I own three legitimate Minis lol. But they're less about monetary investment and more about safeguarding a way for me to be able to play SNES games well into my old (well, older) age.
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Thinking of getting an SNES - should I get the Mini or buy an OG one?
- Thread starter Vector
- Start date
I own three legitimate Minis lol. But they're less about monetary investment and more about safeguarding a way for me to be able to play SNES games well into my old (well, older) age.
I have a Mini that I hacked and bought this controller for: https://www.amazon.ca/8Bitdo-Wireless-Retro-Controller-Classic/dp/B074HBNNH6
It's pretty great to play on.
It's pretty great to play on.
wtf is up with making a copy and not at least cloning the menu?
What do they have, those shitty text only lists of games 1-612 on top of a starry night sky background rendered in NES graphics?
If you get a real SNES you also have to contend with the fact that pre-HDMI consoles look terrible on modern TVs without something like an OSSC to line double/upscale them. Either that or you get a bulky CRT just to play the SNES.
So yeah, the SNES Classic is way more convenient in that regard too.
So yeah, the SNES Classic is way more convenient in that regard too.
I LOVE the SNES Mini. It's a very straightforward option, it looks gorgeous and you can enjoy the GODLY work the community did on it. Seriously, the only fault is the short cables for the controller, but you can go 3rd party wireless or get a cable extender.
I figure they are just working with low margins and limited coding talent helping with the scams.
Basically what everyone is saying. Getting an original SNES for cartridges is a money sink unless you're looking to become a collector. But there's a few options I can think of if you're not wanting to collect carts:
If you can find a SNES Classic for a decent price and you just want to relive your childhood casually, get it. It's the easiest solution and it's easily hackable should you want to go that route.
SNES original with an upscaler and an everdrive
Super NT with an everdrive (but Super NT's are hard to get unless you're willing to pay a ridiculous amount)
If you can find a SNES Classic for a decent price and you just want to relive your childhood casually, get it. It's the easiest solution and it's easily hackable should you want to go that route.
SNES original with an upscaler and an everdrive
Super NT with an everdrive (but Super NT's are hard to get unless you're willing to pay a ridiculous amount)
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Nah, it attempts to mimic the Classic's UI but it is blatantly obvious there's something wrong...
Video is 2 years old, but it hasnt really improved past this
Fucking dying at the fake at SNES Classic menu. "Super Nintendo: Wii Would Like To Play".
Well at least they kinda tried lol.
If they are just going to plug in an SNES and call it a day then a Rad2X is more than enough or a RetroTink if they really want more flexibility.
edit: oh shit, just noticed they are pre-ordered out until March 2022. Bummer.
Super Nintendo SNES N64 GameCube SFC Super Famicom RAD2X 480p cable
www.retrogamingcables.co.uk
I have to laugh at all these suggestions for a Super NT as if it's possible to get one without paying through the nose on EBay.
Rad2X is absolutely a great option but yea the stocking situation sucks on it much like the Super NT. Still, if you're not as concerned with RGB, you can go with something like the 2x Mini and S-Video and get a damned nice picture on a modern set:If they are just going to plug in an SNES and call it a day then a Rad2X is more than enough or a RetroTink if they really want more flexibility.
edit: oh shit, just noticed they are pre-ordered out until March 2022. Bummer.
Super Nintendo SNES N64 GameCube SFC Super Famicom RAD2X 480p cable
2X-MINI | RetroTINK
Currently out of production due the chip shortage. No ETA. Video introduction by RetroRGB The 2X-MINI takes the same technology that has powered the rest of the TINK2X products and puts it all in a simple, easy and fun package. The MINI is the ideal companion for N64 consoles and includes a...
www.retrotink.com
Recent auctions have sold in the $230-250 range and some with free shipping (one ended today at $236 with $10 shipping). Buying from Analogue is about $225-$230 when its all said and done with shipping. That's hardly "though the nose" if you're already onboard with spending $200 for an FPGA console. Which I'll give you is NOT an easy ask for most people but hey, its an option.:)
This. A Switch with Nintendo Online + the wireless SNES controller would be more versatile than a SNES classic.
