Key Takeaways
- The NES revitalized the U.S. video game industry following its 1983 market collapse.
- Nintendo's Famicom achieved early and explosive success in Japan, predating the NES.
- Strategic marketing, including bundling Super Mario Bros., was crucial for the NES's national rollout.
- Nintendo implemented strict quality control and licensing to maintain high game standards, avoiding Atari's pitfalls.
- The NES controller's innovative design established a foundational standard for future console gaming.
Deep Dive
- The hosts reflected on personal gaming experiences with the NES and other consoles, noting one host was slightly too old for the NES at its peak.
- One host admitted to giving up video games in college due to addiction, while the other maintained a more sporadic gaming habit.
- They discussed past experiences with Atari and arcade games, including a childhood memory of playing Intellivision football.
- While North America's video game market crashed in 1983, Japan's market flourished, leading Nintendo to release the Famicom (Family Computer) in 1983.
- The Famicom, a red and white console with top-loading capabilities, featured two wired controllers with a directional pad and A/B buttons, influencing future designs.
- It retailed for approximately $150 in 1983 (equivalent to nearly $500 today) and sold 2.5 million units by the end of 1984.
- Bundled games like Donkey Kong offered arcade-quality experiences at home, a significant advancement from systems like Atari.
- Nintendo aimed to re-enter the U.S. market in 1985 with their Advanced Video System (AVS), attempting to position it as a computer rather than just a game console.
- The AVS was bundled with accessories including a joystick, musical keyboard, and a light gun (zapper), and featured technologically advanced wireless controllers for 1985.
- Presented at the January 1985 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the AVS garnered little interest due to the negative perception of video games post-1983 crash.
- Retailers were hesitant to invest in new video game systems, having suffered significant losses from unsold consoles and drastically reduced game prices.
- Following a failed January CES, Nintendo's president tasked Lance Barr with redesigning the Advanced Video System in an hour, which became the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).
- The NES was designed with a front-loading mechanism resembling a VCR and a 'zero-force' system to minimize wear on cartridges.
- The redesigned NES, featuring the robot accessory R.O.B. and the game Gyromite, debuted at the July 1985 CES and was tested in New York City with retailers taking no risk.
- Despite selling only half of the 50,000 units produced in the test, it was deemed sufficient for a national rollout, initially with R.O.B. as the primary draw.
- Super Mario Bros., released in 1985, revolutionized gaming with its advanced graphics, endlessly replayable gameplay, hidden worlds, and secrets.
- Unlike previous games that were played for shorter durations, Super Mario Bros. offered hours of continuous engagement, a significant advancement over Atari titles.
- Developed by Shigeru Miyamoto, the game was considered light years ahead of its competition, establishing a new standard for video game design.
- Nintendo supported the NES with a $20 million advertising budget, a call center, Nintendo Power Magazine, and major gaming championships, laying groundwork for esports.
- Nintendo implemented strict quality control for games, preventing the release of subpar titles and ensuring a high standard through its licensing practices.
- This included requiring developers to submit gameplay explanations, adhere to design notes, and limited third-party releases, which led to an FTC investigation.
- Companies like 10 Gen (Tengen) attempted to circumvent Nintendo's lock-and-key chip technology through reverse-engineering, resulting in lawsuits.
- A YouTuber named Nintendrew discussed methods for bypassing the NES lockout chip, including a low-voltage spike that scrambled the chip.
- Other NES peripherals like the Power Pad and the Power Glove were conceptually advanced but ultimately not well-executed or widely popular.
- The Power Pad, originally a 'Fun and Fitness Pad' from Bandai, was repackaged for track and field games, a technology that remains popular today.
- The NES controller is recognized as revolutionary, establishing the 'language of console gaming' with its design focused on thumb-operated controls.
- This design, originating from the handheld 'Game and Watch' with its directional pad, became the standard for subsequent console controllers.
- The original NES offered nearly 700 games, including groundbreaking titles like 'Contra,' described as a shooter akin to 'Rambo' and 'Aliens'.
- The Konami code ('Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start'), which famously granted 30 extra lives in 'Contra,' originated from the game 'Gradius'.
- 'Tetris' was highlighted for its addictive nature and the strategic skill it fostered, comparing its block-stacking gameplay to efficient car packing.
- Other popular games mentioned include 'Punch Out!', 'Metroid' (a groundbreaking open-world game), and various sports titles.
- The common practice of blowing into Nintendo cartridges to fix them was believed to work, likely by re-establishing a connection.
- Nintendo advised against blowing into cartridges, and a 2012 study by Frankie Bitruello confirmed it could cause corrosion.
- A listener named George wrote in to correct a previous discussion, clarifying the distinction between Nutter Butter peanut-shaped cookies and Nutty Buddy wafer bars.