R.C. Pro-Am II (NES)

Rare made the sequel bigger, faster, and four players deep, and most of us never got to experience it properly back in the day. R.C. Pro-Am II for the NES arrives in a new collector's release from Retro-Bit, bringing one of the most underrated multiplayer racers of the 8-bit era back to life on a brand new cartridge compatible with original NTSC-U and PAL consoles.

This is the R.C. racing game that took everything the original did right and cranked it up. 24 tracks spanning racetracks, cityscapes, and off-road dirt courses. Weapons, vehicle upgrades, and the kind of chaotic four-player action that turned living rooms into battlegrounds back when sharing a couch was the only way to play multiplayer. The fact that it supported four simultaneous players on NES hardware still feels like witchcraft.

The collector's package does this game justice. You get a numbered deluxe hardcover cartridge box, a Raceway grey PAL cartridge (or Asphalt Black for North American retailers), a full-color instruction manual, an exclusive acrylic cartridge display stand, and holographic commemorative stickers. The display stand is a particularly nice touch, giving the cart proper showcase treatment rather than letting it disappear into a shelf row. Each copy is individually numbered during production, and Retro-Bit has confirmed there are no plans for a reprint, so what gets ordered during the pre-order window is all that will ever exist.

The beveled gold contacts and proper 5-volt chips mean your original hardware stays safe. This is a cartridge built with the same care collectors demand and the same respect the game deserves.