Enough cannot be said about the ridiculously cool design work of Fernando Reza, a graphic artist from Los Angeles. Just taking a look at his site, you will notice a variety of posters and other illustrations on the subject of various movies, television shows, video games and everything else related to pop culture.

This particular set of Mario Propaganda illustrations highlights the patriotism being promoted to residents of the Mushroom Kingdom, mainly a call to action to fight the dangerous menace known as Mario. You will see Goombas, Bullet Bill, Boo and a variety of other Super Mario enemies portrayed as heroes as they continue to battle the evil mustachioed plumber.

King Koopa must have his hands full cranking the propaganda machine in order to keep the Mushroom Kingdom united against Mario. Reza’s work was also used within the popular First Person Goomba video that details the typical life span of a Goomba.

Check out the full set of Reza’s Mario Propaganda Posters below:

10 Amazing Mario Propaganda Posters

Launching in early August, LEGO has created a new building set that recreates the design of Nintendo’s original gaming console, the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System.

Clocking in at 2,646 LEGO pieces, the set includes a lifesize console with opening door, a Super Mario Bros cartridge that fits inside the LEGO console, and a NES gamepad with working buttons. Similar to the original NES, the cartridge slot pushes down into the machine to lock the game into place.

In addition, the build includes a retro, 1980’s style, mini-television on a small stand. The television has dials on the right side for changing the channel, switching between UHF & VHF, along with knobs for brightness and contrast control. There’s even an antenna on top.

After completing the build, you can turn the crank on the side of the television to move a vertical, treadmill-style rotating band that simulates Mario’s first level within the game.

Interestingly, the new set is also compatible with Mario figurine in the Adventures of Mario Starter Kit (also shipping in early August). If you plug that Bluetooth-enabled Mario figurine on top of the television, it will produce sound effects, visuals and music from the classic video game.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a LEGO set without a steep price tag to entry. The LEGO Super Mario Nintendo Entertainment Center will cost $229.99 when it launches on August 1. In addition, the LEGO Adventures of Mario Starter Kit will cost $59.99. The LEGO NES is rated for builders age 18 and up while the Starter kit is rated for ages 6 and older.

You can watch a video of the LEGO build below:

Shut Up and Take My Money: LEGO Nintendo Entertainment System

Looking to stock up on some Switch titles for yourself or a friend? We’ve looked through all the Black Friday ads and broken down where you can get the cheapest Nintendo Switch games this year.

We’ve split this list into the lowest price for each games that you will get at any retailer. Price buckets include $40, $30, $25, $20 and $15. The price you see for a game is the absolute low at any retailer. We’ve included links to each game at said retailer site below as well.

For the most part, Walmart and Target are dominating the competition. Best Buy isn’t great at the AAA titles, but does have a few exclusive bargains. Expect to see Amazon aggressively price matching this list leading into Black Friday.

The Lowest Price for these Switch Games: $39.99

• Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze: Best Buy – Target – Walmart
• Kirby Star Allies: Best Buy – Target – Walmart
• Octopath Traveler: Best Buy – Target – Walmart
• Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus: Best Buy – Target – Walmart

The Lowest Price for these Switch Games: $29.99

• Mario Tennis Aces: Target – Walmart
• NBA 2K20: Target
• Resident Evil Origins Collection: Walmart
• Splatoon 2: Walmart
• Super Mario Odyssey: Target – Walmart
• Super Mario Party: Walmart
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: Target – Walmart

The Lowest Price for these Switch Games: $24.99

• Dead by Daylight: Best Buy
• Diablo III: Eternal Collection: Best Buy – Walmart
• Final Fantasy X | X-2: Walmart
• Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age: Best Buy – Walmart
• Just Dance 2020: Target – Walmart
• Mortal Kombat 11: Walmart
• Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch: Best Buy
• Overwatch: Legendary Edition: Best Buy – Target – Walmart
• Spyro Reignited Trilogy: Best Buy – Target – Walmart
• Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD: Target
• Undertale: Best Buy
• Zombieland: Double Tap: Walmart

The Lowest Price for these Switch Games: $19.99

• American Ninja Warrior: Walmart
• Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night: Best Buy
• Collection of Mana: Best Buy
• Contra Rogue Corps: Best Buy
• Enter the Gungeon: Best Buy
• Friday the 13th: Best Buy – Walmart
• LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2: Best Buy
• LEGO The Incredibles: Best Buy
• Paw Patrol On a Roll: Walmart
• Poké Ball Plus: Best Buy – Target – Walmart
• Rocket League Ultimate Edition: Best Buy
• Saints Row: The Third – The Full Package: Best Buy
• Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Best Buy
• Team Sonic Racing: Best Buy – Walmart
• Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair: Best Buy

