Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Advice for getting the SNES Classic Edition in Canada

The SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System) mini will release on September 29th for $99.99.  Nintendo has stated that it will be a limited release and will stop production by the end of the year.  While it might seem ridiculous to most that Nintendo is making the SNES mini limited, you have to remember that Nintendo has always made certain items limited since 1985.  As a life-long Nintendo fan this has been frustrating, but I understand it.  Hype Sells.  Also, all these retro games will eventually be sold on the Virtual Console (a service that lets you download retro games onto modern consoles).


Looking back on the release of the NES mini, I stayed at home that night and was logged on to BestBuy.ca until they went on sale at midnight.  Thankfully I was able to buy one.  I believe Walmart.ca also went live around 2 am.  So, on September 29th I recommend you first try logging on to any websites that will have an active selling listing at midnight.  Create a profile on their website to prevent any impediment when you finally have the SNES mini in your cart.  Following retail stores on twitter will also help in informing you what time specifically it goes up.

If you are unable to get one then set your alarm to “early as heck” and be prepared to line-up at a store in the morning.  6 am was sufficient for the NES mini, however the SNES mini has more people interested than last year.  It will be a cold morning so bundle up, unless of course you`re lucky enough to wait inside.  The stores that will sell the SNES mini are: Walmart, Toys R Us, Best Buy, EB Games, and maybe London Drugs, The Source and Shoppers Drug Mart (yeah they had some in stock last year).  When you’re in the queue remember to talk to people and set up a numerical system to avoid any conflicts once the store does open.  Taking pictures, signing up a list and talking to employees (if available) will help too.

If you are still unable to attain a SNES mini on the 29th, then you will have to keep following retail stores and Nintendo on twitter and facebook for any updates on restocks until the end of the year when they will officially be discontinued.  Another website I recommend is Now in Stock.net where you get updates on store restocks, while the information can be delayed, the comment section is very helpful for local store restocks.  And if that’s still not enough then talk to retail store employees to find out what days they receive new merchandise and occasionally show up to see if they received a SNES mini.  Most of the time, they don’t know what they’re getting until they open the boxes.

A shady method for attaining the SNES mini is through a reseller.  It’s just discomforting buying a product from a person who just wants to make a profit over retail.  However it’s not such a terrible idea if you buy from a reseller for a reasonable price, considering what the reseller had to go through to get one (world’s smallest violin).  From this perspective the reseller saved you the trouble of stressing over waiting out in the cold to get one, and missing a day from work; Sept 29th is a Friday after all.

Tips for buying from a reseller: Try to buy the SNES mini a few days after release when the market will be flooded with resellers, and they’ll be more interested in a quick sale than holding out for the most cash.  The SNES Classic Edition will retail for $99.99 plus tax in Ontario for a total of $113, so $150 - $200 should seem reasonable.  Always meet in a public place like a mall (and let others know where you’re going), demand the original receipt, and communicate through the phone or text before meeting.  Unfortunately you might not be allowed to open up the SNES mini before you buy because once you open the box it’s no longer brand new.  However once you have paid the reseller, I recommend you inspect it in front of them to make sure it’s complete.

SNES Classic Edition:
Now in Stock:
http://www.nowinstock.net/ca/videogaming/consoles/nintendosnesclassicedition/

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