Action Video Game/System Mega Review: Game & Watch Mickey Mouse AKA Egg

Mickey Mouse was the thirteenth game by Nintendo Research & Development 1 in Nintendo's line of Game & Watch consoles. It was redesigned without the Disney license as Egg, which was the fourteenth Game & Watch console. Both versions were released in 1981.

In the original Mickey Mouse-branded game, Mickey tends to chickens in a chicken coop and has to catch the eggs. The game is played on a simple liquid crystal display and depicts Mickey Mouse, a chicken sitting on top of one of the coops, and the eggs in a frame-by-frame style. The background panel is in color and depicts the coops from which the eggs come as well as other stationary chickens and grass. 

The Egg version is identical, except Mickey Mouse is now replaced by a wolf that is stealing eggs from chicken coops in a hen house. This version works much better thematically and is the version that Nintendo has remade and ported onto more powerful systems over the years.

Egg was converted to and remade in Game & Watch Gallery 3 for the Game Boy Color in 1999. It has the classic mode, which is identical to the original, as well as a modern mode. The modern mode takes a cue from the puzzle game Yoshi's Cookie since a blue Yoshi collects cookies as they come out of an oven. The modern version adds a bit of spice into the mix since bob-ombs will sometimes have to be avoided while the cookies are being caught.

Game & Watch Gallery 3 was available through emulation on the Virtual Console on Nintendo 3DS in 2014 as well as through the Game Boy emulator available to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers on Nintendo Switch in 2023.

On a side note, in the Soviet Union, both versions of the game were bootlegged as part of the Elektronika Microprocessor Games line. Mickey Mouse was copied directly under the Russian translation of Mickey Mouse, Микки Маус. Egg became Ну, погоди!, which is romanized as Nu, pogodi!, and is translated as Well, Just You Wait! in English. Well, Just You Wait! was a popular series of animated shorts in the Soviet Union, and later in Russia, that were produced by Soyuzmultfilm. The wolf from Nu, pogodi! replaced Nintendo's wolf and the hare from Nu, pogodi! replaced the chicken sitting on top of a chicken coop.

There are also a whole bunch of Soviet Elektronika consoles that used the Soviet bootleg of the Mickey Mouse microprocessor with different art, graphics, and themes. You can find out about them in a separate review located here. 

Like all Game & Watch games, there is fun to be had with Mickey Mouse and Egg in short bursts. If you want to try it, I recommend the version in Game & Watch: Gallery 3. This way, you not only get a conversion of the original game from 1981 but a modern mode as well. The modern mode adds more advanced color graphics as well as a modification to the game formula by adding bob-ombs, which leads to a slightly less monotonous experience.

Final Verdict:

3 out of 5

Whack-a-Mole Video Game/System Review: Game & Watch Vermin

Vermin was the third game in the popular Game & Watch series, Nintendo Research & Development 1's first series of handheld consoles. Like the other Game & Watch games, it is an LCD frame-by-frame style of game.

Vermin is a whack-a-mole game. The vermin come through the dirt toward the character that is now known as Mr. Game & Watch. He has to keep the vermin from coming to the surface by hitting them with the hammers held in his left and right hands. As mentioned above, the game is a frame-by-frame style of game. The vermin will move bit-by-bit in the dirt piles on the screen, and the goal is to simply hit the left or right button at the right time to whack them back down into their holes. As the game moves on, more vermin will have to be hit, with the speed getting progressively faster.

Vermin is an antiquated style of game, but it has been remade in both antiquated versions and in more advanced forms several times. The first was in the European-exclusive Game Boy Gallery for the original Game Boy. This version had better graphics, although still in black and white. It now has background art and the player character was given a face. 

It is in Game & Watch Gallery 2 for the Game Boy, only in Japan, and for the Game Boy Color worldwide. Vermin is available in two versions. The first is the original Game & Watch game with Mr. Game & Watch. In the modern game, the graphics are improved and Yoshi is the character with the hammer. In this version, Yoshi protects Yoshi eggs from the vermin that try to steal them.

Nintendo released several accurate conversions of Game & Watch games for the DSi, including Vermin.

The most recent remake is one of the three games in Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda. This version is the original Game & Watch version that contains the stick figure of Mr. Game & Watch with the head of Link. He hits vermin common in Hyrule with his hammers which are known as octoroks.

Like all Game & Watch games as well as all whack-a-mole games, Vermin is entertaining in short bursts. The original Game & Watch version has antiquated graphics and gameplay. The 2009 re-release adds the option to turn the bleep-bloop sound effects off, which is a much-needed addition. The version in Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda is the easiest to obtain as of the time this review was posted. However, despite the addition of Link's head and octoroks, it still has the same antiquated graphics and gameplay. The best version, by far, is in Game & Watch Gallery 2. The modern mode adds the gameplay change of keeping six eggs from being stolen as well as varied vermin such as fly guys, para troopas, and boo buddies. 

Because of the enhanced graphics and different vermin types, as well as the ability to play the original version, Game & Watch Gallery 2 is the version I recommend trying if you want to play it. It is available for Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and the 3DS Virtual Console. It will also soon will be available for the Game Boy emulator on Nintendo Switch's online service. Whack-a-Mole has always been a fun timewaster in arcades, and Vermin is an entertaining twist on the classic game.

Final Verdict:

3½ out of 5

Juggling Video Game/System Review: Game & Watch - Ball

Ball is an important entry in the history of video games as it was the first game in the popular Game & Watch series, Nintendo's first handheld console, and the game that popularized the trend of the LCD frame-by-frame style of game.

The Game & Watch series was conceptualized by Gunpei Yokoi, who is now remembered as the creator of the Game Boy. He got the idea for simple handheld games using a liquid crystal display after watching a man on a bullet train push buttons on an LCD calculator. 

Ball is a juggling game. The balls come toward the character that is now known as Mr. Game & Watch. He has to keep the balls from hitting the ground by hitting them up in the air when they come near his hand. As mentioned above, the game is a frame-by-frame style of game. Balls will move bit by bit on the screen, and the goal is to simply hit the left or right button at the right time to keep it moving. As the game moves on, more balls will have to be juggled, with the speed getting progressively faster.

Today, the original is an antiquated style of game, but it has been remade several times. The first was in the European-exclusive Game Boy Gallery for the original Game Boy. This version simply contained the original Game & Watch game, albeit with slightly improved graphics, such as giving the player character a face. 

In Game & Watch Gallery 2 for the Game Boy Color, Ball is an unlockable game that is available in two versions. The first is the original Game & Watch game with Mr. Game & Watch. In the modern game, the graphics are improved and four playable characters can be unlocked, each with gameplay harder than the last. Yoshi juggles Yoshi eggs, Mario juggles various items from the Super Mario series, Wario juggles balls, and Bowser juggles his various minions. Sometimes bombs will come on screen, and these need to be avoided instead of juggled.

Nintendo released several accurate conversions of Game & Watch games for the DSi, including Ball.

The most recent remake is one of the three games in Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. This version is the original Game & Watch version with either Mario or Luigi with a cheat code. It has the stick figures of Mr. Game & Watch with the head of one of the Mario brothers.

Ball is entertaining in short bursts. The original Game & Watch version is an important game in the history of video games, but it has antiquated graphics and gameplay. The 2010 re-release adds the option to turn the bleep-bloop sound effects off, which is a much-needed addition. The version in Game & Watch Super Mario Bros. is the easiest to obtain as of the time this review was posted. However, despite the addition of Mario or Luigi heads, it still has the same antiquated graphics and gameplay. The best version, by far, is in Game & Watch Gallery 2. The modern mode adds gameplay changes like bombs that make the game a lot less tedious. It's also fun in this version to play through and unlock the characters, with the difficulty increasing as you go. 

The version in Game & Watch Gallery 2 is worthy of recommendation. It's available to pick up on the Virtual Console for 3DS owners, at least until the eShop closes on March 27, 2023.

Addendum, February 27, 2022: Game & Watch Gallery 2 was also released for the original Game Boy console, but only in Japan.

Final Verdict:

3½ out of 5

System Review: Evercade

The original portable Evercade was released on May 20, 2020. It was just discontinued last year in favor of the new, as of 2022, portable Evercade EXP. This system can run all of the games that the EXP can, with the exception of the games that are built-in to the EXP. The original Evercade can also run some games that can't be run on the home Evercade VS system due to contract technicalities. It's not as big or as sophisticated as its sister, but it still packs a punch for retro game enthusiasts.

The Evercade systems are video game consoles that run cartridges filled with classic games on retro systems, as well as modern games on retro systems through emulation. In addition, a few of the games are classic-style games ported directly to the Evercade platform. Unlike its emulation-based peers, the games for the console are compilations stored on cartridges.

