Don’t you sometimes wonder if you genuinely harbor a certain disdain for those individuals who call themselves your closest friends? Properly, the underwhelming news is that the newly released Nintendo World Championships: NES Version fails to deliver on its promise of intense competition, instead opting for a lackluster experience where players can’t even compete fairly in the iconic game like Super Mario Bros., leaving many gamers feeling disappointed and shortchanged.
Because speedrunning NES games through various challenges relies heavily on rapid gameplay, leaderboards that track and compare players’ progress become an integral aspect of the experience – allowing for healthy competition as you strive to outdo fellow gamers like Tim, who dominates Kirby’s Journey with such skill you suspect he might be cheating. It appears that the situation is not what it seems.
Before venturing into criticisms from those who undoubtedly listen to the iconic DK rap daily – as they should, given its cultural significance – let us clarify one essential point. The Nintendo World Championships: NES Version indeed boasts a leaderboard for players to track their progress and compete with one another. Despite appearances, it appears to be a weekly global ranking system.
The weekly event will conclude, allowing you to view its entirety only once it has ended. No new instances will be set, thereby removing the opportunity to spend seven days grinding to shave off 5 milliseconds from your time spent collecting a rare mushroom, thereby propelling yourself up the leaderboards and precisely gauging how close you are to beating your friend or grandmother’s PB as you do so? While racing against ghosts provides a sense of competition, you’re largely pitted against yourself in time trial mode, striving to improve your personal best.
While some critics have expressed disappointment with the game’s performance, many parents and online community members were initially enthusiastic about its prospects. “I’ve been competing for quite a while now, but the lack of leaderboards and associate information is a significant disappointment in this type of competitive environment.” It’s unlikely I’ll continue with this title for long. Nintendo’s online options are stuck in the 19th century.
For those who’ve given up sharing their gaming setup in person, resorting instead to snapping photos for others to decipher, it’s as if they’re reliving the nostalgia of sending 35mm film to Nintendo Power magazine by mail – a relic of a bygone era.
Are you thinking of giving Nintendo World Championships: NES Version a spin? Tell us beneath.
