In gaming, retro is in. So, it should not be surprising that Nintendo is relaunching the miniature NES classic. Trey Fondren, owner of FX Game Exchange in Plano, Texas says he thinks this old console is making a comeback primarily due to the nostalgia factor.
“The retro side of gaming is booming,” Fondren said. “It’s collectable.”
Fondren says he believes that the new NES Classic’s wireless controllers contribute significantly to the consoles appeal.
“The wires were short, and now you can sit on the couch rather than having to sit on the floor.”
The original NES launched in 1985 and the predecessor to the popular Nintendo 64, Game Cube and Nintendo Wii. By making a simple change like removing the wire from the console to controller, the NES is once again flying off shelves, completely selling out in a 2016 limited production test run.
While there are a few who will buy a few to resell on eBay or Amazon or 5Mile, the majority of buyers will be those nostalgic about playing Nintendo when they were kids, and who want to show their own kids what they used to do at their age. The fact that these are the likely buyers of the NES Classic is no doubt why it’s coming out with new wireless controllers.
Serious collectors and gamers may buy the relaunched version, but are also likely going to find their local retro game store and buy the original, or bring their old one into someplace like FX Game Exchange to get it repaired.
The kind of people who would buy a new NES Classic rather than an original are likely going to be “those who won’t walk into a retro game store,” but rather just fondly remember their years of gaming on the old Nintendo.
