Why Nintendo's NES & SNES Classic Consoles Are So Expensive (And Where You Can Find One)

These days, it doesn't take much to emulate classic video games, especially older ones from the 2D era. For something like that, even projects built around a $10 to $15 Raspbery Pi Zero single-board computer are enough to emulate consoles through the Sega 32X and SNK Neo-Geo, as well as 2D arcade games released even later. If you're less of a tinkerer, even a cheap Amazon Fire TV Stick can run all sorts of classic games surprisingly well. For anyone inclined to play classic games via less than entirely above-board ROM image downloads, playing older games is incredibly inexpensive and pretty simple, even if you're not a tinkerer who wants to futz around with a Raspberry Pi or comparable product. 

Of course, not everyone wants to do that. Maybe they're hesitant to download third-party ROM dumps or dump their own classic game collection for legal and other reasons. Maybe the level of tinkering required for even sideloading apps onto a Fire TV Stick is too much. And maybe they just prefer the look, feel, and provenance of an official product. To fill this gap, various companies started selling "mini consoles," basically ARM-based emulation systems in cases that were miniature replicas of the original console. Most prominently, Nintendo did it with the NES and Super NES, releasing the NES Classic Edition for $59.99 in November 2016 and the SNES Classic Edition for $79.99 in September 2017. Getting them now for roughly those prices is easier said than done, though.

The most obvious reason why the NES and SNES Classic aren't easy to find bargains on, despite being fairly recent pieces of consumer electronics, is that they've been out of production for years. The NES Classic was first discontinued in April 2017, after more than two million units were sold, which was actually months longer than the original plan of limiting it to the 2016 holiday season. However, it was relaunched in June 2018 to be sold for the back half of that year, and then that was it. The SNES Classic was also discontinued in December 2018. With the NES Classic, though it was less of a concern in time thanks to the rerelease, Nintendo had also made it scarce by producing limited quantities while not communicating this well to buyers.

Thanks to the above, if you're looking for genuine versions of the mini consoles complete in new or like new condition, there's a high likelihood of paying more than the old retail price. (Forgoing the box will save you money.) One seller who managed to have eight in stock had sold six as of this writing, all for $129.99, $50 above the original MSRP. As for the NES Classic, some have sold for as much as $129.99, while others sold for $75 to $85. Be sure to scrutinize the listings to avoid counterfeits, which can be spotted when they tout more games than standard, or don't have HDMI output.