Review – Playing With Power Hardcover Edition

GameStop, Inc.

Playing With PowerOn November 11, 2016, to coincide with the release of the NES Classic Mini from Nintendo, Prima Games released Playing With Power: Nintendo NES Classics. This 320 page book takes you back in time with tips, tricks and walkthroughs for 17 of Nintendo’s classic games, which also happen to be the 17 games on the NES Classic Mini. Join us as we take a closer look at the Hardcover Collector’s Edition of Prima Games’  Playing With Power: Nintendo NES Classics.

When you pick up the hardcover edition of Playing With Power, you will immediately notice the slipcover. Designed on all sides to look like a NES cartridge, the slipcover has ridges in all the right places. Everywhere the original cartridges had any sort of texture, from the little triangle on the front, to the horizontal stripe of ridges on the front, to the cartridge board on the bottom, everywhere you expect there to be texture on an actual cartridge has  a varying degree of embossing here. The book’s hardcover is designed in NES grey wit half of a controller on both sides with the title in classic Nintendo red. The feel of the book is identical to Prima’s other hardcover guides.

20161128_105717

Now onto the meat and potatoes of the book. The majority of the book covers the 17 Nintendo published titles that are on the NES Classic Mini. Each game’s section covers everything from controls to tips to walkthroughs for certain section. Every little piece of information is here. Let’s take a look at The Legend of Zelda, for example. The section first gives you the basic information (credits, game synopsis) and general tips before going over the items and enemies in the game. Then it goes in depth into each of the game’s various dungeons. For each dungeon, Prima has provided detailed maps that indicate where every key, map and enemy is inside. In addition to detailed maps, Prima also includes little anecdotes from tips on defeating enemies and bosses to tips on effectively using your items and weapons, such as “Proper Boomerang Usage.” How in depth each game’s coverage goes depends on the game (looking at you Excitebike) but most have pretty extensive coverage. Spread throughout the book are sections relating to Nintendo and the NES (such as detail information on how the control deck and game paks work, timelines on Nintendo’s early, mid, and late game output, and even a interview with Shigeru Miyamoto reprinted from the Jan/Fab 1990 issue of Nintendo Power).

20161128_105822

The Collector’s Edition of Playing With Power does have kind of high MSRP price point at $44.99. That being said, this is probably one of the coolest books I have looked at in a while. Maybe it is the Nintendo fanboy or the nostalgia talking. Maybe both. I don’t now if I can really justify it at that price for the non-hardcore Nintendo fan, but the book is definitely worth picking up, even if it is just the paperback version. That gamepak slipcover is dope as hell, though. 

Playing With Power: Nintendo NES Classics
  • Hardcover Edition
3.5

The Verdict

Sure, you can find most of this info for free online. Hell, you might know all these tips and tricks. Having all these tips and tricks in one handy spot is a real convenience for when you are playing the NES Mini. Especially when coupled with the bits about the history of the NES or on how it works. The score was given on the entire package based on cost. If I scored just the contents of the book, it would probably be a 4 or 4.5. The price point is a hard pill to swallow for most non-hardcore Nintendo fans, however, there is a cheeper, paperback version of the book that is definitely worth a look.

Sending
User Review
0 (0 votes)
Anytime Costumes

Leave a Reply

FanboyNation
Animation/Anime Interviews Animation/Anime News Animation/Anime Reviews Film/TV Interviews Film/TV News Film/TV Review
‘Wednesday’ Comes to Blu-ray on Tuesday from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

‘Wednesday‘ Comes to Blu-ray on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, from Warner...

Toy Lei Talks About Playing Auntie Victoria in ‘The Brothers Sun’ – Interview Rewind

Asian-American actress Toy Lei stars as Auntie Victoria in the new...

Marcus Massey Talks ‘Winnie-The-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2’ – Interview

Marcus Massey Shares his Wisdom as Owl in ‘Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and...

Event News Event Reviews
‘MJ the Musical’ Chronicles the Life of the ‘King of Pop’ Running at Segerstrom – Review

‘MJ the Musical‘ is the Ultimate Stage Adaptation, Chronicling the life...

Aiden Sinclair and Michael Rangel Talks ’57 Ghosts’ Aboard the Queen Mary Séance

Aiden Sinclair and Apparitionist, Michael Rangel Discuss their new Theatrical Séance...

