The Canadian tours were a side-bar to the 1990 NWC. Sega had launched the 16-bit Genesis mid-1989 and Nintendo needed to counter with something more than the handheld GameBoy.
Within that context the 1990 NWC intended to reinforce Nintendo and the 8-bit NES as "THE Main Event" in North America with many new games on display (and playable in ~75 kiosks set up at the event) and providing fun for the whole family (racing, Mario, and Tetris anyone?)...
thanks so much!
I hope you don't mind if I try to pin you down a little further?
So the 1989 Cdn tour is gameboy only, and what, a precursor or dry run to 1990?
The 1990 Cdn tour is I suppose a sister tour to promote Nintendo in Canada on the assumption most Cdns won't be travelling to the US tour later in the summer?
Perhaps the Cdn tours were done first as they would be smaller scale due to our smaller population and nintendo could iron out the kinks before tackling the larger project of a US championship? Or you just liked us better due to our good looks and maple syrup?
"Truck tours" were a "new thing" during that time period. They served as a vehicle (hah!) to get local media coverage, especially video for local news programming.
The NWC was entirely different in design and scale and the 1990 Cdn tour was not an "NWC" format (hoping that terminology makes sense).
The ad shows names and scores. I know it's old hat for you so I apologize for the questions but I'm sure lots would like to understand what exactly this was .
So you roll trucks into a big parking lot at a Safeway and let the kids play gameboy in the parking lot? Is that what it amounted to? Or is it inside a mall, or? And what about the scores listed on the ad in the original post? It seems like there was some sort of competition?
if it's not too tedious could you spell out exactly what this event was? I appreciate the answers so far but they are general and invite more questions.
"Truck tours" were a "new thing" during that time period. They served as a vehicle (hah!) to get local media coverage, especially video for local news programming.
The NWC was entirely different in design and scale and the 1990 Cdn tour was not an "NWC" format (hoping that terminology makes sense).
Gamemaster Howard and Bronty! (Sorry I didn't see this until now!)
Based off of dates that I can find for the Canadian National Challenge tour 1990.... The dates say that the Canadian National Challenge began its tour after NWC Powerfest 1990 had begun touring, but AS WELL finished the Canadian championship before the NWC Powerfest 1990 championship took place. (That felt like a long complicated sentence to write!)
To my understanding, there were 9 finalists. They divided Canada into 3 parts and took the top 3 contenders from each representative area. They then competed at Canada's Wonderland in Ontario.
I started looking into other early competitions of Nintendo. I believe there was a similar competition held in the UK in 1990. Haven't found any details. I have only seen a pin.
Anyone know of any other "unheard" of early nintendo competitions! I'm still unsure about how the Donkey Kong arcade competition worked if anyone can link me to anything interesting or care to explain!
"Truck tours" were a "new thing" during that time period. They served as a vehicle (hah!) to get local media coverage, especially video for local news programming.
The NWC was entirely different in design and scale and the 1990 Cdn tour was not an "NWC" format (hoping that terminology makes sense).
Actually you are 2000 percent wrong.. The competition was NES and used almost every peripheral.. Zapper, pad, glove and controller
Howard was one of nintendo's very first North American employees, but more importantly what he is saying is not inconsistent with what you are saying. Ie both statemtns can be true.
Who is your buddy? Do you have the footage, I'd love to see it. Erica Ehm hosting, I hope.
I forget his name.. He was the skinny guy not the big guy....
Their were Nintendo Trucks that came down into the CNE
With competitions for prizes everyday for 3 weeks.
The person with the top score total in that period went on to the Nintendo Championship...
I remember Because my Buddy gave me a copy of Super Mario that he won and the newer nes controller with the big red dot on the dpad..
My Buddy was so good I dont think anybody could even beat him today..
I remember he cleared Super Mario Bros. On the same man without warping playing every level until the very end he did the same with Zelda And Metroid I witnessed this ...
I forget his name.. He was the skinny guy not the big guy....
Their were Nintendo Trucks that came down into the CNE
With competitions for prizes everyday for 3 weeks.
The person with the top score total in that period went on to the Nintendo Championship...
I remember Because my Buddy gave me a copy of Super Mario that he won and the newer nes controller with the big red dot on the dpad..
My Buddy was so good I dont think anybody could even beat him today..
I remember he cleared Super Mario Bros. On the same man without warping playing every level until the very end he did the same with Zelda And Metroid I witnessed this ...
Well I'm confused. The article you linked is from 1990. You had mentioned 1989. It sounds to me like the event your friiemd won was the same "truck tour" described above. A pretty significant event! But the same event as I read it
Yes The article was released in January 1990 But The Event occurred. On Oct 7th 1989
So winter 1990 for the NP article refers to the winter in the early part of the calendar then? I read that thinking it was for the late part of the calendar
"Sketch the Cow" posted on Archive.org several Nintendo Power Flash newsletters (originally included with Nintendo Power magazine subscriptions). The 1989 Nintendo Challenge Championship (June 1989 - October 1989) is covered in Nintendo Power Flash (Canadian Edition) #4, #5:
Don’t touch that dial ’cause here comes The Nintendo Challenge Championship!
