To what extent was the Nes a "kids" system back in the day
I don't remember people past the age of maybe 15/16 really playing the nes/snes growing up, probably due to fact that you stick with people somewhat close to your age group during that age.
While I am well aware was a significant older crowd who were into it, to what extent do you think the nes was a kids system during its era?
While I am well aware was a significant older crowd who were into it, to what extent do you think the nes was a kids system during its era?
Comments
Lesson transmitted: Sega is an adult thing, Nintendo is for kids (and more fun too!).
I'd buy that for a dollar.
Games like Anticipation and most gameshow games were kind of marketed to mom and dad. Though most adults probably also played stuff like SMB, too. That's a game that really has no age limits.
It was primarily marketed towards kids, no question, but they didn't leave adults out.
Games like Anticipation and most gameshow games were kind of marketed to mom and dad. Though most adults probably also played stuff like SMB, too. That's a game that really has no age limits.
good point. Not on nes but on n64 my girlfriends mom says how she used to play wheel of fortune all the time. There were games like Friday the 13th, nightmare on elm etc that most kids probably wouldn't know the source material. Also what kid in the 80s new Felix the cat?
Not for kids but something for everyone to enjoy. Look at the box.
My grandmother had an NES and a sega and is the one who got ME into video games.
And let us not forget this gem.
Age is just a number. If you're 60 and want to keep playing NES, go right ahead if that's what makes you happy. You can be 45 but feel 35 or be 30 and feel 40 or be 35 and feel 21, etc. It depends on how you take care of yourself and your mind set. Life's too short to care if someone thinks it's strange that older people play video games. A lot of us here were kids when we played NES during it's peak lifespan but here we are still talking about it in 2016. It's a family system, like all gaming consoles, that anyone can enjoy regardless of age, race, gender, ethnicity, etc...
Originally posted by: Mad Martigan
I always recall the story of how Robin Williams had such a great time playing through The Legend of Zelda, hence why he named his daughter Zelda.
It was his son from his first marriage who was playing through the game as a boy and suggested to name his upcoming sister after the princess.
Jay Leno definitely used to travel around with his NES in the late 80s from hotel to hotel. He was profiled in an early Nintendo Power. He was the one who said he like to play battery backed games (like Zelda) so he could pick up where he left off.
I always recall the story of how Robin Williams had such a great time playing through The Legend of Zelda, hence why he named his daughter Zelda.
It was his son from his first marriage who was playing through the game as a boy and suggested to name his upcoming sister after the princess.
I think we're both right. His son did mention it but Robin bought the NES and the game and was playing it himself, perhaps with his son helping/watching.
I got it straight from Robin Williams and his daughter themselves explaining it... He even says how he bought one of the first NES systems and was playing LoZ on a very large TV. Although he does mention how Zach said the name Zelda in conversation, Robin was already playing the game so the name came from the game, not his son. His son probably suggested it since that's what his dad was spending so much time on.
From another article I read, I think Zelda's favorite Zelda game is Majora's Mask.
http://www.kveller.com/watch-robin-williams-explains-why-he-named-his-daughter-zelda/
Originally posted by: Mad Martigan
Originally posted by: Trj22487
Originally posted by: Mad Martigan
I always recall the story of how Robin Williams had such a great time playing through The Legend of Zelda, hence why he named his daughter Zelda.
It was his son from his first marriage who was playing through the game as a boy and suggested to name his upcoming sister after the princess.
I think I'm right with what I originally stated. I got it straight from Robin Williams and his daughter themselves explaining it... He even says how he bought one of the first NES systems and was playing LoZ on a very large TV. Although he does mention how Zach said the name Zelda in conversation, Robin was already playing the game so the name came from the game, not his son. His son probably suggested it since that's what dad was spending so much time on. From another article I read, I think Zelda's favorite Zelda game is Majora's Mask.
http://www.kveller.com/watch-robi...
That's definitely an altered story. I'm not sure that Zelda Williams really gets along with her half brother (it was his idea) which might be why they kind of altered the story for that video, or maybe they were just paid to script it that way. The name was picked by Zach Williams and he was able to convince his stepmom that it was good. It's kind of an awkward situation. Robin Williams left his first wife, Zach's mom, for their nanny, Marcia Garces, and married her. Zelda Williams mother started out as Robin and his first wife's nanny for Zach.
http://www.zeldadungeon.net/2013/09/robin-williams-son-suggested-the-name-zelda/
I always recall the story of how Robin Williams had such a great time playing through The Legend of Zelda, hence why he named his daughter Zelda.
