VC&G Review: Nintendo Power Mints

August 19th, 2007 by Benj Edwards

Nintendo Power MintsWhile strolling through my local World Market store last year, a familiar-looking candy tin caught my eye. Upon further inspection, I realized that it was shaped like a NES control pad. Trying to avoid another impulse purchase, I passed up the opportunity.

Fast forward to yesterday, when my wife comes home from shopping and announces that she has a present for me.

“Close your eyes, and put out your hand.”

I reluctantly comply.

“Now spin around three times.”

As I slow down, she places a cold, rattling metal box on my palm. I open my eyes. To my astonishment, I find a brand new tin of Nintendo Power mints floating in thin air — just above the floor, as I collapse.

It was particularly good gift, since I had co-incidentally been thinking about them recently because of my last “Game Boy Bubble Gum” Retro Scan. Some gifts are worth a bruise or two.

The Tin’s the Thing

Nintendo Power MintsFor $1.49 (US), you get about 84 white, pill-shaped mints in a stylish metal package. Unfortunately, I found the mints’ flavor to be somewhat lacking: unlike Altoids, these are “curiously weak” mints with a slightly unpleasant chalky consistency. But the tin alone is probably worth the price. Therein lies all the novelty, of course, and the real reason anyone would buy this product.

The tin’s two-part design of smooth, rounded aluminum closes firmly and is well-constructed. It’s about the same size as a real NES controller, which is particularly cool. The printed control-pad effect is significantly enhanced by the slightly embossed buttons and D-pad on the lid of the tin. And after you finish all your mints, you can store your Nintendo DS games and extra styluses in it. Or dead bugs — it’s your choice.

Why the manufacturer branded these mints with “Nintendo Power” (the official magazine of all things Nintendo) is unknown to me. It would have been much cooler if they referenced the Nintendo Entertainment System (in words) somewhere on the package. Barring that, they could have at least called it the “Mintendo Entertainment System.”

Now you’re eating with power. Minty power.

The Skinny: Nintendo Power Mints
Good Features: Awesome NES control pad-shaped tin. Inexpensive. Very few calories. Useful for Nintendo DS game storage.
Bad Features: Mints have an authentic left-over-from-the-1980s chalky taste. They’re called “Nintendo Power” mints for some reason.
VC Rating:
(10 Being Best)
[ 7 out of 10 ] Shiny Marbles – Very Good


7 Responses to “VC&G Review: Nintendo Power Mints”

  1. jonpoon Says:

    Hi.. i was just about to blog about purchasing this too.. guess i’ll just link to you then 8). A nice surprise when i saw it in Game Crazy, though i bought it at $2.49. They probably know more about the value add on retro casings than the place you bought them from.

  2. MattG Says:

    I have one of these, too, given as a gift from a friend. I can’t bring myself to open the package though. They do better as a display item on my shelf, so I’m glad to hear I’m not missing anything when it comes to tasty mints.

  3. Bjorn Nitmo Says:

    Anyone know if these can be purchased online? I haven’t seen them locally and would love to get a bunch as stocking stuffers for my retro gaming pals (it’s never too early to start thinking about Christmas.)

  4. Stimie Says:

    If you know someone with a retail license you can get a box or crate here, http://www.bostonamerica.com/prod.l_nintendo.html

    or

    You can order them here for a little more than I bet you could find them in a store.

    http://www.zestuff.com/consumables/candies/61/

  5. Stimie Says:

    Then when you are done you can do this with the kick ass box they came in.

    http://www.8bitjoystick.com/archives/jake_handheld_gaming_is_a_lifehack.php

  6. Benj Edwards Says:

    I found another place that sells them online.

    http://www.fractalspin.com/x/product.php?productid=117&cat=0&page=1

  7. Crosby Says:

    I just got these today and plan on converting the tin to a bluetooth controller for an NES emulator, anybody know where i can find buttons for it?

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