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Nintendo has given retro gaming fans a nice surprise this week, after announcing Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition for the Switch. Launching in July, the upcoming game features over 150 speedrunning challenges from 13 classic Nintendo Entertainment System games. Nintendo Switch players will attempt to earn the fastest time possible in challenges such as collecting coins in Super Mario Bros, to reaching the gate in the original Metroid. Your best times can be shared with the world, as part of weekly competitions that aim to replicate the thrills and excitement of the actual Nintendo World Championships from 1990, 2015 and 2017.
The announcement trailer immediately conjured up memories of NES Remix for the Wii U, which was one of my favourite games for the system.
NES Remix – which was followed by a sequel and 3DS port in 2014 – tasked players with completing bite-sized challenges from classic NES games.
However, many of the iconic NES games were tweaked to provide an additional challenge. In one instance you’d be playing a Donkey Kong stage as Link (who can’t jump), followed by another in which Mario had to navigate a level with invisible platforms.
I couldn’t get enough of NES Remix and its sequel, and was always disappointed that Nintendo didn’t follow-up with a SNES Remix for the Switch.
Ten years later and Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition looks like it will scratch my itch for some more retro gaming challenges.
According to Nintendo, the upcoming release will feature speedrunning challenges from the likes of Balloon Fight, Donkey Kong, Excitebike, Ice Climber, Kid Icarus, Kirby’s Adventure and Metroid.
That’s on top of the Holy Grail of Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels, The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.
You can check out the gameplay by watching the announcement trailer below.
In the official description, Nintendo confirms that the World Championships: NES Edition will contain a single-player speedrun mode for players to unlock new challenges and in-game pins.
The game will also support up to eight players in local multiplayer via the hugely chaotic Party Mode.
If you’re a Nintendo Switch Online members, then you can enter World Championships Mode to submit your best times in five challenges that rotate each week.
Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition has a July 18 release date on Nintendo Switch. The game will launch alongside a Collector’s Edition, containing art cards, a replica NES cartridge and more.