Nintendo Mini Game Series - Overview (ミニゲームシリーズ, 1971-76)

The Nintendo Mini Game Series (ミニゲームシリーズ) consists of at least 52 games, not counting package and color variants. For an introduction to this series please check out this previous post. Below you can find an overview of all games, as well as a table listing them in alphabetical order.

Nintendo Mini Games - Large

The Mini Games came in two blister pack sizes: large and small. We first take a look at the large games and start with the Horse Race Game (競馬ゲーム).

Continuing from top left, going to bottom right, shown below are Ball Game (バールゲーム), Rabbit Coaster (ラビットコースター), Bee Hive Game (ハチの巣ゲーム), Gear Drive (ギヤドライブ), Hopping Game (ホッピングゲーム) and Gun Game (ガンゲーム):

Magnet Chess (マグネットチェス), Line Up 5 (五ならべ), Ball Taking Game (玉とりゲーム), Bridge Crossing Game (橋渡しゲーム), White & Red (ホワイト＆レッド) and Napoleon (ナポレオン):

There are four different Picture Puzzle (ピクチュアパズル) sets, all containing three puzzles each:

More information about these puzzles can be found here.

We continue with Hockey Game (ホッケーゲーム), Badminton Game (バトミントンゲーム), Sky Ring (スカイリング) and Miracle Ball (ミラクルボール):

Diving Shot (ダイビングショット) I was able to add to my collection after searching for it for around twenty years.

And the last five large games in this overview Marble Shot (マーブルショット), Ball Cue Game (玉つきゲーム), Ball Cue Soccer (玉つきサッカー), Table Roulette (テーブルルーレット) and High Low Game (大小ゲーム):

Nintendo Mini Games - Small

We now move to the small games. Again starting from top left and going to bottom right, we see Car Race (カーレース), Roulette (ルーレット), Volley Ball Game (バレーボールゲーム), Smart Ball (スマートボール), Basket Ball (バスケットボール) and Air Gun (エアーガン):

Car License (カーライセンス), Line Up 4 (４つならべ), Colorful Ball (カラフルボール), Pitfall Game (おとし穴ゲーム), Baseball Pachinko (ベースボールパチンコ) and Mountain Climbing Game (山のぼりゲーム):

Bulldozer Game (ブルドーザーゲーム), Bound Ball (バウンドボール), Kurukurubanban (クルクルバンバン), Hurdle Race (ハードルレース), Operation Bomber (ボンバー大作戦) and Catcher Boat (キャッチャーボート):

We continue with Gear Challenge (キヤチャレンジ), Time Shock (タイムショック), Mini Shogi (ミニ将棋), Challenge Dice (チャレンジダイス) and Love Tester (ラブテスター):

One more Mini Game is Block Puzzle (ブロックパズル). The two versions shown below contain the same puzzle cubes, it's just different sides that are visible on the front. [More info about this Mini Game here.]

Still missing from my collection is this alternative play field design version of Gun Game.

Wanted! Mini Game Gun Game

The final Mini Game in this overview is Space Ball (スペースボール). Like Challenge Dice and Love Tester, this is a repacked version of a game originally sold outside the Mini Game series. This version of Space Ball I also do not have in my collection yet.

Wanted! Mini Game Space Ball

If you have any of these missing games, or any other Mini Game not shown above, please contact me.

Nintendo Mini Games - Full List

An overview of all known games in the Nintendo Mini Game Series is provided in the table below. The product numbers refer to the number found on the blister pack of each game (located mostly in the top left).

