It’s no secret that Nintendo’s SNES Classic Edition has been one of the hottest items of the year, even before it actually went on sale. But now, having spent considerable time with the miniature version of Nintendo’s iconic console, it’s easy to see why.
The SNES Classic Edition is very much a fan’s dream, packing some of the greatest titles to ever release on the Super Nintendo into packaging that is simple but evokes a very specific feel. Those that remember the Super Nintendo in the ‘90s will know exactly what I mean – from the purple accents on the console to the controller’s look and feel.
The Hardware
From a hardware perspective, the SNES Classic Edition delivers almost everything that you could want. It looks the part, feels the part, and is easy to set up. Plug in an HDMI cable and the charging cord, hook up a controller or two, and the device is ready to go. It’s true that the controller’s cables could be a bit longer, but they are not as criminally short as the NES Classic’s are.
Overall, the SNES Classic meets the quality standards one would expect from a miniature Super Nintendo meant to run on modern monitors/TVs. It’s extremely easy to set up, feels durable (if a bit hollow), and the controllers are the right form and feel.
The Games
The SNES Classic Edition packs some of the most treasured games from the Super Nintendo era with a few exceptions. The Western version of the console is stacked, and getting through all of these games will take a considerable amount of effort.
Without going through a review of each game, let us just say that there are plenty of games on the SNES Classic Edition that are still considered classics to this day. Many of these titles, like Donkey Kong Country and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, are the reason that Nintendo fans continue to hold their respective franchises in such high esteem.
All of the games are well represented in all of their 16-bit glory. The presentation, from visuals to audio, is exactly like I remembered from back in ‘90s and just as enjoyable. There really isn’t much more to say; these are the games you remember and they play how they played back then.
The only caveat to that is Star Fox 2, which was never actually released for the Super Nintendo system. As one might expect, a “lost” SNES game is unlikely to impress as a whole, but Star Fox 2 has some shining moments.
There are some impressive space battles in the game that feel like old hat compared to today’s gaming offerings, but would have been really exciting to see during the 16-bit era. And the game offers a lot of freedom to the player, but it’s very short and not particularly polished. Star Fox 2 is a nice little Easter Egg in the SNES Classic Edition library, but it will not be a game that fans continue to come back to.
Given that the SNES Classic Edition sold out in minutes it’s safe to assume that plenty of Nintendo fans didn’t need to read a review to commit to a purchase. But for those that are on the fence, we can safely say that the SNES Classic Edition delivers nostalgia of the highest order. Great games, a well made product, and an easy to use interface combine to form one of the best products Nintendo has ever released.
The SNES Classic Edition is available now for $79.99. Game Rant was provided a unit for this review.