Classic NES Series
Encyclopedia
The Classic NES Series in North America
(Famicom Mini Series in Japan
and NES Classics in Australia
and Europe
) are a series of Game Boy Advance
games that were originally released on the Nintendo Entertainment System
(the Family Computer and the Disk System in Japan) emulated on the Game Boy Advance. A special edition Game Boy Advance SP
, which has a similar color pattern to a NES controller (along with a Famicom counterpart in Japan), was released to go along with these games. The color of the cartridges match the color of the original NES carts.
All of these games were released to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Famicom in Japan.
In addition, Super Robot Taisen 2
was released as a promotional item alongside Super Robot Taisen GC
.
Box art for Europe was numbered as follows:
Box art for Europe was numbered as follows:
Some reviewers were annoyed that the Classic NES Series versions featured differences from the original. For example, Craig Harris complained that Xevious
had an automatic firing setting, which destroyed the difficulty of the original. Reviewers also complained about the lack of the pie/cement level in Donkey Kong (the pie level was in the arcade version, not the NES version, although reviewers still criticized it). In Super Mario Bros.
, the screen ratio aspect was altered, causing odd graphical appearances.
The prices of the Classic NES Series and previous rereleases were also criticized. Many reviewers noted that $20 was a high price for one game. Both GameSpot and IGN noted that Nintendo had given away The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
for free in the Collector's Edition bonus disc, although they conceded that the Classic NES Series version was portable. However, reviewers consistently hailed The Legend of Zelda as one of the games worth the cost of the cartridge.
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
(Famicom Mini Series in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and NES Classics in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
) are a series of Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
games that were originally released on the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
(the Family Computer and the Disk System in Japan) emulated on the Game Boy Advance. A special edition Game Boy Advance SP
Game Boy Advance SP
The , released in February 2003, is an upgraded version of Nintendo's Game Boy Advance. The "SP" in Game Boy Advance SP stands for Special. The SP was marketed at US$99.99 at launch. In September 2004, Nintendo lowered the price to US$79.99...
, which has a similar color pattern to a NES controller (along with a Famicom counterpart in Japan), was released to go along with these games. The color of the cartridges match the color of the original NES carts.
All of these games were released to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Famicom in Japan.
List of games
Series 1
Released on February 14, 2004:- Super Mario Bros.Super Mario Bros.is a 1985 platform video game developed by Nintendo, published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros. In Super Mario Bros., the player controls Mario as he travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Toadstool from the antagonist...
- Donkey KongDonkey Kong (video game)is an arcade game released by Nintendo in 1981. It is an early example of the platform game genre, as the gameplay focuses on maneuvering the main character across a series of platforms while dodging and jumping over obstacles. In the game, Jumpman must rescue a damsel in distress, Lady, from a...
- Ice ClimberIce Climberis a vertical platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for release on the Nintendo Famicom in Japan and the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in 1985...
- ExcitebikeExcitebikeis a motocross racing video game franchise made by Nintendo. It first debuted as a game for the Famicom in Japan in 1984 and as a launch title for the NES in 1985. It is the first game of the Excite series, succeeded by its direct sequel Excitebike 64, its spiritual successors Excite Truck and...
- Zelda no Densetsu 1 (The Legend of Zelda)
- Pac-ManPac-Manis an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the United States by Midway, first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day, Pac-Man is considered one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games,...
- XeviousXeviousis a vertical scrolling shooter arcade game by Namco, released in 1982. It was designed by Masanobu Endō. In the U.S., the game was manufactured and distributed by Atari. Xevious runs on Namco Galaga hardware. In Brazil the arcade cabinet was printed with the name 'COLUMBIA' for the game, while the...
- MappyMappyis a 1983 arcade game by Namco. In the United States, it was manufactured and distributed by Bally/Midway. Mappy is a side-scrolling platformer that features cartoon-like characters, primarily cats and mice. The game's main character itself is a mouse. Mappy runs on Namco Super Pac-Man hardware,...
- BombermanBombermanBomberman is a strategic, maze-based computer and video game franchise originally developed by Hudson Soft. The original game was published in 1983 and new games in the series are still being published to this day. Today, the commercially successful Bomberman is featured in over 70 different games...
- Star Soldier
Series 2
Released May 21, 2004:- Mario Bros.Mario Bros.is an arcade game published and developed by Nintendo in 1983. It was developed by Shigeru Miyamoto. It has been commonly featured as a minigame in the Super Mario Advance series and other games...
- Clu Clu LandClu Clu Landis an arcade and Nintendo Entertainment System game released in 1984 and was later released in North America on the Wii Virtual Console on September 1, 2008 and in Europe on March 6, 2009. The game was called Vs. Clu Clu Land in video arcades...
