Tag: vintage

Nintendo Mach Rider – 1972 was a good year

We all know of Nintendo video games, and of course we all know of Mario, but what about the days before Mario hit the scene, or even before Nintendo had anything connected to a television? That’s where the Nintendo Mach Rider comes in. 😀

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The Nintendo Mach Rider must have been one of those toys that every kid wanted. I can just imagine the line-up of kids with long scruffy hair, flared pants, and huge sunglasses waiting to get their grubby little hands on this thing. It really is a cool toy.

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Made in 1972, the Nintendo Mach Rider is a battery operated toy car that basically shoots off in toe breaking fashion. You place the car on the ramp, then adjust the gear shifter to go through the gears (with each gear increasing the speed of the drive wheel), then once you hit the fourth gear the thing shoots off the ramp.

Cats must have hated this thing! 😀

The instructions printed on the inside of the box in the following picture give some insight of how the thing works, but I will also link you to HairballNick’s youtube video which shows this actual car in action. Nick bought this one off me, and I am sure he won’t mind me linking to his vid.

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I would have loved to keep this car in all honesty, but I have to draw the line somewhere – I just don’t have the space!

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If you want to read about this particular toy in more detail, or read about any of the other toys before Mario, then definitely follow the link on the right to the ‘before-mario’ site. His collection of Nintendo is amazing to say the least. 🙂

Nintendo Block Kuzushi – 70s style, but only for Japan

First off, I must apologise for the lack of content recently. I have been insanely busy, and losing a chunk of my roof didn’t help me free up any time, but I am now back with the amazing Block Kuzushi! 🙂

Nintendo were pumping out some great machines back in the late 70s with the ‘TV Game’ series, and although the ‘Block Kuzushi’ was quite different when compared with it’s ‘TV Game’ brothers, it must have been something special as it was the first console that Nintendo decided to put their logo on.

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Released in 1979, Nintendo was trying to break-in to the break-out market (gamers will know what that means), and with design influence from Shigeru Miyamoto this 70s beast was a looker.

It is a single player machine with a range of game modes, but all the game modes pretty much equate to the same thing – break-out. Luckily with instructional graphics included on the control panel, it does have very user-friendly interface for people with no Japanese ability (as shown bellow).

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Nintendo is (and always has been) a forerunner when it comes to compatibility of adapters and peripherals with their range of machines. All the ‘TV Game series’ and the Block Kuzushi use the same adapter and RF switch. Sega didn’t do that Frank! 😉

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In play the Nintendo Block Kuzushi stands up very well with other break-out clones of the period, and honestly is still a great game even today.

It has a very solid wheel that 33 years on feels tough and responsive, and much like the other consoles released from Nintendo in the 70s (maybe with the exception of ‘Racing 112’) once I get it out I can’t help but sit down and play.

I actually delayed my schedule by almost an hour this morning by deciding to blog about this machine! 😀

If I was to complain about it at all I would probably say that the switches are a little bit on the twitchy side. I find I have to move switches a few times for them to register properly, but other than that I have no complaints, specially when you consider the age of the machine.

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The 70s styling of the Nintendo Block Kuzushi makes it one of the best looking consoles around (in my opinion anyway). Everything from the art work in the manual, to the buttons and dials scream flared pants and plastic furniture! Just wish I had an orange TV to go with it.

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Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh the 70s!

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The Nintendo Block Kuzushi commands a fair price these days (from $60 – $200), but it’s well worth the money for any serious game collector. 🙂

Nintendo Playing Cards – No screens or controllers included

Before Nintendo was known for its video games, it was known for its games of the analogue variety. The following post is about two sets of Nintendo playing cards I stumbled across in two separate junk stores here in Japan. ?

Set One:
You may have seen the modern day Mario playing cards that are still being sold today, but the cards pictured bellow are considerably older – how old I’m not exactly sure, but judging by people I have spoken to here, they may be as early as the 70s. If anyone reading this post has any idea I would love to hear from you though.

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This particular pack is still sealed, and was bought in a store that has very little to do with video games at all. It was a very lucky find, as if these were in a store that had any regular game hunters coming through, they would not have lasted a day!

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Set Two:
This set also released by Nintendo, but of Irem’s Hammerin’ Harry is another quite early set (I think). Judging by the graphics printed on the cards they may have been released at around the same time as the Famicom version of the game, but again I am not sure at all. If so, these may have been released in the early 90s. I do know of older cards which have the exact same black plastic case. If anyone knows hard facts though, please link me to sites – I’d really appreciate it.

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This set is still factory sealed too. Unbelievable that people wouldn’t even crack them open!

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I was very lucky to find these two sets, specially for the prices that I did. ?

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An Update – March 24th

After making this post I decided to go on the hunt for more of these Nintendo cards. I decided to search outside the areas where Nintendo gear would normally be, and was lucky enough to find an auction selling a bulk lot of 6 completely sealed! Completely amazed I snapped them up quick. The photos bellow show you what I got.

Click to enlarge
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