With EB Games and JBHifi sold out of pre-orders at $99… you can pre-order it at Ozgameshop for $84.99…
Might not arrive on release date, but nice for a $15 saving… (and if you have player points waiting to be redeemed, even less!)
Here's my referrer link if you want to use that. I will receive 3% of all your order totals (excluding postage) in Player Points.
Your argument would be valid if there was a NES that had another way of loading games into it besides a cartridge (as the PSP did).
This isn't a console, it has no way of having games added to it. What you buy now is what it will always be. An expensive paperweight once you want to play that one NES game that isn't part of the 30.
@arbok: It also didn't ship with 30 built in ones, nor was it sold at $99 as a neat novelty/nostalgic item. It was a current console, of course the PSP Go had some way to load in titles. All I was saying is that the PSP that broke support for existing physical media, which is apparently a big issue here for some despite there being 30 years between hardware releases. If Sony can manage it mid cycle, I think Nintendo can ignore the cartridge after 30 years.
I'm quite baffled that people seem to expect a full blown console here. Nintendo has the NX due out next year so why would they tie up resources developing a platform for 30 year old games, adding support for cartridges almost no one has while increasing the cost of the device in the process when they could as easily throw the very same titles on a virtual store. Hell, many are already there if online distributions what you want, and a second hand Wii can be had for about $30.
It's meant to be a relatively inexpensive novelty item, not a hugely serious powerhouse to keep you going for the next few years. If people would prefer ROMs by all means use those…some customers clearly appreciate the design of this thing and whats offered out of the box.
When I was a kid I had an NES with a 52-in-1 cartridge. Virtually the only games I played were the ones coming with the Classic Mini - I couldn't be happier with the games that it's shipping with. Nostalgia FTW!
30 games of which most go for like 8 bucks on the eshop all in a NES style plug and play box is a bargain at that price in my eyes - i have one ordered. Most are still legally obtainable digitally this way through Nintendo so no matter how anyone puts it - ROMs are illegal.
I don't get why a Raspberry Pi or phone emulators are even getting brought up - that's like posting a dvd/bluray bargain on here and saying this isn't a bargain because i can just be a dirty pirate and download it for free!
And people do realise the size of this thing yeah? Its marketed as a Mini Console its going to be smaller than a NES cartridge to begin with!
I swear the expectations of some people these days. This is not a NES console replacement. Playing cartridges would be catering to such a niche market it wouldnt be worth it.
If you own the cartridge then having a rom is 100%legal as per Australian and most international laws allowing copies of bought media to be made that supersede licensing/EULA agreements saying you can't make a copy.
Fools and their money are allowed to part ways, that's cool, you just justified why. Enjoy your $100 piece of redundant plastic.
Jesus, you've said the same rant about 5 times in this thread. Let it go man, its not your money
Well it's actually the first time in this thread that I posted that information about owning ROMS and the licensing around it.
That's cool though, some people see things for what they are not. Like this POS expensive emulator that can't play NES cartridges ;)
@c0balt: To each their own, I would say most of the people who are buying this don't have NES cartridges. Nintendo have been clever here, I reckon alot of the appeal is that people like the thought of a dinky NES sitting under their TV.
Enjoy dumping your own NES games and playing them on your touch screen phone emulator then fool. Downloading them any other way is flat out illegal - plain and simple.
Just because it doesn't cater to your niche doesn't mean it doesn't to cater to someone elses - which leaves the reason of why you are posting here to just flat out troll a product because it doesn't suit your elitist needs.
So in other words if you don't own the cartridge it is still illegal?
Pre order and referrer?
2nd shipment is now available from EB.
Ordered 1 just now from there. Shipping only, no local pickup ($7.70 in Sydney area….ouch)
People are just buying for the novelty and nostalgia factors, most will try out a few old games then find out it is not as good as they remember then put it away or return it. I'm sure there will be plenty to go around for those that want one. The die hard fans will buy it no matter what and not worry about it's limitations.
At $85, you're getting the case and controller plus 30 games. Assuming the case and controller costs $10, that means you're getting the games for $2.66 each. Not bad, and a great gift idea for a young one that you don't want playing violent games or staring at a tablet from less than 30cm away. For those who want to go the way of the Raspberry, go for it, this is not for you.
Mario is violent!
I cry a tear everytime that Italian plummer stomps a mushrooms head in
Great gift idea!