- Balloon FightBalloon Fightis a 1984 video game developed by Nintendo. The arcade version was released in 1984 and the Nintendo Entertainment System version was released in 1986. The gameplay is similar to the arcade game Joust by Williams Electronics.-Gameplay:...
- Wrecking CrewWrecking Crew (video game)is a action game developed and published by Nintendo. It was designed by Yoshio Sakamoto and released as a launch title for the Nintendo Entertainment System.-Gameplay:...
- Dr. MarioDr. Mario (video game)is an action puzzle game designed by Gunpei Yokoi and produced by Takahiro Harada. It was developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy consoles and released in 1990 and 1991....
- Dig DugDig Dugis an arcade game developed and published by Namco in Japan in 1982 for Namco Galaga hardware. It was later published outside of Japan by Atari. A popular game based on a simple concept, it was also released as a video game on many consoles.-Objective:...
- Takahashi Meijin no BōkenjimaAdventure Island (video game)Hudson's Adventure Island, also known simply as Adventure Island and released in Japan as , is a side-scrolling platform game produced by Hudson Soft that was first released in Japan for the Family Computer and MSX on September 12, 1986...
(Adventure Island) - MakaimuraGhosts 'n Goblinsis a 1985 platform game developed by Capcom for video arcades and has since been released on several other platforms. It is the first game in the Ghosts'n Goblins franchise.-Gameplay:...
(Ghosts 'n Goblins) - TwinBee (video game)Twinbee (video game)is a cartoon-themed vertical-scrolling shoot 'em up game originally released by Konami as a coin-operated video game in in Japan. It was the very first game to run on Konami's Bubble System hardware. TwinBee was ported to the Family Computer and MSX in and has been included in numerous...
- Ganbare Goemon! Karakuri DouchuuGanbare Goemon! Karakuri Douchuuis a video game produced by Konami. In English it is called "Mystical Ninja". It is the second game in the Ganbare Goemon series and the first released on a video game console and home computer. It was initially released for the Family Computer in 1986 and later released for the MSX 2 one year later...
Series 3
Released on August 10, 2004:- Super Mario Bros. 2Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, also known as Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, is a platforming video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Family Computer Disk System...
(Super Mario Bros.: the Lost Levels) - Nazo no Murasame Jō
- Metroid
- Palthena no KagamiKid IcarusKid Icarus, known as in Japan, is an action platform video game for the Famicom Disk System in Japan and the Nintendo Entertainment System in Europe and North America. The first entry in Nintendo's Kid Icarus series, it was published in Japan in December 1986, and in Europe and North America in...
(Kid Icarus) - Link no BōkenZelda II: The Adventure of LinkZelda II: The Adventure of Link, released as in Japan and often mistakenly called The Adventures of Link, is an action role-playing video game with platforming elements. The second installment in The Legend of Zelda series, it was developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment...
(Zelda II: The Adventure of Link) - Shin Oni Ga Shima
- Famicom Tantei Club: Kieta KōkeishaFamicom Tantei Club: Kieta Kōkeishais a text-based adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Family Computer Disk System on April 27, 1988 and June 14, 1988. The game was ported to the Game Boy Advance in the Famicom Mini series as a single cartridge in 2004, and became available on the Virtual Console in 2007 for...
- Famicom Tantei Club Part II: Ushiro ni Tatsu ShōjoFamicom Tantei Club Part II: Ushiro ni Tatsu Shōjois a text-based adventure game released by Nintendo in 1989 for the Family Computer Disk System. The original version was released in two discs in 1989, and the game was ported to the Super Famicom and the Game Boy Advance several years later...
- Akumajō DraculaCastlevania (video game)Castlevania, known as in Japan, is a console video game developed and published by Konami for the Family Computer Disk System in Japan in September 1986. A year later, in May 1987 it was ported to cartridge format and released in North America for the Nintendo Entertainment System followed by a...
(Castlevania) - Gachapon Senshi Scramble Wars (SD Gundam Wars: Gachapon Senshi Scramble Wars)
In addition, Super Robot Taisen 2
Super Robot Wars
is a series of tactical role-playing video games produced by Banpresto, which is now a Japanese division of Namco Bandai. The main feature of the franchise is having a story that crosses over several popular mecha anime, manga and video games, allowing characters and mecha from different titles to...
was released as a promotional item alongside Super Robot Taisen GC
Super Robot Wars GC
is the first and only Nintendo GameCube Super Robot Wars title. The basic premise of the game is that the plot, settings, characters, and other mechanics consist of essentially mixing and combining the like of Gundam, Mazinger, Getter Robo, Zettai Muteki Raijin-Oh, and many other mecha-based anime...
