A program about retro gaming becomes an endurance test, because the sight of the poor SNES is almost unbearable for connoisseurs.
The quote in the headline could also have come from our very own Nintendo guru Sören. However, the opinionated author calls himself emeraldbar77 and is active on Reddit. The reason for his displeasure is a shocking scene on British breakfast television.
Shocking for all those who grew up with Nintendo consoles and are still very fond of them today. If you’re one of them: hold on tight, it’s going to hurt.
It hurts just to look at it
The guest on the BBC program was Professor Nick Poole, CEO of the British games association UK Interactive Entertainment. The topic of the show was retro gaming, i.e. playing old titles on equally old consoles.
What followed shortly afterwards is difficult to type on a keyboard: The renowned gaming expert shows the presenters a copy of the ultra-rare NSNES. This special edition of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) can also play the clunky cartridges of its predecessor console.
Have you never heard of the NSNES? No wonder: it doesn’t exist! But then why the hell are we seeing an SNES with an NES module in it on British TV?! Huh?! Why?! Argh!
BBC News just tried to do a segment on retro games…this image hurts
byu/emeraldbar77 incasualnintendo
Fans hope for a joke, because otherwise …
Not only the author of these lines, but also Nintendo fans on social networks are falling from faith. Has the supposed game connoisseur revealed himself to be ignorant? Or is this a gag aimed at getting the fans on the edge of their seats?
In any case, there are many passionate reactions on Reddit to the sight of the SNES not being treated properly:
This hurts my soul. […]
(source)Look, the BBC has discovered the backwards compatibility of the SNES.
(Source)At least they didn’t try to put [the NES cartridge] into the Wii.
(source)I’d like to think they weren’t that stupid and just couldn’t get an NES, but wanted it represented anyway.
(source)I want to report a crime.
(Source)Tell Nintendo and they’ll break into the studio to replace the console with a brick.
(source)
The culprit has now been found, by the way. No, Professor Nick Poole does not have to worry about being stripped of his academic degree. As the BBC announced in a statement, the breakfast television team is said to have set up the console incorrectly. During the live broadcast, it was then no longer possible to undo the mishap.
We’ll let this apology slide for once and hope that the BBC learns from it. Otherwise we’ll probably have to make a phone call to Japan!