Nintendo just introduced a mini $60 version of its first major game console, NES
Remember the 1980s? Everyone had big hair and cassette players and a bunch of stuff I can't properly reference because I wasn't born yet. Anyway, that was when video games were video games, man. You blew on your "Castlevania" cartridge, plopped it into your Nintendo and that was your weekend!
Thanks to Nintendo, you can now relive the part of your life when you didn't have a job or children or social obligations with the Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition.
This miniature version of the original Nintendo Entertainment System (or NES) comes packed with 30 mostly-beloved games from that console's lifespan, and will retail for $59.99 starting this holiday season. It comes with an HDMI cable so it will work with modern televisions, and one controller that's an exact replica of the rectangular one you remember. Additional controllers are $9.99 each.
Here are the games that come with the NES Classic Edition:
- "Balloon Fight"
- "Bubble Bobble"
- "Castlevania"
- "Castlevania II: Simon's Quest"
- "Donkey Kong"
- "Donkey Kong Jr."
- "Double Dragon II: The Revenge"
- "Dr. Mario"
- "Excitebike"
- "Final Fantasy"
- "Galaga"
- "Ghosts 'n Goblins"
- "Gradius"
- "Ice Climber"
- "Kid Icarus"
- "Kirby's Adventure"
- "Mario Bros."
- "Mega Man 2"
- "Metroid"
- "Ninja Gaiden"
- "Pac-Man"
- "Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream"
- "StarTropics"
- "Super C"
- "Super Mario Bros."
- "Super Mario Bros. 2"
- "Super Mario Bros. 3"
- "Tecmo Bowl"
- "The Legend of Zelda"
- "Zelda II: The Adventure of Link"
As you can see, there are some heavy hitters on that list, but it's not without its quirks. Having the first two "Castlevania" games without the excellent third one is strange, as is including "Super C" without its predecessor, "Contra."
Still, for the price of a modern console game, you get a tiny box that looks like the original NES, an official revision of the controller and a handful of the greatest video games ever made. Not bad at all!
NintendoShout out to the font work on this packaging.
There are a couple of other miscellaneous tidbits to know:
- The controller that comes with the NES Classic Edition can be plugged into a Wii Remote and used to play downloaded NES games on a Wii or Wii U.
- The Classic Controller and Classic Controller Pro add-ons for the Wii can also be used to play games on the NES Classic Edition.
- You can also suspend a game and come back later if you're having trouble, meaning there's no need to fumble with passwords anymore!
There's no telling yet whether or not Nintendo will support additional games beyond the 30 that are included with it in any way, so don't expect some kind of online storefront to buy NES games to come with this machine. Even so, for the price and the nostalgic appeal alone, this is a pretty sweet deal for anyone who fondly remembers gaming in the Reagan years.