Sunday, July 21, 2013

Live Japan: 30 years of a cult object - Clubic

We need to develop video games .” It was in November 1981. A Hiroshi Yamauchi was speaking to one of his subordinates, Masayuki Uemura, now 70 years old. Mr. Yamauchi, who is now 85, was then the boss of a company of Kyoto, western Japan. This company specialized in various card games including Karuta with his poems to reconstruct.

I want a machine that leaves rivals far behind for three years ,” said the head . It did not take long to arrive, but in the meantime, the Japanese children were playing something else …

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Wishes Mr. Yamauchi (patron since 1949 of this company founded in the late nineteenth century) were orders. Seen from this angle the positive “one man boss” was a locomotive for his company. Thus began the development of the Famicom, the first video game company that Mr. Yamauchi ran an iron fist for over 50 years, Nintendo. The Famicom machine, “terebi gemu” (as the Japanese TV game), was put on sale July 15, 1983, exactly 30 years ago. And it was a success, with a whopping 61.9 million copies sold worldwide under the name NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) abroad.

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Many in Japan in memory ecru and garnet color of this console with its small rectangular handles features that are often reproduced as accessories (key chains, mobile cover, etc..). The Famicom is an iconic object of the 1980s, one that wanted all Japanese kids at the time. Those who have played with are now in their forties who willingly dive back into the game then revived days for tablets, smartphones and consoles. But if you take a stroll through some shops in the area of ??electronics in Tokyo, Akihabara, you’ll probably see some authentic copies Famicom cartridges and cardboard

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It must be remembered that even develop Famicom, Nintendo already had at the time a great success with its small handheld video game, the “Game & Watch” developed by another team that Nintendo that when Mr. Yamauchi intima order to create the Famicom. The idea that popped into the head of Mr. Uemura was proposing in homes games like those that worked very well in dedicated rooms, as Donkey Kong, the applicant explained in an interview a few days ago the Japanese daily Mainichi. The development is done now that Ricoh had at the time an ultra-modern factory semiconductors. Today, we have forgotten the many “bugs” beginnings. We remember only the good stories.

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On Twitter, the Famicom contributions have increased in recent days. “When Famicom arrived in homes, everyone was happy. The whole household was to play while sitting watching TV. And this bawling “, often a Higurashi, who regrets that today” customers are more satisfied with Nintendo products . ” It is, he says, why the company is rooted in the red.

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TV channels have spent the last days of special programs for 30 years of the Famicom, a rare occurrence enjoyed some products. As such, it can be compared to Sony Walkman, released in 1979.

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Even more surprising: July 15 Specifically, an individual is selling a single blow on the Japanese Yahoo auction site! Auction no less than 1000 Famicom, as R25 magazine. “ This console is the origin of the culture of family gaming. It is a treasure of Japan. I’m selling because I do not they want to be forgotten and lost . “It seems that the seller in question is a former shop manager and used games. It is also thanks to the Famicom he and his shop have lived. Among the models offered for sale, 480 were perfect, 420 and 100 in good condition slightly browned. In fact, to offer 1000 complete, the guy would remove 2,400 to retrieve parts and components.

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But beware, this amazing seller wanted everything to be bought in a lot put a price of 7.5 million yen (57,000 euros), an amount that is not in the scope of the first fan came. At the time, a Famicom was not given. It was worth 14,800 yen (about 115 euros today). The seller promises that the 1000 copies are functional and in addition it guarantees them three months. The buyer, he not receive prizes every 30 days until the account is there. In addition, we also find on Yahoo! Auction shipments of game cartridges for such Famicom, including a set of 550 for 13,500 yen (105 euros).

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To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Famicom, the Sharp Group, which cofabriqué these consoles with Nintendo also posted a variety of photos that delight aficionados and the most surprising is probably that of a Sharp TV with Famicom integrated.

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For its part, Nintendo celebrated the event with special offers games more or less worship from the Famicom and playable Wii range.

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In thirty years separating these two consoles, Wii Famicom and the idea has not changed: to play families. But in the era of individual game on smartphone and remote communication, gather the household before the TV is another matter. Like his older mentor and Yamauchi, the current boss of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata, who received the torch in 2002, will he find the idea that will enable the group to get out of the bad patch that it through the last two years?

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