There are three tiers of cartridges. The first is the red collection titles that contain games meant to run on classic consoles or directly on the Evercade. The second is the purple arcade titles that contain arcade games in their native arcade forms. The third is the blue computer titles that contain games for retro computers. At the time of this writing, there are twenty-eight red collection cartridges, eight purple arcade collection cartridges, and one blue computer collection cartridge.

There are also eighteen Capcom games and five secret unlockable games built into the Evercade EXP as well as fourteen secret unlockable games (including the five from the EXP) built into the Evercade VS. These games, for obvious reasons, aren't compatible with the original Evercade. However, all of the cartridges from all three cartridge categories can be used with the Evercade. That includes Namco Museum Collection 1 and 2, both of which are only accessible, out of the box, on portable systems due to contract technicalities.

There are two drawbacks of the original Evercade when compared to the EXP. The first is that vertically oriented arcade titles can't be played in their native TATE configuration. If you prefer playing your TATE titles vertically rather than centered in the middle of a horizontal screen, the EXP is your best bet as the game can be rotated to play these games in a vertical orientation. The second drawback is the lack of WiFi. This means that, in order to update your system to the latest firmware, you need to download it on a computer and upload it on a USB drive which is then inserted into the Evercade and installed. The VS and EXP do have WiFi support, so these systems can be updated directly on the console.

The Evercade systems are well worth playing as they run classic game compilations on cartridge for reasonable prices. Blaze Entertainment, the creator of the Evercade systems, curates the games so each cartridge has quite a few gems. A few of my favorites, including the Gaelco Arcade collections, contain games from developers of which I hadn't heard about prior to their inclusion on the Evercade.

As the original portable Evercade has been discontinued, the price-conscious might prefer this console as it currently, as of the time of writing, can be picked up for a low price. If you are a Capcom fan or a fan of vertically aligned TATE mode games, the Evercade EXP would be the better choice. For couch potatoes, the home Evercade VS system might be the better choice. The handhelds can be hooked up to television sets through HDMI, but the VS is designed specifically for that purpose with two game cartridge inputs, four USB ports, and two included USB controllers. No matter which console you pick, however, there is a lot of fun to be had.

Final Verdict:

4 out of 5

System Review: Game & Watch The Legend of Zelda

2020's Super Mario Bros. Game & Watch was a neat throwback to the height of the Nintendo craze in the 1980s. However, it was topped last year with one based on The Legend of Zelda (not connected to the 1989 Zelda Game & Watch).

Like the Mario-themed Game & Watch, the Zelda-themed version is housed in a shell that closely resembles the standard screen format Game & Watch systems. This time, though, it includes three games, or four if you count the remake of Vermin with Link in place of Mr. Game & Watch. 

Like the Mario model, the Zelda Game & Watch is a very small system with an LCD screen that displays the included games in full color, instead of black and white, frame-by-frame. graphics of the original Game & Watch systems. It consists of the Nintendo Entertainment System versions of The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link faithfully reproduced through a custom emulator.

What elevates this system to the top of the Game & Watch pile, however, is the inclusion of the original black and white Game Boy version of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awaking. It's a classic Game Boy game that plays on a system that replicates the Game Boy's forefather. Like onions and garlic, they just go great together.

As stated above, the system also includes a remake of the third Game & Watch game, Vermin. This version mimics the original, complete with the frame-by-frame graphics of early LCD games. This time though, it's Link that uses his hammer to smash the octoroks, giving the poor moles a well-deserved break.

As with the Super Mario Bros. Game & Watch, The Legend of Zelda Game & Watch includes a neat little clock. It tells the time with The Legend of Zelda graphics, straight from the originator of the series, the first game on the Family Computer Disk System, which was released later on cartridge for the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Family Computer.

As with all systems on this site, I will be individually reviewing all of the games included in this system. But until then, I'll just say that I wholeheartedly recommend this system. The Mario-based Game & Watch was a cute little throwback, but with the games included in this system, especially Link's Awakening, it is truly more than a conversation piece.

Final verdict:

5 out of 5

System Review: Game & Watch Super Mario Bros.

The Super Mario Bros. Game & Watch (not to be confused with the 1986 Game & Watch game of the same name) is a fun throwback by Nintendo that celebrates two of its best-selling products, the Game & Watch LCD handhelds and the Super Mario series.

