Nintendo N&B Block set 500-14 (N&B ブロック, 1968)

My collection of Nintendo N&B Block sets is nearing completion.

This nice little set, simply called NB 500-14, is a recent addition.

Nintendo SF-Hisplitter (SF-ハイスプリッター, 1979)

Here is another one of these great arcade flyers from yesteryear.

Nintendo SF-Hisplitter (1979)

This one is for the Nintendo arcade game SF-Hisplitter (SF-ハイスプリッター).

Nintendo Monkey Magic (モンキーマジック, 1979)

In previous posts, we looked at early Nintendo arcade games like EVR Race (1975), Computer Othello (1978), Space Launcher (1979) and Sheriff (1979).

Over the next couple of days, we will take a look at some more of Nintendo's arcade releases from the year 1979.

Around this time Nintendo moved away from creating straight copies of other companies' successful computer arcade games (like Block Fever and Space Fever) and started developing original ideas within established formats.

Nintendo Monkey Magic (1979)

Nintendo's Monkey Magic is a game within the block breaking mould set by Atari's Breakout in 1976. Although clearly based on it, enough new ideas are added to call it a game in its own right, not a clone.

Beforemario in Retro Gamer magazine

Retro Gamer is one of my favourite magazines. This UK publication has been going strong for years now. It continues to deliver informative and entertaining stories on classic games, including interviews with their makers.

Retro Gamer (issue 106)

In this month issue (#106), there is a feature on 20 Nintendo games you've never played. By it's very nature this is a subjective list, but an interesting list nonetheless.

What happened next

Strictly speaking, the images in this post are completely out of place on a blog about Nintendo's history up to the launch of the Family Computer.

Nintendo's toy and game era - roughly from 1965 to 1983 - is a fascinating topic in its own right, with many stories to be told. About inventions, creative design and bold innovation. About original as well as copied ideas. About entrepreneurship, risk taking and trying the market to see what works. It is really Nintendo's coming-of-age period.

It cannot be denied, however, that the interest in Nintendo's past is created to a large extend by the events that followed since. If Nintendo had somehow retired or gone out of business in the early 1980s, or ventured in a completely different and less successful direction than it did, this blog would most likely not have happened.

And venture in the right direction they did. The picture below is testament to that. Just seeing all these gaming devices together makes my heart sing.

Nintendo 1983-2011

All platforms are present here. The home consoles: Family Computer, Super Famicom, Nintendo 64, Game Cube and Wii. And the handhelds: Gameboy, Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance, DS and 3DS.

Nintendo Power Lift (パワーリフト, 1973)

In the early 1970s, Nintendo released a number of battery powered toys. Most of them where racing themed like Lefty RX and Mach Rider, both from 1972.

These toys answered the market demand for more sophisticated, and increasingly expensive, high quality gifts.

Nintendo Power Lift - a remote controlled forklift - is another example of this.