One of the holiday’s most elusive gift items is starting to show back up at one retailer.
GameStop, the world’s largest gaming-focused brick-and-mortar retailer, says its stores are starting to get in new shipments of Nintendo’s hot NES Classic Edition. This throwback retro gaming console looks like a miniaturized version of Nintendo’s 8-bit system from the 1980s, and it includes 30 of that console’s games. When the console debuted last month for $60, fans (and scalpers) immediately overwhelmed the available supply, and now Nintendo is trying to catch up to ensure it has enough stock available to ensure everyone can get their retro fix before Christmas.
“We have limited quantities of Nintendo NES Classics coming to our stores today and tomorrow,” reads a GameStop press release. “We advise customers to call their preferred GameStop location for more NES details on available quantities or go to Gamestop.com.”
And, while you’re at it, why don’t you ask the GameStop associate if they have a copy of Battletoads.
This shipment may mark the end of the NES Classic drought. The system is still nearly impossible to find online or in stores. And even if you successfully ordered one, you may still be waiting for it to ship. I spent $60 to buy one from Walmart.com on November 22, and I’m still waiting for it to arrive more than three weeks later. I may even try to go to GameStop and then cancel my Walmart order instead.