Highlights
- A nostalgic gamer shares a classic Christmas ad for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, evoking feelings of nostalgia for the console's retail days.
- The SNES, introduced in 1990 as an improved version of the NES, may not have matched its predecessor's popularity but featured highly regarded games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Super Mario World.
- The Target ad featuring the SNES reveals that the console was being sold for $199.99 and included a copy of Super Mario World. The advertisement included deals on several other electronics from the time as well.
With the holiday season approaching, one nostalgic gamer has shared a classic Christmas ad for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Video game consoles are frequent gifts over the Christmas season, and this old advertisement has made many Nintendo fans pine nostalgic for the times when the SNES was commonly sold at retail stores.
Introduced in Japan in 1990, where it is called the Super Famicom, the SNES fourth generation of consoles. As the name implies, the system was meant to take the success of the NES and improve upon it thanks to better graphics and more games. While ultimately falling short of the popularity of its predecessor, the SNES featured a bevy of games that would go on to be highly regarded by Nintendo fans. The system was home to many classics, such as The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Chrono Trigger, and Super Mario World, just to name a few. Recently, one fan discovered an advertisement for the Nintendo gaming machine.
In a post on Reddit, a user known as CarrotsNotCake shared a picture of a Christmas ad from retail corporation Target, showcasing an SNES for sale. The advertisement featured the console underneath what appeared to be a Christmas tree, suggesting that it would make an ideal gift. According to the image, gamers could purchase the gaming machine for $199.99, described as a “Great Buy” by the retailer. In addition to listing the price, the ad for the SNES included the slogan “You Always Win With Nintendo” and featured a brief write-up about the system, noting that this deal came with a copy of Super Mario World.
Beyond the video game console, the Target ad was a blast to the past in other ways. The picture featured advertisements for several other electronic items from the period, including a Rolodex and headphone radio set. Based on the image, the 411 Directory Assistant from Rolodex was available for $11.99, and the Emerson AM/FM stereo headphone radio with the Emerson AM/FM stereo-cassette player was $9.99.
This nostalgic gaming discovery made by CarrotsNotCake has struck a chord with many Nintendo gamers on Reddit. The post already has over a thousand upvotes, evidencing the fondness many have for the classic console. “Old-school gaming + advertising × Christmas = nostalgia overload,” one user stated.
It is worth pointing out that while the original system is no longer produced by Nintendo, a SNES Classic Edition was released in 2017, providing veterans and newcomers alike a chance to play many popular games from the system. In addition, Nintendo Switch Online continues to update its SNES catalog of titles, with one of the most recent being Kirby's Star Stacker. Thanks to the service, more gamers continue to have the chance to check out some of the games the classic system has to offer.