NES - Bringing Back The Dead
Written: Aug 24 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Tons of classic games, legends were born, brought video games back from the dead
Cons: Very few good sports games. Besides that, bah!
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| awoolcott's Full Review: Nintendo NES |
Before the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was released in 1985, video games were dead. Extinct. Over. You get the picture. Due to some bad decisions by the market dictator at the time, Atari, gaming became one of those fads that were cool for a few years and disappear just as quickly. Anyone even remotely interested in creating a game system was laughed at. Just not Nintendo.
Nintendo, prior to the successes of its video game division, was known for Japanese playing card games. Eventually they moved into electronic toys and games, and eventually arcade video games. Putting out arcade hits like Mario Brothers and Donkey Kong, Nintendo was somewhat keeping arcade games afloat. But eventually they became interested in a home console (TV Games as they are called in Japan).
Interestingly enough, Nintendo originally had the NES slated to be under the Atari name. But Nintendo backed out when a rumor started that Atari was working on something else, and all the wanted to do was get the NES and trash it, for competition reasons. Nintendo backed out and released the NES in 1985.
The problem was, no one would touch it. Retailers weren't interested in a video game system, due to mass monetary losses in the past. So Nintendo had to make a backup plan. Along with the NES itself they had to launch with R.O.B, aka the Robotic Operating Buddy (keep jokes to self okay?).
Of course R.O.B was just a front to get the system released, even in limited form. It was only released at first in the New York and San Francisco markets (I believe Chicago as well but I can't recall). The strong interest in it within these markets lead to a national release not soon after. Side note - R.O.B is the grandfather of accessories released for a console that never are used after a day or so (see SuperScope, Sega CD, 32X, etc).
It wasn't long after the national release that the NES took off completely, and began a trek that for one brought video games back to life, and second of all solidified the NES as one of the greatest video game consoles made, even to 2000 standards. But it didn't happen by osmosis. The games had to be good.
And wow they were. Quality games were never an issue, for there were tons. At first there was arcade conversions - Donkey Kong and Mario Brothers. Then the heavy hitter hit, and that hitter was Super Mario Brothers.
SMB was one of the first (if not THE first) home games that had side scrolling levels, where you could move a character across multiple screens, instead of the traditional one screen games like DK. It of course starred Mario, who has become the most recognizable video game character ever. The idea of multiple levels, with different environments, and what is now traditional 2D gameplay, SMB moved systems. FAST.
From there it only got better and better. More and more legendary game series' were released first on NES, like the Zelda series, Metroid, along with third party game series like Contra (which was an arcade game), Metal Gear (at least in US, if I remember right it came out on an old Japanese game system first), Castlevania, and the mighty Final Fantasy (only FF1 though, at least in the US). Mega Man also was made first on NES (though the MM series has hit massive overkill in typical Capcom style). It also had my favorite series ever, Ninja Gaiden. True masterpieces of gaming.
Unfortunately the NES wasn't too big on sports games, despite having my two personal favorite sports games ever (though released late in the system's life). Licensed games were rare, good ones were worse. Though there were a handful of great games. Bases Loaded comes to mind, along with RBI Baseball (which has a great story). Also, Mike Tyson's (before wife-beating, raping, ear biting) Punch Out was an amazing boxing game, that I played forever (until someone stole it from me..whoever it is, I WANT IT BACK!). My favorite sports games on NES though,were Tecmo Super Bowl and Tecmo NBA Basketball. Though they were released late in the system's life, both were excellent games, both fun and easy to play. I actually play them to this day when I hook the system up (that is if I can get a 12 year old box to run).
Nintendo did hit some snags though. A company named Tengen (*cough* Atari) was releasing, with Nintendo's blessing, games like RBI Baseball and Pac-Man. But suddenly, they stopped the licensing and left Tengen in the cold. BUT, Tengen worked their way around the system code and was able to release unlicensed games for the NES that worked. Needless to say, a big lawsuit emerged. I cannot remember who won, but I do know that it changed a lot of things in the game business.
What is amazing is how an 8-bit NES system could be overshadowed by a more powerful system (Genesis) and still control the market share. All it took was one game - Super Mario Brothers 3. SMB3 sold an amazing 20 million copies! While it didn't keep them winning forever, it was a good holdover for the Super NES. I personally remember trying to get SMB3, at all of 11 or 12 years old, watching my parents calling everywhere and not finding it, and (oh man) crying my eyes out with every "sorry sold out" notice. Thankfully they found a copy somewhere. But that was how hot the game was. You couldn't find it ANYWHERE, even a big city like Chicago.
Looking back, the NES has all the qualities of a great system. And it was just that. It brought back a dead form of entertainment, brought a little company into the spotlight, and gave kids something to do besides schoolwork (kidding!).
Of course, you can still get your hands on an NES at a used game store like FuncoLand or online. And best part is you can get one for a really good price. Because really, everyone should have an NES in their game library!
Recommended:
Yes
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awoolcott
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Location: Arizona
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2009 was a pretty good year for games, but next year, wow.
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