It was his son from his first marriage who was playing through the game as a boy and suggested to name his upcoming sister after the princess.
I think I'm right with what I originally stated. I got it straight from Robin Williams and his daughter themselves explaining it... He even says how he bought one of the first NES systems and was playing LoZ on a very large TV. Although he does mention how Zach said the name Zelda in conversation, Robin was already playing the game so the name came from the game, not his son. His son probably suggested it since that's what dad was spending so much time on. From another article I read, I think Zelda's favorite Zelda game is Majora's Mask.
http://www.kveller.com/watch-robin-williams-explains-why-he-...
That's definitely an altered story. I'm not sure that Zelda Williams really gets along with her half brother (it was his idea) which might be why they kind of altered the story for that video, or maybe they were just paid to script it that way. The name was picked by Zach Williams and he was able to convince his stepmom that it was good. It's kind of an awkward situation. Robin Williams left his first wife, Zach's mom, for their nanny, Marcia Garces, and married her.
http://www.zeldadungeon.net/2013/...
Ok so maybe his son came up with the idea but where did his son get the idea from? From the fact that his dad was playing LoZ so much is my guess. I don't think he just came up with the name Zelda unless he saw/heard it somewhere...like an NES game. So as my edited post above reflects, I think we're both right! My whole point in even mentioning the story was about the OP...how even adults can enjoy NES as Robin did.
Originally posted by: Mad Martigan
Ok so maybe his son came up with the idea but where did his son get the idea from? From the fact that his dad was playing LoZ so much is my guess. I don't think he just came up with the name Zelda unless he saw/heard it somewhere...like an NES game.
No the original story was that his son was playing Zelda II, not even LoZ (this was 1989) and came up with the suggestion. I've known the story for years. I'm pretty sure I first read it in a Nickelodeon Magazine from 1997. I seem to remember the same interview he said the only rule at his dinner table was, "No Nintendo"
Ok so maybe his son came up with the idea but where did his son get the idea from? From the fact that his dad was playing LoZ so much is my guess. I don't think he just came up with the name Zelda unless he saw/heard it somewhere...like an NES game.
No the original story was that his son was playing Zelda II, not even LoZ (this was 1989) and came up with the suggestion. I've known the story for years. I'm pretty sure I first read it in a Nickelodeon Magazine from 1997. I seem to remember the same interview he said the only rule at his dinner table was, "No Nintendo"
Well I'm just going off what Robin and Zelda said in the video from about 5 years ago and not from a 1997 Nickelodeon article. He never mentioned Zelda II and just because Zelda II was out doesn't mean he wasn't playing the original. We might never know! lol
The point remains that no matter what Zelda they were playing, his son got the name from that series of games...he didn't just make it up from thin air. His dad bought and played the games and obviously allowed his son to play the games. So when his wife was pregnant, his son probably suggested Zelda and since Robin enjoyed the games so much he probably agreed. My only point once again is that his son didn't just come up with the name, he got it from an NES game (doesn't matter which one).
We're both right. Perhaps you are Robin's son in disguise on these forums and if so, you would probably know best (PM me if you are ). However, let's not side track the thread anymore. No reason to argue.
I think that's an anomaly though. Sure there were some adults who got hooked, but most adults thought of the nes as a babysitter that charged by the game rather than the hour. Probably not a bad deal with the hours we logged on those games. I'd be curious to know if the average college dorm room in the late 80s/early 90s had a nes. Every college kid in the 2000s had some sort of system, but games were more prevalent in general. My room was the only one in the building with a nes and people loved it.
Prior to that, arcades were part of the bar scene for adults. When Atari marketed their home console, there were seperate ads that showed both kids and adults with no kids present. Other companies pushed their systems as home computers and marketed to adults.
Arcades developed a bad rap do to gangs and drug association and customer faith was shaken during the great video game crash so the NES was marketed directly as a toy and not as home electronics or a personal computer.
Yeah something for "everyone." I guess if by everyone you mean boys 12 and under. You rarely saw an ad featureing a girl playing NES and you never saw adults playing without children present. Even on the box, the adults are just passively watching the children play.
Anecdotally, I recall gaming really falling out of fashion when entering middle school. It wasn't until Playstation really crossed over and got mass appeal and N64 started catering to an older crowd that gaming became more acceptable for teens.
