Should you get a retro micro-console (such as the NES classic edition)? Advantages and disadvantages discussed
Disclaimer from Aurora: This article is based on my opinion. You don’t have to agree with everything that I wrote and if you decide to voice a disagreement, do it in a civil manner and justify your opinion.
Whether one admits it or not, the great feeling one feels when getting a new device (even if it’s a cheap feature phone) is one that they want to feel over and over again. Recently, micro-consoles that play retro titles have been getting somewhat popular thanks to NES classic edition but are they really the best way to spend your hard earned money?
What exactly are micro-consoles?
The word micro-console can mean a variety of things such as a ‘game console’ that works with Android, like the failed Ouya, but it can also mean a system that’s designed to only play retro games.
The NES classic edition is a prime example of the recent retro micro-console boom and it has sent quite a few ripples over the internet thanks to the limited amounts it was available in. Another such console is the upcoming SNES classic, an $80 micro-console, which as you probably guessed, plays SNES games.
On the portable side of things, one can mention the BittBoy which is a $40 handheld that looks GameBoy classic-esque BUT plays NES games.
Why should you get a micro-console to play retro games?
While homebrew lovers may think of the disadvantages first, there are some advantages to owning a micro-console:
- It’s the best way to play your favourite retro games in a legitimate manner (although this doesn’t apply to all retro micro-consoles). (No, even though retro games of consoles like the NES are old, getting ROMs off the internet is still illegal; whether you’ll be prosecuted or not is another matter)
- Thanks to micro-consoles, you’ll be able to play retro games in an instant which is great if you don’t have much time to spare. Unlike when setting up emulators on another device, you don’t have to fiddle around with emulator settings, different emulator versions and controller connection issues.
- Some retro micro-consoles such as the NES and SNES classic edition and their controllers closely mimic the design of the console they’re emulating which makes them more appealing to look at next to your television. Other retro micro-consoles like the BittBoy don’t mimic the design of the console they’re emulating but they mimic another retro device such as the Nintendo GameBoy in this case.
- Some may offer a nicer UI than that which is offered by some emulators (but thanks to front-ends like RetroArch, you could make the situation better if you do a DIY retro gaming system).
- They’re a cool and cheap gift to give to your family members or friends that are into retro gaming.
- Probably more that I didn’t think of! 🙂
Why should you keep your hard-earned money to yourself?
The above section was dedicated to demonstrating the advantages of retro micro-consoles but now let’s look at the arguments against buying one:
- You’re essentially buying a low-powered computer that emulates an old system that could be emulated on virtually any other system you own. With some time and tinkering, you could play the same games on the devices you already own.
- A major disadvantage to micro-consoles such as the NES classic edition and the BittBoy is that you can’t add any games of your own to them. You can only play what’s built-in and nothing more!
- Buying retro micro-consoles is in a way contributing to the global waste problem since you’re buying a console that can do something that your existent equipment can already do perfectly or almost perfectly.
- Some retro micro-consoles such as the NES classic edition and BittBoy let you play retro games but they don’t do much more else. That means that you’ll be buying a single-purpose device that you can’t use for anything else except to play a
limited selection of games, some of which you may not even like!
- Cheap retro micro-consoles from China may have various quirks and a large amount of ROM hacks to increase the game count which can make the experience less than satisfactory.
- The experience given by the real console may be different since many retro micro-consoles have slight inaccuracies when it comes to the colour palette or speed of the game.
- Probably more that I didn’t think of! 🙂
Conclusion
Getting a retro micro-console may seem like a good idea at first but this article is here to make you think twice before spending your cash on one. As always, before buying something ask yourself whether you really need it and what you’ll be using it for.The above disadvantage list may be somewhat altered if the micro-console gets some hacks which let you add your own games and do other things.
In my opinion, retro micro-consoles are a waste of money since you could play older console games on your existing hardware such as an old computer, a PSP/PSVita or something else.
“since you could play older console games on your existing hardware such as an old computer”
Just no, no, no, and no. Original Master Race.
Master Race??? You freakin Nazi! 😛
But it’s not even real original hardware. Just a cheap plug and play.
It really blows my mind how many people believe these new official devices are somehow original and different from emulators. They’re not. It is literally no different in any possible way other than the fact that it’s being sold by the company that originally made it. In fact, some of the knockoff boxes out there that use FPGA boards are closer to the original than both these systems and emulators.
Pretty sure there isn’t a micro-console that works as well as the Nintendo Classic did. Which is sad because it didn’t exactly do anything mind-blowing. But its features are better, better filters and better emulation.
If there’s a microconsole that has a great CRT-filter that goes beyond simple scanlines, please point me towards it.