Nintendo really missed an opportunity with this one. A large part of retro game collectors is to collect games they couldn't play when they were younger. This Nintendo mini really ought to have had a port for carts, it didn't even have to be original carts either, just something small like sd/mini sd cards or ds carts. Nintendo could easily do 5 in 1 or 10 in 1 cards for $10, call it the best of nintendo games vol. x, sell it at Coles, Target, KMart, and they would make lots of money as people start to collect NES games again.
As it is, its literally short term bump in sales for them, but cool they are acknowledging their legacy and their older fans.
The best thing about this system - is the HDMI port.
Agreed - even just a cartridge slot because that's going to make legal game owners happier.
Yep - Apple and Steam have proved if its easy to buy, people will buy it. Heck even a Raspberry Pi 3 has wifi on board.
I agree too. I think the lack of WiFi connectivity which scuttles the possibility of any ecommerce platform for the unit is a tad daft. Ask an extra $40 for the wireless component, and then keep retroengineering more old games from NES and Gameboy. They'd have cleaned up.
I won't be buying anything retro that will never have the possibility of playing original Dragons Lair.
Any of the included games good for two simultaneous players?
Balloon Fight
Bubble Bobble
Double Dragon 2
Dr. Mario
Ice Climber
Mario Bros.
Super C
Tecmo Bowl
Off the top of my head… there may be a few others.
i still have heaps of nes cartridges at home with a region free console. but i would stick to a softmodded wii, wireless controllers, no blowing on contacts to make it work..
Blowing on the contacts never actually worked, it's just a myth.
Apparently, the cartridges did it to themselves on purpose: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW7jkgOguZI
i've already got most of the NES games i want on Wii U through the eshop, but if my son (newborn) was a little bit older i'd buy this for him (and me) in a heartbeat :)
When will Nintendo learn to put an AC adapter in the box? The audience they are selling it to I don't think will be happy that's missing. Costs all of $5 for a decent one in manufacturing.
They avoid dealing with different adapters for different countries i guess.
I have one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Atari-Flashback-Classic-Game-Console-…
This is what the Nintendo Classic Mini will be like. Anyone who's got one of these will know why all the wanted features like cartridge support and wifi would be impossible. These are cheap toy-like devices. But in a good way. It's tiny, made of the cheapest plastic and weighs about 10 grams. And while the Atari one was a gift and I found pretty much all the games unplayable, I can't tell you how excited I am for the Nintendo equivalent.
Though I agree that there should be a power plug in the box.
They will all be on gumtree the same day.
agreed, "oh cool snes" then after 5 minutes it will be on the shelf collecting dust.
I was at the Power house museum when they had a 70s-80s exhibition where they had emulated video games like the atari 2600. It was cool for about 5 minutes, then you realise there isn't that much depth of gameplay (very linear) and give up.
Pre-ordered mine from EB the morning they were announced. They hadn't even added them to the Store's pc yet haha
The limitation of games and not being able to add more/play carts is probably so Nintendo can release a few of variants with different games. They'll probably all have the same core games such as the Super Mario bros etc. too…
It's a shame it can't come with a voucher to download 30 games from the Nintendo store or something rather than 30 games preloaded.
I've got a NES so won't be in a hurry to pick on up at full price, but I will definitely grab it if it comes down in price to around $50.
Damn, should have been more quick on the draw with this one. Oh well.
what is the USB AC adapter?
Think it just means a phone charger kinda thing that plugs into power point and has usb output.
Seem to be back in stock now for ten dollars more
I received an email from them at 7:10pm tonight inviting me to preorder at $89.99, then when you click on the link the price is $94.99. Is this company dodgy or what?
It's a uk company called 'ozgameshop'…
Dodgy as a nine bob note.
Why are they called ozgameshop dodgy!
missed opportunities:
* cannot understand internet or internet-bought games
* blocky 80s design was chosen in preference to improved ergonomics.
They could have made the design resemble the original without going full-on blocky. This still would have attracted the nostalgia-heads while offering better comfort.
If Nintendo ever re-release the Game Boys and actually make them play store-bought games and keep them using AA batteries but with today's improved screen tech and battery life (while still maintaining sunlight legibility), then I'm totally there. This thing doesn't really appeal to me. Too 'closed system' for my liking, plus just looking at the controller looks painful to me. Bundled controller should have been redesigned while giving nods to the colour scheme of the past.
