Developer/Publisher: Nintendo Released: December 2013

Played on: Wii U

This mini-game compilation of retro games was a total surprise announcement in December’s Nintendo Direct video, especially since it was made available from the eShop for $13AUD immediately after the video ended. Felt like a no-brainer to me, I snatched it up, played it for 20 minutes, decided it was a total waste of money, and put it down.

Revisiting it a week or so later with lower expectations and a desire for distraction while watching The West Wing, the game won me over. NES Remix takes 16 NES games from the 80’s and cuts them up into little mini-game challenges that teach you the basics of each game then amp up the difficulty. Your success in each challenge is rewarded with Stars which unlock more levels, such as the “Remix” levels where designers have modded the original levels, changing the sprites, art styles and challenges to create new experiences. Some of the new Remix levels work better than others, but in general the non-remixed mini-games are the most fun and best balanced.

There are some classic games featured such as Donkey Kong, Balloon Fight, The Legend of Zelda and a handful of duds including Golf and Mario Bros. (yes, I consider this first Mario Bros game to be total rubbish, handles poorly and is frustratingly difficult.) It was also a great way to discover games I’d never played like Clu Clu Land, Ice Climber & Excitebike, discovering mechanics that sometimes felt outdated and other times totally fresh and relevant. The mini-game format really suits these titles.

Playing NES Remix on the gamepad while watching something on TV was how I mostly spent my 8 hours with it, and I’ve still yet to unlock a bunch of levels, coming back to it occasionally for a quick fix.

Verdict: A fun distraction, over 200 mini-games of retro fun. Quality of games is inconsistent but there is enough variety that you’ll find something to enjoy and get your retro fix while exercising that hand-eye coordination.

Should Bradley play this: Nah. If there was a multiplayer option he could play with me, but he wouldn’t be interested in playing this on his own.