Nintendo Switch Is Getting An Incredibly Rare Game From 35 Years Ago

Summary Nintendo Switch to release an updated version of a rare NES game for retro fans and newcomers alike.

The game collection includes challenges likely inspired by Nintendo classics.

The rarity of the original Nintendo World Championship 1990 Game Pak makes it a valuable collector's item.

A new version of one of the rarest games of all time is coming to the Nintendo Switch and it should hopefully appeal to retro fans and newcomers alike. Nintendo enthusiasts will undoubtedly remember a time when the company used to host the Nintendo World Championship, a tournament that saw competitors taking on a variety of different games based on popular releases to show off their skills with a controller. The Game Pak for the Nintendo World Championship 1990 event is considered the rarest NES game of all time but fortunately, a new version is on the way for Switch.

Per NintendoLife, an ESRB listing for a game titled Nintendo World Championship: NES Edition suggests that an updated version of the classic, which itself was based on modified, competitive versions of Super Mario Bros., Tetris, and Rad Racer is on the way. The description states that the collection consists of "2D challenges and platformer games in which players traverse through various modes" which include archetypes like "Speedrun" and "Survival." No images were included in the listing, so one has to imagine that Nintendo is still planning a formal announcement later in the year.

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What's NWC: NES Edition About?

A Collection Of Competitive Classics

Custom Image by Brad Lang

The description goes on to note that the challenges will require players to "reach specific points" while others will task them with defeating enemies to progress further into the tournament. Strangely enough, it also states that certain games "depict pixelated character using a small sword," suggesting that the NES Edition may be taking inspiration from more than the original collection of NWC titles. Whatever the case may be, an ESRB rating suggests that the game should be close to formally releasing but a specific launch date has yet to be confirmed.

The Nintendo World Championship 1990 Game Pak is infamous for its rarity given that the cartridges were made in very small quantities specifically for the competition. Copies were only provided to the ninety finalists who participated in the Championship, and they all sport a unique exposed DIP switch that can be set to determine how long players have to complete each of the included games. Given the scarcity of copies, World Championship 1990 cartridges have been known to sell for millions of dollars to collectors.

The Nintendo Switch is no stranger to retro games as the company has gone out of its way to make many of its classic titles available to play on the hybrid console. Users can subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online to gain access to a wealth of older titles pulled from generations like the NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, and even handhelds like the Game Boy, and Game Boy Advance. The eventual release of the Nintendo World Championship 1990: NES Edition should be an exciting day for those who value preservationism in the industry.

Source: NintendoLife