As Nintendo prepares for its future with the eventual successor to the Nintendo Switch, it also has taken the time to celebrate its past, releasing the compilation title Nintendo World Championships: Nes Edition on the Switch. This release not only revisits the classic games from Nintendo’s inaugural home console but nearly coincides with the 35th anniversary of the cult classic 1989 movie The Wizard, which revolved around a similar competition involving Nintendo Entertainment System games. More than offering a trip down an Nes-tinged memory lane, both the movie and Switch compilation highlight the early, halcyon days of the proto-esports scene.

The earliest days of esports in the United States were a magical, untested period for the industry and Nintendo played a huge role in shaping it. The Wizard distills the innocent magic and cynicism-free spirit of the scene that modern esports unfortunately lacks and it explores this open gaming frontier.