Nintendo is already selling a lot of NES Classic Editions

By Trevor Mogg December 16, 2016

Nintendo NES Classic Edition — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Getting the balance right between supply and demand when a new product launches is always a tricky proposition for any company. Make too many and you could be left with stock you’re unable to shift, but make too few and you risk leaving consumers disappointed, or worse, seeing them switch to alternative products instead.

By all accounts, Nintendo has a hit on its hands with its recently launched $60 NES Classic Edition game console, with many retailers selling out of the machine soon after new supplies come in.

Recommended Videos

Indeed, market research firm NPD said Thursday the Japanese company has so far sold 196,000 Classic Edition consoles in the U.S. since it went on sale in early November.

With the holiday shopping season in full swing and many folks looking for some fun stuff to throw in the Christmas stocking, Nintendo will be keen to get fresh supplies of the console into stores as fast as possible.

For consumers eager to end the year with a spot of Nintendo nostalgia, Best Buy on December 20 may be your best bet. Find out more here.

In further evidence of how the retro game machine has caught the public’s imagination, Google revealed this week that the Classic Edition was the seventh most popular tech search in the U.S. this year, and the second most popular console behind none other than the Nintendo Switch, the company’s much-anticipated hybrid platform set for release next year.

If you’ve missed out on the NES Classic Edition buzz, the machine is a miniature version of the company’s hit console from the 80s, and comes with 30 classic games pre-loaded. Just like the games, the setup is super simple – no internet required, no updates and no downloads. Just plug in (to your TV) and play.

Topics

Contributing Editor

Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

Gaming

The best NES games of all time

An NES controller.

It wasn't the first console created, but the NES was most people's first exposure to home video games and was responsible for pulling the entire industry out of a crash. This is where some of the most iconic video game franchises got their start, and many of the best games of all time come from this humble system. Although the best Switch games have highlighted some of Nintendo's strengths, Nintendo's dedication to the craft began here.

From games like Super Mario Bros. to Legend of Zelda, the NES has a game suited for any and all players' tastes. Although there are many different games, we have listed a few of the top selections based on their genre. See if your childhood favorite makes it on the list, and take a look at the best NES emulators to play on your phone if you want to relive any of these classics in a convenient way.
Action

Gaming

Nintendo World Championships turned me into a Super Mario Bros. god

Box art for super mario bros shows fire Mario running.

The newly released Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is all about mastery. The retro microgame collection takes 13 NES classics and breaks them down into bite-sized speedrunning challenges that beg players to replay them over and over to lower their best time. That process all leads to the package's big event, the titular Nintendo World Championships. Every week, players all submit their best times for five specific challenges and fight for a top ranking come Monday morning.

I had no idea how I'd fare against hundreds of thousands of people in the game's first week. While I'd been sharpening my skills during the review period for the game, I still didn't have much confidence that I could make a splash in games like Super Mario Bros. that have been mapped out to perfection already.

Gaming

A Nintendo cult classic is getting a surprising spiritual successor

A robot waters a flower in koRobo.

koROBO announcement trailer (Chibi-Robo spiritual successor)

GameCube cult classic Chibi-Robo! is getting a revival. Ex-staff from Chibi-Robo! developer Skip announced a new studio on Friday to make a spiritual successor called koROBO that looks very much like its predecessor -- down to its premise. But there are some big promised changes.