Thankfully, LCD screen technology has come a long way since 1991 when the last Game & Watch system, Mario the Juggler, was released. Instead of the slow frame-by-frame gameplay in the classic Game & Watch systems, the new Game & Watch is full color and plays the Nintendo Entertainment System version of Super Mario Bros. faithfully through a custom emulator.

Adding to the fun, the Japanese Family Computer Disk System version of Super Mario Bros. 2, also known as Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels and Super Mario Bros. For Super Players, has been included. This game isn't as well known and is hard as nails, but it's great they included it in its original form.

It also includes a Game & Watch remake that blends the first Game & Watch game, Ball, with the last Game & Watch game, Mario the Juggler. This version of Ball mimics the former, with frame-by-frame graphics, but Mario is juggling the ball.

The game also comes with a fun clock that has Super Mario. Bros.-style graphics with various actions taking place around the displayed time. The neat thing about this is that the clock is tied to some easter eggs. If you view the clock at specific times in the day, different actions will appear on the clock. The most fun easter egg, however, is the one that takes place during the ninth hour, both in the AM and in the PM. When you play Ball at this time, Mario will be replaced by Luigi.

I'll be taking a look in-depth at the included games at some point in the future, but suffice it to say, this is worth the purchase, especially if you are a fan of the included games or just a fan of Mario in general. The games included, especially the first Super Mario Bros., are classics that are infinitely replayable. I won't fault you, though, if you just use it just as a clock. It is cute.

Final verdict:

5 out of 5

System Review: TurboGrafx-16 Mini/PC Engine Mini

Hudson Soft, the designer of the TurboGrafx-16, became a wholly owned subsidiary of Konami in 2011. Hudson Soft ceased to exist in 2012, but its projects live on. With the success of miniature consoles from Nintendo, Sega, and Sony. Konami gave the TurboGrafx-16 a miniature update with the TurboGrafx-16 mini.

The miniature console is named the TurboGrafx-16 Mini in North America, PC Engine Mini in Japan, and PC Engine CoreGrafx Mini in Europe and Oceania. Konami went with M2 for the emulation, which was the same company that handled the Sega Genesis Mini. The emulator is not just for the TurboGrafx-16 console, but also the Super CD-ROM² and Arcade CD-ROM² add-ons, as well as the short-lived SuperGrafx. The emulation in this console is very accurate, which has always been a major strength of M2. 

The system runs on a Zuiki Z7213 system on a chip with a 1.3 GHz quad-Core Cortex-A7 central processing unit, a 500 megahertz dual-core Mali-400 ARM graphics processing unit, 256 megabytes of random access memory, and 4 gigabytes of flash storage.

The system comes with one two-button controller. The Japanese version contains fifty-eight games, while the international versions contain fifty-seven. This console has some of the best games of the 16-bit generation and is easily the miniature console that packs the best games in its library. It is truly quality over quantity, although the international versions have a lot of games that are still in Japanese.

The fifty-seven games in the international versions include Air Zonk, Aldynes: The Mission Code for Rage Crisis, Alien Crush, Alright! Gateball, Blazing Lazers, Bomberman '93, Bomberman '94, Bomberman: Panic Bomber, Bonk's Adventure, Bonk's Revenge, Cadash, Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, Chew Man Fu, China Warrior, Cho Aniki, Dragon Spirit, Dungeon Explorer, Evil Sword Necromancer, Fantasy Zone, Galaga '88, The Genji and the Heike Clans, Great Demon World Village, Galaxy Police Legend Sapphire, Gradius, Gradius II: Gofer's Ambition, J.J. & Jeff, The Legend of Valkyrie, Lords of Thunder, Military Madness, Moto Roader, Neutopia, Neutopia II, New Adventure Island, Ninja Gaiden, Ninja Spirit, Parasol Stars, Power Golf, Psychosis, R-Type, Salamander, Spirit Warriors Spriggan, Snatcher, Soldier Blade, Space Harrier, Splatterhouse, Spriggan Mark 2: Re-Terraform Project, Star Parodier, Super Darius, Super Momotarō Electric Railway II, Super Star Soldier, Victory Run, and Ys Book I & II.

The Japanese version contains the same game list except for Salamander and with the addition of Far East of Eden II: Manji Maru and Heartthrob Memorial.

