Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition

 Switch
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 68 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 35 out of 68
  2. Mixed: 31 out of 68
  3. Negative: 2 out of 68
  1. TechRadar Gaming
    Jul 17, 2024
    40
    I can’t help but wish Nintendo offered a skew for the game in the West similar to what has been offered in Japan, where players had the chance to buy the otherwise Switch Online-only NES/Famicom replica controllers with the game in a package not too dissimilar to what we see with controller bundles for Super Mario Party. As a freebie with a controller, this game would feel like a neat curio, and while still not wholly satisfying as a standalone experience would likely offer just about enough to satisfy as a pack-in title. Otherwise, this feels more like a first-round knockout than a championship-winning shot at glory.
  2. Siliconera
    Jul 17, 2024
    40
    Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is a release held together by sentiment and atmosphere, partly because that aspect of the game is so good and partly because the remainder of the game is so devoid of merit. Like NES Remix before it, it lives in a liminal space between viable gameplay ideas. If it were supposed to be a punishing speedrunning challenge, it would give players one try in the weekly championship and offer more long events. If it were a WarioWare-like fun time, it’d have a faster pace and a lot more variety. If it were a weekly Nintendo Switch Online diversion, it’d be a lower-commitment free download built around a real-time experience. And, well, it’s none of those.
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  1. 3DJuegos
    Aug 19, 2024
    An amazing game for speedrun enthusiasts that includes more than 150 events from NES classics like Super Mario Bros, Zelda or Metroid. [Recommended]
  2. Polygon
    Jul 17, 2024
    What is on offer in Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is a delight. I don’t think it will make me any better at playing Nintendo’s old 8-bit games, but the challenges it presents are cleverly and cleanly designed. The collection lets me approach a small bunch of familiar NES classics from a new perspective, reinforcing just how timeless some of Nintendo’s earliest games are.
  3. The Verge
    Jul 17, 2024
    As much as I have enjoyed playing the part of a speedrunner, the collection is probably best paired with an actual NES or a subscription to Switch Online and its retro games. It has given me a strong urge to replay many of these classics by instilling in me a new sense of confidence: now, I might finally be able to beat The Adventure of Link and its skeleton knights, or Super Mario Bros.’ devious sequel with its poison mushrooms. More than anything, though, I’m excited to have a new excuse to play through Super Mario Bros. 3 again — with one eye on the timer.