It is already known that the NES Classic Edition was hacked, allowing users to add their favorite games to the console. Now, the same has been found for its successor SNES Classic Edition, which also has been hacked to add custom games.
This hack can be credited to a new version of hakchi2, which released on GitHub recently. The software supports SNES Classic Edition, and has been updated to streamline and simplify the installation procedure. Games have to be converted to a special format to be able to run on the system, and presently, about 75% of the games converted using the software are running smoothly, notes Neowin.
“Automatic ROM conversion to special SNES Classic Mini’s format, ~75% of games are working fine. You can use RetroArch mod for problem games,” says the description of the software on GitHub. The software appears easy to install, but users are “recommended to revert your console to stock state first, and use the ‘Uninstall’ feature in the ‘Kernel’ menu.”
To hack the system, all you need is a USB link to a PC and a free software tool. The process involves flashing the SNES Classic’s operating system. The internal memory can hold about 63 games at a time. And, talking about how many games are available, well the number is already in the hundreds and is still growing, notes PC Mag.
Further, there is a spreadsheet – called the Super NES Classic Edition ROM Compatibility List – which is tracking the compatibility of the game. It tracks each SNES game released for the system, marking them as working, working with issues and not working, notes PC Mag.
Before using the software, a user must know that it is not without risk, and the process may even brick the console. Also, there are legal issues in doing such mods to the console. Despite the issues, the software is expected to get extremely popular among gamers. Apart from the SNES Classic Mini, the hakchi2 supports miniature NES, Famicom, and Super Famicom.
For Nintendo, this will be frustrating as it could not do much to stop this. Unlike other consoles, which can be patched via security update, the SNES Classic Edition is a closed box, i.e. once it is unlocked it will remain so. Even without the hack, the SNES mini has several games to keep gamers occupied like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Super Mario Kart, Super Mario World, and Secret of Mana.
The hakchi2 surely is good news for gamers, but the bad news is that the console is facing short supply, and is sold out everywhere. Nintendo, however, has assured the fans that more units of the same would be available before the holiday season.
Nintendo SNES Classic has been very popular, and this was evident from the response it was getting on eBay. Speaking to Glixel, eBay said that between September 29 and October 1, the platform sold on average 143 Super Nintendo Entertainment System Classics every hour. On the release date, September 29, the console had about 17,000 listed on eBay. Though the official price of the console is $79.99, on eBay its average price ranged between $162.10 and $165.
