Nintendo's NES Classic Edition will be available on November 11 just in time for the holiday shopping season. Features of the $60 mini NES/Famicom for classic NES games are included in a new video released on September 30, Friday. They include saving the game at any point, display modes that turn HD displays into virtual CRT TVs, and refresh rate options.
A key feature of the tiny system is the save state option. The "suspend points" are like the ones for the Virtual Console (VC) or console emulators and allow gamers to save a game at any point such as in mid-jump or before fighting a boss, according to Tech Crunch. NES fans can then reload the point in the game such as after dying or picking up a bad item.
Nintendo's new video shows that each of the 30 built-in games gets four suspend point slots. It is like the feature on VC systems but is a big upgrade.
Nintendo's small console also features display modes. The original NES was usually played on 4:3 CRT TVs but the NES was not 4:3 so the pixels would be stretched and not square. Old-school video cables used during the NES' glory days also helped to create a unique look.
NES Mini will have three display modes. Pixel Perfect displays the graphics using square pixels, but also makes movement slower and distant objects seem closer.
Next, the 4:3 mode stretches the images to create the look of a CRT television. This makes the images a little blurry.
Finally, the CRT Filter mode simulates an analog connection that would be seen on a CRT television.
The main goal of these display options is to remake the bygone experience of playing 8-bit games like "Super Mario Bros.," "Donkey Kong," "Mega Man," "Final Fantasy II" or "The Legend of Zelda." Many NES fans want the features.
The mini NES also includes an option to switch between the internal refresh rate of 50Hz and 60Hz. This could tweak games running on the Phase Alternating Line (PAL) or National Television System Committee (NTSC) standards.
Finally, Japan will get a mini console that looks like the original Famicom system. It will include hardwired controllers and a game library that is a little different from the mini NES. Games released only for the Famicom Mini include "Final Fantasy III" and "River City Ransom," according to Ars Technica.
The Famicom was first released in 1983.