Nintendo Mini Game Series
#	Name	English Translation	Product #
1	４つならべ	Line Up 4	616
2	エアーガン	Air Gun	34
3	おとし穴ゲーム	Pitfall Game	508
4	カーライセンス	Car License	506
5	カーレース	Car Race	33
6	カラフルボール	Colorful Ball	507
7	ガンゲーム	Gun Game	32
8	キヤチャレンジ	Gear Challenge	65
9	キャッチャーボート	Catcher Boat	54
10	ギヤドライブ	Gear Drive	73
11	クルクルバンバン	Kurukurubanban	614
12	スカイリング	Sky Ring	509
13	スペースボール	Space Ball	?
14	スマートボール	Smart Ball	37 / 610
15	ダイビングショット	Diving Shot	72
16	タイムショック	Time Shock	53
17	チャレンジダイス	Challenge Dice	51
18	テーブルルーレット	Table Roulette	805
19	ナポレオン	Napoleon	804
20	ハードルレース	Hurdle Race	612
21	バールゲーム	Ball Game	35
22	バウンドボール	Bound Ball	617
23	バスケットボール	Basket Ball	44
24	ハチの巣ゲーム	Bee Hive Game	71
25	バトミントンゲーム	Badminton Game	802
26	バレーボールゲーム	Volley Ball Game	64
27	ピクチュアパズル	Picture Puzzle #1: 101 Dalmatians (101匹わんちゃん), Bullet train (新幹線), Bambi (バンビ)	31
28	ピクチュアパズル	Picture Puzzle #2: Fire engine (消防自動車), Pinocchio (ピノキオ), Sleeping Beauty (眠れる森の美女))	31
29	ピクチュアパズル	Picture Puzzle #3: Seven little goats (七匹の子やぎ), Kagome kagome (かごめかごめ), Express train (特急電車)	451
30	ピクチュアパズル	Picture Puzzle #4: Little Red Riding Hood (赤頭巾ちゃん), Jack and the beanstalk (ジャックとまめの木), Birthday party (おたんじょうかい)	451
31	ブルドーザーゲーム	Bulldozer Game	613
32	ブロックパズル	Block Puzzle	52
33	ベースボールパチンコ	Baseball Pachinko	606
34	ホッケーゲーム	Hockey Game	91
35	ホッピングゲーム	Hopping Game	42
36	ホワイト＆レッド	White & Red	903
37	ボンバー大作戦	Operation Bomber	608
38	マーブルショット	Marble Shot	69
39	マグネットチェス	Magnet Chess	61
40	ミニ将棋	Mini Shogi	607
41	ミラクルボール	Miracle Ball	907
42	ラビットコースター	Rabbit Coaster	46
43	ラブテスター	Love Tester	55
44	ルーレット	Roulette	41 / 601
45	五ならべ	Line Up 5	62 / 905
46	大小ゲーム	High Low Game	806
47	山のぼりゲーム	Mountain Climbing Game	615
48	橋渡しゲーム	Bridge Crossing Game	92
49	玉つきゲーム	Ball Cue Game	801
50	玉つきサッカー	Ball Cue Soccer	704
51	玉とりゲーム	Ball Taking Game	36
52	競馬ゲーム	Horse Racing Game	43

Nintendo Custom Gunman - alternative versions - Sharp Shooter & Safari Hunt

In today's post, I am calling out for help.

I am looking for information on Western releases of Custom Gunman, which is one my favorite toys created by Nintendo in the 70s.

On a Christmas morning in Niagara Falls, NY in the late 70s

Now, a couple of weeks ago, I received a message from an American reader of this blog, named Joe:

"Do you know if there was a U.S. Version of Custom Gunman made? I was born in 1973 and got this for Christmas one year. But mine had a dark brown box and the gunman was dressed in black. I even have a pic of me playing with it Christmas morning. I think that they bought it from a store called Brand Names which went out of business in the late 80's. I am from Niagara Falls, NY."

Joe included the picture above, which shows him being very pleased with a bunch of new toys, including something quite similar to a Custom Gunman. Similar, but not the same. As Joe described in his message, it had different colors and most likely also a different name (which he could not remember anymore).

Nintendo Custom Lion and Custom Gunman (1976) - the original

It was the first time I saw this particular version of Custom Gunman. Earlier this year, when searching the Net, I had come across some images of alternative versions of Custom Gunman, but had not been able to find any more information about them; where and when they were released, and if they were officially licensed or clones. I also lost the source location of these images.

Custom Gunman version "Electric-Eye Sharp Shooter" (19??)

The image above and below are from a version called Electric-Eye Sharp Shooter. Except for the name and some details, this version is very close to the original.

Next, another image surfaced with yet another version of this Electric-Eye Sharp Shooter, with a different color scheme.

Yet another version of Electric-Eye Sharp Shooter

Joe also sent a link to a 1978 catalog from mail-order company Montgomery Ward (apparently the first ever mail-order company). This featured an even more intriguing version, where the cowboy is replaced by a gorilla: it is called Glaring Gorilla, and the words "Safari Hunt" appear on its base.

(Source of image below: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wishbook/3191820126/in/set-72157612485482806).

Taken from 1978 Montgomery Ward catalog

So, here comes the question: who has any information about these alternative versions of Custom Gunman? Who has owned them as a kid? Who knows where to find one? I would love to hear from you. Please post a comment below or contact me.

---

Oct 1 update: the toy Joe was looking for turns out to be called Shoot Em Ups!

Nintendo Candy Machine (任天堂 キャンデー マシン, 1970)

Because of the success of the toys Nintendo created in the second half of the 1960s, they became more and more established as a premier toy and game maker.

However, before eventually focusing fully on games and turning into a video game powerhouse in the 80s, in the early 1970’s Nintendo still did try to branch into other areas as well.

Nintendo Candy Machine (manual)

One of the nicest examples of this, is a cotton candy (candy floss) machine for home use: the Nintendo Candy Machine. It is Nintendo's only appliance, as far as I am aware.

Back of manual

Although no toy, most children will have cheered its arrival in their homes.

The Candy Machine was released in 1970, and came in a cardboard box of 35 by 35 by 25 centimeters.