Don't buy OG unless you have the ability to connect it your TV and you're willing to hunt down games on eBay.
I def recommend the SNES Mini or even the Switch Online library as a start.
Super NT is the next viable option if you do decide to go full cartridge route but very hard to get and expensive.
There are cheap SNES-like consoles but they're of middling quality.
I def recommend the SNES Mini or even the Switch Online library as a start.
Super NT is the next viable option if you do decide to go full cartridge route but very hard to get and expensive.
There are cheap SNES-like consoles but they're of middling quality.
That is interesting. I just assumed there would be a huge surcharge on the resell market. I wonder why there isn't?
But fan communities have cloned this shit plenty of times with things like EMUElec and so on, so you'd think they'd just use what has already been done.
They put more effort into it than I thought they would've.
Ebay is literally a last resort for buying retro games, IMO. It's where you'll see the absolute most inflated prices. If you are going to jump into collecting, here's a few things to keep in mind:
1. You are going to have to hunt and you're going to do it in a bubble market as someone had mentioned earlier. Prices are going insane right now and have been for almost a year.
2. Get to know your local retro game shops. Preferably not franchise/chain stores though they can also provide good deals. Those smaller shops generally have to compete for business and usually undercut the competition on price AND you can haggle with them to get a better deal on a game (within reason).
3. Facebook marketplace, Craigslist, etc. are actually pretty great if you have patience. I bought a nearly mint copy of The Adventures of Batman and Robin on the Sega Genesis from a Facebook marketplace seller a few weeks ago for $40. It's a game that sells for close to if not well over $100 on Ebay.
4. If you have a local collectors group in your area, join it! These folks are not only your competition but they can be very good friends keeping an eye out for games on your want list if you do the same for them. I've gotten texts from local members of a collecting group I'm a part of with pretty good deals just by reciprocating.
5. It's still going to be expensive as hell. The Batman example above is an exception. I recently bought a loose copy of Demon's Crest on the SNES for $120. That has now shot upwards of $170 in the span of a few months.
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I'm actually glad there's a retro shop I know of that offers this as a service. I want to say I also think they'll just put in new batteries to games they get in prior to selling, letting people know.
They recently did a restock in April which likely brought prices down some to be fair. Give it some more time without a restock and it will likely jump more but its also why its a relatively decent time to jump into the aftermarket. Especially before we go through another shipment drought from Analogue and it starts to tick up.
They just had a batch this April. I think they'll keep making more as long as there's an audience.
^This! This is all excellent advice and how I've been 'getting by' with collecting during the pandemic. If you're tight with local independent store owners too, they'll look out for you if something particular comes in and they know you're looking for it.
Analogue keeps making them. It's not a one-off rare item. Just pay attention when a new batch arrives. The Snes sells out fast still, but will surely ease off at some point.
The Mega SG has already been in stock and readily available from their store many times.
OP I'll sell you my SNES mini if you want one with just one controller. Never used it after buying it and hacking it.
Absolutely a great point. Many of those local shop owners are very much first come, first serve, too. However, if you develop a friendship or become a regular who spends good money, they will hold things for you and even cut you some breaks from time to time as a thank you for helping their shop. I actually helped one of my local shops move locations a few months ago. The owner and I became good friends and I was happy to help but a nice bonus is that I get an early look and option to hold on big rare games that get traded in.
It also helps that I don't abuse it or leave him hanging when he does hold something for me. A lot of these shops are working on tight margins so.....
Trust me, those aren't authentic at all. You cannot tell a real one from a fake one apart just by looking at the box or console.
That's pretty interesting. I didn't know they had gotten to that point in terms of outright cloning the box, too! Good to know.
