Deep down we knew it was only a matter of time before these two got together to warp shoe-wearing to a whole other level, or shall we say world. The Vans Nintendo Collection, which first started making the Internet rumour rounds back in April, is perfect for gamers of all ages, from toddlers, to teens, to adults.
Whether you are a Super Mario Brothers nut, Donkey Kong extremist, or cared for them both, you’ll find a pair of Vans to suit your fandom.
They say it’s not a matter of winning or losing, it’s how you played the game that counts. Well, in this case, it doesn’t matter how well you played back in the day, you can still dress the part of Nintendo rock star. In this exclusive partnership with Nintendo, Vans has become the only shoe brand around that allows North American fans to rock their NES devotion with their footwear.
This new collection celebrates the video game console’s most classic characters. Just Imagine Mario, Luigi, Princess Peaches, Donkey Kong and Zelda hanging out on your next pair of Vans Sk8-His, Authentics or Old Skools. Even Duck Hunt is covered in the first roll-out of Vans’ Nintendo casual footwear.
Each pair from the Nintendo-Vans footwear collection features the retro-looking words GAME OVER stamped onto waffle outsoles and come in a box that perfectly resembles the vintage NES console.
But never mind all that, you came to see the shoes, so shoes you will see, starting with:
The Nintendo Vans Sk8-Hi Reissue Controller/True Whites that pay homage to Nintendo’s original controllers with their printed canvas and suede uppers:
Or, if you prefer the lighter gold version, check out these Vans Sk8-Hi Slims Nintendo Console Golds. These white and gold beauties have the iconic Vans stripe in an 8-bit graphic and the one and only Mario on the tongue tag.
Still in the Super Mario category, how cool are these Vans Nintendo Authentic Princess Peaches with their sturdy canvas uppers and durable metal eyelets?
Or how about the Vans Nintendo Authentic Super Mario Bros/Tie-Dies featuring colourful 8-bit icons from the Super Mario Brothers? Some good icons, some bad. What were those brown things called again? Goombas! That’s right.
Also in the Vans Authentic category, there are some picks from Donkey Kong and Duck Hunt. The Vans Nintendo Authentic Donkey Kong/Black simply say: Look at me.
Whereas the Vans Nintendo Authentic Duck Hunts are cleverly more camo-ed up.
If you’d rather slip into something more Zelda-like, the Vans Nintendo Slip-On Zelda/Parisian Nights will still show your friends you can rock Nintendo on your shoes pretty well:
These days, Zelda is looking a little more grown up in the upcoming Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Staying on the Zelda theme, how about these babies? These Vans Classic Nintendo Slip-Ons Zelda/Blacks feature 8-bit print all over their leather uppers and padded collar for everyday comfort and let's not forget the custom "Game Over" waffle soles, which you'll find on ALL of the Nintendo Collection's soles.
Finally, the Vans Nintendo Old Skool Console/Doves just have that sophisticated, universal appeal, don’t they?
Like every other pair of Vans Old Skools, the Nintendo version features canvas and suede uppers and padded collars. These ones are subtle enough for business casual attire, yet fun enough for the after-office-hours summer parties.
While Supplies Last!
Due to the awesomeness of these new pairs of Vans, and the specialness of their partnership with Nintendo, who is known to be rather selective in its licensing deals, the Baggins team believes these shoes will move quickly, so be sure to grab your pairs ASAP! Think Christmas in July. Why not? Don't get caught in a "Game Over" scenario, get your Nintendo kicks while they last!
(All Nintendo Collection soles feature this custom "Game Over" waffle sole, by the way.)
Shop ‘til you drop 24/7 on the Baggins web store. We’ll hook you up with items from the Vans Nintendo Collection, and then some, including the latest Converse, Stance and Herschel products.
Nintendo Facts & Stats
* How old is Nintendo? The Japanese electronics company was officially founded in 1889. Back then they marketed hanafuda playing cards.
* Flash forward just shy of 100 years to when Nintendo released the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985 in New York City. Its popularity exploded by 1987, thus officially ending the North American Video Game Crash of 1983-85. Atari was out, Nintendo was in.
* In 1991, a new gaming console entered the scene: the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It came with more sophisticated graphics and better controllers. Plus it introduced us all to Yoshi, who we hope ends up on a pair of Vans one day, too.
* What does it all mean? The name Nintendo, roughly translated from Japanese to English, means "leave luck to heaven".
* And just how many units are out there? By March 31, 2014, Nintendo had sold more than 670.43 million hardware units and 4.23 billion software units. We wonder, how many are still in use, and are folks still blowing into the cartridges after all this time?