Nintendo Classic Mini Family Computer/Super Nintendo Entertainment System, NEOGEO mini, PlayStation Classic, and Mega Drive mini, each manufacturer has released mini series of their popular hardware in the past.
And now, KONAMI has announced the release of a mini version of the famous "PC Engine" by Hudson and NEC, the "PC Engine mini", in June 2019!
The "PC Engine mini" was finally released on March 19, 2020, 9 months after its announcement!
LAN Cable Man, who is such a devoted PC Engine fan that he even bought a new TV set for the "PC Engine mini" at Saiga NAK, got one and would like to share with you how he opened the box!
Opening the cardboard box!
When I opened the Amazon box, I found a "PC Engine mini" and a bonus CD enclosed inside.
The box for the "PC Engine mini" was securely wrapped in PP film.
The box of "PC Engine mini" is small and cute like other mini series.
The back of the box shows the title of the game and the contents of the package. The back of the box shows the titles included and the contents of the package, as well as the name of the developer, Hori Corporation.
The bonus CD contains 4 songs selected from the "PC Engine mini" titles, rearranged by famous artists.
The bonus CD alone is worth it!
As a bonus for purchasing the CD, a download code will be sent to you separately from the CD, from which you can download two more songs.
Next, let's open the "PC Engine mini"!
LAN cable man opens the box with trembling hands.
Boom!
Don!
The contents are...
- PC Engine mini
- Pad (controller)
- HDMI cable
- Micro USB cable
- User's manual
The above items are included.
The micro USB cable is for supplying power to the main unit. The adapter to connect to a power outlet is not included in the package and must be prepared separately.
Checking every detail
Let's check the main unit.
The size is like this.
The reason why it doesn't feel smaller than expected is because the original PC Engine itself was small.
PC Engine mini" is about one size smaller than the original version.
There are two USB A ports on the right side of the front of the unit for connecting a pad. The original version had a single round terminal.
On the left side, there is a power on/off switch just like the original version.
On the back of the unit, there is an HDMI terminal for video and audio output and a micro USB terminal for power supply.
It is a little regrettable that the power supply is not via USB Type-C terminal.
Size comparison
Even though the main unit is small, it may not be easy to get a sense of its size by itself, so let's compare it with other game consoles.
Here is a comparison with the Nintendo Switch, which is often held in one's hand and whose size is easy to grasp.
Next, let's compare it with PS4 Pro and Nintendo Switch to see how small PC Engine mini is.
Comparison with Apple TV, which is likely to be in every household.
PC Engine mini" is about one size larger than Apple TV, but PC Engine mini is much lighter than Apple TV.
Comparison of game pad (controller). PC Engine mini is by far smaller and has a minimal design with fewer buttons.
Switch on!
Connect the "PC Engine mini" to the monitor and turn it on.
With trembling hands in anticipation, I turned on the switch and...
The original version has the protrusion that pops out to lock the Hu card!
The author and LAN cable man in a daze. The cameraman doesn't know why he's so excited.
When you start up the PC Engine mini, the language selection screen appears first.
The language is...
- Japanese
- English
- French
- Italian
- German
- Spanish
These are the six languages available for selection.
After selecting the language, the game title selection screen will appear.
The PC Engine design screen for selecting PC Engine titles and...
The screen where you can select the "TurboGrafx-16" title in the design of the North American version of the PC Engine, "TurboGrafx-16"...
The "PC Engine" and "TurboGrafx-16" logos in the lower right corner of the screen can be toggled by pressing the "PC Engine" and "TurboGrafx-16" buttons.
Other gimmicks to delight fans include elaborate game descriptions and different startup graphics for the Hu card and CD-ROM2 when selecting a game title from the "PC Engine" and "TurboGrafx-16.
With a total of 58 titles, this is not only a collection of 58 games, but also a masterpiece of the mini-series, with attention paid to every detail!
Now on sale!
"PC Engine mini" is now on sale at Amazon! The price is \10,500 JPY (excluding tax)! *$94.9 USD
You can also pre-order the European version of the "PC Engine Core Grafx mini" and the North American version of the " TurboGrafx-16 mini", which differ from the "PC Engine mini" in design and some of the titles included.
As Saiga NAK recently reported, the PC Engine mini has been delayed due to the new coronavirus, and the release date for the peripherals has been postponed, so it may be difficult to get your hands on one right away.
However, considering the level of perfection, we feel that this is a "must buy" item, so please consider it!
For more information, please visit the official "PC Engine mini" website!