Mini NES Classic Edition Alternatives: Buy These Consoles Similar To Nintendo’s Before Christmas

By Regina Bishop - 07 Dec '16 05:48AM

Consumers who wish to buy the Mini NES Classic Edition before Christmas Day are in for a rude awakening. Nintendo's console system is currently hard to find in the market.

Thankfully, there are some alternatives compiled by Forbes. Granted, they may not be at par with the Mini NES Classic Edition but they will do for now.

Retro Freak is one of those consoles that can serve as an alternative to the Mini NES Classic Edition. The console is made in Japan but it works with Western, English NES cartridges as long as there's an adapter. Players can buy Retro Freak on Amazon for around $170.

Players can also resort to the original NES Classic Edition while this scarcity of the console's mini version goes on. The NES Classic Edition can be bought on eBay at the lowest price of $200, but some listings showed that the console can be purchased from $75 to $125. The NES Classic Edition, however, isn't pre-packaged with games and there are only limited choices.

Another option is Hyperkin's RetroN 5, which can play any system's games released on cartridge except Nintendo 64. The RetroN 5, however, can be really expensive at between $260 and $300 per piece. Buy it on Amazon.

The Mini SEGA Genesis is another substitute for the Mini NES Classic Edition. It should be noted that the console isn't made by SEGA but a Chinese company. The Mini SEGA Genesis allows users to play Genesis cartridges and even classic Genesis games. You can buy it at Target for only $50.

Forbes also advised players to buy an actual, new video game console instead of waiting for the Mini NES Classic Edition to be available properly. All current systems can be bought at the lowest price of $250 for bundles.

The NES Classic Edition costs $60 per box and is loaded with 30 of the original Nintendo Entertainment System games. This week, the Amazon Video Games Twitter page shared that they've "got a couple exciting announcements to make in the coming week."

NES Classic fans: we've got a couple exciting announcements to make in the coming week. Stay tuned for more info soon!

— Amazon Video Games (@amazongames) December 7, 2016

As for what that is, no other hints were provided but many are hopeful that they were referring to having more stocks of the console ready to be shipped in time for the holidays. On Tuesday, Dec. 6, Urban Outfitters offered a "limited inventory" of the Mini NES Classic Edition for $59.98.