based tabletop machine running the MAME arcade emulator, it doesn't handle the same as the original Donkey Kong arcade cabinet in the classic gaming section at PAX Australia, on loan from Bartronica.
So who will buy Nintendo's new little console? Passionate retro gamers will likely want to grab one just to complete the set, although purists tend to prefer playing old games on the original hardware and it remains to be seen how closely the Mini NES delivers on that experience. If you're the kind of person who counts an original NES amongst your prized possessions, and likes to wander the back streets of Akihabara looking for bargains, then you're unlikely to view the Mini NES as more than a novelty.
Purists might consider the Mini NES a handy portable gaming console to take on holidays – it would be the perfect addition to a holiday house and it's small enough to throw in your travel bag while your precious original console stays safely at home. The fact it's USB-powered means you could even set up the Mini NES in the car, if you've got a screen in the back, to entertain the troops on long drives.
The Mini NES might have more long-term appeal for casual retro gamers of all ages who are less concerned about the original hardware but want to stay within the law, or simply don't want to go through the hassles of building a Raspberry Pi-based emulator. Perhaps they're younger gamers who want to see what all the fuss is about, or maybe they're older gamers who want to introduce their children to the classics.
At $99 the new console is certainly cheaper than buying copies of all 30 games to run on a modern Nintendo console – although with the Mini NES you lose the advantage of wireless controllers which Gen Y gamers likely take for granted. Perhaps modders will be able to cobble together a wireless dongle for the Mini NES, although they might be hampered by the fact it relies on Nintendo's proprietary connectors rather than standard USB ports.
Is there room for a Mini NES in your gaming collection? What's the attraction?