List of classic gaming tropes

[Rhomaios]

Add to the list -- pendants who take issue with words used

 

As well as people who misuse them!

[Schizophretard]

I'm surprised this one wasn't listed yet...

 

"Video games aren't for girls."

 

There were many who had that mentality (and sadly many still do). Don't forget: back in the 1980s, toy stores separated toys by gender. Video game consoles like the NES were in the "boys" section of toy stores.

 

There's a difference between saying that girls' toys like Barbies go here and boys' toys like G.I. Joe go here as opposed to saying that toys which should be gender-less (like the NES and other video game consoles) being declared a boy's toy. Back then, EVERYTHING had to be put into a gender category (which was very stupid and narrow-minded); that narrow-mindedness only further reinforced and perpetuated negative gender roles.

 

I'll take that one step farther because they shouldn't just be genderless but also ageless in that they don't even belong in toy stores or the toy sections of stores. They belong in the electronics sections of stores with TV's, VCR's, stereos, etc. with the physical media in their own separate but nearby sections separated into movies, music, and video games.

[homerhomer]

Sega Genesis sound chip sounds like farts.

Super Nintendo has way to much reverb.

[CatPix]

I'll take that one step farther because they shouldn't just be genderless but also ageless in that they don't even belong in toy stores or the toy sections of stores. They belong in the electronics sections of stores with TV's, VCR's, stereos, etc. with the physical media in their own separate but nearby sections separated into movies, music, and video games.

Is that still a thing, or were you mentionning that from BITD?

Here, video games are in the cultural items, next to the DVD and books most of the time, and consoles are sold next to TV and radio and all that stuff.

A least in supermarket and general stores, of course if you go in a Toys'R'Us or antoher games stores, I'm not sure how they are sold.

[Rhomaios]

The two Targets I've been to here both have them in the electronics section, not toys. I don't think they've been in the toys section in 25 years.

[DuggerVideoGames]

 

 

I'll take that one step farther because they shouldn't just be genderless but also ageless in that they don't even belong in toy stores or the toy sections of stores. They belong in the electronics sections of stores with TV's, VCR's, stereos, etc. with the physical media in their own separate but nearby sections separated into movies, music, and video games.

100% agreed. In fact, video games were in the electronics section pre-crash; it was the start of the NES era when they wandered into the toys/boys section.

[Schizophretard]

Is that still a thing, or were you mentionning that from BITD?

Here, video games are in the cultural items, next to the DVD and books most of the time, and consoles are sold next to TV and radio and all that stuff.

A least in supermarket and general stores, of course if you go in a Toys'R'Us or antoher games stores, I'm not sure how they are sold.

 

Today but also kind of back in the day. I don't recall if back in the day if the video game section at Toys'R'Us was in the boys section because I don't recall big signs hanging over the areas to designate boys and girls. Also, even if it was in the boys section it was at the very end off to the side at the edge of the building and kind of its own section because it was one gigantic row of nothing but video games with the only row closer to the wall being board games. So, it kind of seemed like they were lumping games of any kind together. However, since it was most definitely within Toys'R'Us and they still have video game sections in the stores today they are treated as toys. At places like Walmart they are now within the electronic section. However, often the very next row over are toys so it is still treated kind of in between. The games themselves are not treated as physical media in the same way that DVD's are because the games are with the consoles. For an example, you can find a row of DVD players but the DVD's would have their own rows. It is the same with stereos and CD's. Consoles aren't treated as players in the same way. Almost the same way but still different enough that they aren't treated as players on an equal level as DVD players and stereos. So, they are kind of in a limbo between a type of all ages media player and a toy for kids that is a video version of a board game but closer to Candy Land instead of Chess.

[Schizophretard]

100% agreed. In fact, video games were in the electronics section pre-crash; it was the start of the NES era when they wandered into the toys/boys section.

