Whether it’s a special method to getting the games to work, or simply taking you back to childhood, the original NES continues to be more than just a video game console for many people.
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was distributed in Japan in 1984 and came to the United States in 1985 selling over 60 million units worldwide. The Nintendo Company introduced the public to Donkey Kong and Mario which lead to one of the bestselling video game franchises in history, Super Mario. While the system had faults, it was those little quirks that attached people to their consoles.
The game slot was the most problematic; everyone had their own method to getting games to work. Sometimes you would have to blow into the game twice, then slide it into the game slot but not all the way to the back, pump it up and down a few times than see if the opening credits showed up on the screen. It was this specialized process that made owners protective over their NES.
With so many great games to choose from, Nintendo offered a new genre of gaming. Best sellers included Super Mario (1, 2 and 3), Zelda, Donkey Kong and lesser known titles like ExciteBike and Baseball Stars captivated audiences. One of the more advanced options Nintendo offered was the orange, long barreled shot gun that accompanied the dual title Super Mario Brothers/Duck Hunt. Being able to accurately shoot the ducks by pointing the gun at the screen in your home was remarkable technology at the time.
The original NES remotes only had the directional arrows, start and select buttons, and A and B buttons. The addition of excess buttons on newer consoles gets confusing; the simplified controller with 4 directions and 4 total buttons was great.
The love for the original NES has transcended generations. The Nintendo Company has continued the success of the NES by allowing downloads of the older titles on the new Wii console. They stuck to the basics; by simply turning the Wii remote on its side, it becomes an original NES controller with 4 directional arrows and 4 buttons. Nintendo is great at incorporating its history with its future.
Most people have some connection to the NES; some may love the system, the games, or simply the invention of the Mario series, which exploded in popularity and maintains it. Nintendo has produced other very successful video game consoles over the years including Game Boy, Super NES, Nintendo 64 and the Wii; despite having various other options on updated systems, people still maintain their love of playing the original NES.