Nintendo is debuting a new special edition NES Classic packed w/ Dragon Ball games & more

One of the hottest devices to hit both digital and physical store shelves in the recent past has been Nintendo’s NES and SNES Classic consoles. The vintage-inspired gaming machines bring all the charm from their original counterparts in a smaller, more bite-sized form-factor packed with a variety of hit games. Now, Nintendo is debuting another version of the NES Classic, this time sporting a fancy gold finish and an all-new roster of games.

To coincide with the 50th anniversary of Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, one of Japan’s most popular print publications, Nintendo has created an all-new version of its popular mini console to celebrate the milestone. Deemed the Nintendo Classic Mini: Family Computer Weekly Shonen Jump 50th Anniversary Commemoration Version, the system draws heavy inspiration from the manga magazine.

So what actually sets this release apart from the previous versions we’ve seen in the past? First, you’ll notice a fresh, new gold colorway alongside the Famicom-style casing rather than the familiar American version, as you’d expect. But aside from any visual differences, the biggest changes between Nintendo’s latest miniature console and previous versions are the included games.

Just about all of the 20 games that come loaded on the new NES Classic have ties to a manga series that debuted in Shonen Jump over the past half-century. The three Dragon Ball games are sure to stand out for many fans here in the US, but other extremely popular titles like Dragon Quest, Fist of the North Star, and more will be making their way to the special edition console.

Here’s the full roster of games included on the console:

• Tag Team Match: MUSCLE
• Dragon Quest
• Fist of the North Star
• Dragon Ball: Shenron no Nazo
• Kinnikuman: Kinnikusei Oui Soudatsusen
• Saint Seiya: Ougon Densetsu
• Captain Tsubasa
• Saint Seiya: Ougon Densetsu Kanketsu-hen
• Sekiryuuou
• Famicom Jump: Hero Retsuden
• Sakigake!! Otokojuku Shippuu Ichi Gou Sei
• Ankoku Shinwa: Yamato Takeru Densetsu
• Tenchi wo Kurau (Destiny of an Emperor)
• Hokuto no Ken 3: Shin Seiki Souzou Seiken Retsuden
• Dragon Ball 3: Gokuden
• Captain Tsubasa 2
• Dragon Ball Z: Kyoushuu! Saiyajin
• Magical Taluluto-kun: Fantastic World
• Famicom Jump II: Saikyo no Shichinin
• Rokudenashi Blues

Releasing miniature versions of popular gaming consoles from the past has been a popular strategy for other companies as well, like SNK who just unveiled its new Neo Geo mini. As gaming companies look to cash in on nostalgia of the last 80s and early 90s, I’d be willing to bet this won’t be the last special edition release to be announced.

Pricing and availability details are yet to be officially confirmed by Nintendo. However, the new special edition NES Classic is slated to go up for sale July 7th for 7,980 yen, or around $70. One thing is for sure though, this release will certainly be a Japan exclusive. So if you thought the original NES and SNES classic releases were tough to come by, picking up one of these might be pretty impossible for those of us state-side.

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