NES is 20 yrs old
danger boy
Posts: 15,722
It was 20 years ago today, to paraphrase the Beatles song, that "Super Mario Bros." started to play.
On Oct. 18, 1985, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) first went on sale in the United States. It was an 8-bit video game console, and largely thanks to "Super Mario Bros.," a spinoff from the arcade hit "Donkey Kong," the NES quickly became the most successful game system of its era.
"It has been 20 years, which is hard to believe," said Beth Llewelyn, Nintendo senior director of corporate communications. "Super Mario Bros." was "a great game. That's what it all boils down to. It offered something new. It was the first side-scrolling game."
In the interim, Nintendo's consoles included the Nintendo 64 and the current GameCube.
And while most cell phones are now capable of game performance far beyond that of the NES, the machine's legacy lives on.
Today, Nintendo is overshadowed in game consoles by Sony, with its PlayStation series, and by the Microsoft Xbox. But Nintendo still is considered the worldwide leader in handheld video game devices, with its GameBoy series and the Nintendo DS. However, Sony is also gaining significant ground in handhelds with its PlayStationPortable.
For its part, the "Mario" franchise is very much alive and well. Current members of the family include "Super Mario Strikers," "Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time" and "Mario Party 7."
But Llewelyn said that the Revolution, which is expected to be released next spring, will feature the ability to download old Nintendo games, including titles going all the way back to the NES.
In any case, those who remember the launch of the NES 20 years ago are almost certainly no longer in the video game industry's most coveted demographic. Yet, many remain committed gamers and probably relish their first NES memories.
"When it comes down to it, it (was) just a great game play experience," Llewelyn said. "That started back with the first NES game."
On Oct. 18, 1985, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) first went on sale in the United States. It was an 8-bit video game console, and largely thanks to "Super Mario Bros.," a spinoff from the arcade hit "Donkey Kong," the NES quickly became the most successful game system of its era.
"It has been 20 years, which is hard to believe," said Beth Llewelyn, Nintendo senior director of corporate communications. "Super Mario Bros." was "a great game. That's what it all boils down to. It offered something new. It was the first side-scrolling game."
In the interim, Nintendo's consoles included the Nintendo 64 and the current GameCube.
And while most cell phones are now capable of game performance far beyond that of the NES, the machine's legacy lives on.
Today, Nintendo is overshadowed in game consoles by Sony, with its PlayStation series, and by the Microsoft Xbox. But Nintendo still is considered the worldwide leader in handheld video game devices, with its GameBoy series and the Nintendo DS. However, Sony is also gaining significant ground in handhelds with its PlayStationPortable.
For its part, the "Mario" franchise is very much alive and well. Current members of the family include "Super Mario Strikers," "Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time" and "Mario Party 7."
But Llewelyn said that the Revolution, which is expected to be released next spring, will feature the ability to download old Nintendo games, including titles going all the way back to the NES.
In any case, those who remember the launch of the NES 20 years ago are almost certainly no longer in the video game industry's most coveted demographic. Yet, many remain committed gamers and probably relish their first NES memories.
"When it comes down to it, it (was) just a great game play experience," Llewelyn said. "That started back with the first NES game."
PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
Post edited by danger boy on
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Well, now I have a reason to celebrate tonight.
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-Stopher
Tempe, AZ
Setup:
Polk RTi8 Mains
Polk CSi5 Center
Polk FXi3's Surround
Cerwin Vega HTS10 Subwoofer
Yamaha HTR-5740 AVR
Upstairs R50/R15/CS1 5.1 setup w Pioneer AVR -
Still have the original NES with Super Mario Bros. I take it out once or twice a year just to remember the days of simple, but fun games. Plus, it's extra fun playing it on an 8ft screen as well as hearing it through a Polk HT system....ensures I hear the full sound spectrum of the audio track just the way the original designers intended.
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polkaudio Fully Modded SDA SRS 1.2TLs + Dreadnaught, LSiM706c, 4 X Polk Surrounds + 4 X ATMOS, SVS PB13 Ultra X 2, Pass Labs X1, Marantz 7704, Bob Carver Crimson Beauty 350 Tube Mono Blocks, Carver Sunfire Signature Cinema Grande 400x5, ADCOM GFA 7807, Panasonic UB420, Moon 380D DAC, EPSON Pro Cinema 6050 -
I just pulled mine out of the attic the otherday. (I still need to clean it and hook it up). Maybe I'll do that now.Denon AVR-3803
RTi-70 Fronts
FXi-30 Surrounds
RTi-38 Back Surrounds
Csi-40 Center
PSW350 Sub
Panasonic PT-56WXF95 HDTVSamsung un60JS8000 SUHD
Denon DVD-2910
Xbox, Gamecube, PS2, PS3, PS4, xbox360, Wii, WiiU, n64 -
I guess Tecmo Super Bowl is just about 15 years old this year too
Brian Knauss
ex-Electrical Engineer for Polk -
