If you though your life was complete with a simple pair of black Converse All-Star high tops and a carefree spirit, the arrival of the latest trainers from Vans, featuring a raft of classic Nintendo designs, might just shake you to your core. With everyone from Mario and Duck Hunt to Boo, Donkey Kong and the classic NES controller getting in on the action, it looks like the most fun collection available on the high street right now.
While there’s a clothing range as a part of the collection, it’s the trainers that really stand out as possible additions to the wardrobe. We love some the sock designs too, but at a whopping £18 a pair, it feels like they’ve been priced out of contention for anyone with more sense than money and when it come to £18 pound socks, unless they’re going to give our feet a fuzzy massage as we walk, we’re out.
That aside, the trainers are instant footwear classics and Vans has managed to create designs that are both pure Nintendo kitsch genius as well as more subtle styles that hint at computer game chic without shouting quite as loud as the more garish portions of the collection.
From the power-up pumps, our favourite is the classic Legend Of Zelda slip-ons at the top of the page, which features 8-bit, NES era characters from the iconic game. It also has a smart Tri-Force design that looks a little tribal or Aztec print acting as borders for the characters from the game. Mario gets a similar treatment in the psychedelic design above for the Vans Nintendo lace-up shoes.
The Nintendo Old School shoes above lead the way in the more understated options with a simple 8-bit Super Mario block strip running down the side of the trainers. The white and gold Nintendo SK8-Hi Slim below are the pimped up, ankle support-cushioned equivalents, so you can take your pick how much jump you want to bring to your hot-stepping.
The NES controller Nintendo SK8-Hi Reissue Shoes below are also pretty strong for any fans of retro gaming out there, but if you can remember the light gun then you should probably opt for the Duck Hunt camo pack Authentic Shoes below them. The inclusion of the duck in different stages of flight is hilarious, emphasising the impressive effort from Vans to tap into the original spirit of the classic games.
The retro love affair doesn’t end with the Vans trainers for the Japanese gaming gurus in 2016, as it has also announced the release of the Nintendo Classic Mini NES for November. It’ll come bundled with 30 games, including Super Mario Bros 3, The Legend Of Zelda and Donkey Kong.