Luke and Madison Rhoades Open ‘Slashers Axe Throwing’ – Interview

Luke and Madison Rhoades Open Orange County’s first ever horror themed...

Automotives Football MMA, Kick Boxing & Boxing Professional Wrestling
Olympic Runner Colleen Quigley ‘On The Road to Paris’

Team USA Olympic Runner, Colleen Quigley is On The Road to...

Paralympian Swimmer Ahalya Lettenberger On The Road to Paris

Team USA Paralympian Swimmer, Ahalya Lettenberger is On The Road to...

Ultimate Women of Wrestling Comes to the Globe Theatre – Interview

Ultimate Women of Wrestling Comes to the Globe Theatre on Sunday,...

Adult Continuity Comics on the Can Cultural Junk Drawer Future Comic Rock Stars Is That Racist? Revisiting the Reviled THAT'S NOT ROTTEN! The B-Reel The Cantina Scene This Week in Crowdfunding What the HELL Did I just...?
Fantoy Comics Presents: Harry Potter and the Pahrump Apocalypse – SID SPEAKS!

"We Demons! Let's go CRUNK on this punk-ass world!"

Fantoy Comics Presents: Harry Potter and the Pahrump Apocalypse: Escalation

When you said "Destroy" Kurt grabbed his mini-gun an AK-47 and...

Fantoy Comics Presents: Harry Potter and the Pahrump Apocalypse, the continuing saga!

If cautious means being careful when I break a foot off...

Music Interviews Music News Music Reviews
Joe Kwaczala Talks About His new Comedy Album ‘Funny Songs & Sketches’ – Interview

Joe Kwaczala Talks About His new Comedy Album ‘Funny Songs &...

Songwriter and Poet, Tamara Mechael Talks About Her Career in the Arts

First Generation Assyrian-Chaldean, Songwriter and Poet, Tamara Mechael Talks About Her...

Louden Swain Headlining Los Angeles Show at The Echo

Press Release – Louden Swain are headlining Los Angeles show at...

Enabled Gaming Gaming News Gaming Reviews
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Gameplay Trailer

The first Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League gameplay trailer was revealed during...

Wonder Woman Game
Wonder Woman Game Announced By DC and WB Games

Wonder Woman game will feature the iconic hero in a 3rd...

MultiVersus
MultiVersus brings Batman, Arya Stark, Bugs Bunny, and More

MultiVersus is bringing Shaggy, Harley Quinn, Jake, Batman, Arya Stark, Bugs Bunny,...

Comic Creator Interviews Comic/Graphic Novel News Comic/Graphic Novel Reviews Manga News Manga Reviews Novel/Novella Author Interviews Novel/Novella News Novel/Novella Reviews
Gary Morgenstein Talks ‘A Dugout to Peace’ the Final Installment of his Trilogy

Gary Morgenstein Talks About ‘A Dugout to Peace‘ the final installment...

Chris Clews Is ‘Raised on the 80s’ and Shares Those Life Lessons

Chris Clews was ‘Raised on the 80s‘ and Shares Those Life...

Roye Okupe Brings Authentic African Representation to HBO Max and Cartoon Network

Nigerian-American, Roye Okupe brings authentic African representation to HBO Max and...

Apparel/Personal Maintenance News Apparel/Personal Maintenance Reviews Entertainment Product News Entertainment Product Reviews Food/Beverage Reviews Hardware News Hardware Reviews Mystery Box News Mystery Box Reviews
Harry Potter: Magic Caster Wand Demo

The new ‘Harry Potter: Magic Caster Wand‘ is ready to ship...

Chef Jen Peters and Matthew Clayton Bring us the ‘Good Flour’

Canadian Super Chef Jen Peters and Matthew Clayton Bring us the...

Pop Insider 2021 Holiday Gift Guide
Pop Insider 2021 Holiday Gift Guide

The Pop Insider 2021 Holiday Gift Guide is now available to help...

Gaming Uncensored Toon-In-Talk
Episode 38: Hamid Rahmanian

Join Whitney Grace as she speaks with artist Hamid Rahmanian, who...

No Preview
Toon-In Talk Episode 37: Niki Smith

Whitney Grace interviews graphic novel writer and artist Niki Smith about...

Toon-In Talk Episode 36: Rob Paulsen

Rob Paulsen takes some time from his busy voice acting schedule...