iam8bit is teaming up with the Video Game History Foundation, Mega Cat Studios, and Retrotainment Games to revive programmer Chris Oberth’s classic Nintendo Entertainment System game, Xcavator. The updated version, called Xcavator 2025, will also be released for the NES as a special physical edition. This premium release will include a game cartridge and a brand new instruction manual. Pre-orders are open now for $100 at iam8bit, and shipments will begin in the second quarter of 2026.
As a gamer, it’s seriously cool to hear about stuff like this! Frank Cifaldi from the Video Game History Foundation explained that the very first Xcavator prototype is a rare look into what it was like for a small, independent developer trying to get a game onto consoles back in the 8-bit days. Apparently, the game was way ahead of its time in 1991, and nobody really got it then. But thankfully, the developer, Oberth, saved his work, and his family made sure it ended up with people who could preserve it. Now, in 2026, we’re finally going to get to play it! It’s a really important piece of gaming history, and it’s awesome that everyone involved is helping to share it with the world.
Here is an overview of the new release, via iam8bit:
This special edition includes a classic Nintendo Entertainment System game cartridge and a new, detailed manual created by the Video Game History Foundation, offering behind-the-scenes information about the game and its creator. Best of all, every penny earned from this release will go directly to supporting the Foundation’s work to protect and share video game history.
Video game enthusiasts can now pre-order the game for $100 at iam8bit.com. Pre-orders are open until January 10th, and the physical copy is expected to be delivered in the second quarter of 2026. If you’d like to support the work of the Video Game History Foundation, you can donate to their Winter Fundraiser here.
Originally created by the team behind arcade hits like Golden Tee Golf and Big Buck Hunter, Xcavator was pitched to several publishers in 1991 but never released. The game was then put aside and forgotten until the original code was donated to the Video Game History Foundation by the creator’s family. Working with Mega Cat Studios, the Foundation rebuilt Xcavator, and Incredible Technologies generously donated the game’s rights to help preserve it and support the Foundation’s work. Thanks to this collaborative and passionate effort, Xcavator is now complete, faithfully recreating the original vision using the same tools that would have been used in 1991.
iam8bit teamed up with Retrotainment to create a classic gray Nintendo Entertainment System cartridge. It includes a 14-page manual written by the Video Game History Foundation, designed to recapture the feel of classic game manuals. The manual also features a special section detailing the history of the game Xcavator, its creator Oberth, and the development studio. This release is intended as a collectible item that both players and retro gaming fans will be proud to own and display.
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2025-12-10 22:18