It’s old versus new, as Nintendo and Sony take different approaches with console releases
Sony releases an upgraded PlayStation 4 with the latest specs, while Nintendo reissues its iconic ’80s console in a much smaller package
Nintendo recently launched a palm-sized version of its ’80s games console, setting up an old versus new showdown with rival Sony as it released a souped-up PlayStation 4.
The dual launches marked a new chapter in the battle for supremacy between Japan’s top video game companies as they try to deal with a sharp rise in mobile gaming.
Scores of excited gamers queued at electronics stores in Tokyo to try to get their hands on the Nintendo’s new version of its Famicom and Sony’s PS4 Pro.
The smaller version of Nintendo’s classic console, known as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in the US, sold more than 60 million units after its 1983 launch.
The new mini-console retails for about US$60. In a strong nod to nostalgia, gamers can lower screen quality to mimic playing on an old television. The console is installed with 30 games including Nintendo’s famed Super Mario and Donkey Kong characters.
Sony’s cutting-edge machine retails for about US$400 and promises even sharper graphics than earlier versions of its PS4, which have sold more than 40 million units globally.
