Version 2.0 ? A History Of Redesigned Consoles ... - Game Informer

At the end of November, Nintendo announced the existence and Canadian launch of the new Wii Mini?(pictured above). Console redesigns are nothing new, as they've been frequent occurrences for most popular systems. Take a look below to see the second (and sometimes third and fourth) comings of several consoles.

NES

If you grew up playing NES, you were most likely using the model on the left. Considering that the top loader model (right) didn't debut until 1993, many gamers had already moved on to the 16-bit era of gaming. In addition to the new method of inserting game cartridges, it also introduced a new controller that resembled the shape of the one used for the SNES.

Game Boy

With a size that many compared to a brick, the original Game Boy was technically portable but certainly not ideal for pockets. The aptly named Game Boy Pocket rectified this problem with a drastically reduced size that was far better suited for on-the-go gaming. In addition to being smaller and lighter, it also took less batteries than its big brother.

Genesis

Sega made several changes to the casing of the Genesis between the first and second versions, from changing the power switch to a button to omitting the volume slider. When the Genesis 3 (far right) was introduced in 1998 (well into the Playstation/Nintendo 64 era), it featured the low price of $49.99 and a dramatically smaller frame. Unfortunately for cheaters, this version was the only one that wasn't compatible with the Game Genie.

Super Nintendo

Like most of the console redesigns on this list, the SNS-101 model (right) of the Super Nintendo was smaller than its predecessor. It launched in October of 1997 for $99.95, and included either Yoshi's Island, A Link to the Past, Kirby Super Star, or Tetris Attack, depending on which retailer you purchased it from. In addition to the cosmetic changes, the redesign also eliminated the eject button.

Source: http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/12/13/version-2-a-history-of-redesigned-consoles.aspx

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