.
International release
The Famicom Mini Series was retitled to Classic NES Series in North America and NES Classics in Europe.Series 1
Series 1 was released in North America on June 7, 2004 and in Europe on July 9, 2004- BombermanBomberman (1983 game)is an arcade-style maze-based video game developed by Hudson Soft. It was first released in 1983 for the MSX, NEC PC-8801, NEC PC-6001, Sharp MZ-700 and FM-7 in Japan, and for the ZX Spectrum in Europe...
- Donkey KongDonkey Kong (video game)is an arcade game released by Nintendo in 1981. It is an early example of the platform game genre, as the gameplay focuses on maneuvering the main character across a series of platforms while dodging and jumping over obstacles. In the game, Jumpman must rescue a damsel in distress, Lady, from a...
- ExcitebikeExcitebikeis a motocross racing video game franchise made by Nintendo. It first debuted as a game for the Famicom in Japan in 1984 and as a launch title for the NES in 1985. It is the first game of the Excite series, succeeded by its direct sequel Excitebike 64, its spiritual successors Excite Truck and...
- Ice ClimberIce Climberis a vertical platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for release on the Nintendo Famicom in Japan and the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in 1985...
- The Legend of Zelda
- Pac-ManPac-Manis an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the United States by Midway, first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day, Pac-Man is considered one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games,...
- Super Mario Bros.Super Mario Bros.is a 1985 platform video game developed by Nintendo, published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros. In Super Mario Bros., the player controls Mario as he travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Toadstool from the antagonist...
- XeviousXeviousis a vertical scrolling shooter arcade game by Namco, released in 1982. It was designed by Masanobu Endō. In the U.S., the game was manufactured and distributed by Atari. Xevious runs on Namco Galaga hardware. In Brazil the arcade cabinet was printed with the name 'COLUMBIA' for the game, while the...
Box art for Europe was numbered as follows:
- 1. Super Mario Bros.
- 2. Donkey Kong
- 3. Ice Climber
- 4. Excitebike
- 5. The Legend of Zelda
- 6. Pac-Man
- 7. Xevious
- 8. Bomberman
Series 2
Series 2 was released in North America on October 25, 2004 and in Europe on January 7, 2005- CastlevaniaCastlevania (video game)Castlevania, known as in Japan, is a console video game developed and published by Konami for the Family Computer Disk System in Japan in September 1986. A year later, in May 1987 it was ported to cartridge format and released in North America for the Nintendo Entertainment System followed by a...
- Dr. MarioDr. Mario (video game)is an action puzzle game designed by Gunpei Yokoi and produced by Takahiro Harada. It was developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy consoles and released in 1990 and 1991....
- Metroid
- Zelda II: The Adventure of LinkZelda II: The Adventure of LinkZelda II: The Adventure of Link, released as in Japan and often mistakenly called The Adventures of Link, is an action role-playing video game with platforming elements. The second installment in The Legend of Zelda series, it was developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment...
Box art for Europe was numbered as follows:
- 9. Metroid
- 10. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
- 11. Dr. Mario
- 12. Castlevania
Comparison between the regions
- The Classic NES Series consists of 12 games, while the Famicom Mini Series consists of 30 games.
- Some highly popular games were left off the Classic NES Series. Some of these were released on the GBA in remade form, such as TetrisTetrisTetris is a puzzle video game originally designed and programmed by Alexey Pajitnov in the Soviet Union. It was released on June 6, 1984, while he was working for the Dorodnicyn Computing Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR in Moscow, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic...
(as Tetris WorldsTetris WorldsTetris Worlds is a version of the popular video game Tetris. Originally released in 2001 for PC and the GBA, it later was released for the Xbox, GameCube, and PlayStation 2 in 2002. In 2003, an Xbox Live capable and a single-disc compilation versions Tetris Worlds is a version of the popular video...
), Super Mario Bros. 2Super Mario Bros. 2Super Mario Bros. 2, often abbreviated SMB2, is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1985 game Super Mario Bros. The game was also remade as part of the Super Mario All-Stars collection for the Super Nintendo Entertainment...
(as Super Mario AdvanceSuper Mario AdvanceSuper Mario Advance is a series of four platform games released for the Game Boy Advance. The games were enhanced remakes of Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario World, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Super Mario Bros. 3 respectively...
), Super Mario Bros. 3Super Mario Bros. 3, also referred to as Super Mario 3 and SMB3, is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System , and is the third game in the Super Mario series. The game was released in Japan in 1988, in the United States in 1990, and in Europe in 1991...
(as Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3, released in Japan as , is a platform video game that was developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance handheld game console. It was first released in Japan, and then later released in Europe, North America, and Australia. It is an enhanced...
