Unofficial NES Nintendo World Championships cartridge replay successfully supported via Kickstarter, raising a total of £16,593 at the time of writing with an initial target of £8,452. This new ‘pro’ version celebrates the upcoming 35th anniversary of the 1990 World Cup, featuring both the original version of the cartridge and a new, more challenging pro version. The Pro version increases the weight considerably. Players will start in World 8-1 Super Mario Bros instead of World 1-1. Rad Racer starts at level 3 and Tetris starts at level 8. Additionally, time limits can be set from 5 to 15 minutes, allowing for a customizable experience.
But that nostalgia has a high price. The game’s purple cartridge is priced at $140 (£119), while the sold-out limited edition gold cartridge, signed by rival players Robin Mihara and Thor Aackerlund, costs a hefty $350 (£296). Although the Kickstarter campaign was successful, the question of its legality is raised. Given Nintendo’s history of protecting its intellectual property, there are concerns that the company could intervene, especially as it plans to release its own Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition on the Switch. One commenter asked about potential legal issues, but Mihara reassured supporters by noting, “Dozens of Nwc reproductions have been made that have not been shut down.”
“In 1990 they held one of the biggest gaming events in history, the NWC. Next year will be the 35th anniversary of the NWC. For this reason, we would like to create NWC 35th edition: a new developed NES pro version. The original game contains three games that have been specially modified for the competition. In the newly developed pro version, it will be more difficult to grab fifty coins in the first game. The track in the second game will be longer and more difficult. Last game starts at level 8. Time settings from 5 to almost 15 minutes for games.”
“Limited copies signed by Robin Mihara and Thor Aackerlund are available. The game features original artwork and will be handcrafted on a high quality PCB board.”
