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NES Classic Edition trailer showcases Nintendo’s 8-bit legacy

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Players eager for an early glimpse at Nintendo’s upcoming NES Classic Edition plug-and-play console can sample the device’s bounty of bundled 8-bit titles in a new trailer released today, while a Nintendo-produced website offers a nostalgic look back at the console for longtime fans.
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Footage seen in today’s trailer indicates that the NES Classic Edition will use different or altered emulation technology compared to Nintendo’s previous Virtual Console releases. This has sparked new discussion and speculation regarding the device’s upcoming launch.

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Announced earlier this month, the NES Classic Edition is a standalone device that includes 30 fan-favorite titles for the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System. The console connects to modern HDTVs via an included HDMI port, and players can recreate the feel of their decades-old favorites using a bundled controller that closely resembles first-party NES control pads.

Fans were quick to point out the NES Classic Edition’s drawbacks, however. The device does not support original NES cartridges, and it will not allow players to purchase or download additional games, limiting functionality to its 30 included titles.

Those looking for an excuse to invest in an NES Classic Edition may be interested in the device’s apparent bump in visual clarity, however. Footage from today’s trailer showcases crisp, bright graphics for all featured games, suggesting that the package may not be a stripped-down Wii console, as many speculated.

While Nintendo has re-released a number of classic NES games via its digital Virtual Console service for the Wii and Wii U, many players noted that these versions were more visually drab than their original console counterparts, suffering from darkened color palettes and muted tones throughout. Though the above trailer suggests otherwise, it’s currently unknown whether the NES Classic Edition will feature the same emulation technology as Nintendo’s Wii and Wii U consoles.

Among the NES Classic Edition’s included titles are landmark releases like The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Kirby’s Adventure, and Super Mario Bros. 3. Notably, the device also offers up a number of third-party NES releases, including Capcom’s Mega Man 2, Square Enix’s Final Fantasy, and Konami’s Castlevania.

The NES Classic Edition hits retail on November 11 at a suggested retail price of $60.

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