@LexLas: Because the original ports are about twice as big wouldn't fit very well on the system (note it fits in your hand--it's not full sized), and they want you to be able to use the controller on the Wii U and the Wii U classic controllers on it.
@consolehaven: Official Nintendo doesn't necessarily mean they manufactured it, but it probably does. I wonder if its guts are similar to the Wii, without all the ports and wireless capabilities.
@kaluaj: No Dragon Warrior, though, which surprises me--I know Final Fantasy is more popular now, but Nintendo made a big deal about Dragon Warrior back in the day, even giving it away as a promotion for subscribing to Nintendo Power (partly to promote the sequel). I think that's a bit of missed opportunity, but I suppose most people don't even remember that.
@Moonco: Umm, the Genesis has several licensed versions, including some that have cart slots, have sd slots that play ROMs downloaded from the internet, and even a portable one with an SD slot. I don't see a Saturn or DReamcast coming anytime soon--emulating disc based systems is a little more complicated (though not impossible).
@andfx8: I think by now most people who own a Wii U already own most of those games, so this is something for people who don't want to own a Wii U but would prefer to legally own Nintendo games as opposed to emulate them or run them on aftermarket systems like Hyperkin's machines. On the wii shop, those games are $150 dollars (on cart, those games would be over $400 on the ebay, not counting shipping). Does this mean, with the impending release of whatever the NX is, that there won't be a virtual console on that system, or are they trying to milk a little bit more money before that system's ecosystem is revealed? Remember, it might be a cart based system itself--it might not have a hard drive or downloadable titles (though it probably will).
@consolehaven: It fits in your hand and is smaller than a cartridge. The question isn't whether it can play old NES cartridges (it can't), it's whether it will have an SD card slot to house more games.
This is obviously to compete with all of the plug and play and aftermarket NES systems like Hyperkin. They also must not be making enough from Wii U VC sales (everybody who owns a Wii U has probably already downloaded most of those games already). Might be another sign they're giving up on the Wii U.
@jeremybristol: Just kidding. I like that it's HDMI and comes with enough games to warrant $60 (those games are, what, $5 still on Wii shop? $150 worth of games.). No word on whether you can download more, though (I know they won't accept ROMs, but it would be nice it you could expand it with more games).
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