As with the other mini consoles, I’ll be looking in-depth at the above games in the future, and the links will be updated accordingly. This console has finally put the TurboGrafx at the top of the heap. The emulation is excellent and the console is packed with great games.  I recommend the Japanese version as the two exclusive games are excellent and the arcade version of Salamander is now available through Hamster's Arcade Archives. If you modify your console to accept other games, you will get the most out of your console because a lot of these Japanese games have unofficial English fan patches.

Note: The USB wall plug is not included. Make sure you use one that is 5 volts, 2 amps (2000 mA). There have been reports of the system bricking itself if the wrong plug is used. 

Final Verdict:
5 out of 5

System Review: Sega Genesis Mini/Mega Drive Mini

After years of licensing the right to make retro consoles of their systems to AtGames, with varying results, Sega opted instead to design and manufacture the Sega Genesis Mini themselves. The emulation was handled by M2. 

Going with M2 for the emulation was the right call, as the emulator runs the game with no visual or audio differences from the original system, as far as I could tell.

The system runs on a Zuiki Z7213 system on a chip with a 1.3 GHz quad-Core Cortex-A7 central processing unit, a 500 megahertz dual-core Mali-400 ARM graphics processing unit, 256 megabytes of random access memory, and 512 megabytes of flash storage.

Outside of Japan, the system comes with two three-button controllers. The Japanese version comes with one six-button controller. It comes with forty games for the Genesis system. These games are excellently curated, as most of the games rank among the most fun games for the Sega Genesis.

The forty games include Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle,Alisia Dragoon, Altered Beast, Beyond Oasis (known as The Story of Thor: A Successor of The Light outside North America), Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, Castlevania Bloodlines (known as Vampire Killer in Japan), Columns, Comix Zone, Contra: Hard Corps, Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine, Dynamite Headdy, Earthworm Jim, Ecco the Dolphin, Eternal Champions, Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Golden Axe, Gunstar Heroes, Kid Chameleon, Landstalker, Light Crusader, Mega Man: The Wily Wars (known as Rockman: Mega World in Japan), Monster World IV, Phantasy Star IV, Road Rash II, Shining Force, Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball, Space Harrier II, Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition (known as Street Fighter II Dash Plus: Champion Edition in Japan), Streets of Rage 2, Strider, Super Fantasy Zone, Thunder Force III, ToeJam & Earl, Vectorman, Virtua Fighter 2, Wonder Boy in Monster World, and World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. 

Mega Man: The Wily Wars was released on cartridge in Japan and Europe. North America only had access to Mega Man: The Wily Wars on the short-lived cable-based subscription game download service Sega Channel.

In addition to the forty listed above, the Sega Genesis Mini also includes two new ports of arcade games. The Darius port was developed by M2 and Hideki Konishi, while Tetris was a solo effort by M2. The Tetris port is based on Sega's arcade version. This is a new port and not the one that had an extremely small print run in the 1990s due to Nintendo holding the video game console rights for Tetris at the time.

The Japanese version of the system, the Sega Mega Drive Mini, also contains forty classic games and two bonus games. However, the game list is slightly different. It comes with Alisia Dragoon, Assault Suit Leynos, Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, Columns, Comix Zone, Contra: Hard Corps, Darius, Dyna Brothers 2 Special, Dynamite Headdy, The Game's Crown Collection, Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Golden Axe, Gunstar Heroes, The Hybrid Front, Landstalker, Langrisser II, Lord Monarch, Monster World IV, MUSHA, OutRun 2019, Party Quiz Mega Q, Phantasy Star IV, Puyo Puyo 2, Puzzle & Action: Tant-R, Rent-a-Hero, Road Rash II, Rockman: Mega World (known outside Japan as Mega Man: The Wily Wars), Shining Force, Slap Fight MD, Snow Bros, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sorcery Saga I, Space Harrier II, Street Fighter II Dash Plus: Champion Edition (known as Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition outside Japan), The Story of Thor: A Successor of The Light (known as Beyond Oasis in North America), Streets of Rage 2, Strider, Super Fantasy Zone, The Super Shinobi, Sword of Vermillion, Tetris, Thunder Force III, Vampire Killer (known as Castlevania Bloodlines outside Japan), World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, Wrestleball, and Yu Yu Hakusho: Battle to Unite the Demon Plane. 

As with the Nintendo Mini consoles, I’ll be looking in-depth at the above games in the future, and the links will be updated accordingly. With this mini console, it is like a return to the days of old since Sega has once again rivaled Nintendo. The emulation is excellent and the console is packed with enjoyable classic games. Whether you get the Sega Genesis Mini or the Sega Mega Drive Mini, you'll get tons of enjoyment.

