Gail Tilden gives interview on the launch of the NES

[empsolo]

 

This interview is kinda neat as it’s one of the Few NOA interviews where we get to hear the words of Nintendo employees who were on the ground in 1985/6 without any interpolation or extraneous comments from a documentary narrator.

[DavidD]

On 10/31/2020 at 1:51 AM, empsolo said:

 

This interview is kinda neat as it’s one of the Few NOA interviews where we get to hear the words of Nintendo employees who were on the ground in 1985/6 without any interpolation or extraneous comments from a documentary narrator.

I can't believe I missed this...

 

When I have some free time next week, I'm going to make sure to watch it.  I'm still wondering if anyone can clarify the launch date for Super Mario Bros...

[Tanooki]

On 12/25/2020 at 4:31 AM, DavidD said:

I can't believe I missed this...

 

When I have some free time next week, I'm going to make sure to watch it.  I'm still wondering if anyone can clarify the launch date for Super Mario Bros...

I'll verify this as fact.  I lived in the so-cal area back in the day, and there was a smaller west coast test launch despite what a bunch of know it all toadies will say that also occurred in 1985 too, not in earlier 1986 before a more picking up national rollout later in that year into the next.  Christmas morning of 1985 I got that test boxed up non-branded Deluxe Set with the ROB, but my mom also grabbed SMB1 and Hogan's Alley.  I have the cart and manual still all these years later.  So it is 100% definitely a 1985 release, but the date to the day I can't say, it was a present.  Considering the NES rolled out Oct 18, 1985 it basically had about a two month window to show up.

[DavidD]

11 hours ago, Tanooki said:

I'll verify this as fact.  I lived in the so-cal area back in the day, and there was a smaller west coast test launch despite what a bunch of know it all toadies will say that also occurred in 1985 too, not in earlier 1986 before a more picking up national rollout later in that year into the next.  Christmas morning of 1985 I got that test boxed up non-branded Deluxe Set with the ROB, but my mom also grabbed SMB1 and Hogan's Alley.  I have the cart and manual still all these years later.  So it is 100% definitely a 1985 release, but the date to the day I can't say, it was a present.  Considering the NES rolled out Oct 18, 1985 it basically had about a two month window to show up.

Hey -- you might be the first ACTUAL confirmation of a 1985 release of Super Mario Bros.!  When I was researching it several years ago, it seemed difficult to find any verification...  do you mind if I quote you when I revise the article?

 

(No Christmas morning 1985 photos of the game, right? That's probably hoping too much - heh!)

[Tanooki]

You can if you want I don't mind.  Nah I don't have any images from back then, if they would exist they'd be back at my parents place across the country lost in some cabinet with old photos and files thrown into it.  I have an idea where, but I'm not going out there again anytime soon and I doubt they'd head into the garage and sort through some file cabinets.  I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't thrown out if it existed, dad was a camera jerk, literal jerk, being way too pushy with the thing so it would exist.  Sometimes some have made me question the year, but the thing is I know Gradius was out just before Christmas of 1986.  That's why I have ZERO doubt in my resolve.  A grandparent bought it for me, she was a former teacher and believed in always buying us educational toys related stuff, never any actual straight up toys or games, except that ONE time.  I was shocked, and that too (and she never did that again after either) I've held onto all these years and still have it.

 

And I know 100% for a fact I did NOT get the NES *AND* Gradius the same year.  I even know vaguely in 1986 what games I did acquire, they were all (or almost all?) black box titles -- Balloon Fight, Donkey Kong 3, Popeye, and Kung Fu.  It wasn't until 1987 more variety that wasn't Nintendo published if not developed happened.  Castlevania, Ghosts n Goblins, etc.  It's possible Gradius was my first published 3rd party NES game.

 

This is my current stash of NES games.  Almost all of it at this rate being pared down is what I had back in the day.  A few of them were bought 2nd hand in the later half of the 90s like Gargoyles Quest II and Bomberman 2, and newest probably is Mighty Final Fight a decade ago about.  The Disney stuff and Nemo my brother had among a few others I don't have now.  My guess is around 40 of them would be NES life span pick up period.  http://tanooki.byethost16.com/nintendo.html