Nintendo Will Release a SNES Classic Just in Time for Christmas

Even though Nintendo has no plans to continue production of the NES Classic, according to sites such as Eurogamer, the company will release an SNES Classic console later this year, specifically around the Christmas holiday rush.

The NES Classic was a fairly popular novelty item. However, Nintendo, in a repeat performance, underestimated the demand for the miniature console and did not create enough copies. Because so few people actually got their hands on the NES Classic, the Internet understandably freaked out when Nintendo announced it would cease production — a sudden increase in ebay prices did not help. But now we know Nintendo stopped producing NES Classic consoles to make way for the SNES Classic — assuming it is not just a baseless rumor. I for one am cautiously optimistic.

The NES Classic was a flawed product. Some people ignored those problems while others did not. If Nintendo wants to win back the support of those who could not ignore the console’s faults, the company cannot just take the NES Classic, give it a new shell and SNES games and call it an SNES Classic. Here are a few of the ways Nintendo can improve the SNES Classic:

1. The NES Classic was almost criminally understocked. Nintendo should produce far more SNES Classic consoles than it thinks necessary. If the company believes it has made enough copies, it has not made enough.
2. The NES Classic’s gamepad cords were too short. The SNES Classic should have either longer gamepad cords or wireless gamepads.
3. The SNES Classic should have a larger selection of games, far more than the NES Classic’s static library of 30 games. Furthermore, the console should let players add even more games, either through an official Nintendo memory stick that plugs into the console or an online store.
4. The SNES Classic should include games that were previously exclusive to Japan or other countries.

The SNES Classic, like the NES Classic, is a genius concept: a small plug ‘n play console parents can buy for their children to give them a taste of some of the best video games ever made. If Nintendo were to mass produce the console in sufficient numbers and resume production of the NES Classic, both those consoles could turn into veritable gold mines. Now if only Nintendo could secure the rights to create a SEGA Genesis Classic console.