Ask LH: Will I Be Able To Buy The Nintendo NES Classic Edition In Time For Christmas?

Dear Lifehacker, As a long-time Ninty fan, I’ve been dying to get my hands on Nintendo’s new NES Classic Edition. 30 classic games packed into a plug-and-play console that (kind of) fits in your palm – what’s not to love? Unfortunately, it appears to be sold out everywhere! Do you know if new stock will be arriving in time for Christmas? And if not, is it okay to purchase from overseas? Thanks, Super Jumpman

Dear SJ,

We would advise against sites like eBay for the time being – stock appears to be limited worldwide and prices from re-sellers have been jacked up accordingly. The average price appears to be in the vicinity of $250, which is more than double the recommended retail price. (And that’s before you add shipping to the equation.)

But there’s good news: Apparently, Australia is getting a second shipment of the Nintendo Classic Mini just in time for Christmas. According to Nintendo Australia, the second shipment will be available in “early December”. Our advice is to keep a close eye on sites like EB Games over the coming weeks – as soon as it appears on their site, pounce on it! (This may involve plonking down cash on a pre-order. Better safe than sorry.)

Alternatively, you might want to consider building your own retro arcade machine via a Raspberry Pi and emulation software. This guide contains instructions for a DIY console that plays NES games alongside 13 other classic games machines. (Just be aware that you’ll need to own the original ROMs for this to be considered remotely legal.)

Cheers
Lifehacker

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