It’s a cute touch, though I ended up just keeping it off.
Here, it lets you thread the video and power cables through the back. It’s a faithful recreation of the original hardware, down to the large removable back cover, which originally hid the system’s expansion port. The console itself is fairly large, nearly double the size of the NES Classic. That’s nothing new for electronics, but it’s still disappointing. You have to supply your own AC plug, since it’s literally just the power cable.
Inside, you get the mini console, a USB controller, an HDMI cable, and a USB power cable. The box is designed to match the original hardware, with the same graphic design you would have seen if you’d picked it up back in 1989. The TurboGrafx-16 Mini follows the lead established with other mini consoles out there. Players who never got a chance to play the system now have a great option with the release of the TurboGrafx-16 Mini, a downsized version of the console with a large library of retro games. It was home to some great software, with an enviable lineup of arcade shooters and standouts like Castlevania: Rondo of Blood and the Bonk series.
Despite beating the Genesis to market in Japan, being the first system with a CD-ROM attachment, and having a portable counterpart that played console software, the TurboGrafx-16 ended up an also-ran in the 16-bit battle. NEC’s swing at entering the console market may not have connected with Western audiences, but the TurboGrafx-16 remains an interesting relic of the late ‘80s.