Nintendo accidentally struck gold with their miniature Classic Edition consoles in 2016. The first, the NES Classic Mini, sold out everywhere so fast that it was being sold at insane markups online. The follow-up console, the SNES Classic Mini, had slightly less distribution issues, but still sold out within a week. Just a few weeks ago, the company restocked both mini consoles, but that wave has also been sold out in most places. All of that is nothing compared to the fervor around one Japanese version of the system, though. The Famicon Classic Mini Shonen Jump Edition is exclusive to Japan, and it sold out in hours.
What’s in the Box?
The Shonen Jump edition of the Famicom Classic Mini is largely a different beast than either the NES or Famicom mini consoles While the original versions shipped with hits like Super Mario Bros, Legend of Zelda and Metroid, this one has some oddball choices. Namely, the games in this collection are almost all based on Shonen Jump properties. The manga magazine is mega-popular in Japan, and in the 80’s there were a number of successful licensed tie-ins.
As such, the games packed into this mini console aren’t the draw for most American collectors. For the most part, they’re all pretty niche. Interestingly, Dragon Quest does make an appearance on this system, as Shonen Jump mainstay Akira Toriyama did the art for that game. However, the system is otherwise loaded with licensed games that are all entirely in Japanese.
A Famicom Classic Mini with a Shonen Spin
The Shonen touches filter down to the design of the console itself. It has red and gold trim, making it very flashy and eye-catching. This may be the most alluring aspect to American collectors, as the box looks awesome on a shelf. Hilariously, the controllers are incredibly small on this re-release, as they slot into the tiny Famicom just like the original. This extends to the cords, unfortunately, as they’re comically barely more than a foot long.
However, most Americans wouldn’t be playing this one too much if they snagged one: all the games are in Japanese. Unless you can read Japanese and have a particular love for 80’s-era Shonen licensed games, you’ll likely find little to do with the library. However, if you do read Japanese, another crack at the first Dragon Quest game would always be welcome!
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