You’ll need a 4k monitor to emulate a crt anyways.
One potential reason to get one in the case of the Nintendo classic consoles is that they’re more collectable due to their limited release.
They’re probably the only micro-console I’ve seen which is really worth considering compared to others such as the bittboy or anything by atgames (you can get many unencrypted Sega ROMs legitimately through Steam, last I checked), unless you need/want something which is 100% legitimate (if officially licensed of course).
Also, if we’re talking about the environment, an old computer could be a bad way to play old games depending on how much power it uses compared to modern ARM based systems such as the RPi.
“A major disadvantage to micro-consoles such as the NES classic edition and the BittBoy is that you can’t add any games of your own to them. You can only play what’s built-in and nothing more!”
In a way, you’re correct. The NES classic was never meant to have extra games added. You’re also very wrong, because the Nes Classic was hacked and one could add 700+ games! Just search Google, for NES Classic 700 games, and you’ll find out how!
People should forget these “mini” things though, and just get something like a PI 3, and pimp it out with more than one emulator!
I think the best option for ‘micro console’ is RPi. There is so many emulators for this little device that you can forget about Snes and Nes mini
Lag
Made my miniPi in the shape of an NES; plays NES, SNES, MAME, Genesis, PSX, etc with absolutely NO lag.
I’ve been playing PSOne games on my RPi3 with no lag.
That’s what I thought originally. Turns out it just needed a better SD card.
It’s just another Linux-capable computer, you probably have several of these at hand already, except more powerful.
Well, you’ve got a point in the sense of playability, as I can play any game I’d like from the NES catalogue using my PSP/PSVita, and in a portable way, somthing that a “mini” can’t give me.
On the other hand, this kind of devices are “popular” because of the nostalgia they bring to “oldies” like me. And for me at least, that’s something even more valuable than the quantity of games they provide.
And about that the NES Mini isn’t “upgradeable” is not true, as there exists a program that can modify the games and even add a lot more to the internals of the console, so you can increase the catalogue of games.
I completely disagree.
Raspberry Pi is a great for retro gaming emulation, but I prefer to have something made by Nintendo. I’m a *** for boxed Nintendo products. Also its good to have a 1st party controller!
For ppl who have more money to spent and likes originality or collector, it’s a good choice. But if ppl wants to save money, it’s not really that great IMHO.I’ll stick with emulators.
This article I actually didn’t address the key points I came here looking for. It’s common knowledge that the NES Mini blows the WiiU virtual console away in both picture and sound quality. But I was wondering how it compares to emulators running on a laptop or other device with HDMI out.
In other words I want to know if Nintendo had some sort of secret sauce code in their emulation their micro consoles that have them mapping pixels to the HD TVs more accurately, or something.
Raspberry Pi III. (Mic drop)
If you look in Merriam-Webster’s dictionary for input lag/latency the pi will be in the picture next to the definition.
Except you are wrong, yet again.
Pro: you can buy the limited SNES Retro and sell it for a lot more money after they are sold out
PSTV w/DS4/usb hdd eats NES mini and deficates a pi.
hmmm…just might have to enso a second hand pstv off craigslist…thanks for the idea…
“A major disadvantage to micro-consoles such as the NES classic edition and the BittBoy is that you can’t add any games of your own to them.”
Bruh, have you not heard about the homebrew community hacking and adding/subtracting roms in NES Classic Editions? Last I checked, you could even put games in that aren’t even from the NES era onto it.
And before everyone else points it out, yes, that’s homebrew hacking and not official stuff. But it’s still something you can do with the console, contrary to what that disadvantage states.
Office depot carries sega genesis and atari 2600 micro consoles that take actual cartridges and can be hooked up to actual controllers for those systems. They’re very popular with the 40+ crowd.
Why should I buy an expensive “closed” system when you can buy nice “open” hardware bundles that do so much more then just gaming.
Like this one for example:
https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B06Y3ZHF1D
In my living room I have replaced all my consoles (Wii X360 PS3 PS4) & media players, chromecast by a single powerfull PC, I dont need another box and that mess with all those HDMI cables.
PSTV is easily the best micro-console. Even without adrenaline or henkaku. But with, it’s even better.
“That means that you’ll be buying a single-purpose device that you can’t use for anything else except to play a limited selection of games, some of which you may not even like!”
honestly, that’s how i feel after getting a pstv, when i compare it to what psp had to offer.
in general, that argument can be applied to just about any console (maybe except for ps2).
You could make some of the bad things written here about a lot of things. We don’t NEED a lot of things. 🙂
No disadvantages to Nintendo Classic consoles, they are modern collectibles that will only go up in price.
Buy one now or you’ll regret it in 10 years time.