Also what kid in the 80s new Felix the cat?
Well, considering it came out in the '90s, and there was a Felix movie released in '91, I'm sure there were a few kids. I remember watching the cartoon in syndication too, but that may not have been available in every market either.
Also what kid in the 80s new Felix the cat?
Well, considering it came out in the '90s, and there was a Felix movie released in '91, I'm sure there were a few kids. I remember watching the cartoon in syndication too, but that may not have been available in every market either.
My dad is a film/animation buff so I was watching the original shorts from the 20s - but I realize my experience definitely wasn't the norm.
But yeah pretty sure the game (released in 92 not the 80s) was a tie-in to the movie.
At one point he xeroxed an entire pen and paper rule set and traded the giant binder to one of my brother's friends for a second NES deck and a pile of games.
I always recall the story of how Robin Williams had such a great time playing through The Legend of Zelda, hence why he named his daughter Zelda. Apparently his son helped come up with the name but the point remains that his son got the name from the games, not thin air.
Age is just a number. If you're 60 and want to keep playing NES, go right ahead if that's what makes you happy. Life's too short to care if someone thinks it's strange that older people play video games. A lot of us here were kids when we played NES during it's peak lifespan but here we are still talking about it in 2016. It's a family system, like all gaming consoles, that anyone can enjoy regardless of age, race, gender, ethnicity, etc...
That was very surprising she'd be named after Zelda seeing as how there were only two Zelda games at that time. I believe at first she wasn't so sure about the name but she more than embraces it now.
And I couldn't agree more regarding that whole "age is just a number". I hate ageism
It was primarily marketed towards kids, no question, but they didn't leave adults out.
Games like Anticipation and most gameshow games were kind of marketed to mom and dad. Though most adults probably also played stuff like SMB, too. That's a game that really has no age limits.
good point. Not on nes but on n64 my girlfriends mom says how she used to play wheel of fortune all the time. There were games like Friday the 13th, nightmare on elm etc that most kids probably wouldn't know the source material. Also what kid in the 80s new Felix the cat?
All of them? Most of the cartoons kids saw were much older than we were. Looney Tunes, Merry Melodies, Felix. Those compilation VHS tapes with 50 or 100 expired-copyright cartoons were ubiquitous.
I never read Nickelodeon Magazine and I have been aware of it for ~20 years (long before that OoT 3D commercial).
The older home video game audience may have been playing more on home computers with WWII sim games, etc, but it was still small compared to the kids market.
Originally posted by: KrakenSoup
NES was originally marketed as a kid's toy which in turn is why it was so successful at the beginning. When I had one as a kid I was in elementary school and all the kids I knew had one. Never knew of anyone older than like 12 that had one. I've heard of parents playing with their kids but it was primarily considered a kids' toy. I wouldn't say video games hit an "older" crowd til the Playstation came out, and nowadays it's a hobby for everyone. Video games were also considered "uncool" for a long time til, again, the Playstation crowd made it trendy.
I eventually converted to Sony, but when I first started hearing kids talking about their 'play station', I had no idea what they were talking about. The name itself brought imagry of a toddler playing with a little, brightly colored, toy set. I was in 3rd grade at the time, and to me, the 'Nintendo 64' sounded MUCH more adult.
Then my neighbor got a Playstation and I finally saw what the fuss was about. My first taste was a Pizza Hut demo disc. It had Crash Warped, Metal Gear Solid, MedEvil, Gran Turismo, and Tomb Raider 3 on it. I was hooked at that point.
From that point on, I started to notice that the N64 didn't have games with mature themes (not to mention ratings, because that was starting to become a thing), like Metal Gear Solid. So My opinion swung from Nintendo being THE video game company, to being just the KIDS video game company.
Before that era though, I had considered the NES and SNES to be what kids and adults both enjoyed.
The kid-friendly aspects still had an appeal for to adults. They weren't watered down to the point, where it was "kid only"
When you think about a huge percentage of nes games were based on arcades, arcade-style gameplay, and most arcade gamers were not toddlers to pre-teens.
A lot of the ultra challenging games, which make up a good portion of the library, I don't think would strictly appeal to the average 10-13 year old, but rather older players who may have more experience through playing older atari and computer games.
Adults could buy more games.
These are just a few reasons
Computers were not the ultimate home gaming devices, I think nintendo was probably the most cutting edge gaming system least up until 1988/early 1989 or so.
Check out these videos