The Lowest Price for these Switch Games: $14.99

• Aladdin & The Lion King: Target
• Assassin’s Creed III: Best Buy – Walmart
• Carnival Games: Walmart
• Crash Bandicoot N’Sane Trilogy: Target
• Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled: Target
• Killer Queen Black.: Target
• LEGO DC Super-Villains: Walmart
• LEGO Harry Potter Collection: Walmart
• LEGO Jurassic World: Walmart
• Mario & Rabbids Kingdom Battle: Best Buy – Target
• Overcooked! 2: Target
• Rayman Legends Definitive Edition: Best Buy
• Scribblenauts Mega Pack: Best Buy
• The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame: Walmart
• Trials Rising: Walmart

Here’s the cheapest Nintendo Switch Games on Black Friday 2019

Shopping for a Nintendo Switch this year? We’ve looked through all the Black Friday ads and broken down where you can get the cheapest Nintendo Switch bundle, the best overall Switch deal and the cheapest deal on additional Switch Joy-Cons (as well as advice on the Switch Lite).

Best Price on a Nintendo Switch Bundle w/ game: $299.99 + $25 Gift Coupon

This bundle was specifically rolled out for the major retailers to sell on Black Friday. It includes a digital copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe ($60 MSRP) and is available with the grey joy-cons or the red/blue colors. The best deal will be Thursday through Sunday at GameStop. Their bundle includes a $25 gift coupon as a bonus.

A word of warning on this bundle: Nintendo is clearing out inventory of the older version of the Switch using this bundle, which means you will get about 2.5 to 6.5 hours of battery life versus 4.5 to 9 hours on the new HAC-001(-01) model that came out during September. You will be able to find this bundle at retailers such as:

• GameStop: Not Listed on Site Yet (Bonus $25 Gift Coupon)
• Best Buy: LINK (comes with free screen protector as a bonus)
• Target: LINK
• Walmart: LINK

Best Deal on a Nintendo Switch Bundle: $319.99 + $90 Kohl’s Cash

This bundle doesn’t come with any games, but it does include a carrying case for the Switch (ideal for mobile users) as well as separate charging dock for the joy-cons. Those two additional items would typically run about $40 together.

Of course, the real bonus here is the Kohl’s Cash. Hypothetically, you could use it to pick up a couple new Switch games with the gift card, effectively increasing the value of the overall bundle.

• Kohl’s: Not listed on site yet. Online deals will start to appear at 12:01 CT on Monday Nov 25.

Best Deal on a Nintendo Switch Lite: $199 + $25 GC

Several of the major retailers are listing the Nintendo Switch Lite at full MSRP, no bundles available. However, Gamestop will be offering a bonus $25 Gift Coupon with a purchase of a Switch Lite.

In addition,, Kohl’s is currently listing a couple Switch Lite bundles (example), which would include $60 to $75 worth of Kohl’s cash. Not too shabby!  Online, we’ve already seen sales as cheap as $170 using 15% coupons on sites like Rakuten.  Our advice would be to look for any late arriving online bundles on sites like Amazon or simply snag a coupon discount on sites like eBay, Rakuten when available.

• GameStop: LINK

Best Deal on Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons

It’s always good to have a backup set of controllers available and having an additional set makes it easy for friends to join in on multiplayer games like Mario Party.

There are two retailers that have announced they will be discounting the official joy-cons this year, Best Buy and Target. Pricing is identical, a $20 discount on most models. If you are looking for more of a traditional controller, Wal-mart is discounting some $45 controllers down to $29.

• Best Buy: LINK
• Target: LINK
• Walmart: LINK

Here’s the cheapest Nintendo Switch on Black Friday 2019

Whether it was the novelty of the NES Classic console that caused this or how Nintendo continued and elevated the quality into the SNES Classic, the nostalgia video game console market has transformed from an experiment into a genuine product marketplace.  Sure, there was some expectation that an officially released, small-scale retro console loaded up with popular old-school games might do well, but the scarcity of both Nintendo’s little devices upon release proves how even that was underestimated.  Since, the other companies have come to the realization that they’d like a piece of that market as well, and now we’ve got a full-on “Nostalgia Game Console” market.

