Nintendo has ended months of speculation by officially announcing the Nintendo Classic Mini: Super Nintendo Entertainment System.
Due out across Europe on 29th September, it includes a heady mixture of 21 Nintendo classics and third-party hits, including the never-before-released Star Fox 2.
Curiously, Eurogamer notes that the once scrubbed sequel won’t be playable out of the box – you’ll need to complete the first mission in the original Star Fox (née Starwing) to unlock it.
This could be Nintendo’s way of devaluing it to ‘unlockable extra’ status, compensating for the fact that it may not be a 100% finished version. We’re speculating, of course, but locking one of the system’s most prolific games does strike us as an odd move.
Due to the inclusion of an extra controller, the price is a tad higher than the Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System. Currently, both GAME and Amazon has it listed for £79.99. An AC adaptor for the USB cable will be required, as this isn’t included.
Here’s the full game list:
Contra III: The Alien Wars
Donkey Kong Country
EarthBound
Final Fantasy III
F-ZERO
Kirby Super Star
Kirby’s Dream Course
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Mega Man X
Secret of Mana
Star Fox
Star Fox 2
Street Fighter 2 Turbo: Hyper Fighting
Super Castlevania 4
Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts
Super Mario Kart
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Super Mario World
Super Metroid
Super Punch-Out!!
Yoshi’s Island
There isn’t much ground for criticism when it comes to the line-up, save perhaps for such omissions as Axelay, Gradius III, Sim City and Final Fight. But let’s face it – was it never going to include every single SNES classic.
It’s interesting to note that we’re receiving Contra 3, and not the sanitised Super Probotector. Speaking of regional differences, the US system is modelled on the boxier American SNES, purple buttons and all.
The US packaging promotes Star Fox 2’s inclusion heavily, while the European model opts for a standard stock image of Mario riding Yoshi. Also note the ’20+1 games’ banner, which further suggests Star Fox 2 is being treated as a bonus title.
We know it’s a cliché to say it, but we really do hope Nintendo produces enough stock to go around. We never managed to find a NES Classic Mini for a sensible price, and it’s looking increasingly likely that we never will.