I'm going to go in the opposite direction of the thread and say go for the OG. The SNES Mini is nice, but it's fundamentally not any different than the Switch's virtual console. A SNES or Super Famicom will set you back around $90-100. From there your options are to pick up a CRT (cheap, but heavy), or go for a upscaler (my recommendation being a Retrotink which'll set you back another $80). Benefit of an upscaler is that if you ever intend on picking up other retro systems you're good to go, and it's generally a good idea because there's still a fair amount of systems out there where emulation is a poor option.
Most retro game prices are only super obscene if you're going for the rare stuff or going to a bad store. Link to the Past, Super Mario World etc sit around $30 on average.
Most retro game prices are only super obscene if you're going for the rare stuff or going to a bad store. Link to the Past, Super Mario World etc sit around $30 on average.
The menu looks very similar, but looks amateurish. As if it was done with windows paint.
The most telling aspect is that instead of using game boxes like the original mini, they use instruction manual scans that literally say "instruction manual".
And even with those tells, dozens of people fall for it every week.
I'm part of the Hakchi community and every.single.day someone comes in the discord channel complaining that they can't hack their "legit" mini. They sometimes even get mad at us when we tell them they were scammed. They swear WE'RE the ones that are wrong.
yea, physical anything right now is off the charts. Also having to deal with a landmine of cartridge condition and possible bootlegs.
Here's a good trick, though: buy a Japanese or European SNES mini. Those are 100% real, every single one. The European version is exactly the same as the US version, but with a different mini design and different UI. You could even hack it and swap the UI for the American one.
As for the NES Mini, 90% of those are also fake, and it's almost impossible to tell them apart from a real one. Even by looking at the game menu. The only real way to tell them apart is by opening up the case.
Real minis have a heatsink plate on top of the PCB. Fake minis do not.
Real PCBs are green, fake ones are red.
As for the NES Mini, 90% of those are also fake, and it's almost impossible to tell them apart from a real one. Even by looking at the game menu. The only real way to tell them apart is by opening up the case.
Real minis have a heatsink plate on top of the PCB. Fake minis do not.
Real PCBs are green, fake ones are red.
Just peeking at Ebay, used prices are like 50-100% higher than getting it directly from Analogue
Take a look at completed sales in the last few weeks, not just active listings. They are nowhere near that high. I mentioned it earlier - $230-$250 is the "typical" completed price ranges when your baseline price from Analogue with shipping is $225. Plenty of active auctions at the moment, too. You're paying a bit of a premium but nowhere near say - the NT Mini Noir.
I think this ban is a little harsh. The user recommended to hack the mini (which is not piracy or illegal ), he didn't say to add roms.
It's even worse when you consider that Era has a huge thread specifically about hacking the mini to add roms to it.
If a mod reads this, please reconsider.
The RAD2X and RetroTINK 2X line only upscale to 480p, so you're still relying on the TV's built in upscaler to get it up to 1080p or 4K. Obviously depends on how picky you are, but I personally hate the way TVs upscale 480p video game content (works alright for DVDs, which is what it's designed for).If they are just going to plug in an SNES and call it a day then a Rad2X is more than enough or a RetroTink if they really want more flexibility.
edit: oh shit, just noticed they are pre-ordered out until March 2022. Bummer.
Super Nintendo SNES N64 GameCube SFC Super Famicom RAD2X 480p cable
For me the bare minimum is 4x. The RetroTINK 5X-Pro looks great, though like you said it's sold out for the foreseeable future. It's also a bit more expensive than the OSSC.
Either way the SNES Classic is a simpler way to get really nice image quality with an HDMI output, as long as you're fine with emulation.
The bans in this regard usually are. If anything is needed, a warning is more than enough.
For real, other users in this thread have suggested hacking the mini as well and nothing happened to them.
I know. I unsuccessfully tried to get one and had to resort to eBay instead. I'm sure they'll be back in stock at some point but doubt it will be helpful for someone wanting one in the near future.
I reported the post to ask a mod to reconsider. If you have a few seconds, try doing the same.
