NES Remix was recently announced at the Nintendo Direct press conference last week, and the surprise title was one of the most surprising announcements of the entire show. The game promised a look back at older gamer's classic, 8-bit NES library of games with remixed stages that changed the level layouts or even combine more than one of these classic titles for amazing effects. Even more surprising than the announcement of the game was that its release would be coming that same week. After spending quite some time with NES Remix, it's clear the game is really addictive and a good choice for a download this holiday season for players that just picked up a Nintendo Wii U for the holidays.
Gamers that have ever owned an original Nintendo Entertainment System will have undoubtedly tried many of the games included in NES Remix. There are 16 different games featured in the title that includes classics such as Ice Climbers and Donkey Kong and even more obscure titles like Wrecking Crew and Baseball. The full versions of the game are not included in the download, but many of the games featured streamlined versions of the game, so players get a good idea of what the full version of the games were like. NES Remix offers a great way to enjoy these old titles without the need to drag out a box of old cartridges or access emulators and roms, and it's well worth the price of admission to check out the games with all new features packed with the download.
Though there are 16 different games included in NES Remix, players will need to unlock most of the games by playing through various levels that are already unlocked. NES Remix features a scoring system that allows players to earn stars based on their performance in-game. Completing stages and collecting stars will allow players to unlock additional stages and games and later other content to use in Miiverse. Hidden objectives in each level determines the star rank the player gets upon completing the level and includes things such as beating the stage in a certain time limit or killing so many enemies in the process. Ultimately, a player is awarded from one to three stars or the best rank of rainbow stars, so the game packs a lot of replay value in order to get every stage in the game 100% completed.
Missions are varied in NES Remix. Many of The Legend of Zelda levels may be straightforward and only ask the player to clear a room of enemies or defeat a boss and pick up a piece of triforce in the adjacent room; however, a remixed level may have players performing a bizarre task such as playing a level of Donkey Kong as Link from The Legend of Zelda. Missions don't always fall in these categories though, and a game like Super Mario Bros. may require a player to speed run a level in one stage and then kill enemies with a power star in the next rather than attempting to complete an actual stage.
Then there are the crazier remix levels. NES Remix can quickly go from almost identical to the original release to something that is entirely different very quickly. A few memorable bonus stages include a Super Mario Bros. level that has a giant, invincible bullet bill traveling through the stage at random or a Wrecking Crew level where the stage is constantly being zoomed out and duplicated like a kalidascope. These bizarre stages are what sets NES Remix apart from any other game available for download or purchase and the biggest reason to pick up the new release for Nintendo Wii U.
In addition to unlocking new games and stages, players will eventually earn enough stars through playing NES Remix to unlock Miiverse stamps. This special content can be used with an Internet connection to create unique messages to share with other players online. The stamps feature 8-bit drawings inspired by the various games featured in NES Remix, and they work similar to emoticons in other messaging platforms to give players cool images to go with their text. There are a lot of stamps to unlock and use from the game, but it would've been nice if NES Remix also featured other standard online features such as leaderboards or any form of multiplayer.
After spending a lot of time with NES Remix, players can't help but wonder what is next for this new franchise. Nintendo knows when it has found a good idea, so it's only natural that more NES Remix editions would be on the way that could include some great games such as Castlevania, Contra or Metroid. The original NES has a massive library of games that could be included in another release, or Nintendo could even choose to create a SNES Remix if they wanted, and players would be sure to eat up the hypothetical release.
For as exciting as playing through NES Remix is, it isn't entirely without a few bumps in the road and hurdles to climb. The games featured in the new title are nearly 30 years old, and while most gamers can easily look past the 8-bit graphics of the time, it can quickly become infuriating to fail a classic level of a game because of less than preferable controls used in these aged games. Ice Climbers was one of the games that seemed to give us the most trouble when playing the game, especially when controlling two characters simultaneously. One saving grace is that players can effortlessly switch to a different game with new levels if one game ever begins getting too annoying. Most of the games featured in NES Remix are fun or, at the very least, presented in a way in which the game is made entertaining.
The presentation of NES Remix is one that should be the envy of any other video game collection in the future. A great set of new theme songs help compliment the classic soundtracks of the NES days, and colorful menus make playing through the levels of these golden age games feel fresh again. The entire game is played inside of a neat and shiny arcade cabinet, and the ease at which the game scores completed levels and switches between different levels keeps a fast pace that makes playing NES Remix very addictive. NES Remix features 200 challenges for players to complete across the 16 games featured in the downloadable title, so there is definitely a lot of content packed into the new release, and players can enjoy it all from their home television set or the comfort of any room in the house on the Nintendo Wii U gamepad.
CLOSING COMMENTS
NES Remix is a revolutionary way to play older gamers' favorite classic titles. The new release allows gamers to enjoy mini-game like levels from 8-bit gems, and though players will have to enjoy the good with the bad as pertains to these aged games, NES Remix is a overall fun experience that most Nintendo Wii U owners will want to pick up and play for themselves. The new title is charmingly addictive, and with so much content packed into the release, it will take many hours before most gamers will put down the gamepad when playing the game for the first time. For only $14.99, gamers can't find much better downloads on the Nintendo eShop for Wii U, and now is the perfect time to relive these classic gaming moments that made up the childhood holidays of so many gamers out there. Whether you're an old or younger gamer, download a copy of NES Remix exclusively for Nintendo Wii U today!
NES Remix is now available exclusively for Nintendo Wii U and can be purchased for $14.99. NES Remix is rated E by the ESRB for Mild Fantasy Violence. For more information on the game, check out the official NES Remix website
Game Features:
Single Player
Remix Classic NES Titles
Favorite Games Including Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda and Ice Climbers
Earn Stars and Unlock Additional Levels
Unlock Stamps and Other Wii U Content
Game Information:
Developer: Indies Zero
Publisher: Nintendo
Available exclusively for Nintendo Wii U (reviewed)
Release Date: December 18, 2013
Score: 7 out of 10
Pros:
Entertaining gameplay
Enjoy classic games on modern consoles
Charmingly addictive
Cons:
Less than preferable controls
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