Google Maps comes to the Famicom platform!

[MS-DOS4]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rznYifPHxDg#!

Well isn't that something.  

[lkermel]

Ah ah ah ! Nice one !
That's the best early April's fool ever ! Love it

[PriestessPaula]

Hahaha, I'd so buy this if it was real, even without the internet part. But there's no way it could really work, is it...

[Cheetahmen]

The world as rendered by Dragon Warrior.

[UglyJoe]

That is so cool

I found a Moai head!

[Jedi Master Baiter]

Geography's fun!

[Parodius Duh]

They are stupid as hell, way to overlook simple information. In Japan its called Famicom, Not NES. They dont say Famicom once in that stupid ad.

[Jedi Master Baiter]

Geez, lighten up, people. We're a very niche group, you know.

Many people won't even know what NES is.

[Parodius Duh]

Google is trying to enslave the universe by any means necessary, they can goto hell and take their stupid ad with them! 

[MS-DOS4]

They are stupid as hell, way to overlook simple information. In Japan its called Famicom, Not NES. They dont say Famicom once in that stupid ad.

Well it's made for a english speaking audience. Most english speakers probably can relate to the NES, but have no idea what the Famicom even is.

[Parodius Duh]

They are stupid as hell, way to overlook simple information. In Japan its called Famicom, Not NES. They dont say Famicom once in that stupid ad.

Well it's made for a english speaking audience. Most english speakers probably can relate to the NES, but have no idea what the Famicom even is.

Welllll...then they should have filmed it in the US using a NES cartridge and Nintendo Entertainment System. Its as simple as that. Use the proper information or dont use it at all.

[treismac]

Besides the obvious awesomeness of an 8-bit Google maps for the Famicom/NES, you know what makes me really, really happy about this prank?  It shows that a large corporation that deals with the interests of people (i.e. search engine) thinks that a retro video game reference joke has enough appeal to entertain a large enough chunk of the masses.  Seriously.  Think about this.  It could mean that the Big N might one day consider re-releasing the Famicom and NES with built-in games like Atari did with the 2600 (VCS) and Sega did with the Genesis.  Why not?  There is evidently a big enough market.  Even collectors/gamers who have the original hardware and the Wii's Virtual Console version of their favorites might find it hard to resist a re-release of their favorite system, or actual new releases on the system by big time developers like Konami or Capcom or Nintendo themselves.

Perhaps I'm reading too much into this, but to me, this says that retro gaming is not quite as niche as I had previously thought.  Yes, I am sure that gamers on this forum take retro gaming a bit further than most gamers, but perhaps retro gaming is more of a viable commodity on the video game market than I thought.

Beyond mere speculation, does anyone know if it is possible to find out how many Virtual Console games have sold?  Looking at how many of their top 5 games sold would be a pretty damn good way to determine the strength of the retro market.  How many New 2600s sold would be a semi-decent indicator too, but not as good.  I'm sorry, but many of the 1st party Atari games built into the system are beyond passable.  Anyway...

But, yeah... Famicom Google Maps rocks my pixelated socks!    

[manuel]

 
That was the look on my face when I unsuspectingly searched for something on google maps this morning. 

[PriestessPaula]

They are stupid as hell, way to overlook simple information. In Japan its called Famicom, Not NES. They dont say Famicom once in that stupid ad.

Well it's made for a english speaking audience. Most english speakers probably can relate to the NES, but have no idea what the Famicom even is.

Welllll...then they should have filmed it in the US using a NES cartridge and Nintendo Entertainment System. Its as simple as that. Use the proper information or dont use it at all.

I think that's the way the joke works. They're pretending to be a Japanese company about to release something on an American console that isn't yet done. It DOES show an NES.

Obviously it's supposed to be a "Low budget demonstration" video.

[Parodius Duh]

They are stupid as hell, way to overlook simple information. In Japan its called Famicom, Not NES. They dont say Famicom once in that stupid ad.

Well it's made for a english speaking audience. Most english speakers probably can relate to the NES, but have no idea what the Famicom even is.

Welllll...then they should have filmed it in the US using a NES cartridge and Nintendo Entertainment System. Its as simple as that. Use the proper information or dont use it at all.

I think that's the way the joke works. They're pretending to be a Japanese company about to release something on an American console that isn't yet done. It DOES show an NES.

Obviously it's supposed to be a "Low budget demonstration" video.

It shows an NES next to a Famicom once, and then when they actually play the cart its through the Famicom. Pretty insignificant cameo if you ask me.