Everyone is freaking out over the NES Classic, but is it really worth the stress and the price?
The NES Classic edition released in the USA on November 11, 2016. For those that are unfamiliar with this piece of hardware, it’s a mini NES with an HDMI port and 30 games pre-installed. The games vary from region to region, and wikipedia lists them all here.
I work at a retail store in the electronics department and released this console at midnight on the 11th. At that time we received a total of 18 NES Classics. Since then, we’ve received a whopping 4 NES Classics over the past month and a half, and they are special ordered which means we cannot order them or know when they come in. People have been blaming Nintendo for purposefully selling limited editions around the holidays to create a buzz, and it appears to be working.
Some people are buying up NES Classics the first chance they get (for $60 USD) and selling them at huge profits on eBay or other online stores. Those who really want them will pay the huge price increase. I’m here to say not only is the price of the scalpers not worth, but the NES Classic itself isn’t really worth it.
Many, if not all, of the NES games on the NES Classic Edition can be purchased on the 3DS or Wii U virtual console for a few dollars. They can then be played on the go if bought on the 3DS or on an HDTV if bought on the Wii U. You will also be able to choose which games you really want to buy and play instead of being stuck with some games you really don’t want. Additionally, games can be purchased on the virtual console from the Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, Gamecube, Wii, and Wii U.
If more people knew of all the games available on the Nintendo eShop, I’m sure so many people wouldn’t waste their time, effort, and money on hunting down this NES Classic Edition. I’m here to say stop worrying about the NES Classic and invest in the Nintendo eShop!