Nintendo NES Classic Mini Edition Release Date, Price, Launch Games; No Pre-Orders at GameStop

Oct 24, 2016 09:32 AM EDT

Nintendo has another console that is set to hit the market: the NES Classic Edition. Arriving in Japan, Europe and North America, the NES Classic Edition is basically a repackaged NES that will be able to hook up to Full HD displays via its HDMI cable, making the colors look far more vibrant than ever before compared to your 8-bit memories of Mario jumping around on a fat, chunky CRT. Of course, this is but a side distraction if you are more interested in the Nintendo Switch that is set for a March 2017 release.

Back to the NES Classic Edition. Pre-orders for this console has been made available -- although in pretty limited quantities over in PAL territories, those living in North America are worse off. In fact, we have learned that GameStop has confirmed that they will not be offering any kind of pre-orders for the NES Classic Edition. Those who are interested simply need to make a purchase in-store when the console arrives this November 11th. This decision was tweeted by GameStop, and it does not get any more official than that.

Despite having to pick up the NES Classic Edition from brick and mortar stores, demand for this updated blast from the past has certainly been encouraging. We consumers have absolutely no idea on whether this could be attributed to stock issues, or it is simply part of a devious marketing strategy that intends to bring interested parties to stores, where they will then be subtly “bombarded” by sales pitches for other items. With demand set to be pretty high, you might want to make the necessary preparations to pick up this revamped console lest it runs out of stock.

Fingers crossed that Nintendo will do its part to churn out enough consoles for the masses where the NES Classic Edition is concerned, taking into consideration how fans have been left high and dry in recent years where Nintendo’s limited edition systems are concerned -- and this also includes the release of new amiibo figures, among others.

Of course, if you are going to be carrying the NES Classic Edition with you wherever you go, then you might want to look into providing it with the right kind of protection. RDS Industries has already gotten on the case, pardon the pun, with their NES Classic Edition Carrying Case. The NES Classic Edition Carrying Case comes with a hard outer shell that will provide adequate protection against the usual knocks and brushes with the table or wall, and definitely against a case of butterfingers.

There is a soft foam insert inside the $19.99 NES Classic Edition Carrying Case to keep your spanking new console in pristine condition. Not only that, RDS Industries have decided to throw in enough space within the Carrying Case to have it fit a couple of controllers and the NES Classic Edition's AC adapter to boot. A mesh pocket ensures that HDMI and USB cables are also part of the mix. We do wonder whether the NES Classic Edition is going to be another platform for accessory manufacturers to print money.