The NES Classic hits store shelves on November 11th and Nintendo is planning to celebrate the occasion by traveling to the past and reopening their classic hotline for the opening weekend. Excitement was already high from fans dying to get their hands on the mini-console, already poised to be a hit and cause a mini-console war with Sega’s own version coming soon.
The weekend of the release will hold a social media party with prizes and a launch party at Nintendo’s NY headquarters the night before the release. But the Power Line seems to be the real extra treat for fans, especially those who can’t use the internet to find out how to beat games on their own.
We’re going retro to celebrate the launch of #NESClassicEdition. Join us for a #NESterday social media bash starting on 11/10! pic.twitter.com/4G8J5D9r1j
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) November 4, 2016
But the Power Line won’t also feature tips to besting these classic games according to Kotaku. There’s a few tricks and behind-the-scenes treats for those who call in:
While playing one of the 30 great NES games included on the NES Classic Edition during the weekend following the Friday launch, you might find yourself puzzled by some of the more challenging games. (“How do I find the first Warp Whistle in Super Mario Bros. 3?” you might ask yourself.) If your memories of the original games fail you, no need to fret. You can just call the Power Line, which will return and run from Nov. 11 to Nov. 13, between the hours of 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT each day. The original Power Line was a beloved service in the ’80s that connected fans to Nintendo Game Play Counselors who offered helpful tips and tricks. In this fully automated version, you can use your real-life phone (bonus points if it has a cord!) to dial (425) 885-7529 to hear recorded tips for several games, plus behind-the-scenes stories from original Nintendo Game Play Counselors. You never know what you might learn!
The NES Classic has also fueled rumors that a SNES Classic mini console is inevitable. And with all the buzz surrounding this new addition to the Nintendo family, it would make a lot of sense. What games would you want to see on any possible mini version of the SNES? For me, it is hard to choose, but I know I’d want to see Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy on there alongside A Link To The Past.