The NES Classic Edition is a fairly-priced nostalgia-pumping machine that could have been the raved product of the holiday if not for its myriad of availability issues. But those aside, it's a system that does what it set out to do: bring the 80s back into the fore with classic NES games.
That callback to the lovely gaming era, however, only constitutes 30 games that comes preloaded on the system. It's comparatively scant, for sure, given the breadth of exemplary titles churned out in that era. Hackers know this to be true, so one of them has come up with a way to expand that number.
NES Classic Edition Hack
A Russian hacker has successfully managed to add a total of 30 video games to the NES Classic Edition's stock library, putting them up on eBay for profit. The process behind the hacking is a wee bit complicated, although discussions over at this subreddit should at least equip one with the fundamentals.
NES Classic Edition Extra Games
Impressively, these games show up on the user interface like regular preloaded games, complete with their respective box arts, blending perfectly well with the whole theme. It's quite hard for the average onlooker to surmise that the system is actually hacked, as a result.
Here's the full list of games that the hacker was able to add by hacking the NES Classic Edition.
• Batman: The Video Game
• Batman Returns
• Battletoads
• Bionic Commando
• Blades of Steel
• Blaster Master
• Bucky O'Hare
• Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers
• Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers 2
• Darkwing Duck
• Dragon Warrior
• Dragon Warrior IV
• Duck Tales
• Duck Tales 2
• Hudson's Adventure Island
• Hudson's Adventure Island II
• Hudson's Adventure Island III
• Jackal
• Little Nemo - The Dream Master
• Mega Man
• Mega Man 3
• Mega Man 4
• Mega Man 5
• Mega Man 6
• Metal Gear
• R.C. Pro-Am
• River City Ransom
• Snake Rattle 'n' Roll
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II - The Arcade Game
NES Classic Edition Availability Issues
The NES Classic Edition is still quite difficult to locate nearly two months after its release. Several pundits say that Nintendo underestimated the demand for the system, with high chance that it didn't expect such an overwhelming fanfare for the nostalgic machine.
There's still no assurance whether Nintendo will ramp up production for the NES Classic Edition because of the dismal scarcity of the product. Some users have taken to other resellers to buy a unit, often at ridiculously inflated price points. As it stands, trying to purchase one from retail stores is almost a fool's errand, and many have fumed at Nintendo for its apparent lack of recourse. Expect due coverage when that shortage ends, or when more flash sales pop up.
The NES Classic Edition is available now — that is, if you manage to find one — for $60.
Have you managed to snag a NES Classic Edition? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
