Nintendo has never been afraid to be a little…quirky with their game releases. How else do you explain them releasing a Game & Watch handheld game set in this day and age, even one featuring Super Mario Bros.?

Nintendo's 2020 Game & Watch console.
There is retro, and there is this.

The Game & Watch handheld game sets are a series of consoles dating back all the way to 1980. The name derives from the fact that each console contains a single game and a digital clock, and that’s all you got. They were Nintendo’s first success story, and arguably what launched the company into the spotlight.

So I guess this release of a Super Mario Bros. version of the Game & Watch console is to commemorate that? Although, this year being the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. could be a factor too. It’d explain all the references to 35 in this console.

Nintendo: Replaying History with Super Mario Bros.

What you see is what you get.

There’s not much to tell about this Super Mario Bros. Game & Watch handheld Nintendo is offering. It just contains the original Super Mario Bros. game and a digital clock, and that’s it. Oh, the Super Mario Bros. game also includes The Lost Levels, and there’s apparently some kind of Mario-themed ball game, but that’s it for gaming. The digital clock for this Game & Watch handheld also has 35 different animations that can play in the background, but in the end, it’s still just a clock.

The Game & Watch console in clock mode.
Cute, but is it worth it?

The Game and Watch handheld is powered by a rechargeable battery good for 8 hours of gameplay so…whoopee?

All these features (what little there is) can be yours for the low, low price of $49.99. Yes, that’s right. You’re paying Nintendo $50 for 2 or 3 games and a digital clock. Well, if that’s what you really want, you can find this Game and Watch handheld console at various retailers:

Surprisingly, Best Buy and Walmart appear to be out of stock at the time of this writing. I guess these Game & Watch handhelds are lot more popular than I thought. You all might want to check back later if you want to get them specifically from those retailers. Otherwise, just go with Amazon and GameStop.

Conclusion

Nintendo’s release of a Super Mario Bros. version of their very classic Game & Watch handheld set is an example of the company’s general philosophy. While all the other big gaming industries are trying to push out the latest and greatest in gaming, Nintendo is just doing its own thing. And now you too, can own a limited-capability handheld console and clock for $49.99. If you want to, that is.

Source: Comic Book