Nintendo may or may not have plans for other consoles in the future — *cough* N64 Classic *cough* — but this year they aren’t getting involved with the mini console market, instead letting the other companies fight it out with their own releases.  Along with that, other companies have realized the potential for tapping into nostalgia as well, so now we’re getting other higher-quality spins on retro video game devices that aren’t necessarily home consoles.  This may be the renaissance of retro, so let’s live in the moment. Below, we’re going to explore what 2019 had in store for this new niche, what’s worth the scramble over the holiday season and, perhaps, at what price.

While, yes, it’s hard to argue with the fond memories of little red plumbers flattening turtles and dogs chuckling after ducks get shot at, the evolution into the next line of consoles proved to be the real genesis point for the rise in home video gaming. Sure, earlier units did many of the same things, but this batch of Nintendo and SEGA systems for the 16-bit era did ‘em far, far better, tapping into the potential of graphics, storytelling, and multiplayer competition.  Whether you belonged to one console fanbase or the other was a big deal, and sometimes it boiled down to more than personal preference. Regardless, however, the capability of the SEGA Genesis to compete as well as it did with the House of Mario was impressive, resulting in one of the most enjoyable systems ever created.

Perhaps more than other companies, SEGA has offered compilations of their games on disc format for many later generations of systems, yet there’s something particularly iconic about the shape and presence of the top-loaded, jet black Genesis system. Because of that, it’s hard to deny the appeal of the Genesis Mini system, a perfectly scaled-down duplication.  It isn’t just a copy-paste of the same old games, though: yeah, you’re getting Sonic and Altered Beast and Streets of Rage again, but you’re also getting some deeper cuts as well, from Ecco the Dolphin and Earthworm Jim to the lesser-known fighting game Eternal Champions.  The interface options are awesome in how they allow for numerous sorting and display functions, and it comes with a few visual tweak options, adding in scan lines and adjusting aspect ratio. Down to the pair of hefty 3-button controllers included, this is a retro console done right.

This retro mini comes with some flaws and caveats, but it deserves to be viewed a little differently this year. Enthusiasm quickly mounted upon the announcement of a small-scale PS1 sourced directly from Sony, as there’s a wealth of potential for the titles that could be released within the compact rendering of the iconic console. Unlike its Nintendo predecessors, this one could also have a slate of more mature-leaning games, from survival horror titles to in-depth RPGs and the original stealth experiences from Hideo Kojima.  Add to that the expectation that the PS Classic would want to rival Nintendo’s consoles in quality and stability, and you had the making of a real competitor.  Then, the details started coming out: no thumbsticks, no dualshock, and restrictions on the included titles as a result.

For $100, the PlayStation Classic didn’t meet expectations … but as the price has tumbled since release, settling in the $30-40 range, the positives of the unit have grown far more appealing. There is some hardcore nostalgia to be gleaned from the fact that it’s a direct replication of the state in which the system was originally released, which was without those modern bells-‘n-whistles that would later exemplify it.  While it’s missing notable heavy hitters — no Tomb Raider, no Silent Hill, no FF: Tactics — it does come with both some desirable familiar titles and some deep cuts. Final Fantasy VII and Resident Evil: Director’s Cut are expected yet welcome, while Revelations: Persona and Intelligent Qube delve deeper into its unique catalog.

Do you prefer your retro experiences to be more about function or aesthetics? It’s a relevant question, as part of the appeal of most of the mini systems lies in how they’re shrunken representations of their original builds. One of the most unique things about the Neo Geo home gaming system was its build, in that it was available both as a standard top-loading console and as a multi-slot full arcade cabinet typically reserved for commercial use. Previously, if someone wanted to have some of the Neo Geo catalog crammed into one unit, they could purchase the Neo Geo X: it contains a limited, yet robust selection of 20 titles from several of the format’s primary franchises, fit within a PSP-like portable device that could also be run to a TV.  What SNK have done with this Neo Geo Mini, however, is captured the experience of owning one of the cabinets in, yes, a shrunken-down format.

At less than 9 inches tall and still equipped with a fully functional joystick on the front, the Neo Geo Mini clearly aims for the novelty approach.  A 3.5” LCD screen displays the games in their original glory, contained within the nifty replication of the arcade cabinet positioned just high enough above the joystick for full visibility. An HDMI port and controller jacks – controllers sold separately — can transform it into a standard Neo Geo unit playable on the TV, though, and it comes equipped with 40 titles across its history, including installments from the Metal Slug, Fatal Fury, and Samurai Showdown franchises. While you’ll have to check out the list of games to see if the right ones are there, as it isn’t comprehensive, there’s a whole lot to battle through in this compact device.

So, what’s the status of these bad boys nowadays?  For a while, people were still spotting them randomly at Targets and GameStops and such for their asking price, but that time seems to have ended.  Across most online and brick-and-mortar retailers, both have become scarce commodities; you can still find them for not-so absurd amounts through third-party avenues on Amazon, but they’re almost certainly going to be above retail.  At this point, the physical media or downloadable alternatives are probably worth considering above hunting the minis down; however, bear in mind that Star Fox 2 remains a SNES Classic exclusive, so there’s something special to pursue with that one.

And now for something completely different. Something that runs against pretty much everything that the previously mentioned mini consoles are hoping to achieve, but taps into as much, perhaps even more good feels from the past. While standard arcade cabinets can get very pricy, someone has found a way to bring the stick-clacking, button-mashing feel of that experience to the home in a cost-efficient way: Arcade1UP’s at-home machines. Just be prepared to do some light assembly if the plan’s to give one as a gift.

Available in brick and mortar stores (like Walmart) and online, the options currently come in a nice handful of flavors: Pac-Man, Street Fighter, Golden Tee, several compilations, and as of this year Mortal Kombat.  These are smaller in scale, sit low out of the box, and need to be assembled; however, they’ve received numerous positive reviews for the build quality and accuracy of the titles once they’re together. In the case of Mortal Kombat, it comes with the first three entries in the franchise, notably the “ultimate” version of MKIII. From control responsiveness to build sturdiness and screen vividness, these cabinets pack a punch in a small body.  Note: booster platforms can be purchased separately.

2019 Gift Guide: Nostalgic Classic Video Game Consoles

Last year, as I mentioned in our Hardware Gift Guide, it wasn’t the easiest experience to simply go out and pick up the latest Xbox or PlayStation console over the holiday season, as the variety of models had saturated the shopping experience.  Pros and cons of all the systems – including monetary investment and the newness of premium consoles – made it difficult to choose, even for the ardent gamers out there.   However, the past year has brought more focus toward what’s worth the investment and what’s not, particularly in terms of Xbox’s newest iteration of the Xbox One: a $500 machine, the Xbox One X (click here for our review) that has justified the extra dollars spent with proven elevation in gaming performance and media functionality.

With that said, this year has also proven to be lopsided in terms of the quality of exclusive titles, heavily in Sony’s favor. Between a return – well, a rebooted return — to a popular mythical franchise from the heyday of the PS2 era to a well-executed, endlessly enjoyable portrayal of a beloved superhero and his swinging across New York, there’s no disputing the popularity of the games that could only be played on the PS4 this time around. While the Xbox One plows away at backwards compatibility and offering the technically superior way to enjoy cross-platform releases, the PS4 has substantial gaming tricks up its sleeve that Microsoft cannot deliver, making the decision between Option A and Option B tough as always.

Below, this guide will attempt to bring a little more focus onto which systems might be best to pick up over the holidays for both veteran and new gamers, either as the prized gift for a loved one or as the best usage of one’s giftcard funds.  Remember to also check out Bens’ Bargains Software Gift Guide to see which games not offered in bundles would best pair with any of the below systems.

For Those Gearing Up for 4K Warfare, Gift This.

Xbox One X 1TB Gears 5 Bundle

Pros: 4K Gaming/Media, Backwards Compatibility, Gears 5 Included | MSRP: $399

Click Here to Buy on Amazon Or Search Ben’s for Xbox One X Deals

As I mentioned in our software guide, Gears of War has sustained a reputation as one of the leading exclusive properties for the Xbox, turning into one of the big system sellers for the 360. While other entries in the series have been released on the One to mostly positive but mixed receptions, Gears 5 seems to be the one that’s designed to evolve the franchise for a new era. Whether it’s for newcomers to the franchise or those that have fondness of it for generations past, this Xbox One X bundle will be a wonderful way to enter the fray.

Several years have passed since the release of Microsoft’s juiced-up version of the One, and the years since then have further cemented its position in the market as the versatile machine of the bunch. It still bests the competition as a media device by coming preloaded with a 4K Blu-ray player, which has been tightened in functionality since its initial buggy release.  More graphically impressive titles continue to come out bearing the “Xbox One X Enhanced” label as well, and while the output has slowed down for the backwards compatibility feature, the catalog now stands as a length roster titles across several platforms for lots of legacy gaming. Having the entire Gears of War remastered catalog included with a stylishly designed Gears-themed Xbox One X for $400 bucks … well, it warms the heart.

For Those Wanting to Answer that Call of Duty, Gift This.

Being completely honest here? There aren’t many video game gifts better than this bundle. Now, that isn’t a comment on the quality of the latest Call of Duty: Modern Warfare itself; it has received strong, if reserved praise as well as some controversy about the brutal realism depicted in it. However, objectively and on the surface, it’s tough to find a more reliable complete package to wrap up and give somebody than a state-of-the-art PlayStation with the latest COD included, loaded and ready just as soon as it’s plugged in and set up.

Are there any extra goodies packs with this PS4 Pro bundle? Negative.  It comes in the standard all-black iteration of the 1TB console, the ergonomic and highly lauded PS4 controller, the standard components of the system, and Call of Duty.  That’s it, and that’s all it needs at the $400 price point, as it’s a fine-tuned 4K gaming machine; note, however, that it still doesn’t come with Blu-ray media playback. The Spider-Man bundle from last year comes close to being a “better” package, and I still wholeheartedly recommend grabbing that one if possible, but these bundles have a tendency of selling out pretty quick due to the intrinsic value built into ‘em.  Definitely set sights on this one.

For Those Who Need Just the Essentials to Explore, Gift This.

Last year, I recommended grabbing the Fallout 76 bundle for the Xbox One X because it was a convenient, marginally more cost-efficient way to give Bethesda’s online open-world game a chance. Similar logic applies to this bundle, though this year we’re talking about the Xbox One S and BioWare’s newest game, Anthem. Since its release, much like Fallout 76, this game has gotten a beating for its loot issues and perceived monotony of missions, though others have spoken up about it being a better sci-fi loot shooter than it gets credit for. Microsoft gives players the opportunity to dive into BioWare’s world with this budget-minded bundle of their Xbox One S system.

The longer the Xbox One X remains on the market, the more the S model moves further away from the spotlight, and that’s a shame.  It may have been a gap-bridging version of the console, but it made a number of reputable, welcome tweaks to the original clunky Xbox One, from its general size and power supply placement to the inclusion of 4K UltraHD disc playback; it can upscale games to 4K resolution but cannot process them as such natively. At $250, the system itself remains one of the best values for the buck in the gaming spectrum, and the inclusion of Anthem elevates that value.

For Those Who Like Portable Consoles in One Package, Gift This.

By now, everybody understands the novelty and popularity of the Switch, to the point where you can just — *gasp* — walk into stores and buy them whenever you want now. Part of the appeal of Nintendo’s latest system lies in its portability, but it’s also within the versatility of the system, in that it can either be a fully transportable unit or set up in one’s living room as the main gaming console. A dedicated mobile gaming system has become a tricky area in the realm of tablets and mobile phones that can simply play high-resolution games, but if anyone can nail it, it’d be Nintendo.  So, of course they’ve made an attempt with the Nintendo Switch Lite: a fully-functional Switch + screen that isn’t convertible.

The experience one gets from traveling with their Switch has been fully duplicated with the Lite: so long as the game has the requisite handheld mode, it can be played here either digitally or by cartridge. That’s the vast majority of games available, which of course includes titles like Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey to Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, even though the portable format may not be the most ideal way to play ‘em.  What makes this desirable above a regular Switch, outside the price difference? It’s lighter, more streamlined, and less clunky than its multi-component counterpart, and doesn’t sacrifice the quality of screen or resolution by scaling down about an inch. This is clearly the move that hopes to nudge the 3DS out of the way for Nintendo’s portable slate, and it just might happen.

For Those Who Dig a Little Character In Their Controller, Gift This.

Several years ago, I mentioned the Xbox Design Lab as a gift option when the customize-your-own controller service was in its infancy.  Even when it only features an array of color options, it made for a great way to personalize one’s own gear or give the gamer in your life something personalized; the engraving option’s a nice touch, too. Several years later, Microsoft’s still at it with their Design Lab, only they’ve brought in several other options that might be worth another look, perhaps if simply selecting different colors wasn’t enough customization for some in its early stages.

