Report: Nintendo Planning To Release SNES Mini Console This Year

Nintendo could already be well underway in manufacturing a new mini console due for release later this year, reports Eurogamer. Sources “close to the company” have let slip to the site that a miniature version of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) is scheduled to arrive in time for Christmas, with development already having started, according to the report.

As usual, you should take the above with a pinch of salt until Nintendo makes it official, but it’s looking likely to be accurate, especially considering current events. Nintendo recently pulled the plug on production of its NES Classic Mini, released last year, with its reasons for doing so largely boiling down to the fact that it had never intended the product to be one that would be manufactured for an extended period of time. It was a novelty item, if you will.

Alternatively, Eurogamer notes that the NES Mini being discontinued results from Nintendo’s plans to follow it up with a SNES version, which makes perfect sense from a production standpoint but leaves a pretty large number of consumers out in the cold due to short supply. It’s not clear how popular the Big N expected the NES’ return to be but, needless to say, it ended up being a runaway success, with stock having flown off the shelves much faster than it could be replenished. Shortages in both North America and Europe were commonplace, leading to its price being heavily inflated by resellers, much to the disdain of those still attempting to secure one.

Like its predecessor, the SNES iteration is expected to utilize the same plug-and-play setup, with a selection of popular titles from yesteryear coming pre-loaded on the box. That means you could well be reliving the likes of Super Metroid and Super Mario World before the year is out. Let’s just hope that Nintendo makes sure there’s plenty of stock to go around this time.