I hate to say it, but Christmas really is just around the corner. One of last year's god-tier gifts was the NES Classic -- if you could actually get your hands on one. Now, Nintendo is urging the public not to pay any more than $80 for this year's SNES Classic.

SNES Classic Sales

If you remember back to last year, finding a NES Classic was, at times, incredibly difficult. Instead of ensuring every single shelf in every retailer was stacked throughout the entire holiday period, Nintendo simply didn't produce enough of the retro gaming machines.

Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aimé told the Financial Times that "initial NES Classic production volume had been based on the historically low sales of other retro-gaming devices from other manufacturers." Fils-Aimé also explained that "Managing that complex supply chain is a challenge . . . There is not one choke point, there are multiple choke points. I won't go into any more detail but it's not just one component."

And despite retailing for only $79.99, come the week before Christmas, units were reselling for well over $200 in some markets.

The comments will do little to appease fans that have already suffered in pre-order debacles at major retailers, including Best Buy and Walmart. There are also widespread rumors that some desperate (or savvy, you choose) people are using bots to snag as many pre-order units as possible, as soon as they hit the market.

Avoid the Crush

Avoiding the crush isn't always easy, especially if you spot SNES Classic at the top of a child's Christmas list. But overall, Nintendo appear to be doing everything possible to ensure that last year's NES Classic debacle isn't repeated.

Between now and Christmas there will be multiple occasions to purchase a SNES Classic, so don't worry if you don't secure one straightaway. And, as Nintendo say, try not to pay more than $80 for one, at any time -- easy for them to say, I know.

Did you lose out last year? Have you already bagged a pre-order this year? Are you excited for the SNES Classic, or is it just a money-grab by Nintendo? Will we see an N64 Classic next year? Let us know your thoughts below!

Edit: According to TechCrunch, the NES Classic and SNES Classic will both be available for sale throughout 2018.

Image Credit: ctrphotos/Depositphotos