While you can’t go wild with a bunch of different patterns, Microsoft has opened their signature geometric camouflage and color-fade umbra designs, each available in five different color options. From there, the variety hinges on what colors you’d like to make the buttons, triggers, and battery chassis; while there are plenty of (the same) color options for the elements that can be a variety of colors, the core ABXY and menu buttons remain the same monochrome-ish options. And if you want to show team spirit, there’s a (somewhat hidden) option to select from a series of NFL logos that will be placed in large fashion on the face of a white controller.

For That Player Running Low On Hard-Drive Space, Gift These.

As consoles get more advanced, the games they run take up even more digital space with their installations, updates, and downloadable content. Base models of this generation’s consoles – some at 500GB, but most now getting to 1TB of space – can’t store very many games, which throws a conundrum at owners: should they upgrade their systems to newer ones with bigger hard-drives, or upgrade their storage solutions?

Thankfully, it’s a fairly easy problem to solve on both consoles, as the Xbox One supports external USB hard-drives and the PS4’s internal hard-drive can be swapped out. Seagate has affordable, compatible options for both, with each of their 2GB varieties priced at around $85.

For Online Players and Freebie/Deal Hunters, Gift These.

Xbox Live 12 Month / PlayStation Plus 12 Month

Pros: Free Monthly Games, Weekly Exclusive Deals, Online Gaming Access | MSRP: $59

XBLA 12 Month on Amazon PSN 12 Month on Amazon

While the primary reason for purchasing subscriptions to either PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live used to boil down to having access to online gaming, both companies have taken strides to make their paid memberships really worth the monthly, quarterly, or yearly investments.

Weekly exclusive deals on a variety of digital games can be nice, of course, but how they’ve upped their value games can be found in the monthly free game offerings (regularly covered here at The Checkout), which range from quirky indies and day-one releases to the occasional high-profile title. And in the case for Xbox, their 360 offerings are routinely backwards compatible on the newer console, too, bringing Xbox One owners up to four available freebies per month.

For Switch Users Who Want Nostalgia and Functionality, Gift This.

PowerA Wireless Gamecube Controller for Nintendo Switch

Pros: Duh, a Wireless Gamecube Controller; Motion Controls; Officially Licensed | MSRP: $35-50

Click Here to Buy at Amazon Or, Y’know, Grab Nintendo’s Pro Instead

So, the $60 price tag for Nintendo’s Pro controller seems intimidating, especially for a regular old black controller without much personality.  It seems too … smooth, regular, indistinctive, and perhaps that conjures memories of gaming sessions past. Obviously, one of the controllers on the other side of that spectrum would be Nintendo’s very own Gamecube controller: y’know, the funky-shaped one with buttons in all sorts of weird areas, yet positioned in such a way that managed to be both comfortable and near-perfect in responsiveness.  PowerA remembers, and hopes to take players back to that time with their Switch Gamecube Wireless controller, at nearly half the price of Nintendo’s primo device.

An officially licensed replica bearing the Switch logo, this wireless controller mimics the wired Gamecube controller in just about every way, with some additional buttons and features to bring it closer to the functionality of Nintendo’s official offering.  While there isn’t any vibration or Amiibo interactivity, it does – perhaps surprisingly — include motion control reactivity for the games that require or benefit from it.  Moreover, PowerA have increased the size of the D-pad in an effort to boost responsivity, and the thumbsticks both click downward for use with other Switch games. Smash Bros. aficionados will have preferences in feel, but as a general Pro controller alternative, it’s a winner.

2019 Gift Guide: Video Game Hardware and Accessories

Announced this week for a September 20 launch date, the Nintendo Switch Lite is a less expensive version of the popular Nintendo Switch that sacrifices size and TV docking for a reduction in MSRP.

Starting at $199 (as opposed to the $299 price point of the full-sized Switch), the Switch Lite screen size is 5.5-inches rather than 6.2-inches and the controllers on the left & right side of the screen are not detachable.

On the positive side, the battery life is supposedly more robust than the original Switch. The Switch Lite will last three to seven hours, depending on the game. That’s 30 minutes longer than the original and Nintendo claims players will get 4 hours of Zelda on the Switch Lite as opposed to three hours.

The resolution on the 5.5-inch screen is identical to the original, 720p. That may end up looking sharper than the original model, the same number of pixels packed into a smaller space. Nintendo ditched the four-button d-pad on the left controller for a more traditional d-pad.

