Thirty years. That’s 10950 (give or take, damn leap-years) days ago, that Nintendo hit the jackpot with their home console. Aptly named the Nintendo Entertainment System, the humble NES was released in the US two years after the Nintendo Family Computer from 1983, the Famicom became a Japanese hit.
On its own, the NES wasn’t that ground-breaking. The hardware was alright, the controller was basic and the console was about the size of a lunchbox that was about to burst. But it’s the fact that Nintendo was willing to gamble a future by releasing the device in the North American market that made it a success.
You’ve got to remember, that 1985 was a notoriously crappy year for gaming in the US of A. The market had crashed in 1983, arcades were going bust and development of new games was now an afterthought at best. Launching a new console in that market was the equivalent of marketing vegan meal options at a Rugby World Cup finals braai.
And Nintendo knew that. They originally planned to use Atari, a giant in the industry back then, to help them sell the NES. But that never panned out, and negotiations were scuppered. Nintendo decided to go it alone, with a market test in the toughest of US cities, New York City.
And thanks to Nintendo managing to convince retailers to stock the units (by only taking a cut of NES consoles sold), they managed to establish a foothold in the US. It wasn’t the greatest of beachheads established, but it was a solid start. Good enough to expand operations throughout North America.
1986 saw the NES take off properly, with the family-friendly device reinvigorating a market that many analysts had written off entirely. If you thought the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 generation of gaming went on for too long, then you clearly weren’t around for the NES generation.
A generation which lasted until 1991, when the Super Nintendo Entertainment System finally replaced the aging legend. And with 60 million NES consoles sold, Nintendo had become a giant that paved the way for other consoles to also make a splash.
But that’s a decade of gaming when you look back at the NES. A decade of some of the finest video games ever made.
Castlevania, Super Mario Bros, The Legend of Zelda, Mega Man, Ninja Gaiden, Metal Gear, Duck Hunt, Gradius, Final Fantasy, Contra, Excite-Bike,Tetris…The list just goes on and on and on. Sure, realising that the NES is now 30 years old may make you feel a bit ancient today. But that’s a good thing.
Those are good memories. Recollections of bosses fought, platforming sections mastered and a Contra code memorised.
So what’s your favourite NES memory?
Last Updated: October 19, 2015
HairyEwok
October 19, 2015 at 15:07
My best NES memory….. Plug-in and play, no updates needed.
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:16
This comment needs to be featured and set as comment of the week
Dutch Matrix
October 19, 2015 at 15:17
Nope. Sorry. No. He forgot the hours spent trying to get that thing tuned into your TV. 😛
Grand Admiral Chief
October 19, 2015 at 15:20
Only if you were a noob…
Dutch Matrix
October 19, 2015 at 15:31
Well forgive me for not having a fancy ass TV way back then. We had to manually turn the knobs and things.
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
October 19, 2015 at 15:32
What wireless magic is this, you must be a magician by changing the channels all lounging out on your couch like that!
Dutch Matrix
October 19, 2015 at 15:34
To be honest, I think my parents got their first remote controlled TV six or so years ago.
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
October 19, 2015 at 15:35
Aish!! Well, the remote controls my parents had were me and my brother until the day I moved out, at least…
Grand Admiral Chief
October 19, 2015 at 15:37
As did I.
I did not know of these fancy auto tuner tv’s until I was a man
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
October 19, 2015 at 15:40
I also remember distinctly how my dad lost it when someone changed the tuning of one of the channels on the TV and he wanted to watch the news…needless to say, I got the blame and had to sit there, for 30 minutes, fine tuning that stupid knob that was more sensitive than Anita about readjusting TV games….
Dutch Matrix
October 19, 2015 at 15:50
And… and then, when you wanted to watch Transformers on TV2, you had to tune the TV in again as well as the damn radio. “We now join Television 2 for the simulcast broadcast of Transformers.”
And then the tears of frustration when everything is setup and Radio 2000 gets it wrong.
“Dumela, u-BumbleBee. Le kae?”
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:51
Yoh yoh yoh
Spathi
October 19, 2015 at 15:52
Hahahahahahahaha!!
That was the weirdest shit ever.
Hammersteyn
October 19, 2015 at 15:21
huh?
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:27
The early ones had to be tuned via the antenna input…. Don’t you remember? Had to let the TV set search for the signal and all that?
Hammersteyn
October 19, 2015 at 15:57
O yeah XD
Spathi
October 19, 2015 at 16:01
You forgot: Plug in, blow cartridge, put game in, play!
