quare Enix has figured out how to monetize retro gaming nostalgia without asking you to buy yet another digital remaster or haul a 30-kilogram tube monitor into your home office. As announced by Square Enix, the Japanese publisher is releasing the Mini Melody CRT TV line: six collectible miniature tube-television replicas built to sit on your desk, measuring a tiny 62mm wide by 44.5mm deep and 53mm tall.
Rather than engineering an expensive, full-blown LCD panel into the miniature chassis, Square Enix opted for an analog illusion. Flipping the power switch activates an internal LED that backlights a curved screen insert, simulating the glow, scanline aesthetic, and distortion of a classic cathode-ray tube while an onboard audio chip blasts chiptune battle themes and melodies from Final Fantasy I through VI.
"Each little retro cathode-ray tube (CRT) toy has an LED that illuminates the screen like a proper little TV, and a collection of famous songs from the game to get you feeling like you're about to go into battle."
At ¥1,980 per unit—roughly $12 or £9—it is an impulse-buy novelty gadget that provides tangible retro charm without the hefty markup of bespoke boutique hardware.
The Gacha Trap in a Six-Pack Box
While the per-unit price tag is cheap, the physical distribution leans into predatory blind-box mechanics. If you try to secure all six variants by purchasing the six-pack bundle for ¥11,880 ($74), Square Enix explicitly warns that a sealed box of six does not guarantee a complete set. You can pay full bundle price and still end up with duplicates—a classic gacha trick translated into plastic hardware.
Pre-orders are open on the Square Enix store, with delivery slated for January 29, 2027. If you simply want a cheap $12 desk trinket to light up your workstation with 8-bit battle anthems, the Mini Melody CRT is a neat novelty. But if you are planning to chase down all six versions, be prepared to gamble against duplicate boxes when shipments finally land.