NES Reproductions = Awesome
A couple of weeks ago, Destructoid community member Tristero posted about something called NES Reproductions, a website where some completely awesome individual (named LeonK) took it upon himself to load rare, fan translated, or otherwise hard to get NES games on to donor cartridges. Games like Final Fantasy 2 and 3, Mother (Earthbound, if you're nasty), and the original Super Mario Bros 2. All you have to do to get your hands on one of these gems is send him a donor cartridge (it has to be the correct one for certain games!) and $25. It's a fucking steal if you ask me. LeonK was kind enough to send out this copy of Earthbound, and I am happy to say that the quality is completely top-notch. Not only did he take the time and care to print out a label, complete with the NES glossy sheen, but the first time I put the cart into my NES it worked. No blowing, no pressing the power button on and off - it just worked. In seconds I was playing the prequel to SNES Earthbound and enjoying the crap out of it.
Sure, you can play these games on an emulator. I have to say, though, that nothing beats the feeling of seeing the actual cart, holding it in your hands, gently inserting it into the slot, and playing it on your TV with the original NES controller. For collectors, this service is a must. Check out the full listing of games offered on the NES Reproductions Project site, and give this man your support! He makes a quality product.
