Hopeful SNES Classic Customers Face Long Lines at Target, Best Buy, and Walmart, but Most Come Away Happy

It's the official SNES Classic launch day and things are about as hectic as you would imagine. Everywhere across the U.S. customers who missed out on pre-ordering a console online were waking up early in hopes of buying one in-stores. Major retailers like Target and Best Buy around the country opened to lines of customers trying for a chance to get a SNES Classic.

As we've reported earlier, the in-store stock at some major retail chains appeared to be higher than the initial in-store stock for the NES Classic. Some Targets were getting hundreds of SNES Classics, while it was lucky to find even six NES Classics on launch day. Given the demand for these items however, stores like Best Buy tried to preempt the massive SNES Classic lines by offering a ticket system to first come, first serve customers.

However, if you aren't at any of the major stores, other retailers were offering alternative shopping solutions for SNES Classics with varying degrees of success. GameStop briefly had SNES Classic units available online around midnight PT before selling out. Pre-orders for non-bundled SNES Classic units also went up at ThinkGeek though there are reports that some customers couldn't complete their orders as units sold out mid-payment.

The other reported sightings of SNES Classic units are at Amazon's Treasure Trucks, roving Amazon pop-up stores set up through large trailer buses in select cities. Treasure Trucks with SNES Classics are apparently popping up in cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland and 15 other major US cities. Reports say that one of the reasons why online Amazon pre-orders for the SNES Classic haven't gone out yet are because shipments were reserved for Treasure Trucks, while online pre-orders will be shipped throughout the month of October.

Our own USGamer Editor-in-Chief Kat Bailey went out early to pick up an SNES Classic, though it took three different stores to successfully find one. The first Target and Best Buy were sold out, but the second Target (and third store) in a more distant location had a "couple boxes" by the time she arrived and bought one.

Other customers on social media have been reporting successful in-store runs to their local retailer and for the most part, it's safe to say that the SNES Classic launch feels less desperate than the NES Classic launch, even if stores are still selling out of units fast.

If you were lucky enough to snag a SNES Classic then be sure to check out our complete SNES Classic game library review, or check out our SNES Classic guide for potential availabilities. If you didn't get a SNES Classic in time for launch Nintendo has promised that more units will be made available throughout the holiday season.