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The Famicom (NES) is 30 years old this year
TheSonicRetard
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The famicom is 30 in 5 months (the console would come to the US a few years later in 1985 as the Nintendo Entertainment System). I myself didn't get an NES until summer of 1995, and my NES collection is relatively limited. Growing up as an Sega Master System kid, my experiences with the NES were often fascinating, like a rare obscurity. I played it mainly at my cousin's house, 3 hours away, and vice versa. I played a little of Super Mario Bros and adored Super Mario 3 when he got it, but what summed up the NES experience for me was when he got the NES port of Fantasy Zone. Now, I was no stranger to fantasy zone, having beaten the SMS version many times prior to that. But, while the NES version looked like fantasy zone, sounded like fantasy zone, and played like fantasy zone, something about it was different - not worse, just very different - to the point where I couldn't even beat the first boss. I haven't returned to the NES version since, but that memory sticks out in my mind.
Today, I've experienced many of the NES classics and obscure gems, but of all main consoles, my NES is probably my least played of them all. Well, in honor of the 30th birthday of Nintendo's first console, I've decided to remedy it. I've picked up the following:
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Boxed AV Famicom
Boxed Famicom Disk System
Boxed Akumajo Densetsu 3 (Castlevania 3) -- The Famicom version has better music than the US version
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Gradius 2, a port of the arcade version and completely different from Gradius II on the MSX, never released outside of japan
Joy Mecha Fighter, a late Nintendo fighting game that never saw a world wide release
Doki Doki Panic - the original version that eventually became Mario bros USA
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The REAL Mario Bros 2, aka The Lost Levels
I'd like to buy a few more FDS/Famicom exclusive games if anybody would like to make a recommendation. Also, feel free to share your own NES stories and the impact it made on your gaming career. It feels bizarre to say the Famicom is 30 years old, personally.
Today, I've experienced many of the NES classics and obscure gems, but of all main consoles, my NES is probably my least played of them all. Well, in honor of the 30th birthday of Nintendo's first console, I've decided to remedy it. I've picked up the following:
Boxed AV Famicom
Boxed Famicom Disk System
Boxed Akumajo Densetsu 3 (Castlevania 3) -- The Famicom version has better music than the US version
Gradius 2, a port of the arcade version and completely different from Gradius II on the MSX, never released outside of japan
Joy Mecha Fighter, a late Nintendo fighting game that never saw a world wide release
Doki Doki Panic - the original version that eventually became Mario bros USA
The REAL Mario Bros 2, aka The Lost Levels
I'd like to buy a few more FDS/Famicom exclusive games if anybody would like to make a recommendation. Also, feel free to share your own NES stories and the impact it made on your gaming career. It feels bizarre to say the Famicom is 30 years old, personally.
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I've considered that for the same reason but, seeing as I've already beaten metroid on the NES, I'd rather go with that as a last resort. Looking at the list of officially released FDS games, the list isn't actually as big as I thought.
Anybody ever played Akumajou Specia: Boku Dracula-Kun? It's supposed to be a parody version of Castlevania.
I don't think so. Besides the odd title, it was also missing the page of instructions that usually went with PlayChoice 10 titles; it just had a blank screen. I'd assume a Japanese copy would have had... well, Japanese instructions. The only in-game text I saw was in the first Toad house, but it was in English.
Yep
Pretty neat little breakdown of the musical difference between the US version of Castlevania 3 and the Japanese famicom version.
I'm trying to find any sort of video that gives a good breakdown of the censorship as well.
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
I will then go further and make the less common suggestions of the Tower of Druaga and Quest of Ki. Also possibly a Boy and his Blob.
Then there is Darkwing Duck, Rescue Rangers and Ducktales. Because Capcom had that shit on lockdown.
Finally I'll simply say Star Tropics and Crystalis are excellent games in their own right.
..Oh wait, right, Ironsword/Wizards and Warriors games. Because they were so rad they got books.
It sounds like the NA release was downplayed to be more typical "NES sounding." Was there any actual hardware difference between the Famicon and NES on sound output? Or was this strictly Konami composing the music differently for its own sake rather than technical limitation?
