Metroid (Disk System)

Metroid for the Famicom Disk System in 1986 by Nintendo

Load Disk

 

Sometimes it's pretty to look at something you never had the option of using and think that you'd love to have had that. I'm sure we're all that way about a few things. One such thing for me is the Famicom Disk System. Growing up in the States with the NES, it was never available to me. I'd occasionally read about it in various game magazines, but being younger and accustomed to the NES, it wasn't something I thought about until getting a little older. Then it became something that seemed so very cool to me. Like the Satellateview and SEGA Channel, it was another neat way to expand your console. 

A brief explanation for those not in the know. The Famicom Disk System was a disk drive that worked with the Famicom (NES). The games would come on the cheaper disks and re-writable disks were available. Those re-writable disks could be used at kiosks to purchase games at a lower cost that on a cartridge. Buying a new game on a used disk would re-write a new game over the existing game. In Japan, games rentals wasn't a thing and this made a fine substitute. Considering the legal battles going on over game rentals here at the time, I'd like to think it would have replaced that market. 

It was pretty popular and the kiosks could be found up to 2003 still operating. This is something I'd have loved. I can see myself buying boxes of disks and buying up games from machines in early adulthood. Back when I'd travel to different stores toy hunting. Back in those days, I'd often hit up different grocery stores to collect Homies and other coin machine toys. Hey, this one kiosk a few miles away has a special edition game? Off I'd go! I can see it clear as I'd travel an hour just to follow up on a lead. Admittedly, I'm enthralled by Gatchapon machines in general and would probably have a page here with my open trades if I were local to machines.

Here's where I admit that I'm day dreaming. Whenever you mention some older tech looks, someone will chime in with whatever negative things it had. It's probably true, but obviously wasn't a big deal as some of those kiosks were around so long. Cartridges did eventually have tech that wouldn't work on the disks and apparently piracy was an issue. Whatever, right? Piracy is still an issue and technology eventually moves on. It's easy to look back from the future and judge the faults later. I admit that I'm looking through rose tinted glasses on the subject. In my minds eye, it looked amazing.

Super Bowser Bros.

 

Video games are a weird thing sometimes. What may look like a throw away character might be a complete rabbit hole of it's own. Case in point: Bowser's Brother. Whats that? You didn't know Bowser has a brother? He does depending on the source. Super Mario Bros. 2 in Japan is a different game. It's essentially a harder version of the original game for 'advanced players'. Released here as 'The Lost Levels', Super Mario Bros. 2 is a VERY HARD GAME. One such challenge is 'fake' Bowsers popping up in locations for a quick boss fight. However hitting these 'fake' Bowsers results in minor villain appearing as he dies. That's because it's a fake, get it? 

However in worlds 8-4 and 9-3 you'll meet a blue Bowser who doesn't revert into a minor Koopa minion. Why is this one different? According to some manuals and guides, that was Bowser's Brother. Does he have a name? So far no, Bowser's Brother is all we have to go by. Maybe he's Kerog. He does have a fake version of himself in level D-4 like his brother. Bowser's Brother also appears in All Night Nippon Super Mario Bro's (a special limited release) and in the upgraded Super Mario Bros. game in Super Mario Bros. All-Stars. Though he's green instead of blue there and depending on the source either a fake Bowser or Bowser's Brother. The blue coloration is often used in various Mario games as an alternative color set for Bowser, and it looks great. It's just not as interesting as a character who only exists depending on who you ask.

Insert Disk, Start Week

It's Monday and you know what that means? An all new week here on Planet Zone. We've got to adjust back to life after the spooky season, so please excuse the clutter while I re-adjust the sites look. I've got a week of cool posts in mind and a new episode of the podcast coming this week (if all goes to plan). Please share posts with all your friends and as always, thanks for reading Zone Base! 

Man, I wish I had that kids uniform.

Metroid Famicom Disk System

Part of me really wishes I got to experience using the Disk System and it's kiosks. The other part of me remembers explaining over and over that my NES couldn't play my old Atari games.

Pro Wrasslin

I often find myself wishing for a sequel to this amazing game. Spiritually, the Fire Pro Wrestling games are follow ups as the programmer went on to work on those. Though there's no official sequel. I want to see what happened to the gang and what all new roster came into the promotion. It's pretty important that I find out.

Go whoop Dracula's ass

One thing I've always loved about the earlier Castlevania games is the emphasis on classic horror. I've made no secret my love for Universal Monsters and incorporating other monsters like Medusa into the mix made for a smorgasbord of monstery goodness. I've always loved a good platform game that utilized things like swords and such. Taking this warrior on an adventure throwing axes and snapping whips through Dracula's crazy monster castle... it was perfect.

The commercial for the Japanese version of Castlevania serves up that classic horror wonderfully. Dracula's castle highlighted by lightning before the main man himself arrives and flashes his fangs. Halloween in it's purest form.

Famicom Disk System

I've always been a mix of wishing the Disk System would have came out here and relieved that it didn't. I had a hard enough time explaining that it wouldn't play my Atari games as it was. 

It was a different time.