Unlike the OG Switch, you won’t be able to connect the Switch Lite to a dock and play games on your HDTV. While you will be able to connect a Switch Pro controller or other joy-cons controllers to the Switch Lite, you will need to look for other ways to charge the controllers.

It will be available on September 20 in three colors (yellow, gray, and turquoise) for a MSRP of $199.99. There will also be a special edition (seen below) for the release of Pokémon Shield and Sword on November 8.  Check the launch video / pictures below for more information as well as Ben’s Buying Advice:

Ben’s Buying Advice

Deals on the original Nintendo Switch have fallen as low as $240 in the last 12 months with a typical discount in the 15% range. More bundles have appeared as well, usually including extras like 12-months of Nintendo Online or a bonus game.

Discounts on the Nintendo Switch Lite will likely be difficult to find during the first six months post-release. Look for store-wide coupons in November (related to Black Friday sales) that could reduce the price up to 10%. After the first six months, expect to see discounts similar to the sale price on the Nintendo 3DS XL, likely in the $175 price range.

Shut Up and Take My Money: Nintendo Switch Lite

Following up on the rampant success of the NES Classic, Nintendo is probably going to drive consumers crazy again trying to find the SNES Classic on store shelves at the end of September.

Outfitted with more than 20 games, the SNES Classic will launch on September 29th for a retail price of $79.99.

Interestingly, Nintendo is actually including a game that was never released for the SNES, Star Fox 2. While it was released for the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation, Nintendo held back on the release of Star Fox 2 due to the fear that it wouldn’t look as good on the SNES system, despite the first game selling well for Nintendo.

The entire list of games for the new SNES Classic include:

• Contra III: The Alien Wars
• Donkey Kong Country
• EarthBound
• Final Fantasy III
• F-ZERO
• Kirby Super Star
• Kirby’s Dream Course
• The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
• Mega Man X
• Secret of Mana
• Star Fox
• Star Fox 2
• Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting
• Super Castlevania IV
• Super Ghouls ’n Ghosts
• Super Mario Kart
• Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
• Super Mario World
• Super Metroid
• Super Punch-Out!!
• Yoshi’s Island

Similar to the NES Classic, the SNES Classic will come with a HDMI port to allow players to hook the system up to new televisions. It’s also likely that the SNES Classic will be in high demand this holiday season. We recommend pre-ordering the system when available. The NES Classic, which has been discontinued, was difficult to find during the holiday season and often sold for 5x the price on eBay.

You can check out more pictures of the SNES Classic below:

Shut Up and Take My Money: Nintendo SNES Classic

If you believe in conspiracy theories, Nintendo is at the forefront of an intriguing one: Why is Nintendo discontinuing the NES Classic Edition?

The NES Classic Edition is gaming console that includes 30 preloaded Nintendo games. These are classic games from the early days of Nintendo, including Super Mario Bros., Tecmo Bowl, and Donkey Kong. The classic console has been in high demand since its release in 2016.

It was extremely tough to find any NES Classic Edition models for sale through retailers around last holiday season. Availability didn’t improve much in the months after the holidays.

After selling 1.5 million of these consoles, Nintendo announced it would stop selling them in North America as of early May. Understandably, those who were still waiting to find an NES Classic Edition at a retailer — and not wanting to pay huge markup prices on the secondary market — were extremely disappointed and questioning the decision. And nothing sparks conspiracy theories like decisions that don’t seem to make sense at first glance.

So we’ve scoured the Internet and collected the five most interesting theories about why Nintendo is discontinuing the NES Classic Edition. Pick your favorite conspiracy theory and then spread it on social media as far and wide as you can!

1. Placing the Focus on Switch

Nintendo released its latest gaming console, the Nintendo Switch, in March. It has been a popular option thus far. In its first two months of sales, Nintendo announced it had sold more than 900,000 Switch consoles in North America.

So the theory says Nintendo planned all along to stop offering NES Classic at the same time it introduced Switch, hoping to use NES Classic only to generate buzz for the company by the time of Switch’s debut, because the Switch was appearing at an odd time of the year. And the theory says Nintendo didn’t want competing systems on the market together.

2. Releasing a Virtual Console on Switch

One of the more popular conspiracy theory says Nintendo plans to use the popularity of the NES Classic Edition to increase sales of Switch. Nintendo may release a Virtual Console for Switch — perhaps around the holidays — that would allow you to play old Nintendo games on Switch. Those who couldn’t find an NES Classic Edition to buy may be willing to buy a Switch to obtain access to the old games, allowing Nintendo to introduce those interested in classic games to the new games on the Switch, and vice versa.