Dutch Matrix
October 19, 2015 at 16:07
I never had to perform fellatio on a cartridge to get it working…
Dutch Matrix
October 19, 2015 at 15:12
My Best NES memory… Never owned a proper Nes but that el cheapo NTDec rip off.
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:14
We had this lol:
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lw5yrp0mvv1qzdgx0o1_500.jpg
Dutch Matrix
October 19, 2015 at 15:16
Ah yes. Golden China. The good old days. 🙁
Hammersteyn
October 19, 2015 at 15:17
Same here
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 15:22
THE FEELS. We just sold ours the other day because my wife told me we never play it. Seeing the guys face when he bought it from me…it was like selling my child.
Grand Admiral Chief
October 19, 2015 at 15:24
Just klap it on an emulator
Grand Admiral Chief
October 19, 2015 at 15:24
How much did you get for it though?
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 15:30
I don’t want to say. It’s too painful. I do have it on an emulator, in fact after selling it I hooked the laptop up to the tv and the wife and I klapped Twin Bee, using an old USB game pad I found and this magical controller my friend made for me to draw on. I’ve drawn more on it since photo was taken.
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:26
Eish dude. I don’t know if I could have sold one if I still owned it. In fact I’m looking at actually buying one lol
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:13
Best game ever was:
http://www.consoleclassix.com/info_img/Jurassic_Park_NES_ScreenShot2.jpg
Hammersteyn
October 19, 2015 at 15:17
LOL!
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 15:19
THIS. THIS. A THOUSAND TIMES THIS.
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:26
So glad you agree 🙂
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 15:31
The boat level. Holy crap.
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:33
Eish. Hated that.
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 15:34
I need to rock this game RIGHT NOW
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:35
Dude I wonder if it’s on any of the emulated sites?
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 15:35
I remember the noise of the gun…
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:36
Do you remember the first time you encountered a raptor? Yoh yoh yoh. IT’S NOT DYING!!!!!!
Also dat T-Rex fight. So many bullets….
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 15:13
Adventure Island (all of them). Mega Man (all of them). My brother’s lies: telling me that Formation Z was the 26th title in the franchise etc.
Dutch Matrix
October 19, 2015 at 15:13
No Duck Hunt?
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 15:17
He is the original troll
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 19, 2015 at 15:15
What’s a NES? :/
Dutch Matrix
October 19, 2015 at 15:16
Daai ding waar die voëls in bly.
Hammersteyn
October 19, 2015 at 15:19
Amazingly one of the first games was Batman and the other one of those 20 in 1 cartridges. Never could beat Batman 🙁
Grand Admiral Chief
October 19, 2015 at 15:20
Hahaha, there is a Batman joke in there somewhere
Grand Admiral Chief
October 19, 2015 at 15:21
Contra FTW
Hammersteyn
October 19, 2015 at 15:21
Agreed, we all praised Konami back then.
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:28
Contra rocked! To this day I still have not finished it
Grand Admiral Chief
October 19, 2015 at 15:29
WHAT?
WE NEED TO CO OP DAT SHIT!
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 15:32
You are not truly an Adult until you have finished the almighty Contra. Also, I did this many moons ago.
Hammersteyn
October 19, 2015 at 15:24
Another was being stuck in Vanrhysndorp in the middle of December. Amazingly there the video store rented NES games. Got my first taste of Mega Man 3. We spent hours figuring out which boss to kill first and who to use his power against.
Grand Admiral Chief
October 19, 2015 at 15:25
Watter dorp?
Hammersteyn
October 19, 2015 at 15:57
Google it
Grand Admiral Chief
October 19, 2015 at 15:58
I did, I can honestly say, never heard of it.
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:29
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/g2184MLAuXM/hqdefault.jpg
Grand Admiral Chief
October 19, 2015 at 15:29
HAHA, effin’ cats
Spathi
October 19, 2015 at 15:30
MAPPY!
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 15:43
This is what you should have on your phone. No pay to win or DLC. Just a mouse dressed like a policeman, fat cats hiding behind gutted computers and sonic-boom producing doors
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:48
hahahahahahahaha
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:29
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3bvc3_K8QXs/maxresdefault.jpg
Grand Admiral Chief
October 19, 2015 at 15:29
xD
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:29
http://img2.game-oldies.com/sites/default/files/snaps/nintendo-nes/elevator-action-usa.png
Grand Admiral Chief
October 19, 2015 at 15:30
STAHP! YOU ARE KILLING ME WITH NOSTALGIA
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 15:33
Kick him in the head! Shoot the lights!
