Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition: Nintendo Switch Review

Developed by Nintendo
Published by Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo Switch

Speed-running is an art form.

From careening through a level that you've already clocked to achieve a new time for fun, or whether it's part of a game like Crash Bandicoot to challenge the reflexes, the artform has become prevalent in gaming over the years.

So it's no surprise Nintendo's leaned in to its extensive back catalogue of games to produce the ultimate collection of speedrunning challenges.

Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is the kind of disposable game you can pick up and play - and the only limits are the extent of your frustration or desire to better yourself. Collecting together levels from games such as Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong and The Legend of Zelda, a series of challenges are laid down for either one player, players against the world and local multiplayer.

They can range from simple challenges such as collect the first mushroom in Mario to getting weapons to more complex challenges which gradually unlock through the game.
It's a veritable feast of mini-games content, but the thrill and perhaps also the reward comes into how often you want to replay the games and how engaged you are in the desire to either beat yourself or see how you do against gamers around the world.

But it does feel like Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition doesn't thrive in a single player mode, with challenges quickly feeling repetitive, even the more you unlock.
Presentation-wise the game's split screen capability feels particularly hard to view in some places, with split screens just feeling too small to perfectly view - especially if you're trying to find where you can shave that time off.

Essentially a nostalgia-led retro games bitesize experience, Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is more fun with others than solo. One good thing though - it reminds you how deep the classic cuts go back from Nintendo and how ultimately these timeless games live on.