Three gruelling months on the road. Over 80,000 ecstatic Nintendo fanatics. Scores in excess of 260,000 points.
That's the story on The Nintendo Challenge, Canada's first-ever coast-to-coast video game contest. Chances are you've never seen anything like it. We know we haven't.
The Nintendo Challenge trailer has been criss-crossing the country since June, winding up at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto on September 4th.
All that's left now is to find out who the Grand Champion of The Nintendo Challenge is. The top Nintendo players in the country - one from each of the five major regions in Canada - compete live on MuchMusic on October 7, taking on a variety of Nintendo games over 2 days to determine who's the finest in the land.
At stake is a wealth of prizes including the exclusive Nintendo Challenge Trophy, a brand new Power Glove and a selection of great Nintendo game paks. Runners-up will also receive great games as recognition of their awesome achievements in this summer of Nintendo.
We'd like to thank the people at Pepsi, Hostess/Frito Lay, MuchMusic and you for making The Nintendo Challenge the event of 1989. Be watch-ing for more great promotions - more great ways to keep your power turned on - coming soon from Hostess/Frito Lay and Pepsi.
Representing each of the country's regions, ten players put their skill to the test on Super Mario Brothers, Rad Racer, To The Earth, Cobra Triangle and more. If you were watching, you also saw the Power Pad and the all-new, totally rad Power Glove in action. And, when the smoke cleared, we had ourselves a winner, 14 year-old Huy Luong of Toronto.
Thanks to Hostess Frito-Lay, Pepsi Cola and MuchMusicfor making this a summer to remember. And con-gratulations to Huy Luong - Canada's own Nintendo Challenge Champion.
The UK had a similar truck tour, however there was no competition. This was in 1994(or very late 1993)-onwards. If anybody has proof of otherwise, I would be interested in it.
More and more I feel like every time I visit NintendoAge I'm transported to a land of ice and snow. Canadians seem to be birthing on here at an incredibly high rate!
Comments
Hi
The Canadian tours were a side-bar to the 1990 NWC. Sega had launched the 16-bit Genesis mid-1989 and Nintendo needed to counter with something more than the handheld GameBoy.
Within that context the 1990 NWC intended to reinforce Nintendo and the 8-bit NES as "THE Main Event" in North America with many new games on display (and playable in ~75 kiosks set up at the event) and providing fun for the whole family (racing, Mario, and Tetris anyone?)...
thanks so much!
I hope you don't mind if I try to pin you down a little further?
So the 1989 Cdn tour is gameboy only, and what, a precursor or dry run to 1990?
The 1990 Cdn tour is I suppose a sister tour to promote Nintendo in Canada on the assumption most Cdns won't be travelling to the US tour later in the summer?
Perhaps the Cdn tours were done first as they would be smaller scale due to our smaller population and nintendo could iron out the kinks before tackling the larger project of a US championship? Or you just liked us better due to our good looks and maple syrup?
The NWC was entirely different in design and scale and the 1990 Cdn tour was not an "NWC" format (hoping that terminology makes sense).
The ad shows names and scores. I know it's old hat for you so I apologize for the questions but I'm sure lots would like to understand what exactly this was .
So you roll trucks into a big parking lot at a Safeway and let the kids play gameboy in the parking lot? Is that what it amounted to? Or is it inside a mall, or? And what about the scores listed on the ad in the original post? It seems like there was some sort of competition?
if it's not too tedious could you spell out exactly what this event was? I appreciate the answers so far but they are general and invite more questions.
"Truck tours" were a "new thing" during that time period. They served as a vehicle (hah!) to get local media coverage, especially video for local news programming.
The NWC was entirely different in design and scale and the 1990 Cdn tour was not an "NWC" format (hoping that terminology makes sense).
Gamemaster Howard and Bronty! (Sorry I didn't see this until now!)
Based off of dates that I can find for the Canadian National Challenge tour 1990.... The dates say that the Canadian National Challenge began its tour after NWC Powerfest 1990 had begun touring, but AS WELL finished the Canadian championship before the NWC Powerfest 1990 championship took place. (That felt like a long complicated sentence to write!)
To my understanding, there were 9 finalists. They divided Canada into 3 parts and took the top 3 contenders from each representative area. They then competed at Canada's Wonderland in Ontario.
I started looking into other early competitions of Nintendo. I believe there was a similar competition held in the UK in 1990. Haven't found any details. I have only seen a pin.
Anyone know of any other "unheard" of early nintendo competitions! I'm still unsure about how the Donkey Kong arcade competition worked if anyone can link me to anything interesting or care to explain!
Thanks!
The event was hosted by Much Music in Toronto and it was televised in 1989.
My Buddy who won.. Beat the 1990 so called first Canadian Nintendo champ...
