Nintendo always attracts rumors. From the continued discussion about a possible Nintendo Switch Pro console to possible games in development, fans will always have something to speculate about, including mini consoles.
Nintendo has provided ways that fans can play some of the retro video games in its library. This includes a series of classic mini consoles, such as the NES Classic and SNES Classic. In a Q&A with shareholders and President Shuntaro Furukawa, Nintendo explained that future Classic Edition consoles are being considered.
The NES and SNES Classic consoles were miniature versions of the originals that were pre-loaded with a set of games from Nintendo's history. These games are playable through the console's emulation software, which can allow players to access save state and rewind features. Some of the titles that could be played on the console include Earthbound, Super Mario RPG, and even the previously unreleased Star Fox 2. Since these consoles allow gamers of a diverse generation to play the classics, shareholders of the company suggested that these classic consoles can be a gateway for parents to continue gaming.
With a lot of Nintendo's library currently restricted to its console of origin, some fans have hoped that they would continue its Classic console line, continuing where it left off by producing an N64 Classic. The possibility has not escaped the company's attention, addressing in the Q&A that giving gamers the chance to play through the classics is an important goal. Translated by Cheesemeister on Twitter, Furukawa explains, "We always want our products to be played across generations, from kids to adults. Actually, we think that the generations that have adopted Nintendo consoles have greatly expanded as the years have gone by in the video game business."
As Furukawa explains, thanks to the Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) service, it provides fans the chance to play some games through the NSO Application, which includes several titles from the NES and SNES library. He goes into further detail explaining that expanding that future classic contents in either the Classic console or Switch online service will need a lot of consideration when appealing to a new generation.
The previous Nintendo Classic consoles proved to be popular among gamers when the NES Classic was first released in 2017. However, the low stock that was produced for the consoles led to cases where they sold out so quickly that not even the general public knew about it until it was too late. The track record for Nintendo's products has seen them scalped online, so if fans are expecting an N64 Classic Mini, they should be wary of the possibility.
Source: VideoGamesChronicle