), and Kirby's AdventureKirby's AdventureKirby's Adventure, known as in Japan, is a platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. It was first released March 26, 1993 in Japan, and was later released in North America on May 1, 1993, and in Europe on...
(as Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land). - The Japanese release of Ice Climber features the seal Topis while the international copy reflects its remade characters including the yetiYetiThe Yeti or Abominable Snowman is an ape-like cryptid said to inhabit the Himalayan region of Nepal, and Tibet. The names Yeti and Meh-Teh are commonly used by the people indigenous to the region, and are part of their history and mythology...
Topis. - Mario Bros. was left off the Classic NES Series as a remake was already provided with each Super Mario Advance series game.
Reception
- BombermanBombermanBomberman is a strategic, maze-based computer and video game franchise originally developed by Hudson Soft. The original game was published in 1983 and new games in the series are still being published to this day. Today, the commercially successful Bomberman is featured in over 70 different games...
: Jeff Gerstmann complained that a Bomberman without multiplayer is "hardly a Bomberman at all." - MetroidMetroidis an action-adventure video game, and the first entry in the Metroid series. It was co-developed by Nintendo's Research and Development 1 division and Intelligent Systems, and was released in Japan in August 1986, in North America in August 1987, and in Europe in January 1988...
: Seen as redundant, since it was already included as an unlockable extra in the remake Metroid: Zero MissionMetroid: Zero Missionis an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo R&D1 for the Game Boy Advance handheld console. It was published by Nintendo in North America in February 2004, in Australia in March 2004, in Europe in April 2004, and in Japan in May 2004. It is the sixth installment of the Metroid series,...
as well as in Metroid PrimeMetroid PrimeMetroid Prime is a video game developed by Retro Studios and Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube, released in North America on November 17, 2002...
. - Pac-ManPac-Manis an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the United States by Midway, first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day, Pac-Man is considered one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games,...
: Previously released on Pac-Man CollectionPac-Man Collectionis a compilation of four Pac-Man games, released in 2001 and 2002 for the Game Boy Advance: Pac-Man, Pac-Mania and Pac-Man Arrangement, all ports of arcade games which follow the essence of classic Pac-Man gameplay; and Pac-Attack, a falling-block puzzle game originally released on the Sega Mega...
, which included Pac-Mania, Pac-Attack, and Pac-Man Arrangement. It was also released on the Namco Museum 50th Anniversary Edition, although the latter collections featured the arcade version rather than the NES version which was modified to fit a typical television screen. - ExcitebikeExcitebikeis a motocross racing video game franchise made by Nintendo. It first debuted as a game for the Famicom in Japan in 1984 and as a launch title for the NES in 1985. It is the first game of the Excite series, succeeded by its direct sequel Excitebike 64, its spiritual successors Excite Truck and...
, Donkey KongDonkey Kong (video game)is an arcade game released by Nintendo in 1981. It is an early example of the platform game genre, as the gameplay focuses on maneuvering the main character across a series of platforms while dodging and jumping over obstacles. In the game, Jumpman must rescue a damsel in distress, Lady, from a...
, and Ice ClimberIce Climberis a vertical platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for release on the Nintendo Famicom in Japan and the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in 1985...
have been previously released on the e-Reader at a fraction of the cartridge cost.
Some reviewers were annoyed that the Classic NES Series versions featured differences from the original. For example, Craig Harris complained that Xevious
Xevious
is a vertical scrolling shooter arcade game by Namco, released in 1982. It was designed by Masanobu Endō. In the U.S., the game was manufactured and distributed by Atari. Xevious runs on Namco Galaga hardware. In Brazil the arcade cabinet was printed with the name 'COLUMBIA' for the game, while the...
had an automatic firing setting, which destroyed the difficulty of the original. Reviewers also complained about the lack of the pie/cement level in Donkey Kong (the pie level was in the arcade version, not the NES version, although reviewers still criticized it). In Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros.
is a 1985 platform video game developed by Nintendo, published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros. In Super Mario Bros., the player controls Mario as he travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Toadstool from the antagonist...
, the screen ratio aspect was altered, causing odd graphical appearances.
The prices of the Classic NES Series and previous rereleases were also criticized. Many reviewers noted that $20 was a high price for one game. Both GameSpot and IGN noted that Nintendo had given away The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, released as in Japan and often mistakenly called The Adventures of Link, is an action role-playing video game with platforming elements. The second installment in The Legend of Zelda series, it was developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment...
for free in the Collector's Edition bonus disc, although they conceded that the Classic NES Series version was portable. However, reviewers consistently hailed The Legend of Zelda as one of the games worth the cost of the cartridge.