My buddy won in 1989 making him the first NORTH AMERICAN NNTENDO CHAMPION
on the continent
"Truck tours" were a "new thing" during that time period. They served as a vehicle (hah!) to get local media coverage, especially video for local news programming.
The NWC was entirely different in design and scale and the 1990 Cdn tour was not an "NWC" format (hoping that terminology makes sense).
Actually you are 2000 percent wrong..
The competition was NES and used almost every peripheral.. Zapper, pad, glove and controller
Who is your buddy? Do you have the footage, I'd love to see it. Erica Ehm hosting, I hope.
It was the guy with Blonde long curly hair
I forget his name.. He was the skinny guy not the big guy....
Their were Nintendo Trucks that came down into the CNE
With competitions for prizes everyday for 3 weeks.
The person with the top score total in that period went on to the Nintendo Championship...
I remember Because my Buddy gave me a copy of Super Mario that he won and the newer nes controller with the big red dot on the dpad..
My Buddy was so good I dont think anybody could even beat him today..
I remember he cleared Super Mario Bros. On the same man without warping playing every level until the very end he did the same with Zelda And Metroid I witnessed this ...
It was the guy with Blonde long curly hair
I forget his name.. He was the skinny guy not the big guy....
Their were Nintendo Trucks that came down into the CNE
With competitions for prizes everyday for 3 weeks.
The person with the top score total in that period went on to the Nintendo Championship...
I remember Because my Buddy gave me a copy of Super Mario that he won and the newer nes controller with the big red dot on the dpad..
My Buddy was so good I dont think anybody could even beat him today..
I remember he cleared Super Mario Bros. On the same man without warping playing every level until the very end he did the same with Zelda And Metroid I witnessed this ...
https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://archive.org/stream/Nintendo_Power_Flash_Canada_Issue_06_Winter_1990/Nintendo_Power_Flash_Canada_Issue_06_Winter_1990_djvu.txt&ved=0ahUKEwiuzOKn2f7UAhUr1oMKHUNyA0YQFggxMAI&usg=AFQjCNH55pJ2x3slJ6nutnT9QDZ52XfHqQ
MR. HUY LUONG THE FIRST NORTH AMERICAN NINTENDO CHAMPION
Yes The article was released in January 1990 But The Event occurred. On Oct 7th 1989
So winter 1990 for the NP article refers to the winter in the early part of the calendar then? I read that thinking it was for the late part of the calendar
1. Nintendo_Power_Flash_Canada_Issue_05_Summer-Fall_1989:
https://ia600207.us.archive.org/34/items/Nintendo_Power_Flash_Canada_Issue_05_Summer-Fall_1989/Nintendo_Power_Flash_Canada_Issue_05_Summer-Fall_1989.pdf
Don’t touch that dial ’cause here comes The Nintendo Challenge Championship!
Three gruelling months on the road. Over 80,000 ecstatic Nintendo fanatics. Scores in excess of 260,000 points.
That's the story on The Nintendo Challenge, Canada's first-ever coast-to-coast video game contest. Chances are you've never seen anything like it. We know we haven't.
The Nintendo Challenge trailer has been criss-crossing the country since June, winding up at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto on September 4th.
All that's left now is to find out who the Grand Champion of The Nintendo Challenge is. The top Nintendo players in the country - one from each of the five major regions in Canada - compete live on MuchMusic on October 7, taking on a variety of Nintendo games over 2 days to determine who's the finest in the land.
At stake is a wealth of prizes including the exclusive Nintendo Challenge Trophy, a brand new Power Glove and a selection of great Nintendo game paks. Runners-up will also receive great games as recognition of their awesome achievements in this summer of Nintendo.
We'd like to thank the people at Pepsi, Hostess/Frito Lay, MuchMusic and you for making The Nintendo Challenge the event of 1989. Be watch-ing for more great promotions - more great ways to keep your power turned on - coming soon from Hostess/Frito Lay and Pepsi.
For now, Sayonara!
2. Nintendo_Power_Flash_Canada_Issue_06_Winter_1990:
https://ia600209.us.archive.org/11/items/Nintendo_Power_Flash_Canada_Issue_06_Winter_1990/Nintendo_Power_Flash_Canada_Issue_06_Winter_1990.pdf
Presenting Canada's Nintendo Champion
The day: Saturday, October 7th.
The place: MuchMusic's Toronto studios.
The prize: the Nintendo Challenge Championship!
Representing each of the country's regions, ten players put their skill to the test on Super Mario Brothers, Rad Racer, To The Earth, Cobra Triangle and more. If you were watching, you also saw the Power Pad and the all-new, totally rad Power Glove in action. And, when the smoke cleared, we had ourselves a winner, 14 year-old Huy Luong of Toronto.
Thanks to Hostess Frito-Lay, Pepsi Cola and MuchMusicfor making this a summer to remember. And con-gratulations to Huy Luong - Canada's own Nintendo Challenge Champion.