Nintendo hasn’t had much luck in creating Virtual Consoles in the past though, meaning the company would need to take a big step forward to make this theory become reality.

3. Misjudging NES Classic’s Popularity

This isn’t much of a conspiracy theory, but it says Nintendo simply misjudged how popular the NES Classic Edition would be. Rather than trying to ramp production and potentially overcompensate and compete with Switch, Nintendo just decided to let the console fade away.

This theory makes some sense, as NES Classic Edition’s launch was plagued with scarcity issues from the beginning. Some product shortages can help drive demand, but, at some point, if the product shortages are too great, it costs the company profits.

4. Keeping Them Wanting More

Looking from the outside, it appears Nintendo has little to no idea that people love the company’s old graphics and old games. Instead, the conspiracy theory says Nintendo knows exactly how popular these games are, and it will use the product scarcity to generate demand and to set up similar future products that will have a higher price point.

People who were unable to purchase an NES Classic Edition this time may be willing to spend even more if the company releases another retro console down the road. Like the old saying in show business, always keep them wanting more!

5. Hacking Ruined It for the Rest of Us

Hackers jumped on the NES Classic Edition soon after its introduction, releasing code to allow purchasers to download and add games to it illegally. The theory says such hacking caused Nintendo to curtail production in an attempt to figure out how to regain control of the product.

Perhaps Nintendo had spent several weeks attempting to block the hacking, eventually choosing to give up and just stop selling the unit. If another classic console is released in the future, Nintendo likely will take greater steps to reduce the possibility of hacking.

Bottom Line: It’s Now Officially a Sellers Market

Regardless of exactly why Nintendo decided now was a good time to stop selling the classic console in North America, it did. And we as customers suffer the consequences.

If you thought it was tough to obtain an NES Classic Edition before, just wait. Customers were still holding out hope a few months ago that their local retailer or Amazon might receive a shipment of the consoles. They waited to buy, hoping to make a purchase at retail price. Now though? The secondary market just received a whole new set of potential buyers and the high prices increased even more.

It was a sellers market for NES Classic Edition consoles before this announcement. Now it’s a sellers market times 10. And no conspiracy theory can fix that problem.

Why, oh Why, Is Nintendo Discontinuing the NES Classic Edition?

If you’ve been tempted to visit Pinterest and look for cool ideas for recycling old gaming cartridges, don’t do it quite yet. (Although we have to say we’re fond of the DIY Nintendo cartridge urinal.) The RetroBlox gaming system is a new piece of hardware where you can plug in and play your old gaming cartridges. It’s still in the development phase, but it’s one of the cooler ideas going.

How RetroBlox Works

You’ll be able to use your old cartridges for systems like Atari 2600, NES, and SNES in the RetroBlox. And the company plans to include support for optical disc based (CD/DVD) games, such as for PSOne and Sega.

The system uses Element Modules to make the interface work between the cartridge and the gaming system. RetroBlox developed and patented the Element Modules, which allow for full hardware compatibility with the games, as well as top-end performance levels.

You’ll be able to run the games at their original resolution using a virtual display, or RetroBlox will upscale the graphics to work on new HDTVs.

The system will allow you to download and store the data from the cartridges on the system, so you aren’t putting wear and tear on the old cartridges. (The RetroBlox gaming system will use encryption to ensure users can’t make unlimited copies of the cartridges.)

The system will include connectivity options similar to what’s available in new gaming consoles. Finally, developers will be able to sell newly developed games through RetroBlox.

At this point, the company is hoping to provide support for more gaming systems in the future, but there’s no guarantee it will happen.

RetroBlox is running a Kickstarter campaign beginning in April to fund the development. More information will be available on the RetroBlox web site as it’s announced.

Now, there’s no guarantee RetroBlox will actually make it to the market successfully. And there are a couple of gaming systems on the market already that can play old NES cartridges, RetroUSB AVS and Analogue NT.

But the RetroBlox gaming system sets itself apart with the ability to play cartridges from multiple gaming systems. And with an expected price point of less than $300, RetroBlox will fit well in the market for those who haven’t yet turned their gaming cartridges into some sort of folk art piece.

New Life for Old Game Cartridges With the RetroBlox Gaming System