Nintendo gives Switch subscribers the NES Zelda backup file

Subscribers to Nintendo's paid Online Switch service had an unexpected surprise today. Along with the expected release of three new downloadable titles emulated for Nintendo Entertainment System:NES Open Tournament Golf, Key of Solomon, and Super Dodge Ball-Nintendo also offered a version of the original The legend of Zelda which allows players to start with a host of powerful elements.

The new version, marked with a tag "Special" in the user interface and named "Live luxury life!" in the description – in no way seems to alter the basic ROM of the game (despite reports calling it "hack"). Instead, the game simply uses a backup file that gives Link immediate access to the White Sword, Magic Shield, Blue Ring, and Power Bracelet, as well as a red potion, containers for the extra heart, some secondary objects (Food, Letter) and a full crew of 255 rupees, eight bombs and nine keys.

This list contains special items won by beating the dungeons of the game. So you can not just "break the sequence" to get to areas that require navigation objects hidden behind boss fights. That said, the full range of elements makes the game a bit more accessible to newcomers, while removing some of the feeling of growth and mastery that stems from the construction of Link's original arsenal, one piece at a time.

In a press release, Nintendo said that we can expect "special backup data for other NES titles to be available in the future, thus offering new access points. fun to the favorite games of the fans ". Nintendo did not specify which future titles would receive this treatment, but "Nintendo Hard" games like Metroid and Ninja Gaiden, both coming to the service before the end of the year, seem to be obvious contenders.

It's nice to see Nintendo open up its traditional traditional emulation treatment to include more experimental gaming options like this (in addition to the already well-crafted online multiplayer options for NES titles, for example). The obvious next step, of course, is for Nintendo to allow some form of official support for the creation and distribution of ROM hackers, as Sega did with its Steam 2016 Genesis emulated games collection.

We can already hear the reasonable arguments of many readers that the controversial Nintendo would never officially support this type of mutilation of its classic properties. However, it is important to remember that Nintendo has already created and distributed a modified version of "NES Edition". Donkey Kong this adds the missing level of cement plant and some other improvements. If support for fan-created ROM hacking goes too far, we would be happy to accept more of these modern hacks created by Nintendo as a kind of compromise.