Nintendo just launched their new NES Mini! So we prepared a couple mini-reviews to help you decide if it’s worth your purchase!
I can summarize my review of the Mini Famicom in one word: underwhelming. On the surface, it seems like a great deal…30 games for the price of one full game. However, a lot of these games are games that a lot of gamers have already played. Some haven’t aged that well. Depending on what you like is how much of a value this system will be. Form factor wise, it’s great. It looks like a classic Famicom, but it fits in your hand. It’s easy to set up — just requiring a USB cable and an HDMI cable. There isn’t a lot of features in the system, though. There’re some filters, and the home screen is cute…but that’s it. Sure there’s save states, but the overall package just doesn’t feel like it was worth 6,000 YEN. For me, I have a lot of these games one way or another (through physical or through Virtual Console). In the end, it just feels…so underwhelming.
I was super excited about the NES Mini back when it was announced, more than partly at the idea of Nintendo following with a SNES Mini and an N64 mini, but I digress. The NES Mini offers a bundle of 30 of the best NES games, presented in the form of a replica NES, with an original NES style controller. It’s simple enough to set up, I just plugged both the HDMI and USB wires into my television and I was set.
The presentation is barebones, a list of games that you can scroll through and select. E-manuals are available if you scan the QR code, and there are 3 filters to chose from. There are also several save states per game. It’s about as much as they could have done considering the premise of the item. I can find a smidgen of fault with the selection of games, some are a little too outdated to enjoy while some like Mother, are glaring omissions.
Overall, at just shy of £50, the NES Mini gives new players the best chance at reliving the NES era with the best possible quality result on your television screen. As someone who doesn’t otherwise have access to the majority of these games, it’s a great little package. Otherwise, I’d say it’s not worth the cost. I just hope that this time next year I’ll be playing with my new SNES Mini.
Have you got the NES/Famicom Mini yet? Are you going to get it? Let us know in the comments!
I would love to buy one, maybe just for the cute shell, or to play some games when I get home from work… But here the price is stupidly high… Almost $150 USD for the mini NES and one extra controller!
That’s a deal breaker for me, and it’s a shame, but I have better things to do with my small “you work for love” paycheck
I’d be more excited for it if most of the games I’d want to play on it I didn’t already own on the Virtual Console. I’d still be interested in it for the other games, but I’d have to tack on the extra $10 for the second controller. Ain’t no way I’m playing Bubble Bobble solo.