Japanese gaming giant Nintendo is treating us with nostalgia as it brings back its hit Game & Watch device in time for its 35th anniversary.
Nintendo gave us a preview of the device which is made to look like the 1980’s original except for a few modern styling like a colored LCD and a rechargeable battery via a USB Type-C connector.
The retro gaming device will offer three new games “Super Mario Bros.,” “Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels” and “Ball (the Mario version).”
This new collectible device is inspired by the original Game & Watch systems first released in 1980. The original handheld device included a game, and could also be used as a watch to tell time.
The original Game & Watch series was very popular in the 1980s that it sold more than 43 million devices worldwide.
The latest Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. will also feature a modern +Control Pad.
Nintendo also announced that in addition to playing classic games Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (released in Japan as Super Mario Bros. 2), and a special version of Ball with a Mario makeover, the new Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros.
It will also function as a clock with 35 little touches to discover, including some guest appearances from Mario’s friends and foes.
Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. will be released on Nov. 13 at a suggested retail price of $49.99.
Super Mario classic games also coming to Nintendo Switch
Earlier this month, Nintendo announced in a statement that is bringing three classic Super Mario video games from its beloved franchise to its hottest game console the Switch.
The Japanese firm has been looking to capitalize on the momentum for gaming during the coronavirus pandemic ahead of the holidays.
The announcement said the remastered versions Super Mario 3D titles coincide with the 35th anniversary of the series.
The three classic titles that are up for a return are 1996′s Super Mario 64, 2002′s Super Mario Sunshine, and 2007′s Super Mario Galaxy. The games will be bundled into a package Nintendo is calling Super Mario 3D All-Stars, and will be released for $59.99 on a “limited” basis from Sept. 18 until March 31, 2021.
Nintendo also debuted a bunch of other games, including a mixed-reality version of Mario Kart called Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit that lets users control physical RC cars from their Switch console, and Super Mario Bros. 35, a Mario-themed take on the battle royale genre popularized by Fortnite.
Digital game sales have shot up during the Covid-19 pandemic, accounting for 56% of Nintendo’s total software sales in the fiscal first quarter, CNBC reported.
Sony, meanwhile, said they made up a whopping 74% of games sold on its PlayStation 4 console in its latest quarterly results, the highest number on record.
The Japanese gaming company also reported a 428% climb in profits in its latest financial report, reflecting a continued rise in demand for video games as people looking for an escape during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Nintendo has also benefited from its Animal Crossing: New Horizons title, which blew up in popularity following its March 20 release and is already the second-bestselling title on the Switch.
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