Form an orderly queue! Nintendo announces SNES Classic to be released at the end of September

Pre-orders of the SNES Classic sell-out within hours at Amazon and Game

Nintendo has sprung another surprise on its loyal fans by announcing the SNES Classic, a mini-console based on its once-popular Super Nintendo console from the early 1990s.

Indeed, just as the SNES followed the original NES, the SNES Classic follows hot on the heels of the all-sold-out Nintendo Classic Mini.

The announcement yesterday confirmed months of speculation - and the devices reportedly sold out within hours of Amazon and Game opening the SNES Classic to pre-orders, with both retailers slapping the console with a £79.99 price tag.

This suggests that it will be just as difficult to get a SNES Classic as it was an NES Classic console, which Nintendo discontinued back in February after admitting that it had struggled to keep up with demand.

However, Nintendo has told Kotaku that it plans to ship more SNES Classics than NES Classics - but only this year, so the devices won't be hanging around on shelves for long.

"We aren't providing specific numbers, but we will produce significantly more units of Super NES Classic Edition than we did of NES Classic Edition," the firm said.

"Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Super NES Classic Edition is currently planned to ship from September 29 until the end of calendar year 2017. At this time, we have nothing to announce regarding any possible shipments beyond this year."

The upcoming SNES Classic, which can be hooked up to any TV via HDMI, will come will ship with two controllers and 21 games loaded onto it, including the never-released Starfox 2. The full list of games is as follows:

Doug Bowser, vice president of sales and marketing at Nintendo said that the release would enable the company's "younger fans" to enjoy some of its classic games: "While many people from around the world consider the Super NES to be one of the greatest video game systems ever made, many of our younger fans never had a chance to play it.

"With the Super NES Classic Edition, new fans will be introduced to some of the best Nintendo games of all time, while longtime fans can relive some of their favorite retro classics with family and friends."

Nintendo has confirmed that the novelty-sized SNES Classic console will start shipping on 29 September. If you can manage to get your hands on one.