Final Verdict:
5 out of 5

System Review: SNES Classic Edition/Super Famicom Mini

This review was originally posted on the McMurray Internet Channel website on February 8, 2019.

Nintendo followed up its popular NES Classic Edition with the Super Nintendo Entertainment System Classic Edition, based on the SNES, a system that is arguably even better than the former.

The system runs on the same Allwinner R16 system on a chip as the NES Classic Edition, which has a 1.2 gigahertz quad-core Cortex-A7 central processing unit, a 500 megahertz dual-core Mali-400 ARM graphics processing unit, 256 megabytes of random access memory, and 512 megabytes of Flash storage.

This time, however, the system comes with two controllers. Although, the cables are still quite short. It also comes with twenty of what are arguably the most classic games for the SNES system, including Contra III: The Alien Wars (known in Japan as Contra Spirits), Donkey Kong Country (known in Japan as Super Donkey Kong), Earthbound, Final Fantasy III (known as Final Fantasy VI in Japan), F-Zero, Kirby’s Dream Course, Kirby Super Star (known as Kirby of the Stars Super Deluxe in Japan and as Kirby's Fun Pak in Europe and Oceania), The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (known as The Legend of Zelda: The Triforce of the Gods in Japan), Mega Man X (known as Rockman X in Japan), Secret of Mana (known as Legend of the Holy Sword 2 in Japan), Star Fox, Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting, Super Castlevania IV, Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts (known as Super Demon World Village in Japan), Super Mario Kart, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Super Mario World (known as Super Mario Bros. 4: Super Mario World in Japan), Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (known as Super Mario: Yoshi Island in Japan) Super Metroid, Super Punch Out!!, and Star Fox 2. The latter was completed and canceled in the 1990s, and is available for the first time on the Super NES Classic Edition.

The Japanese version of the system, the Nintendo Classic Mini: Super Famicom, also contains two controllers and twenty classic games, however, the game list is slightly different. It comes with Contra Spirits (known outside of Japan as Contra III: The Alien Wars), Final Fantasy VI (known outside of Japan as Final Fantasy III), F-Zero, Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem, Kirby of the Stars Deluxe (known as Kirby Super Star in North America and as Kirby's Fun Pak in Europe and Oceania), Legend of the Holy Sword 2 (known as Secret of Mana outside of Japan), The Legend of Zelda: The Triforce of the Gods (known as The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past outside of Japan), Panel de Pon, Rockman X (known as Mega Man X outside of Japan), Star Fox, Star Fox 2, Super Donkey Kong (known outside of Japan as Donkey Kong Country), Super Demon World Village (known as Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts outside of Japan), Super Mario Kart, Super Mario RPG, Super Mario Bros. 4: Super Mario World (known simply as Super Mario World outside Japan), Super Mario: Yoshi Island (known as Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island outside of Japan), Super Metroid, and Super Street Fighter: The New Challengers.

As with the NES Classic Edition, I’ll be looking in depth at the above games in the future, and the links will be updated accordingly. But, suffice to say, no matter which version you pick up, it is a real bargain, especially considering how much some of these cartridges go for on eBay. The system is already discontinued, but at the time of this review, it is not hard to find at a reasonable price.

Final Verdict:
5 out of 5

System Review: NES Classic Edition, Famicom Mini, and Shonen Jump Famicom Mini

This review was originally posted on the McMurray Internet Channel website on December 7, 2018.

Nintendo didn’t start the idea of the mini-console revival of classic systems. Atari and AtGames have been releasing their own mini-consoles for years. Nintendo did manage to turn the practice around. These were once seen as niche novelties, but they are now big business, with Sony and Konami also joining the trend.

I'll look at each of the mini-consoles available from Nintendo, Sony, and Konami, but first, let's look at Nintendo’s first Classic Edition offering, the miniaturized version of its classic 80s console, the Nintendo Entertainment System.

The system runs on an Allwinner R16 system on a chip. It has a 1.2 gigahertz quad-core Cortex-A7 central processing unit, a 500 megahertz dual-core Mali-400 ARM graphics processing unit, 256 megabytes of random access memory, and 512 megabytes of Flash storage.

This is obviously more powerful than the 1.79 MHz CPU on the original NES, so the games, powered by an emulator created in-house by Nintendo European Research & Development, run silky smooth. They are also much crisper than the original, as they are output at full high definition, but there is a cathode ray tube filter available in the options for purists.

