NES Pack-In debate

[vealchop]

I see a lot of reminiscing about when people got their NES for the first time on tv, in books, other boards, news stories, etc. Almost always they mention that when the NES came out here in the US, it came packed with super mario bros., and I don't remember that being the case at all. From what I remember, there were two versions, a bare bones version with a controller, and a deluxe version, that came with two controllers, a zapper, R.O.B., a Duck Hunt cart, and a Gyromite cart. Super Mario Bros. was available but only separately. It was maybe a year or two later that SMB came packed in with the NES, and even later than that that it was packed with a SMB/Duck Hunt hybrid game. Does anyone else remember this?

[UglyJoe]

The NES wikipedia article mentions quite a few packages.  The original two are said to have come with only Super Mario Bros (if you got the smaller bundle), and with both Gyromite and Duck Hunt (if you got the bigger bundle).

The one I got for Christmas as a kid was another bundle altogether that came with the SMB/Duck Hunt multicart.

[Jedi Master Baiter]

http://www.nesworld.com/pics/sys-5a.jpg

For lots of people, the NES started when SMB came out; likewise, for lots of people the Genesis started when Sonic The Hedgehog came out.

[UglyJoe]

Well, yeah.  Unless I am mistaken, SMB was a launch title in the US.

[vealchop]

so jedi that NES system was available at launch? I sincerely don't remember that, maybe since I was in NY at the time I didn't see that release. I remember going out to buy SMB a few weeks after I got NES for xmas '85. Plus, my family was pretty broke at the time, and if there was a cheaper alternative I'm pretty sure my mom would have gotten the less expensive system. I'm still not convinced there was a SMB pack-in in Oct. '85.

[UglyJoe]

Here's the "Control Deck" bundle that had SMB with it:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nintendo-NES-Control-Deck-Super-Mario-1-Game-System_W0QQitemZ220102815733QQcmdZViewItem

[FamicomFreak]

I remember getting that Nes set with smb/duckhunt/track and field. It was so kewl especially the running game good exersice!!! And duck hunt pwned!! Of course nothing beat smb that time. ahh the memories

[vealchop]

Right...I understand that it EXISTED. What I'm debating is the idea that it was available on the NES launch date in the US.

[Switchstance]

Other pack come with the NES, two controllers, 1 cart with Duck Hunt, Super Mario Bros, Track n Meet, Power Pad and Light Gun.

[madman]

The NES wikipedia article mentions quite a few packages.  The original two are said to have come with only Super Mario Bros (if you got the smaller bundle), and with both Gyromite and Duck Hunt (if you got the bigger bundle).

The one I got for Christmas as a kid was another bundle altogether that came with the SMB/Duck Hunt multicart.

Yep, the original NES came in two bundles, the one I got was the deck only w/SMB.  The other bundle was the "Deluxe Set" as you mentioned.  Even as a kid I knew how stupid the ROB was   I'm 99% sure there was never a deck-only release, but I could certainly be wrong.  That was a LONG time ago.

Later revisions after the initial launch had multiple combinations of pack-ins.  This was, as I recall, years after the initial release.

[vealchop]

There was a deck-only release waaaaay later in the 90's. Mine just plain stopped working and I had to get a new one. I think it might have come with one controller,

[Jedi Master Baiter]

so jedi that NES system was available at launch?

I didn't say that; I said for many people the NES started when SMB came out, which is why whenever people remember Nintendo, they remember SMB.

Sheesh, people.

[madman]

SMB was absolutely a launch title.  The debate still exists if it was a pack-in on day 1 (of which I'm 99% certain), but even if it was available separately, it was available.  There were just under 20 launch titles.

[Flash1087]

Man, I feel like such a youngin' here. My NES had SMB3 as it's pack-in. 

[vealchop]

Yes I agree, it was definitely on shelves as of day one. But when you look back at all the advertising for the NES right before it came out, they didn't focus on that game, they focused more on the light gun games, excitebike, kung fu, and the ROB games. Which leads me to suspect that there was in fact not an SMB pack in system on launch. I think it's simply assumed that it was since it was such a huge game for the NES, and because the pack-in DID exist eventually.