Skip to main content

Japanese Super Famicom Mini trades 'Castlevania' for 'Fire Emblem' and others

super famicom mini line up snes classic e0310 template
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Nintendo seized control of the otherwise slow summer news period following E3 by announcing the SNES Classic Edition, following up on the explosive success of its predecessor, the NES Classic Edition. This plug-and-play retro mini console will come loaded with 21 classic titles, covering a lot of the platform’s essentials. What counts as essential will vary depending on who you ask, however, and Nintendo has taken that into account regionally, since the Japanese version (the Super Famicom Mini) comes with a slightly different lineup of games, including Panel de Pon (known here as Tetris Attack) and Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem.

In addition to those two, the Super Famicom Mini also adds The Legend of the Mystical Ninja, and Super Formation Soccer. Apart from Fire Emblem, the other three titles were all released in the United States as well. In order to maintain the cap of 21 games, however, sacrifices had to be made. From the western version, but not included in the Super Famicom Mini, are Super Castlevania IV, Super Punch-Out, Kirby’s Dream Course, and EarthBound.

These differences will no doubt send some dedicated non-Japanese fans down an online rabbit hole searching for the Japanese version. Tetris Attack and the prospect of a new (to us) Fire Emblem game are certainly tempting — Tetris Attack is actually included on our list of titles we wish were added to the list. By our estimation, however, the four titles missing from the Japanese version would be more sorely missed. Regardless of which region you buy your retro console in, one of the main draws for all versions is the never-released Star Fox 2, which unlocks after users beat the first level of the original Star Fox.

The SNES Classic Edition will launch on September 29 in the United States for $80 (or whatever exorbitant price you manage to find it for on eBay subsequently). It will be produced in a limited run, though Nintendo promises to do so at higher volumes than the NES Classic, which has been notoriously difficult to find. It also comes with two wired controllers instead of one, which will sport five-foot cables instead of the stumpy three-foot ones on the NES Classic’s controller.

Will Fulton
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Will Fulton is a New York-based writer and theater-maker. In 2011 he co-founded mythic theater company AntiMatter Collective…
Ubisoft confirms Assassin’s Creed remakes are in the works
Basim perched on a ledge overlooking Baghdad

In a company interview with CEO Yves Guillemot posted on the Ubisoft website Thursday, the executive reveals that there are remakes of Assassin's Creed games in the works, although he doesn't specify which ones.

"Players can be excited about some remakes, which will allow us to revisit some of the games we've created in the past and modernize them," he says, implying that it could pertain to games made before Odyssey. "There are worlds in some of our older Assassin's Creed games that are still extremely rich."

Read more
Surfaced patent shows what an Xbox streaming console would’ve looked like
An Xbox Series X sits next to both Series S models.

There have been a few Xbox devices that have never come to fruition, one of which was Keystone, a prototype for an affordable game streaming device you could hook up to your TV or monitor. Thanks to a surfaced patent, we've gotten an even closer look at what it would've potentially looked like.

The patent, first spotted by Windows Central, gives us a more complete view of the device. We've previously seen the Keystone in the flesh. Microsoft Gaming head Phil Spencer is known for hiding teases and interesting collectibles on the shelf in his office. In a 2022 X (formerly Twitter) post congratulating Bethesda on Fallout's 25th anniversary, you can see a small white device on the top shelf that's actually a Keystone prototype. Xbox told Digital Trends that it was a version of the device made before it decided to "refocus our efforts on a new approach.”

Read more
Wordle Today: Wordle answer and hints for June 28
Someone playing Wordle on a smartphone.

We have the solution to Wordle on June 28, as well as some helpful hints to help you figure out the answer yourself, right here. We've placed the answer at the bottom of the page, so we don't ruin the surprise before you've had a chance to work through the clues. So let's dive in, starting with a reminder of yesterday's answer.
Yesterday's Wordle answer
Let's start by first reminding ourselves of yesterday's Wordle answer for those new to the game or who don't play it daily, which was "ORDER." So we can say that the Wordle answer today definitely isn't that. Now, with that in mind, perhaps take another stab at it using one of these Wordle starting words and circle back if you have no luck.
Hints for today's Wordle
Still can't figure it out? We have today's Wordle answer right here, below. But first, one more thing: Let's take a look at three hints that could help you find the solution, without giving it away, so there's no need to feel guilty about keeping your streak alive -- you put in some work, after all! Or just keep scrolling for the answer.

Today’s Wordle includes the letter D.
Today’s Wordle uses two vowels.
Today's Wordle can refer to a large number of animals, particularly livestock like cattle or sheep, that are moving together in a group.

Read more