Video game giant Nintendo is heavily banking on nostalgia to fuel its sales growth during this year's holiday season. This time around, the Japanese company is re-launching a new version of its iconic Game & Watch handheld gaming device, which it launched back in 1980.
The new version of the gadget that placed the company on the map 40 years ago is coming back with a new look and more games built in. The original device, which was sold before Game Boy became a worldwide sensation, was produced until 1991. Nintendo released a total of 59 games for the black-and-white screened gaming device.
To bring it into the 21st century, Nintendo has equipped its new Game & Watch device with a colored LCD screen, a rechargeable battery and a USB-C connector. Unlike the original, which could only play one game, the new version will be coming with three titles, namely "Super Mario Bros," "Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels," and "Mario Ball." The device will also function as an alarm clock with 35 screen savers that feature Mario interacting with the clock in different ways.
Externally, the new Game & Watch device will sport the original's retro 80s styling. It will sport the iconic directional pad, the first implementation on a Nintendo device before it was used in the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and the Game Boy.
The new Game & Watch is the latest device to come out of Nintendo's nostalgic line of gaming products. The company had found tremendous success with the re-launch of some of its more popular platforms, which included new versions of its NES and Super Nintendo consoles.
The release of the new device also comes as Nintendo celebrates the 35th anniversary of Mario, the company's official mascot. To celebrate the occasion, Nintendo announced that it will be releasing a new battle royale video game title and a new version of iconic games such as "Super Mario Sunshine," "Super Mario Galaxy," and "Super Mario 64."
Nintendo is expected to release the 40th-anniversary edition of the Game & Watch on November 13. The handheld will be available only for a limited time. Nintendo did not specify how many units would be made available. If the response to the new console is anywhere near the response the company's relaunched NES console got, supplies will likely not last long.
