The Nintendo 2 was a revamp of the venerable Nintendo Entertainment System. It was an 8-bit system that was functionally identical to the original NES (it played the same games, used the same controllers, etc).

Released in 1991 at the bargain price of $50, it was an attempt to get shoppers to buy the cheaper Nintendo instead of Sega's Genesis, which was $150 (but still cheaper than the just-released Super Nintendo Entertainment System, which was going for $200).

In addition to being cheaper, the Nintendo 2 corrected some of the design flaws of the original NES. Like the Super Nintendo, the Nintendo 2 was top-loading. The first model NES had a spring that could easily break.

The connectors on original NES were made of copper, which oxidized, forming a thin film which obstructed the connection between console and cartridge. The Nintendo 2's connectors were made of gold, which does not oxidize as easily.

The controllers that came with the Nintendo 2 were also improved, sporting a dogbone-like shape that resembles (once again) the Super Nintendo's controllers. No more "Nintendinitis" from those box-shaped monsters on the original Nintendo.

Video game collectors who still play Nintendo games often seek the Nintendo 2, mostly because of the connector issue. As a result, the units often sell for close to their original retail price.

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