The Candy Machine name was printed on the box is nice stylized katakana (キャンデー マシン), together with the Nintendo name in large kanji (任天堂). "Makes cotton candy!" the slogan (わた菓子ができる!) states.

The Candy Machine fits neatly into its box. The top of the box has a clever closing mechanism, so the box can be re-closed and used to store the Candy Machine after use.

Nintendo Candy Machine (1970)

The Candy Machine is sturdy built, but - to keep cost down - without any frills (for instance, it does not have an on/off switch). It was sold for ¥2,980.

Besides the Candy Machine, a manual and a pack with accessories are provided.

Contents of the Candy Machine set (picture taken from manual)

The accessories consist of: a vise (バイス) used to fix the Candy Machine to a table, the spinning "plate" (回転ザラ) that will hold the sugar (more on that below) and a pair of "plate scissors" (サラハサミ) used to handle the plate when it is hot.

Also provided is a small bag with 100 gram of sugar (砂糖), so nothing is stopping you from getting started right away. Very considerate.

Nintendo sugar!

The Candy Machine runs on 100V, which is the Japanese standard voltage. When plugged into the main power, the metal disc at the top of the Candy Machine is heated.

The plate is placed on this hot surface, but not before fixing the Candy Machine to the table.

The Candy Machine is now ready to use.

The big white bowl - which can be detached for cleaning - has a large Nintendo logo embossed on the inside.

The Candy Machine is semi-automatic, and needs to be turned by hand to produce the cotton candy.  When turning the handle on the front, the hot plate at the top starts spinning at a very high speed.

Sugar is poured into the spinning, heated plate. The sugar melts, and the liquid sugar is spun through the centrifugal force out of the plate. Upon leaving the plate, the streams of liquid sugar cool quickly and form the familiar sugary threads that make the cotton candy.

As an aside: this process was invented in the United States in 1897, by a dentist!

Regular chopsticks can be used to gather the cotton candy from the bowl and turn into a nice floss.

Instruction diagram (taken from manual)

Obviously, you must refrain from touching the hot (あつい!) plate and also don't make the plate shake too much (ガタガタ!) when stirring the melting sugar. For people that need some encouragement in these areas, the manual includes the usual do's and don'ts.

The box shown at the top of this post is the version most commonly found today. A second version was also released, presumably at a later time. This version is much rarer.

The only difference between the two versions is the box art. The Candy Machine inside is identical.

The most prominent difference is the English name on the box. Still, this version was also intended for the Japanese market only.

This box version does a better job of selling the Candy Machine. You can almost taste the sugar when looking at the big white floss the lady is making.

The Candy Machine was a great idea: a simplified, affordable home version of the cotton candy machines found at fairs and amusement parks. It provides further illustration that Nintendo was bursting with ideas in this period.

Nintendo Candy Machine (1970)

Before you ask: no, I have not yet tried it out myself. I am a bit hesitant to power up a forty year old device that wants to heat sugar to 400 degrees. On the other hand, I would really love some sugary floss right now...

Nintendo N&B Block Ringer (N&Bブロック リンガー, 1970)

One of the more surprising entries in the Nintendo N&B Block series is the Ringer musical set.

The N&B Block Ringer (リンガー) saw the light of day in 1970, a couple of years after the start of the N&B Block series (for more information read this post).

Nintendo N&B Block Ringer (1970)

Although some assembly was required, Ringer wasn't really about construction like the other N&B Block sets.

The Ringer cost ¥1,200. Besides the N&B Block branding, it also sported the Nintendo Game "NG" logo, unlike any of the other N&B Block sets.

The color orange must have been terribly en vogue in 1970, as the boxes of the Nintendo Kousenjuu light beam gun games released in that same year also use this bright color to great effect.

The box is quite big and measures 52 by 28 centimeters.

N&B Block Ringer Manual

The Ringer set consists of eleven colorful bells and a frame to hold them, 27 N&B Block parts that need to be built on the frame following the provided instructions, two play sticks and a music sheet.

Each of the bells produces a specific tone. A number is stamped in every bell, and they - obviously - need to be placed in the frame in the right order. The top of the frame is decorated with some N&B Block elements. Half of the blocks on top (the greenish ones) have a phosphorescence effect: they emit light in the dark after being exposed to light during the day. This is unique for the Ringer set; no other N&B Block set includes these type of blocks.

The two bases of the frame of the Ringer are assembled from some standard N&B Block elements.

The eleven bells together make up one and a half octave, from "la" to "re".

To start you off on a musical career, the provided music sheet contains six pages with a total of ten tunes.

The color of the notes on the music sheet corresponds with the color of the bells, so it is not really needed to be able to read notes.

The bright bells are very inviting, and produce a nice ringing sound. Are you ready to play "Sakura Sakura"?

Here's the original TV commercial, in glorious black and white.

If you combine the Ringer with a Nintendo Ele-Conga, even more musical fun can be had.