The release of Nintendo's NES Classic Edition is almost upon us and the company has decided to harness the full spirit of the '80s as the release date draws nearer.
Apparently, the console's custom old school TV filter isn't enough nostalgia for Nintendo. So it's setting up an '80s-themed launch party in New York to celebrate the console's release. More importantly, it's bringing back an iconic gaming staple once popular during the NES era.
Nintendo Wants You To Party Like It's 1985
Nintendo is set to host an '80s-themed party in the Nintendo Store in New York on the night of Nov. 10, hours before the launch of the NES Classic Edition.
"With these launch activities for the NES Classic Edition, we want to replicate the nostalgic feelings of sitting down and playing the NES with your family for the first time," said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America's senior VP for sales and marketing.
The first 250 people who'll visit the store will be able to play classic NES games. For more devoted fans, you can also arrive bedecked in era-appropriate costumes or as Nintendo characters as part of the company's costume contest for the launch event.
Visitors may also participate in Nintendo's ultimate retro game show and boast their NES gaming knowledge. Come midnight after the launch party, Nintendo will then hand out NES Classic Edition systems for eager fans.
The Return Of Nintendo's Power Line
Nintendo's proclivity for nostalgia is in full display here, and a brief return of its beloved Power Line back in the '80s comes as a surefire and foolproof way of winning the hearts of devoted fans who once called the Power Line when stumped on a particular game in the past.
For those too young to know what the Power Line was, it's Nintendo's version of game walkthroughs, guides, tips and tricks accessed via an actual hotline. Yes, people actually called a hotline in the '80s for gaming tips, at a time when the internet still wasn't part of mainstream vocabulary.
From Nov. 11 to Nov. 13, users can dial (425) 885-7529 and access pre-recorded tips for a roster of NES games along with interesting trivia from original Nintendo Game Play Counselors, or the people on the other side of the line back in the day.
We are in an age where, after a game's launch, somebody will have already put up a full walkthrough several days later, so it's quite hard to fathom that the Power Line once existed to help players amble through their roadblocks.
For longtime fans of Nintendo, this is the closest you're ever going to get for a full-fledged '80s era revival. For two days, you can immerse in an alternate reality where 8-bit games still proliferated the nascent gaming era and Nintendo Game Play Counselors waited for your call.
The NES Classic Edition comes out Nov. 11 for $59.99. The console is a miniature version of the original console released in 1985 in the United States, and it is still getting its share of love 30 years later. One unanimous gripe with the console, however, is its short controller cables. But don't worry, there are already ways to fix that.
