This is a term first coined (or maybe I was just the first person to see it used by) Todd Farikus of Sweetnes.com. Its meaning may be vague. Heck, you are probably reading this or clicked this particular link thinking, "What is NES Limbo." Well you've knowingly or unknowingly come to the right place.

NES Limbo affects everyone who is affiliated with the NES. It is sort of a mental drift away form the NES that makes you forget about it or just makes it temporarily unentertaining when someone plays it. The affects can last anywhere from a few minutes to a very long time or even permanently. I am and have been a victim in the past of this NES Limbo.

Sometimes you can tell if a particular webmaster or the NES community has contracted this state of mind. You may notice an extreme lack of updates off of a site that usually has one almost every day. It could also mean the complete self-removal from that person from the community entirely. Maybe OSG, TSR or Deif Wolf can testify to this Limbo phenomenon. I don't really believe that their sites ended just because of the NES Limbo. There were probably other reasons for their withdrawal. OSG had limited access to a computer. TSR pretty much covered all there was to the NES. And Deif just moved on. I'm getting off of the subject...

The onset of this NES Limbo can come form many sources. I, as a victim could tell you that. One cause is separation form the NES for a long period of time. I'm not saying that people suffer form NES withdrawal but they just seem to forget about it if they are far away and haven't had the chance to play it because of their distance reasons. Also, stress can play a factor. Some people have extensive school work, school related issues, jobs or just a lot of used up spare time and thus have to time to play the NES. Multiple system players will some times come into contact with this if they, for some reason, become enthralled in an RPG or completely enthralled in a newer generation system. If this happens you will forget about the NES and contract NES Limbo.

Sometimes NES Limbo can be a complete mental slip, or it could be an inability to actually play or, even possibly, a lack of entertainment satisfaction. The hardest part of recovering form NES Limbo is the reintroduction to the system. That is the reason that some NES sites do just vanish off the face of the net as quickly as they came on. I'll make a guarantee, right now, that NES Vortex will NEVER become a victim of this. Other sites may find them selves vulnerable to this.

The potential cures of these NES Limbos are quite simple in some cases but are entirely useless in other cases.

1) Reintroduce yourself to the NES, It will make you remember that it is sitting there and yes, you still can play it.

2) Pick a "spring board" game to dive back into the NES. The best kind of spring board game it the kind that produces some sort of nostalgia. NOSTALGIA IS THE BEST CURE FOR NES LIMBO.

3) The Internet. Some sites have a unique spring back feature to them. NES Enshrined Enshrined, TSR NES Archive, Royal Ranger message boards, and even GamesFAQs set of my nostalgia. Just find out what works for you.

4) Think of why you stopped playing the NES, maybe reverse psychology could run it's course and cure you.

5) Prevent it! think of your own Limbo breaker and remind yourself of it if and when you need it.

6) If all else fails resort to some patriotism. UNCLE SAM WANTS YOU TO PLAY THE NES.

Otherwise, Don't Let NES Limbo happen to you! And if it does, put a stop to it before it puts a stop to your NES!

-BPZ