The Famicom version of the game had a different MMC in the cart from the NES version that allowed from some extra sound channels. Apparently the NES didn't allow carts to add new channels at all.
This is correct, the chip was known as VRC6 and it was only used in 3 official games.
The regular NES/Famicom had two square waves, one triangle wave (generally used for bass), a noise channel (drums, hisses etc.), and a DPCM channel for very simple wav-like audio (speech etc.). The VRC6 added two additional square waves that were improved over the original with 8 duty cycles instead of 4, and a sawtooth wave generator, essentially doubling your musical output for important things like having actual chords.
Konami had another expansion chip, the VRC7, the holy grail of NES audio that was used in only one game: Lagrange Point, a sci-fi RPG. It's an FM synthesis chip based on the Yamaha YM2413. It's essentially Sega Genesis audio. Listen to this awesome, picture your NES doing this:
Yes and it's really cool and awesome. The first level music is kind of mindblowing: it's Beginning from Castlevania 3, but in a major key instead of minor and changed to the point where you almost might not notice. Original Famicom CV3 Beginning vs. Boku Dracula-Kun Beginning!
The Japanese version had its own memory mapper, developed by Konami, that added music channels. Unfortunately, Nintendo of America only allowed developers to use Nintendo's memory mapper chips, so that had to go.
And perhaps I should read the rest of the thread before replying... sorry for repeating everybody else.
I will never, ever, EVER sell my Game Boy Kid Dracula cart.
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Akumajou Special: Boku Dracula-Kun
Arumana no Kiseki for the FDS
Ai Senshi Nicol for the FDS
Metroid for the FDS, functionally the same as the NES version except with a game save feature, so no more sloppy passwords.
Akumajou Dracula and Akumajou Dracula II, known as Castlevania I & II on the NES. Like Metroid, these feature save game features in place of their NES password features (or in the case of castlevania I, not being able to save at all)
I also picked up this:
Famicom 3D System, as far as I know I got a steal on it at $35. It's fully boxed. I've been a sucker for 3D gaming since I got my sega scope 3D -- the best 3D game system until Sony started allowing 3D on the PS3. The Famicom 3D System is cross compatible with the Sega Scope 3D - you can use glasses for either system on one another, and they work the exact same way. The glasses are a pair of shutter LCD screens which sync up to the tv's refresh rate, so that one eye is closed for every draw of the TV. The end result is a very convincing, full-color 3D effect. I picked up the following 3D games too:
Falsion 3D, this is supposed to be the killer app for the glasses. It's a 3D shooting game sort of like afterburner or space harrier. It's the only 3D game that can't be played in 2D mode.
Highway Star, which came to the US as Rad Racer. The USA version retains the 3D mode, but works via anaglyph red and blue glasses. The effect isn't very convincing - across the numerous anaglyph 3D glasses I've tried, even after fiddling with my TV's color settings, none of them are the correct shades of red and blue to make the effect work. The Famicom version is in 3D in full color, due to the LCD shutter glasses.
I also picked up a loose Ninja Ryukenden 3 (Ninja Gaiden 3) because, even though I have the USA releases, the JPN release features unlimited continues and a few other gameplay tweaks that make it more like Ninja Gaiden 1 and 2:
I'm currently trying to get Summer Carnival Recca - not being a stranger to the Summer Carnival games on the PC Engine, I know these are pricey. A loose cart is going on ebay for $150 right now, with a boxed copy going for $600. Those are stupid prices, and hopefully I'll be able to find one at a decent price.
Intellevision -> NES isn't quite as big of a jump as most assume. A lot of the power behind the Intellevision is hidden behind incredibly ugly early 80's western art design - full black screens, for example. The Intellevision compares well against the Famicom and MSX, it's not quite that big of a step back.
If you want an even crazier jump in technology, compare where the western world was in 1985. On the one hand, we had the just released NES, looking like this:
While it's not quite fair because it's technically 1983 technology, it was brand new in the west in 1985. $200 got you those sorts of graphics. Meanwhile, $500+ got you this:
The Amiga 1000 and Amiga 500 launched the same year. Ridiculous when you consider those two pieces of hardware launched within months of each other. And then, a year later, the Sega Master System launched as a sort of half-way point between those two machines at the same price as the NES.
