As the owner of a SNES Classic Mini, I really shouldn’t judge, but I haven’t got the faintest idea who the PC Classic is for. It’s a miniature console, like the SNES, Playstation and Mega Drive Classics, but it plays DOS games from the ‘80s and ‘90s. You know, like the PC you already own. Unit-e is looking to crowdfund the beige box, with a campaign expected to kick off in late November/early December.
Like all the other Classic consoles, the PC Classic completely depends on nostalgia. The games most of these devices come loaded with can be found elsewhere easily, if not always legally, and you know you’re going to play them a few times before they just become another ornament. Still, I have no regrets about buying the SNES Classic Mini. I flipping love the console, from its design to the game library, and it’s just nice to have around. It’s a miniature piece of gaming history. The PC Classic doesn’t have the same kind of magic. I don't get nostalgic about PCs, I still own one.
The design is inspired by generic desktop PCs from 30 years ago, calling to mind old micro computers, and it’s hideous. Like some folk on Reddit, I’d be a lot more convinced if they also bundled a wee CRT monitor, because that’s a strong look. Without it, the PC Classic is just an ugly box.
Unit-e also hasn’t announced any games. You can see a few, including Doom, in the video announcement above, but nothing has been confirmed. It will come with at least 30 games, apparently, with more that you’ll be able to purchase separately. In September, we picked out the best games we'd put on a classic PC.
The FAQ is, in general, light on answers. It’s all a bit up in the air. It will ship with a gamepad, but might also come with a mouse and keyboard, with other peripherals available to those who want to spend more cash. Speaking of cash, the price is TBD, but Unit-e are aiming for $99.
