For fans of speedrunning classic NES games that dreamed of entering the World Championships this is an awesomely fun (if a little short) romp down memory lane. For everyone outside that niche (of a niche) – it’s probably a few decades too late to make any impact.

There are probably a few of you out there, like me, who heard about the Nintendo World Championships held in the early nineties in America (or its subsequent 2105 revival) or maybe even watched 1989’s The Wizard film and dreamed of being a Nintendo champion. If so, the announcement of a way to possibly live out that fantasy on the Nintendo Switch was really exciting. And the good news is, if you do fit into that category, Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is probably pretty close to exactly what you would imagine it to be; A series of bite-sized speed-running challenges of a bunch of NES/Famicom games you loved (or loved to hate). Adding an online component brings in a nice competitive edge that you’re not likely to find at home. Unfortunately, in 2024 (and perhaps particularly in a South African home where NES games just didn’t have the same impact that they did in Japan and America) it has a tough job keeping the family interested past the first few hours.

Power (Glove) Perks

The first bit of good news is that while it’s hard to call any Nintendo games (or video games in general here in SA) ‘cheap’, Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition at least doesn’t hit that normal new game 1K+ mark and can be bought for just under R530. Also, that probably should temper some expectations – this is not a fully-fledged Nintendo title with a bursting with new content. It’s pretty much what it says on the tin; A series of speed-running challenges from 13 different NES/Famicom games. For those who grew up with the Famicom console (or even the Golden China knock-off), it’s going to hit all the right nostalgic notes, particularly if you consider yourself a bit of an old-school Nintendo expert. It won’t surprise you to know that I feel squarely in that category, and figuring out quick ways to tackle Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros. 3, Ice Climber and Balloon Fight challenges was fantastic.

…figuring out quick ways to tackle Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros. 3, Ice Climber and Balloon Fight challenges was fantastic!

As you complete a challenge you’re awarded a rank and as you progress, new challenges will unlock for other games. As with all these collections, there are a bunch of challenges (and perhaps even a few games) that won’t be to your taste – but in general, because they’re such quick trials you luckily won’t be playing something you don’t enjoy for too long. Of course, the speedrunning element is another double-edged sword. While you won’t have to spend too much time on things you don’t enjoy – you also won’t be able to spend a lot of time on those you do. I found myself playing a few of the games for the first time (Kirby for example was a new one for me) and while it was great to get some exposure to these – it feels a little too fast to really enjoy them – and I couldn’t help but wish that the full game had been included too (guess that’s what the online subscription is for!).

Putnam Perils

While 150 mini-games sounds like a lot, the set-up to unlock them is pretty straightforward and it does get a little repetitive after a few hours. Of course, Nintendo has emphasized the nostalgia factor and there are shimmering digital pins, a few different game modes and even some fun ‘Classified Information’ for each game (a kind of Nintendo Power-style spread of the best ways of tackling the final levels) that offer a little variety. Unfortunately, these are a little hit-and-miss. The online modes are a welcome addition and really help when you don’t have fellow Nintendo fans at home and want to keep the competition going. Unfortunately, both the ‘Survival Mode’ (a kind of mini battle royale) and World Championship modes use ghost data from other players rather than their live attempts. This means you’re able to post some pretty awesome times but miss out on the anxiety-inducing errors that playing against someone ‘live’ would bring.

Unfortunately, the multiple modes and online features these are a little hit-and-miss.

There are also weekly challenges that entice you to try betting your times on games you may not have much experience on – however, you can only collect titles once a week and are sometimes battling against people that are almost at a professional speed-run level – and that can be a little disheartening – which then limits your interest in coming back again and again. Also, when you do battle against others – the screen divides into a 6-player multiscreen – which you can enlarge if you’re playing alone – but when you’re not, it’s almost impossibly small to see anything clearly enough to make the twitch-like adjustments you have to make. It’s all a case – of almost there but not quite.

On the podium

Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is a strange one. Fans of the original games and those who dreamt of becoming the Nintendo World Champion are going to have a lot to love here. It is clearly a game made for them – the amazing special editions are just another indication of this. However, even for a big Nintendo fan like me – there’s not much here to keep you entertained for too long. The couch competition is pretty great but how many households are going to have a huge group of friends that not only love old Nintendo games – but specifically love the intricate and twitchy speed-run challenges linked to these classics? Plus, the online component isn’t fleshed out enough to make the competition feel enticing enough to balance this out. So, what you’re left with is a great title for a very specific (and quite small) group of people that probably doesn’t quite have enough to even keep them interested for too long.

REVIEW CODE PROVIDED BY: NINTENDO

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