Nintendo Mini Game Series - Remakes by Nichiten

The Nintendo Mini Game Series was very popular in the 70s. But Nintendo stopped selling them in the later half of the 70s, when they abandoned the production of more traditional toys, so they could focus fully on video games for the arcade and home.

This was not the end of the Mini Games though, as Japanese company Nichiten Co. Ltd. (ニチテン) acquired a license from Nintendo to produce these games. (In more recent years Nichiten also acquired a license to produce a remake of the Nintendo Ultra Machine DX).

Remakes of Nintendo Mini Games by Nichiten

The Mini Game versions by Nichiten are very close to the Nintendo originals. Some colors differ, as did some of the artwork. The names of the games were sometimes also changed. For instance, the Bee Hive Game (ハチの巣ゲーム) became Block Dropping Game (ブロックおとしゲーム).

Nichiten remake of Badminton Game

Instead of blister packs, the games were sold by Nichiten in plastic bags. The tagline was appropriately changed to "fun bags" (楽しさバッグン).

The Kangaroo, which had been Nintendo's brand logo for the Mini Games, was replaced by a cute baby elephant, holding a sign with the word "mini" (ミニ).

The elephant took the place of the kangaroo as brand logo

The instructions are integrated in the back of the games.

The back of the Nichiten games show the Nintendo copyright

The leaflets below shows the range of games included in the Nichiten Mini Game Series.

Nichiten Mini Game Series leaflet

According to these leaflet, the range included at least thirteen games licensed from Nintendo, as well as some other games added by Nichiten.

Another Nichiten Mini Games Series leaflet

Judging on their rarity these days, the Nichiten range was sold in much lower qualities than the Nintendo originals.