Happy 25th Birthday NES

The Nintendo Entertainment System came out 25 years ago today. If you are anywhere close to my age this system defined a portion of you childhood and made video games popular again in America after Atari and Mattel completely destroyed the market in the early 80's.

I remember when I first heard about them when they were test marketed in New York for Christmas 1986. I told my best friend Kevin that I was going to ask for one for my 10th birthday. He told me that his mom said they were going to go out of business. Now mind you this is April 1987 and there was no internet, video game press and we did not know anybody who had one so with this information I never even brought it up to my parents. Fast forward 4 months, I went to his house after his 10th birthday, and guess what Kevin got? This muthafucker got the zapper, the robot, and the at least 5 games. I should have kicked his ass up and down Burlington Ave for telling me that lie, but he had had Super Mario Bros & Excitebike so as a 10 year old I got over that shit pretty damn quick. Fast forward about 19 years, as the best man at his wedding I told this story in front of all of his friends and family.

Since I am a huge video game nerd, here are some other random facts about the NES and my life that I just feel like sharing.

When Super Mario Bros 2 came out, it was really hard to find but my parents still found a copy and I got it for me for Christmas. I told the other kids to suck it after I got back from Christmas break. After I beat it, I actually rented it to other kids in my class for 3$ a weekend.

I never beat the first Mega Man, that shit is still one of the hardest games ever created.

Never challenge DJ Metrognome to a game of Super Tecmo Bowl, it is the only game he knows how to play and he will embarrass you with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The games averaged $50 each in the 1980's, which means with inflation Contra would cost well over $100 in 2010.

I am convinced I am the only person who actually liked The Adventures Of Bayou Billy.

If you are friend of mine chances are I don't know your phone number but I can still remember the code to get to Mike Tyson in Mike Tyson's Punch-out. Ask me the next time you see me if you think I'm lying.

Atari was supposed to partner with Nintendo to put the system out, but they turned down the partnership when they found out Nintendo put out a version of Donkey Kong for the Colecovison. They should teach a class in college on how petty shit can lose you billions of dollars and use this as an example.

I gave my NES to my cousin Tiffany when I was in high school, that was a mistake.

My mom told me if we get you this Nintendo, we are not getting you any other video game system ever. She stuck to her guns because when I wanted a Sega Genesis 5 years later she told me to kick rocks.