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:30
http://www.gamerscoup.com/nintendo/nes/screenshots/paperboy2.jpg
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 15:40
Get him in the nuts!
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:40
hehehehehehehehhe
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:31
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/12/Top_Gun_Game.gif
Hammersteyn
October 19, 2015 at 16:01
Can’t land on the aircraft carrier simulator 😛
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 16:09
Can’t refuel in midair simulator
Dutch Matrix
October 19, 2015 at 16:10
That’s because you dudes did not have the correct soundtrack:
HALLLLFFFWAAAYYY TO THE DANGER ZONE!!!!
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 16:12
You know it’s highway, right? I have to check. Because now you have me questioning myself
Dutch Matrix
October 19, 2015 at 16:13
Remember that was the era of badly taped tapes copied from Vinyl records on crappy made radios, right?
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 16:16
I only ever made it halfway so that makes sense
Hammersteyn
October 19, 2015 at 16:18
XD
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 17:46
This. Hahahaha
Grand Admiral Chief
October 20, 2015 at 07:25
xD
ACE Pilot in the Sky, lord of the noobs when trying to land
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:31
http://s.emuparadise.org/Nintendo%20Entertainment%20System/Snaps/TwinBee%20(J).png
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 15:40
If you have the boss music in your head right now, you are awesome
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:41
Of course I do!
Hammersteyn
October 19, 2015 at 16:01
Twin bee
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 18:05
Woooooooooooo
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:33
http://img.gamefaqs.net/screens/5/c/3/gfs_40272_2_3.jpg
Dutch Matrix
October 19, 2015 at 15:45
This was a 16-bit game… 😛
Spathi
October 19, 2015 at 15:33
Little Ninja Brothers! My first taste of RPG goodness. Top Gun 3, Contra, Batman, Platoon, Loony Toons, Ducktales, and many many more made me the awesome bestest person I am today. Thank you Nintendo.
http://www.freeroms.com/roms_screenshot2/nes_little_ninja_brothers_1.gif
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:34
http://s.uvlist.net/l/y2009/02/56879.jpg
Spathi
October 19, 2015 at 15:35
Fuck Karateka! Piece of shit birds!!!
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:35
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 15:43
This game made me so angry
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:48
Dark Souls before it was cool
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:34
http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/151249-the-legend-of-kage-nes-screenshot-kage-tosses-throwing-stars.png
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:35
http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/scale_super/7/72171/1314728-kung_fu.jpg
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:37
https://satoshimatrix.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/5000inone.jpg
Grand Admiral Chief
October 19, 2015 at 15:38
So basically 50 games, with 100 different variants of each
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:40
like invisible floor mario or start on stage 8 mario or…..
Grand Admiral Chief
October 19, 2015 at 15:38
Heh, SUPPER
Spathi
October 19, 2015 at 15:41
What was the game where you played a ninja and depending on the weapon, you could change into an animal? It was a side scroller and with ninja stars you could change into a cheetah cat thing, and with a sword you could change into a dragon, and with a stick (bo?) you changed into a bird?
That was an awesome game!!
Also, what was the game were you played a Jeep, a red or green one depending on what player you chose?
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:42
This sounds super familiar but I don’t know….
AfricanTime
October 19, 2015 at 15:44
Ninja Crusaders??
Spathi
October 19, 2015 at 15:44
Ninja Fricken Crusaders!!! Thank you! Indeed, that was one of the best games to co-op ever.
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:48
http://gamefabrique.com/storage/screenshots/nes/ninja-crusaders-04.png
Spathi
October 19, 2015 at 15:49
Man oh man, so many memories….
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 15:46
It’s odd how many games sound really messed up when you say them out loud. Such as Mappy (see below for description)
Spathi
October 19, 2015 at 15:47
Hahaha indeed. Reading my own description, I sound like a 5 year old explaining the game to my parents…
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 15:48
And then and then you’re a jeep! A red one! Or a green one!
Spathi
October 19, 2015 at 16:10
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/PfUnm-2WKoA/hqdefault.jpg
Jackal! It seems that were only green jeeps. Still, great game!
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:47
http://cdn7.staztic.com/app/a/2824/2824337/road-fighter-nes-12-3-s-307×512.jpg
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 15:49
You know that when Superman flew past you could slam on brakes and he’d crash into the screen?
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:49
HAHAHAHAAH what?????? Really???? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 15:50
You have some playing to do, it seems
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:50
Indeed I do.
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 15:50
Darryn swimming in comments like Scrooge McDuck.
