N&B Block Coaster was released in 1968 and cost ¥1,200.
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| Nintendo N&B Block - Coaster (1968) |
The front of the box shows a Japanese boy, who is believed to be Katsuhito Yamauchi, the son of Hiroshi Yamauchi. Hiroshi Yamauchi, of course, is Nintendo's illustrious former president, who held this position from 1949 to 2002. Yamauchi's son appeared in a number of commercials and in promotional material in the late 60s.
On the N&B Block Coaster box, Katsuhito is seen playing with a Western girl. In Japan it was (and still is) common to use Western models in product advertising. This supposedly adds to the appeal. Why, I am not quite sure. Does this produce a luxurious feeling, associated with import goods?
As is the case with all N&B Block sets, construction instructions are included. The set contains a bag with tumbling beans and the exact number of blocks to create the Coaster (189 pieces).
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| The instruction leaflet lists the blocks inluded in the set |
The instructions provide a clear step-by-step construction guide.
When complete building the N&B Block Coaster, you have a three stage tumbling bean racing game.
At the beginning of the race, the tumbling beans are placed at the top. The game has four separate tracks, one for each of four beans.
The race is started by lifting the metal bar.
The beans immediately start tumbling down the track. At the end of the first stage, the drop a level to the second stage.
The beans continue rolling down, until one of the beans finally makes it first to the finish line at the bottom level.
Watch the beans in action in the video below.
The tumbling bean racing game must have been a popular play theme, as the N&B Block Coaster is one seven different Coaster games made by Nintendo.
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| All seven Nintendo tumbling bean Coaster games |
The other games are:
- Nintendo Rabbit Coaster Game
- Nintendo Rabbit Coaster Game (#2) and New Coaster Game
- Nintendo Ultra Coaster Game and Captain Ultra Coaster
- Nintendo Mini Game Series Rabbit Coaster
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