Technology moved so fast in the 80's, it's fascinating.
Seems like a straightforward action platformer but with some nice mechanics. Almost like Action 52's Streemerz done right.
I picked it up because I saw it compared to Treasure of Usas on the MSX, another great Konami action game that has been overlooked. Aside from the strange grapple mechanic in Arumana, judging from videos, they look very similar, even down to theme. When I finally get it, I'll try to beat it to compare its staff roll to Treasure of Usas.
I have to say that, aside from Sega, my 8-bit collection completely belongs to Konami. They were an insane developer during the 80's, arguably on par with Nintendo and Sega, and certainly a step ahead of Capcom at that point. 1988-1990 might just be Konami's golden age, as the titles they were releasing on the MSX/2 and Famicom were pretty jaw dropping considering the hardware. Their music from that era in particular is memorable, thanks to the SCC sound chip they included in nearly every one of their MSX/2 games, and stuff like the VRC-6.
Their shmups and action titles were particularly noteworthy - they seemed to understand the underlying mechanics of those types of games better than most. If you want me to pick up a game sight unseen, just tell me it's an 8-bit konami shmup or action platformer, and I'll basically buy it on the spot.
Have you heard about this?
EDIT: I've also found this, unrelated to the rest of the post:
It's apparently the animation the kiosks used to display if you wrote a Famicom Disk System game to a disk. Reminds me of the Wii's VC download bar sorta.
I do know that they say the same thing about the FM Pac on the MSX/2, and that actually IS true. however, the solution to that problem is to just crank the bitch up and rock out. I have to run my TV at like 95% volume if I play R-Type or Aleste or Aleste 2 on my MSX/2 using the FM Pac, when normal games can be heard at only 40% TV volume.
Alas, I was born in the wrong country.
Switch: 6200-8149-0919 / Wii U: maximumzero / 3DS: 0860-3352-3335 / eBay Shop
If I had been living in japan at the time, I'd have surely thrown all my weight behind the MSX/2 personally. That little machine is goddamn magical.
If I could live in other spot on earth during that time period, however, it would have definitely been the UK. The UK's gaming scene during the 80's is fascinating, and it's a story that isn't told very often in modern retrospectives. Europe as a whole was this weird area where you had strong japanese influence (the MSX was actually a thing in europe! They got Metal Gear, the real one!), where niche systems like the SMS thrived, and then you have this entire unique, european-only history with regards to stuff like the Atari ST or the Amiga 1200.
I really love the look of the original Famicom, but lack of AV output is a sticking point.
If I ever pick one up, I guess I'll have to with an AV Famicom or Twin Famicom.
Switch: 6200-8149-0919 / Wii U: maximumzero / 3DS: 0860-3352-3335 / eBay Shop
Switch: 6200-8149-0919 / Wii U: maximumzero / 3DS: 0860-3352-3335 / eBay Shop
A lot. More than most people would spend on this sort of crap. I got a good deal on the Famicom 3D System, but for most of the rest of the stuff, about what you'd expect to pay for 20+ year old imported hardware that is tough to find, boxed, in good condition.
I don't know the entire worth of my collection. A customary ball park figure might be $50k, but I don't know how unrealistically low or high that is. My actual library of games is over 1500 at this point, and I usually go out of my way to avoid getting the lowball, common, or otherwise undesirable games. I usually try to get the best of the best, price be damned. I know I spent over $7k on my MSX/2 collection, for example.
Worth is an odd thing to try and estimate, because different things would be worth more to different people. The average person might see a game like Space Manbow on the MSX2 and think it's a neat game, worth maybe over $100 because it's mint in box. A collector would recognize that less than 7000 copies exist and that it was Konami's last shmup released on the system and recognize that it's worth over $350. A modern gamer might look at the primative graphics and decide the game sucks and isn't worth anything. I could get more if I just put shit up on ebay and prayed on ignorance, but it'd also likely drive the price of some of my rarer titles way down. By contrast, I could sell on forums and message boards and probably get more for rarer titles, but the more common stuff wouldn't go as well. It's kind of a weird, inverse relationship.