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:52
http://cdn.themis-media.com/media/global/images/library/deriv/54/54637.jpg
AfricanTime
October 19, 2015 at 15:52
…
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:53
http://cachedtech.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/NES-Olympics.jpg
AfricanTime
October 19, 2015 at 15:55
always second player…
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:56
This guy knows 🙂
AfricanTime
October 19, 2015 at 15:53
https://media.giphy.com/media/6eoXDsUl0JALm/giphy.gif
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:53
http://img2.game-oldies.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/snaps/nintendo-nes/battle-city-japan.png?itok=0wOuHk8L
Grand Admiral Chief
October 19, 2015 at 15:54
^This
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:55
BEST
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:54
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/agd0SBjLBjs/hqdefault.jpg
Grand Admiral Chief
October 19, 2015 at 15:55
Raise you hand if you have the sound effects in your head now! That pitch, than shuffle run!
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:56
*puts hand up*
Grand Admiral Chief
October 19, 2015 at 15:57
That slooooooooooooooooooooooooooow ball
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:57
Suuuuuuuuuuuuper slow finger killer twisty ball? Yeeeeep
Grand Admiral Chief
October 19, 2015 at 15:58
KA-PIIRRRRRRRRRRR
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:59
tjuku tjuku tjuku
Grand Admiral Chief
October 19, 2015 at 15:59
xD
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 15:56
http://coolrom.com/screenshots/nes/Chip%20'n%20Dale%20Rescue%20Rangers%20(2).jpg
Spathi
October 19, 2015 at 15:58
Damnit this was a good game. Some of the best co-op experiences I’ve had.
Hammersteyn
October 19, 2015 at 15:59
Chip & Dales!
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 18:05
You gonna name em all?
Hammersteyn
October 20, 2015 at 08:13
I probably can
Raptor Rants
October 20, 2015 at 10:41
hahahaha. Good man 😀
Dutch Matrix
October 19, 2015 at 15:56
The nostalgia is strong with this article. But to be honest, this console has to be the one I played some of the worst games on.
Grand Admiral Chief
October 19, 2015 at 15:57
Example?
Dutch Matrix
October 19, 2015 at 16:02
Mappy. Legend of Kage. Paper Boy. Bomberman. To name a few. (And yes, this is my own personal thing. Lots of people apparently worship these games…)
Spathi
October 19, 2015 at 16:03
You also don’t like Red Dead Redemption, so you have NO TASTE!!!
Hammersteyn
October 19, 2015 at 16:04
Agreed
Dutch Matrix
October 19, 2015 at 16:05
Oh look. It’s High School all over again!
Hammersteyn
October 19, 2015 at 16:06
😛
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 16:08
You can’t sit at our table
Dutch Matrix
October 19, 2015 at 16:08
THERE WAS TABLES????
Dutch Matrix
October 19, 2015 at 16:05
Oh. And there was this wrestling game, where you played a tag team called the Ricky Fighters. And one move was called the ‘Flying Head Bat.’ It was simply a miss spelt head Butt…
AfricanTime
October 19, 2015 at 16:06
prince of persia was a bit tedious…
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 16:00
Anyone ever play Isolated Warrior? Or the knockoff Star Wars where Darth Vader becomes a giant moth? Or Kickmaster?
Hammersteyn
October 19, 2015 at 16:03
I thought he becomes a scorpion?
http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/9/95/Sasori_Vader.png
Mark Vincer
October 19, 2015 at 16:08
If that can be called a scorpion…
Dutch Matrix
October 19, 2015 at 16:10
That’s Hammer’s girl/wife if she did not have her 7am Whiskey…
Hammersteyn
October 19, 2015 at 16:19
In any case, wtf happens exactly?
Mark Vincer
October 20, 2015 at 07:56
It was messed up. You confront Vader who turns into a mutant scorpion. The game was…uh…not canon
Hammersteyn
October 19, 2015 at 16:05
Imposibru!
http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/206484-ninja-gaiden-nes-screenshot-continue-along-the-rail-tracks.png
Raptor Rants
October 19, 2015 at 18:06
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Dutch Matrix
October 19, 2015 at 16:13
Scream if this made you scream… http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zcZyg390jhY/hqdefault.jpg
oVg
October 19, 2015 at 16:47
My best memory, smacking Rincethis over the head with the controller because we kept dying in Battletoads co-op.
oVg
October 19, 2015 at 16:52
SICK 🙂
Cyberats
October 19, 2015 at 22:52
Actually, I think Wii had made a great advancement in surpassing the NES fun in gaming.