Adidas and Nice Kicks Reignite the 16-Bit Console War, But With Sneakers

In the early 90s, the video game world was dominated by the SNES and the Genesis/Mega Drive. These two 16-bit behemoths vied for supremacy in the living room, selling millions of units of hardware at a time when the industry seemed unstoppable.

Today, Sega and Nintendo are now allies rather than rivals. That hasn’t stopped Adidas and Nice Kicks from collaborating to create sneakers that harken back to that bitter rivalry (thanks, Forbes).

The “Rivalry Series” takes the 1986 Adidas Rivalry shoe and drops it in two unique colorways, each representing a side of the console wars.

The “Rivalry Low Nicekicks” (as the shoes will be called) are available in Low Core Black (Genesis) and White (SNES).

Speaking to Forbes about the collaboration, Bryan Tang of Nice Kicks, product manager and designer of the sneakers, said:

The idea for Nice Kicks was to tell a story about rivals, with examples of famous sports teams and personalities, like the ongoing rivalry between the Lakers and Celtics. Naturally, the Nice Kicks team thought differently and focused on something more niche and meaningful to them. Growing up in the late 80s and early 90s, we didn’t have as many options when it came to gaming consoles as we do today, and if we were lucky enough to have one, we had to choose between Nintendo or Sega.

We all shared similar stories, including visiting our local game stores to window shop for the latest game and the graphics they would use for the covers. Over time, many of these games were resold to stores and had defects like adhesive residue or discoloration from sun damage. We took all of these nostalgic feelings and incorporated them into footwear, with a focus on wearability and storytelling.

The Rivalry Low Nicekicks will retail for $130 when they launch on August 16. The shoes reportedly launched in the UK earlier this year, so you might be able to grab a pair now if you’re in that part of the world.