"They could have made the design resemble the original without going full-on blocky. This still would have attracted the nostalgia-heads while offering better comfort."
The whole reason this thing exists (in the almost the same form) is for pure nostalgia. Changing it would not have the same effect. People under 30 don't understand.
The whole reason this thing exists (in the almost the same form) is for pure nostalgia. Changing it would not have the same effect. People under 30 don't understand.
Rounding the corners of the controller would make a fantastic difference (bare minimum). Retro-heads would still buy it AND a new generation of retro-gamers (who didn't grow up with NES) could actually use the thing with more comfort (along with those that grew up with them)…without putting it down and buying another controller. But I guess this is what Nintendo don't mind you do. In my opinion, if obvious improvements can be made, they should.
With a product like this - with official Nintendo backing - I don't think any retro-head would avoid it 'cause Nintendo made more changes to the controller (for example). I reckon they would appreciate it more and probably play games more (and sell more). All the reminders could be there in the colour scheme and other elements of the design (and the games themselves of course); those are the main things. The thing has already changed in many more significant ways (no cartridge slot, etc.). Changing it a little more for more comfortable ergonomics is small stuff (but important stuff in my opinion).
How much of a difference for comfort would that make really? For me personally, if they came up with some rounded more ergonomic controller I would just avoid it. The whole reason I'm buying is because of the nostalgia, and to have something from my childhood just the way I remember it. This isn't a machine people will spend 10+ hours in one sitting, like back in the day. This is something people will have a quick bash at and remember the old times. Just my opinion of course!
The whole reason I'm buying is because of the nostalgia, and to have something from my childhood just the way I remember it.
But you are getting a poor replica 'cause it doesn't take cartridges (or do internet to add more games). So, that is already out of the window. I think the controller is a super minor thing that wouldn't ruin anything; only make it better.
This isn't a machine people will spend 10+ hours in one sitting, like back in the day.
Who's to say what someone will do? It could be so much more with a little effort. Anyway, nice profit for Nintendo, no doubt. Basically recycling stuff they have already done in the past for the lowest R&D cost possible. And taking absolutely no ergonomics cues from decades of controller refinement.
And taking absolutely no ergonomics cues from decades of controller refinement.
Again, it's all about the nostalgia. If they change it, it ruins the effect.
@bluesix:
Depends on your definition of 'the effect'. I think it can be done while getting them MORE sales, not less. But then again I'm totally off-put by the controller (and I was around when the NES came out AND remember playing on it, so there goes the theory that I want everything to be the same as I remember it). Most of the nostalgia comes from the games themseloves, not the blocky controller.
This thing has already changed in far more radical ways, so they might as well do it properly, not recycle bad design of the past. And bad design is exactly what it is.
Thank you! You made my day!!!
I pre-ordered through EB games online. $10 deposit is all good
Will keep an eye out for discounted EB vouchers before the console arrives
Until we see what's inside this one it's very hard to tell if it is a good thing or not. $85 is a fair punt if it is limited to just those games anyway.
The upcoming bunnyboy avs is probably a better option for an off the shelf solution. It will be about $185 USD though.
It will connect to the internet so you can share high scores on nintendo age.
Hidef or RGB nes modding is also an option but will prob cost you more if you aren't doing it yourself.
If they make NES shaped PS4, then yeah I'd buy it.
You can get a skin to make the ps4 look like a NES..
To me PSTV is more worthy than this. If you can get the golden firmware 3.20 with it. Hack away and run any emulators you like. Also a mini console. At least you can buy games from PS Store, runs psp, psvita games with whitelist hack. Although streaming PS4 games isn't smooth but at least it is multi purpose.
They are now back for pre-order, I checked last night they were $89.99, this morning is even $94.99?
In that case I am going back to EB for their Preorder of 2nd shipment.
It's still available on 365games.co.uk (same company - it's the UK priced version of ozgameshop) for £49.99, which works out to be about $88… I believe they do free shipping to Australia, though can't confirm right now without an account.
no free shipping anymore
I ordered 2 at $85 last week. Just received cancellation of my order.
I've read that it's sold old out everywhere, but I want to pre-order it so bad, does anyone know where I can get my hands on one?
@Smigit:
You're really going to make a comparison with PSP Go? That system at least had a PS store to buy more games.