At $50k, estimating 1500 titles (I haven't counted in a while) would put the average game worth at about $33. For some titles, that's way higher than they go for ($33 for Virtua Cop?!) and for others, that's way, way, way, WAY less than they go for ($33 for Shinrei Jusatsushi Taromaru? The game normally goes for well over 10 times that amount). That, of course, ignores rare or obscure hardware too. Some of the hardware I have is worth quite a bit just by itself - I have a consolized Neo Geo MVS, for example, that I see sell for about $400, and a consolized Atomiswave that I see going for $700 usually.
The thought of selling everything creeps into my mind from time to time. I don't think I'm a horder - I can throw away bad or broken games and hardware. I keep everything neat and tidy in a gaming room I have. In about 10 or so years, I'll likely start seriously considering selling everything, because capacitor plague is about to make obtaining some of this hardware in working order a lot more difficult - I do a lot of work on these old systems to make sure they'll last another 20-30 years, including replacing lasers and motors, recapping the entire system, etc.
EDIT: A good example of how I'll gleefully throw away more money than a person should at something stupid - I spent $200 on a boxed jaguar CD unit a few months ago. And I already had an unboxed, working unit besides.
Switch: 6200-8149-0919 / Wii U: maximumzero / 3DS: 0860-3352-3335 / eBay Shop
Apparently you can mod a normal Famicom for AV out if you have some moderate skills. It involves building a circuit. If you have any sort of electrical engineering background, it's likely a snap. My actual hardware building skills aren't that high though - I can build simple circuits, but more complex stuff is beyond me. I'm modifying a game gear for TV out with a controller port, for example. It's a two step process - first, I need to tap the lines running to the game gear's screen that contains the video information, which is an encoded RGB signal. To turn that signal into straight RGB, I need to build a circuit to convert the encoded signal into something normal. That, I can do, there are schematics online that'll walk you through it. The second step is to then convert the RGB signal into S-video. That, I can't do. Diagrams exist, but they're well beyond me, and pre-built solutions like the JROK arcade video converter are too big to fit into a game gear. I have a guy in spain building me that circuit, who will then ship it to me so I can build the entire unit myself.
So, long story short - it's possible to mod an original famicom for A/V out, but the process might be beyond some people. I myself have never tried it. Those I'm speaking to who have say that an AV modded famicom has the highest quality output of any famicom or NES period.
The problem with the twin famicom and original famicom is the wired controllers. Their cables are too short, and if one controller goes out, modding a new one in is a pain in the ass. The AV famicom is compatible with NES controllers. All famicoms include an extension port, a plug that looks similar to a Neo Geo AES controller port. This is where accessories like the zapper or 3D Famicom glasses plugged in. A few games will actually accept controller input from this port, making it possible to build an adapter, but most of Nintendo's own games will not work with the port. No Mario game, for example, will let you control Mario from that port. That's particularly what pushed me into getting the AV famicom, as I really have no problem with RF out itself (I run, for example, my NES2 via RF out).
EDIT: On the subject of RF out itself, because of different standards that exist not just between PAL and NTSC, but rather between regions themselves, RF out is a bitch to deal with if you're importing foreign hardware. In the Americas, RF out usually means channels 3 or 4. In japan, it usually means channels 1 and 2. But even though they output to channels 1 and 2 on a japanese television, they don't correspond to channels 1 and 2 on an American TV. Rather, if you want to use RF out from a japanese console, you need to pray that the console can support channel 2, and then tune your American TV to channel 95.
PAL systems are a nightmare. The Amstrad GX4000 is a console meant to play Amstrad CPC games, a computer from europe. It only has RF out. Aside from wacky frequencies, it also has PAL encoding to deal with, plus a bigger frame. To get around that, I actually imported a VCR from europe that has A/V out. I run my GX4000 to the VCR via coaxial input, then output the VCR to an PAL->NTSC converter, and then run the converter to the TV. I have no idea how I'd do this if I didn't have that converter.
Well, it's been a life long process. I've been collecting games since 86 essentially. Some games I picked up have appreciated in value several times over. I bought Shining Force III on clearance for $9, for example.