Nintendo is offering a closer look at the new Game & Watch hardware coming on November 13th that will come preloaded with the original Super Mario Bros. game. In case you missed out on the announcement last week, it’s a $49.99 device that’s being released in limited quantities for Mario’s 35th anniversary celebration — and it’s likely going to be very difficult to get your hands on one. In addition to the original Mario title, it comes loaded with Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (released as Super Mario Bros. 2 in Japan) and a Mario-themed version of Ball, a new twist on a classic Game & Watch game that first released decades ago.
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This video clip mostly shows the ins and outs of the modernized Game & Watch console (Nintendo’s handheld devices that predate the Game Boy). It has a sharp LCD screen that appears to be backlit, and the general design is reminiscent of the GBA Micro. Around its right side, the Game & Watch features a USB-C port for charging its rechargeable battery.
Nintendo also teased an Easter egg-filled digital clock function that shows a few Yoshi in their Super Mario World styling. Perhaps we’ll see a future Game & Watch with that SNES classic built in next?
This device seems incredibly basic in terms of functions and features, but it’s nevertheless exciting to see Nintendo making handhelds again. The Nintendo Switch has effectively replaced the company’s dedicated handheld business, but it’s cool to see that its chops at making experimental pocket-friendly devices are still kicking.
