NES Classic Edition Releases Today; Quickly Sells Out, Now Going for $200+

The much-anticipated NES Classic Edition, the $60 standalone system that lets you play 30 NES games on your TV, launches today. Unfortunately, that high anticipation likely means you won't be able to get your hands on one right away--at least not without ponying up some extra cash.

The system has shortcomings: a lack of internet connectivity, no way to expand the games lineup, and short cables (which can be addressed with third-party wireless controllers or extension cables). Despite all of this, the Classic Edition is a solid, affordable way to play NES games. Not only that, but as our review notes, the emulation seen with one is actually superior to that of the Virtual Console on Wii and Wii U.

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Whatever the specific reason, demand is incredibly high, and it's looked for months as if it could easily be the holiday season's best-selling console (albeit at a much lower cost than the PS4 or Xbox One). Unfortunately, as with Nintendo's previous smash-hits, like the Wii and Amiibo figures, that demand is outpacing supply, something the company acknowledged in a statement to GameSpot.

"The Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition system is a hot item, and we are working hard to keep up with consumer demand," a company spokesperson says. "There will be a steady flow of additional systems through the holiday shopping season and into the new year. Please contact your local retailers to check product availability."

It might be encouraging to hear that more systems will be delivered before the end of the year, but there's no telling how long it will be before you're able to easily obtain one. (The same goes for extra controllers, though you can opt to use Wii Classic Controllers.)

That uncertainty has already created quite the resale market on places like Amazon and eBay: Hundreds of systems have already sold through the latter, many for more than $200. Listings on Amazon start at $250 as of this writing, with the vast majority in excess of $300. Mind you, we don't know if these Amazon listings are selling, but it's telling that none are available for less than that.

Like with Virtual Console, the Classic Edition offers save states for each game and multiple display modes. Manuals, however, are not included on the system itself; you'll instead scan a QR code that directs you to ones located online. You can see a full list of included games here.

For more on what to expect on the Classic Edition--whenever you might be able to get your hands on one--read our full review.