The Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition console will arrive in stores this November, bringing a hefty 30 classic NES titles on one lightweight console for those gamers itching to play some classic 8-bit Mario or anyone who wants to try out games from the past for the first time.
I got some hands-on time with the Mini NES console and as someone who didn’t grow up with NES (SNES, in the house) I was impressed by the console’s look and what it offered.
The first thing I noticed was the weight and size of the Mini NES . You’ve probably seen the photos of the Mini NES fitting in someone’s hand and that’s not an exaggeration. Someone with big enough hands can palm the Mini NES like a basketball. But even more impressive, and what took me back, was exactly how light it was.
When I lifted the console off the table, my body expected it to be much heavier than what it is, so much so that I lost balance. The closest comparison that came to mind was lifting styrofoam. I felt like I could throw it across the room with ease, but with that said, the console itself doesn’t seem to be able to take a punishment.
On to the actual gaming part of the Mini NES, the 30 games included are a good mix of titles from sports to platformers to racing games. There’s something here for everyone.
I got to play Kirby’s Adventure and Mega Man 2 and they felt exactly how the games back then were played. The Mini NES controller is the same shape as the original NES, if not a little smaller, but it worked well and responded to my command inputs.
If you’ve ever played a SNES game on the Wii U digital console, that’s pretty much how it feels.
Suspend Points will be a big part of the Mini NES with up to four Suspend Points can be saved per game, so you can track the progress of multiple players or file away your favorite moments. This is a great tool to stop your progress in the middle of a playthrough where you normally couldn’t before.
There’s also a lock to your Suspend Points so they can’t be erased by anyone by mistake especially any children that may be in your home. And speaking of children, the Suspend Points are a great tool to prevent any little ones accidentally pressing the restart button on the console.
Another cool feature of the Mini NES are the various display modes. They include include the CRT filter, a scan-line effect which gives everything on screen that retro look and feel, 4:3 is a sharp, clean look that adheres to the original aspect ratio used by the NES and the Pixel Perfect mode, which brings the display to what you would see in the virtual console.
While these filters are a great way to bring out the nostalgia in playing NES games you may not have played in 30 years, the Pixel Perfect mode is probably going to be the preferred display gamers use when playing on the Mini NES.
With 30 pre-installed games in one light package that can easily be packed in a suitcase or backpack for trips, the Mini NES looks to be a great gift for any gamer, young or old.
The Mini NES will be available Nov. 11 for $59.99.