The menu is easy to navigate, and looks clean and professional, as expected with a Nintendo product. Unlike the later Super Nintendo Entertainment System Classic Edition, the NES Classic Edition only includes one controller, a faithful remake of the original blocky NES controller. The controller has a Nintendo Classic Controller port, so this controller can also be used with a SNES Classic Edition, or a Wii or Wii U. The controller cable included is also really short, but extension cables and additional controllers are also available to purchase.

Both the North American and European/Oceania versions contain the same 30 built-in games. They include a great variety of genres and include classics spanning the entirety of the original lifespan of the NES. The games include Balloon Fight, Bubble Bobble, Castlevania, Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest, Donkey Kong (strangely the version included is the original 1983 port that lacked the factory level instead of the 2012 release, Donkey Kong: Original Edition, which included this level as well as the animation of Donkey Kong carrying Pauline between stages), Donkey Kong Jr., Double Dragon II: The Revenge, Dr. Mario, Excitebike, Final Fantasy, Galaga, Ghosts ‘n Goblins, Gradius, Ice Climber, Kid Icarus, Kirby’s Adventure, The Legend of Zelda, Mario Bros., Mega Man 2, Metroid, Ninja Gaiden, Pac-Man, Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream, StarTropics, Solomon’s Key, Super C, Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3, Tecmo Bowl, and Zelda II: The Adventures of Link.

There are two Japanese versions, which are the regular Famicom Mini and the Weekly Shonen Jump 50th Anniversary version. The Weekly Shonen Jump version is gold. Both contain built-in controllers as did the original Famicom. Otherwise, the hardware specifications on both of these are the same as the NES versions, but the games differ slightly on the regular version and significantly on the other.

The regular Famicom mini contains Balloon Fight, Bumping Sumo, Castlevania, Donkey Kong (the 1983 port that lacked the factory level), Double Dragon II: The Revenge, Downtown Nekketsu March: Let's Go to the Great Athletic Meet (later released in English as Downtown Nekketsu March: Super Awesome Field Day! in the Double Dragon & Kunio-Kun Retro Brawler Bundle), Dr. Mario, Excitebike, Final Fantasy III, Galaga, Ghosts ‘n Goblins, Gradius, Ice Climber, Kirby’s Adventure, The Legend of Zelda, Mario Bros., Mega Man 2, Metroid, The Mystery of Atlantis, NES Tournament Golf, Ninja Gaiden, Pac-Man, Super C, Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2 (released as Super Mario USA in Japan), Super Mario Bros. 3, Yie Ar Kung Fu, and Zelda II: The Adventures of Link.

The Weekly Shonen Jump Famicom Mini version contains games based on the manga that appeared in Weekly Shonen Jump, with the exception of Dragon Quest. The games included Captain Tsubasa (released as Tecmo Cup Soccer Game in North America and Tecmo Cup Football Game in Europe), Captain Tsubasa Vol. II: Super Striker, Dark Myth: The Legend of Takeru Yamato, Heaven and Earth (released as Destiny of an Emperor in North America), Dragon Ball: Shenlong's Riddle (released in North America as Dragon Power and in France as Dragon Ball: The Secret of the Dragon), Dragon Ball 3: Goku's Story, Dragon Ball Z: Assault of the Saiyans, Dragon Quest (released in North America as Dragon Warrior), Famicom Jump: Heroes History, Famicom Jump II: The Strongest Seven, Fist of the North Star, Fist of the North Star 3 - The Creator of the New Century: History of the Dreaded Fist, Kinnikuman: Muscle Tag Match (released in North America as Tag Team Match: MUSCLE), Kinnikuman: Struggle for the Throne, Magical Taluluto: Fantastic World!!, Red Dragon King, Rokudenashi Blues, Saint Saya: Golden Legend (released in France as The Knights of the Zodiac: The Golden Legend), Saint Saya: Golden Legend - Final Chapter, and Sakigake!! Men's Private School: Game No. 1.

The regular versions contain the best selection of games, but the Weekly Famicom Jump version may be worth the price if you can read Japanese and enjoy the included selection of games based on various manga, or simply for the collector's value as the gold system does look nice. However, suffice it to say, whatever you choose it is well worth spending if you or someone you love is a fan of retro games.

Final Verdict:
5 out of 5