Last Friday saw the launch of Nintendo's brand new Game & Watch Super Mario Bros. edition system, revisiting the company's history with a lovely – if a little overpriced – collector's item. Being a limited-time release, it's perhaps unsurprising to see that scalpers have been buying up units to try and sell for a higher price, but don't fall for it.
A quick scan of eBay shows that some dastardly folk have already listed their new Game & Watch systems – or their pre-orders if they're yet to actually receive them – for frankly ridiculous prices online. Some have gone for a more modest £60-or-so, which is £15 above the price offered at Nintendo's official store, while others have opted for a whopping £200.
The scalper mindset is nothing we haven't seen before, but what's interesting here is that they appear to have completely miscalculated how much stock is going to be available. Despite their best efforts to hoover up these units to resell at high prices, the Game & Watch can still be purchased for its original price of £50 at a number of stores.
In the UK alone, stock is readily available at sites like Amazon and GAME (but sadly not the Nintendo UK store):
Please note that some external links on this page are affiliate links, which means if you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale. Please read our FTC Disclosure for more information.
So, if you're still after one of these cute little systems for your collection at home, don't throw all your money away on silly eBay listings. The Game & Watch is scheduled to remain available at retail until approximately 31st March 2021 according to Nintendo, so you still have plenty of time to grab one.
Comments 34
The high prices are in anticipation of shortages. It’s textbook. If they get a few dummies who bite early, then great, if not they lower the price later or they sit on them for a few years. Nothing new
Happens every time something of Nintendo’s is classified as “Limited”. At first was surprised at stock remaining but having played mine for a bit, starting to see why.
Had mine since Friday. Whilst it is a nice bit of kit, my biggest gripes with it are the inability to stay on when in clock mode, and the fact that it is only loaded with 2 games, which I will openly say in public, I feel haven’t aged as well as people may wish to believe. The slipperiness of the controls, non-running jump limitations and it’s early graphics and limited colour palette, whilst impressive for their time, are really hard to pass freely in today’s world. The same can be said for many retro games, but I still feel games like SMB3 still look and play better than a majority of 2D platformers that followed.
It is still a rip off even at its official price.
@Axlroselm My thoughts exactly
Saw about 20 of them in local best buy on friday.
@FX102A This is why I didn't buy one. It's something I'd play for 5 minutes (if that) and then go back to games I actually want to spend a serious amount of time on. If I wanted to play Super Mario Bros right now, there's plenty of much cheaper options available. They'd have been better doing a Game Boy Classic mini with 30-50 games installed for the same price. The NES Mini cost the same as this and was much better value, and that also let you play Super Mario Bros. I agree it looks nice, but I've got more than enough gaming hardware in the house that I do use regularly without adding something I'm unlikely to use more than a couple of times.
Pure novelty and unlikely to appreciate in value by any notable amount. I’ve seen a few on eBay already for £50
Mine is currently in Royal Mail limbo. Was supposed to be here on Friday. The pain !!!
Got mine for 45 pounds from Nintendo uk. There is enough stock available
Have mine since Thursday but had no Time to test it out until today.
What a nice little Device, feels pretty solid.
In other news Asda is knocking £40 off Switch and Switch Lite, Lidl are going to sell them at £229.99!
On a slight tangent, hoping they release more of these with classic titles. Expensive luxury I know but the nostalgia of getting original game and watches back in the day is pulling me in.
@andyg1412 £200 on this or £230 on a Switch. Decisions decisions.
There goes your social distancing the day that offer starts. Who cares if they might die due to underlying health conditions they weren't aware of. As long as little 'insert child's name here' gets a Nintendo Switch from Santa it doesn't matter if they aren't alive to see the look on their faces.
@Axlroselm @Bunkerneath Depends on your perspective I suppose. If you simply want to play the games on it, yeah. There are more affordable ways to do that especially if you already own any Nintendo system (which you likely do if this is something you're even looking at)
As a collectors item this is very much worth the price. The product is extremely well made. Beautiful metal face-plate, buttons feel perfect, screen looks great and the secrets are a real treat. 10/10 fairly valued collectors item. 4/10 overpriced way to play Mario 1 & 2.
For $20 I would’ve picked one up for a stocking stuffer.
But the rrp is taking the piss.
@Clammy I'd even take it for €35
I only paid $12,000 for mine on eBay. I think I got a great deal.
@JHDK oh boy...
60 euros in Holland for now... thats.... yeah...
@FX102A It stays turned on when its plugged in, had to get something to rest it on since theres no stand tho
They can probably break even in the long run, but I am glad scalpers are temporarily getting burned. Ha-ha.
Well worth the retail price....especially if you were born before 1980. Looks great and a wonderful piece of memorabilia. It’s no wonder it’s limited as they know it’s marketed especially to a niche group.
And the sky is blue.
Of course the scalpers are in part to blame, but you also have to question sites like E-bay to allow these items being sold for much more than there RRP, they were meant to be putting steps in place to prevent price gouging, you could report sellers, but at the end of the day they get a percentage of the sale, so they probably don't care.
here in the US, I was fortunate enough to grab two; one for play and one as a collectors item!
on Friday, I had to go to four different places before finding one at a GameStop 25 minutes away from home.
early Sunday morning, I noticed that my local Wal-Mart (the very first place I went to look on Friday) had seven in stock according to their website so I went to have a look. sure enough, they had them and was able to grab a second one.
the strange thing about that last purchase was that I went back to the Wal-Mart website right after my purchase only to see that they no longer had them in store for pick up. furthermore, they only had them for online delivery at $100! that’s double the price!!
If people wouldn't buy from scalpers there wouldn't be any scalpers
The scalper situation is out of control in 2020
Scalping may be worse than piracy on the consumer level.
At least with piracy (usually) there is no money involved. This is just madness.
It's hogging an entire load of games. Maybe gaming stuff should no longer allow ordering of more than one unit for a certain amount of days.
I love the Game and Watch. High quality little piece of kit, a lot of love put into it. I love ridiculously left-field novelties like this and it gives me an excuse to get better at a game I haven't beaten without save states.
@reporterdavid 59,00-69,90€ in Finland (shipping is about 10€)
It could be a collectible and I hope it is but I purchased mine to play and have.
@Finntendo allright. Well, im not really THAT bumped into it. Its fun. Period.
@ROBLOGNICK is it there yet?
@reporterdavid yep
Tap here to load 34 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...