When I first heard about Nintendo’s plans to release an NES Classic Edition plug-and-play console, I nearly imploded. This was one of my first consoles after the greatest-of-all-time Atari 2600. It was simple and simply amazing.
I must’ve spent soooo many days, weeks, months, years playing all kinds of games from Super Mario Bros. to Metroid. I’ll never forget the insane jealousy that poured through my body the first time I visited my cousins in New Jersey. They had this new game called Legend of Zelda and the cartridge was a super shiny metallic gold color!
Well, now for the price of pretty much one game on the Wii U, you can get an entire replica of the original NES. The NES Classic Edition is a simple-to-use plug-and-play that hooks up to your TV with an HDMI cable (included!) so it works beautifully on those spiffy new flat-screen models.
The system includes one controller that plugs in exactly like the originals did. Then you simply turn on the game and select from 30 classic games in one amazing system. Allie was out with the boys, so I plugged the sucker in and went to town. What was the first game I had to play?
Metroid! Yeah, this was one of my all-time favorites. I jumped right into it, blasted some spikey aliens and then… got stuck by a wall because I couldn’t figure out how to shrink down to a ball.
I had no time to waste looking up the instructions, so I jumped to my next favorite: Punch-Out!! I LOVE all variations of this game, and the recent Wii one is unbelievably amazing. My kids have really enjoyed it too. Playing this older NES version was a blast though. I quickly plowed through about five opponents (including King Hippo!) before being knocked out.
Next up? Ooooh, Super C! (Which was also know as Super Contra) This is one I used to play in the arcade all the time. Well, it was the arcade of a local bowling alley called King Pin Lanes and every week I’d grab two slices of pizza and then head into the arcade to mow down the baddies. Unfortunately, I forgot how tough this game was, especially if you’re not playing 2 Player. So I lost. A lot. Quickly.
Next!
I worked my way through Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros. and ultimately, Tecmo Bowl. If you love playing Madden football, then you owe it to yourself to play Tecmo. Incredibly simplistic (there’s only four plays to choose from), it even includes real teams!
The boys eventually came home and played a bunch of games too. They both went crazy for Punch-Out!! and Jason kept playing Dr. Mario.
With 30 games in the console, I know this’ll keep us all busy for a really long time. I just need to grab myself a second controller (only $9.99!) and then we can play 2-player on things like Tecmo Bowl and Super C!
The full list of games includes:
- 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™
If your kids love Nintendo or your significant other (seriously, it’s perfect for guys and gals!) grew up in the ’80s or ’90s, I cannot think of a better holiday gift than the NES Classic Edition. It’s crazy portable and packed with so much Nintendo goodness it hurts.
So many little details that make this retro system seem even more vintage. There’s even a CRT filter adding a scan-line effect for a legitimate feel. The NES Classic Edition goes on sale to the public on November 11, 2016 and retails for $59.99.
What’s your favorite Nintendo game?
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My husband and kids wanted this so bad for Christmas. There was no way I was going to pay the inflated prices that were being charged then. Might do it for a birthday in the spring though.
I loved this system when I was younger, and I still love it now. I cannot wait to get this one!
I want one of these but my husband says “NO.” I loved playing these games as a kid. I know they aren’t state of the art now but they rocked back then.
That takes me back to the classics ?
I really want to get one!!
I saw this on sale on Black Friday! I want one so bad. I loved Donkey Kong, Frogger, etc.
OMG! My brothers will be so excited! I can’t wait to tell them.
this is so cool i want one
I like how this has 30 games….. that’s tons better than all the cartridges! I think of them all Mario Brothers would be the all time favorite. I spent many hours on that one. We had a console and my brother in law stayed up for 3 days and night trying and succeeding in beating Legend of Zelda. He even called into work sick one of those days!
I am so dang excited about this! Kid Icarus baby!