NES Remix hit the Nintendo Wii U eShop with little fanfare, but the game is one that all retro gamers have been dreaming about for quite some time. Nintendo has taken over a dozen NES games and added a unique twist to memorable levels from that game so that a completely new experience is created. For those wondering how the beat these new challenges or collect the highest rankings found on the different levels, here is a quick guide for NES Remix.

One of the most important strategies for collecting Rainbow Stars (which is the highest rank players can achieve) is to focus on completing the level within a certain time limit. Most Rainbow Stars are obtained by completing the level very quickly, so users should always be on the lookout for ways to shave time off their overall score. This may require practice along with memorizing the patterns associated with the levels. After all, it worked for the original levels back when the NES was the hot new console, and it will work for NES Remix.

Perhaps of the easiest ways to shave time off a level is to focus solely on the task at hand. While this may seem like a basic strategy, considering that the games on NES Remix are older than most current high school students, many players may just play the games as they were intended. This includes ignoring enemies as well as extras such as coin block in Super Mario if the level does not require them to be part of the final goal. With most challenges getting ranked based on time, the focus should be on speed and not anything else.

Another important tip is to remember the rules for different games when they are mashed together. For example, one remix stage has Link from the Legend of Zelda series be a playable character for Donkey Kong. While Mario (technically he was Jumpman back in the day) can jump in the original Donkey Kong arcade game, Link was unable to jump in his original games. Therefore, Link will be unable to jump over barrels in this remixed level.

Finally, players of NES Remix should be prepared to make mistakes. Getting a Rainbow Star on a level is no easy task, and many of these early games take a fair share of luck to complete. By being patient and waiting for the optimal run to present itself to a player, then getting a Rainbow Star in NES Remix can be a much less frustrating task.