The Commodore 64 Mini finally has a release date for North America, but it remains to be seen if the retro console has what it takes to succeed like the NES Classic Edition and SNES Classic Edition by Nintendo.
Clearly inspired by Nintendo's retro consoles, the Commodore 64 Mini shares several similarities with the two devices. Is the retro gaming trend still at its peak, or is the Commodore 64 Mini too late to the party?
Commodore 64 Mini US And Canada Launch
The Commodore computer actually tried to come back three years ago, but in smartphone form as the Commodore PET. The Commodore brand is now back with the Commodore 64 Mini, a retro console designed similar to Nintendo's NES Classic Edition and SNES Classic Edition.
Retro Games, the company behind the Commodore 64 Mini, already launched the retro console in Europe a couple of months ago. Fans of the iconic computer and its games in the United States had the option to purchase the device at a premium, but the Commodore 64 Mini will soon be widely available after its official North America launch.
The Commodore 64 Mini release date in the United States and Canada is set at Oct. 9, just in time for the holiday shopping season. There is no official price yet, but it is expected to sell for about $80.
The Commodore 64 Mini, similar to the NES Classic Edition and SNES Classic Edition, is a smaller version of the original device. The Commodore 64 emulator contains 64 pre-installed games, including Boulder Dash, Impossible Mission II, Jumpman, Pitstop II, and Speedball II: Brutal Deluxe.
The retro console features two USB ports so that an extra joystick may be connected, in addition to the controller that is included in the package. Users may also plug in a keyboard and use the C64 BASIC language to make their own software, as the keyboard on the device itself is merely decorative.
Commodore 64 Mini Reviews
The Commodore 64 was not as popular as the NES or SNES, so it remains to be seen how well the Commodore 64 Mini will do once it officially starts selling in the United States.
The device has received mixed reviews in Europe, with bad points being the joystick and the difficulty to add new games to it. The Commodore 64 Mini might be a better way to play the computer's retro games instead of an unofficial emulator, but the jury is out on that one, pending reviews once the console arrives in the United States in a few months.