 

What Nintendo was thinking with the redesign of the Famicom confuses me because it seems like they were thinking something like,"Retailers think that video games are some kind of toy fad like hula hoops and that kids will move onto a new toy fad. So, let's get rid of the Famicom's toy look by making it look like a VCR. That should get rid of this toy fad thing. Let's also distract them away from that it is about video games by making it look like a toy by including a toy robot and toy gun." WTF? What seems weird to me about that is that even though in Japan the Famicom and SEGA SG-1000 looked like they were toys that could transform into robots our consoles already had a matching the furniture and made for the entertainment center to sit next to a VCR look. They did for two generations and what was starting to be a third at the time of the crash with a more updated 80's look instead of 70's wood grain. So, they weren't really changing our perspective by making it look like a VCR. But then after getting rid of this Transformer look they undo any attempt to change our perspective by actually including a robot. If they are just going to go full circle like that just to end up back to a toy then they might as well have just gave us the Famicom with the toy robot and toy gun.

[DuggerVideoGames]

 

What Nintendo was thinking with the redesign of the Famicom confuses me because it seems like they were thinking something like,"Retailers think that video games are some kind of toy fad like hula hoops and that kids will move onto a new toy fad. So, let's get rid of the Famicom's toy look by making it look like a VCR. That should get rid of this toy fad thing. Let's also distract them away from that it is about video games by making it look like a toy by including a toy robot and toy gun." WTF? What seems weird to me about that is that even though in Japan the Famicom and SEGA SG-1000 looked like they were toys that could transform into robots our consoles already had a matching the furniture and made for the entertainment center to sit next to a VCR look. They did for two generations and what was starting to be a third at the time of the crash with a more updated 80's look instead of 70's wood grain. So, they weren't really changing our perspective by making it look like a VCR. But then after getting rid of this Transformer look they undo any attempt to change our perspective by actually including a robot. If they are just going to go full circle like that just to end up back to a toy then they might as well have just gave us the Famicom with the toy robot and toy gun.

 

As much as I love the NES and its awesome game library, the machine itself was poorly designed. When they made it front-loading like a VCR, that was just stupid because that was why the games were "messed up" sometimes. That was why we "had to" blow in the cartridges (even though blowing in it REALLY doesn't make it work and actually damages it due to oxidation; the fact that it worked after blowing was just mere coincidence). Look at Atari and Colecovision: top-loading and worked fine. Sega Genesis: top-loading and worked fine. Super Nintendo: top-loading and worked fine. The top-loading NES: duh, obviously top-loading and worked fine. I assume the Famicom was top-loading, as well (not sure, but I assume it was). I assume the Famicom was top-loading for cartridges and only front-loading for floppy disks.

[high voltage]

SNES had all the same NES games all over again.

[Flojomojo]

I feel like video games have always been in their own section in toy stores -- at least as long as I can remember, and in the vanishing category of big box toy stores. I have to drive over 30 miles to get to a Toys R Us nowadays.

 

I remember when they were sold in drug stores, too. But that was like 30 years ago, when there were independent and small chain drugstores, and not everything was part of a national brand.

[CatPix]

 

As much as I love the NES and its awesome game library, the machine itself was poorly designed. When they made it front-loading like a VCR, that was just stupid because that was why the games were "messed up" sometimes. That was why we "had to" blow in the cartridges (even though blowing in it REALLY doesn't make it work and actually damages it due to oxidation; the fact that it worked after blowing was just mere coincidence). Look at Atari and Colecovision: top-loading and worked fine. Sega Genesis: top-loading and worked fine. Super Nintendo: top-loading and worked fine. The top-loading NES: duh, obviously top-loading and worked fine. I assume the Famicom was top-loading, as well (not sure, but I assume it was). I assume the Famicom was top-loading for cartridges and only front-loading for floppy disks.

Blowing in the cartridge does work : by bringing moisture on the contacts when you insert the cart, you allow a better contact in the short time.

You can check that by "exhaling" on a NES cart, which will bring lots of moisture : that sill make your game work in lots of time.

For the Famicom, you are right; top loader for the original and redesigns, front loading for the discs.

You nca note than the original Famicom have a "manual flap" for covering the port. The Sharp Twin Famicom include an actual spring-pushed dust flap.

[Flojomojo]

that one looks like it needs a dust cover, badly! I want to write WASH ME on it.