We’ve been following the release of The Angry Video Game Nerd 8-Bit, and we were impressed by it when we tried it for ourselves in our preview last month. Since then, details have been announced around the physical version of the game. Physical versions for Switch, PlayStation, and the all-important NES are now available to pre-order on Limited Run Games’ website. The modern ports are being handled by Limited Run Games directly, while the NES versions are being produced in partnership with retro specialists Mega Cat Studios.
“Working with retro platforms is as much a challenge as it is a privilege,” said Mega Cat Studios’ Lead Developer, Alex Lazar. “We think these systems shouldn’t be confined to museums. We want to see people having fun with them, exploring new worlds in ways that only their hardware can allow, not because it’s old, but because it’s unique.”
“There are some aspects of the retro experience that only a retro system can offer,” he continued. “The smell of plastic, the click-clack of the cartridge, the CRT flicker and buzz, all those things that people have come to miss from back when gaming was something they did for fun, after school, with friends.”
“I like taking environmental storytelling and smooth pacing ‘back to the past’ to enhance the hard-core NES ‘Learn-by-dying’ gameplay to give modern gamers the best taste of retro gaming we have to offer,” remarked Mega Cat Studios lead level designer Elie Platt.
“We’re blown away by the passion of fans who still believe pixels and plastic can deliver pure joy,” added Mega Cat Studios’ CEO James Deighan. “Thanks for proving that blowing into a cartridge is still an acceptable troubleshooting method in 2025, and for yelling at your CRT television alongside the AVGN team.”
Originally released digitally on current-gen platforms on October 23, 2025, The Angry Video Game Nerd 8-Bit is a side-scrolling action game heavily inspired by Capcom’s iconic Blue Bomber that will put your skills to the test. Delivering an authentic NES-hard challenge, combined with all-new live-action footage filmed exclusively for the game to flesh out its story, The Angry Video Game Nerd 8-Bit is designed to feel like an interactive episode of the long-running Cinemassacre web series.
“Playing AVGN 8-Bit feels like you’re entering my subconscious mind as the Nerd, encountering all the enemies and stages that I’ve reviewed on the show,” said The Angry Video Game Nerd, James Rolfe. “It’s an amalgamation of all your NES dreams and nightmares. From Retroware, teaming up with Mega Cat Studios and Programancer, this is sure to bring back all those retro memories of gripping the controller, screaming, and fist pumping.”
