 |
| Nintendo Game & Watch Multi Screen Mario Bros., Rain Shower and Lifeboat |
The first two Game & Watch Multi Screen games (Oil Panic and Donkey kong) were released close to each other in May and June of 1982.
[Video uploaded by Youtube user ksoik]
Two more were released at the end of 1982, just in time for Christmas: Mickey & Donald and Greenhouse.
[Video uploaded by Youtube user ksoik]
Donkey & Kong II followed in March of 1982, bringing the total to five.
 |
| The first five Multi Screen Game & Watch games |
We will take a look at these five in a future post, but first focus on the three that followed: Mario Bros. (product code MW-56), Rain Shower (LP-57) and Lifeboat (TC-58).
These three have the same housing design: the clamshell opens like a little book and the two screens sit next to each other. This sets them apart from the other Multi Screen games, that have a lid that opens up, and two screens sitting above each other.
The Multi Screen games retailed for ¥6,000.
Mario Bros. was the first of the three to be released. It saw the light of day on White Day (March 14) of 1983, although that probably was just a coincidence.
It is my personal favorite Game & Watch. And not just because it was my first, although that may play a role as well.
I will let the images below do most of the talking.
 |
| Nintendo Game & Watch Multi Screen Mario Bros. (1983) |
In August of 1983, Mario Bros. got a brother: Game & Watch Multi Screen Rain Shower.
 |
| Nintendo Game & Watch Multi Screen Rain Shower (1983) |
The final of these three Multi Screens followed in October of 1983: Lifeboat.
 |
| Nintendo Game & Watch Multi Screen Lifeboat (1983) |
I really adore these games. The housing design and colors, the game logos, the gameplay and controls: everything is so well designed and simply oozes the labour of love of the Nintendo team.
Between December 1983 and as late as 1989 (Game & Watch Zelda), seven more Multi Screen games followed, bringing the total to fifteen. More on these some other time.
Kudos from Caracas,
ReplyDeleteZe
What a great post. Game & Watch games (Game & Watches?) are little pieces of art and it's awesome to see an article on them from someone who feels the same way!
ReplyDeleteHi! I make a version of this game, I hope that you like it! https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.milliongames.FactoryBROS&hl=es
ReplyDeleteI finally purchased Lifeboat secondhand to complete the collection of 3 that open like a book. Wow Im so proud to own these pieces of history
ReplyDelete