Speedrunning is a popular event, especially at venues like Games Done Quick. Nintendo knows this, which is why it is releasing Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition for speedrunners and fans alike.
Nintendo announced the game via X:
The Nintendo World Championship was a speedrunning event that debuted in 1990 and had subsequent appearances in 2015 and 2017. At the original event, a special Nintendo World Championships 1990 cartridge was played by various competitors. It contained three customized minigames based upon Super Mario Bros., Rad Racer, and Tetris. Players attempted to achieve a cumulative high score across all three titles.
Hoping to capitalize on nostalgia, Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition will feature more than 150 challenges across 13 NES games. Players will be able to play solo or compete against each other either online or in-person in classic games like Kirby’s Adventure, Super Mario Bros. 3, and Metroid.
Interested gamers will be able to purchase the game digitally for $29.99 or can opt for a physical Deluxe Set for $59.99 when it releases on July 18. The Deluxe Set includes the game cartridge, 13 arts cards, 5 pins, and a gold replica NES cartridge based on a real prize from a Nintendo Power contest. It is quite rare.
If you are in Japan, the Nintendo World Championships Famicom Special Edition comes with two functioning Switch Famicom controllers:
What’s better, a gold replica cartridge that doesn’t work or controllers that do? You decide! Though it is clearly the latter.
I think this is quite a cool package. Granted, it is a way for Nintendo to sort of re-release the NES Remix games on the Switch, but since the Switch isn’t backwards compatible with the Wii U, it makes sense to do so. Also, it can make more money this way.
