Following on from the success of the Nintendo Classic NES Mini, rumours began to circulate about the possibility of a successor. So when the announcement of the Nintendo Classic SNES Mini came out, the public began frothing at the mouth, especially as the successor was billed to have the previously unreleased StarFox 2 playable for the first time. We were very lucky to receive a SNES Mini to review, so what are my initial thoughts on it?

My first thoughts are that the thing is very small and light. The console itself is an incredibly faithful reproduction of the original, if about a third of the size. The SNES Mini also has a working little Power switch and Reset button, the latter of which is used to quit games in progress and return to the main menu. The only real differences are that now the console has a HDMI port for plugging into the TV, and the controllers plug in to a hidden section behind the usual space for control pads. The control pads, of which the SNES Mini has two out of the box, look and feel identical to the originals.

The user interface on boot up is simple and clean, allowing the player to jump straight into a myriad of 21 different games from a huge selection of genres. There’s a little bit of everything here from racing, to adventure, to beat-em-ups from throughout the lifespan of the SNES. So early (and arguably poorly aged) classics like Contra III are here mixed with latter hits such as Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island. Suffice to say that there are games here for everyone, and the two player ability out of the box really helps extend a lot of the games.

On the main menu of the console, the player can also mess with various audio and visual details. This includes, curiously, an option to change the frame of the gameplay to certain (very 90s themed) different options. Also, there’s the wonderful option to add a CRT effect to the screen for that extra level of nostalgia, should you want it. The only gripe I have initially on the user interface is that the “Guide”, the insruction manual on the games and console isn’t so much a menu as a single page with a QR code and wed address for the player to look up, which I can’t see as anything other than a little nonsensical on Nintendo’s part.

So far, I’m very impressed with the Nintendo Classic SNES Mini. It’s a perfect little nostalgia machine for those that were avid gamers in the 90s and fell into the Nintendo side of the “Great Console War”, in fact almost all of the hits are here! The retro console launches in the UK on 29th September with an RRP of £69.99, and a total of 21 games. Check back soon for my full review of the console, complete with my thoughts on the SNES Mini exclusive pictured above; Star Fox 2.

The original posting of this article was on Nintendo Scene on 3rd September 2017.