Nintendo also released a fair amount of Ultraman based toys, including multiple boardgames, playing cards and even a clock.
The set shown here is called Monster Copy (怪獣コピー).
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Nintendo Monster Copy (怪獣コピー, 1971)
Ever since Ultraman first aired on Japanese television in 1966, he has been a popular license figure, appearing on a multitude of products.
Nintendo also released a fair amount of Ultraman based toys, including multiple boardgames, playing cards and even a clock.
The set shown here is called Monster Copy (怪獣コピー).
Nintendo also released a fair amount of Ultraman based toys, including multiple boardgames, playing cards and even a clock.
The set shown here is called Monster Copy (怪獣コピー).
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Nintendo N&B Block promotion (1970)
At the start of the 1970s, Nintendo ran a campaign in order to push sales of the N&B Block series. This campaign must have started sometime in 1970, judging by the end date (January 31st 1971) listed on the promotional poster. The poster also mentions television adverts supporting the campaign.
With each N& B Block set purchased (N&Bブロックで) a free pack of cards was gifted (任天堂絵本トランプをプレゼント).
At this point in time, Nintendo's N&B Block construction sets had been out in the Japanese market for two years and had been quite successful. This give-away must have been devised to bolster sales even further.
As one of the largest cards manufacturers in the country, using cards as gift item was an obvious choice for Nintendo. In fact, even today cards are offerred as one of the gifts to choose from in exchange for Club Nintendo points collected by buying Wii and DS games.
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| Nintendo N&B Block promotion poster (1970) |
With each N& B Block set purchased (N&Bブロックで) a free pack of cards was gifted (任天堂絵本トランプをプレゼント).
At this point in time, Nintendo's N&B Block construction sets had been out in the Japanese market for two years and had been quite successful. This give-away must have been devised to bolster sales even further.
As one of the largest cards manufacturers in the country, using cards as gift item was an obvious choice for Nintendo. In fact, even today cards are offerred as one of the gifts to choose from in exchange for Club Nintendo points collected by buying Wii and DS games.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Nintendo EVR Race (EVRレース, 1975)
Recording, watching and sharing video has become so much part of our daily life, that it is hard to image a world without easy access to a 'rec' button. Of course, this has not always been so.
The first video recording and playing machines for professional use appeared in the 1950s. Since the late 1960s, electronic firms together with broadcasting companies have worked on equipement for home use.
In the mid 1970s, Betamax and VHS emerged as widely adopted competing standards, of which the latter became the ultimate victor. VHS was extremely successful, before sinking into obsolescence after the introduction of the DVD and digital video recorders around the turn of the millenium.
But before the world settled on VHS, a plethora of different formats was developed. One of these was called 'Electronic Video Recording' or EVR for short.
Nintendo used this system in a number of its arcade cabinets.
Two different lines were created based on the EVR technology: EVR Race and EVR Baseball.
The first video recording and playing machines for professional use appeared in the 1950s. Since the late 1960s, electronic firms together with broadcasting companies have worked on equipement for home use.
In the mid 1970s, Betamax and VHS emerged as widely adopted competing standards, of which the latter became the ultimate victor. VHS was extremely successful, before sinking into obsolescence after the introduction of the DVD and digital video recorders around the turn of the millenium.
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| EVR video tape used in Nintendo arcade machines |
But before the world settled on VHS, a plethora of different formats was developed. One of these was called 'Electronic Video Recording' or EVR for short.
Nintendo used this system in a number of its arcade cabinets.
 |
| Nintendo EVR Race arcade (1975) |
Two different lines were created based on the EVR technology: EVR Race and EVR Baseball.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Nintendo Electro Poker (エレクトロ ポーカー, 1971)
In a previous post, we looked at the Jumping Bottle light gun target. Now that made perfect sense: shooting at bottles, be it in a safe electronic toy format.
Today it is the turn of a slightly less obvious shooting target: Electro Poker.
The idea here is to combine playing a variant of poker with light gun shooting. A bit like an indoors biathlon.
Each time you hit the target, the five wheels holding pictures of various playing cards will start turning individually. After some time they stop and show a certain combination of cards, which then determines your score. Much like throwing dice in dice poker.
Today it is the turn of a slightly less obvious shooting target: Electro Poker.
The idea here is to combine playing a variant of poker with light gun shooting. A bit like an indoors biathlon.
Each time you hit the target, the five wheels holding pictures of various playing cards will start turning individually. After some time they stop and show a certain combination of cards, which then determines your score. Much like throwing dice in dice poker.
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