Early Nintendo Machines

[famicom]

Did Sky Skipper make it to the US in any form? I couldn't find any info about it, but it seems weird since Space Firebird & Radar Scope made it, but this didn't.

 

[ataritoobin]

Did Sky Skipper make it to the US in any form? I couldn't find any info about it, but it seems weird since Space Firebird & Radar Scope made it, but this didn't.

At least one cocktail made it to the US and was used to develop the Atari 2600 version. Apparently the guys from Parker Bros. thought it was so bad they sent it back to the distributor immediately after completing the port

Apparently it was released the same month in Japan as Donkey Kong in 1981. One book implies a later U.S. release date of some time in 1982, IIRC. It runs on hardware similar to Popeye - initial Japanese Popeye PCBs appear to be converted Sky Skipper PCBs.

For books, それは「ポン」から始まった-アーケードTVゲームの成り立ち is still in print and is pretty good along with its companion book that lists release dates for Japanese and American machines. I have some older books but I'll need to go look to remember what the titles are!

 

[p1001]

Here's a real early Nintendo that I picked up about 8 years ago for a buck. Check out the endless film loop.

http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/uu24/p1001/SKY1.jpg

http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/uu24/p1001/SKY2.jpg

http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/uu24/p1001/SKY3.jpg

http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/uu24/p1001/SKY4.jpg

http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/uu24/p1001/SKY5.jpg

http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/uu24/p1001/SKY6.jpg

http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/uu24/p1001/SKY7.jpg

 

[famicom]

For books, それは「ポン」から始まった-アーケードTVゲームの成り立ち is still in print and is pretty good along with its companion book that lists release dates for Japanese and American machines. I have some older books but I'll need to go look to remember what the titles are!

thank you!

 

[paulUKnotts]

I Have a Space Launcher cocktail. Just needs a replacement screen.

I'm pretty sure its the only one in the UK?

 

[smalltownguy2]

I searched Yahoo Auctions Japan for that early Nintendo cocktail table but they didn't have any. I want one of those bad now to play the early nintendo boards on.

BTW, you can use a later version Nintendo power supply to boot the older Nintendo boards (like Space Firebird, Space Demon, etc)

See here: