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As a videogame enthusiast, wannabe faux-blogger, and overall nerd, I tend to know more about games than most of my friends. I knew, for example, that Nintendo was originally established as a playing card and toy manufacturer before they eventually got into making videogames.

I didn't, however, know that Nintendo cut its teeth making knock-off Pong consoles and generic racing games in the mid-seventies -- a decade before the Famicom was ever imagined.

Thankfully, Jason Cirillo, founder and creative of director of Robotube Games, knows way more about videogame esoterica than you and me combined. In Bit Museum #1, he shows off some of the interesting retro Nintendo consoles he's managed to dig out of Tokyo junk shops -- ever heard of Nintendo's TV Game 15? I didn't think so.

Cirillo started Robotube Games in 1999 in his apartment, and the company specializes in mobile and online games. Interestingly, he also teaches a game production course at Sacred Heart University.

For another Robotube vid -- this one called Peek Poke, about tabletop Coleco arcade machines -- hit the jump, and be sure to check out Robotube Games and Cirillo's own blog.

[Via Jason Cirillo and Robotube Games]








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Joseph Leray is a founding Destructoid editor and has better hair than you. He speaks French and needs to send us his updated bio in English, preferably. Likes Confuse Ray, Feel My Blade A Mabari War Hound, Snot, Spiral Arrow, Argo, Dan Smith's critical hit bark, Rolling things up into my life Meet the rest of the team



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20 comments | showing # 1 to 20
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A New Challenger's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 14:09
A New Challenger
I knew about the TV Game series, but only because of the first WarioWare game where there was a microgame based on it.

One thing I haven't seen is any pics/footage of Chirtorie, which was a little remote controlled car game, except the cars were little vacuums that sucked up paper or something.
A New Challenger's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 14:11
A New Challenger
Oh hey, there's a picture of Chirtorie here.
A New Challenger's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 14:12
A New Challenger
Oops, I was forgetting an 'i' in "Chiritorie." Also, tag failure. Also, sorry for a triple post.
awkwardmongoose's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 14:14
awkwardmongoose
That was really cool, well hosted, and had lots of information. Great find, thanks.
DaedHead8's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 14:35
DaedHead8
The fact the he says "seasoned gamers may know about the N64 and SNES and MAYBE the NES" makes me sad.
Daniel Carneiro's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 14:47
Daniel Carneiro
@daedhead8
me too :/
Topher Cantler's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 15:14
Topher Cantler
No he doesn't.
Joseph Leray's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 15:30
Joseph Leray
Topher, you and the RFGO crew are space-androids with databanks of knowledge instead of brains. You're not mortal, so you don't count.
taumpytears's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 16:02
taumpytears
He was talking about Seinfeld. I get 10 points.
AgentMOO's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 16:58
AgentMOO
Wow, I never knew about those early Nintendo consoles - good find!
Cartman's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 17:12
Cartman
Sacred heart university? Like in scrubs? Awesome.
Druid 01's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 17:26
Druid 01
and your probably never gona own *smile*

i might have to keep watching this guys videos
mo0man's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 17:31
mo0man
He is so drunk
vexed alex's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 18:25
vexed alex
Oh shit.

Watch out, smug retrogamers!
Purringturtle's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 19:23
Purringturtle
What a great find. very cool.
garison's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 20:07
garison
Interesting, but not the kind of Retro games I am interested in. I am not really a fan of any (console) game before the NES. My favourite era of games is the SNES days. They still had simplistic graphics, but there was still so much great storytelling in those games.
jediyoshi's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 20:26
jediyoshi
what kind of tv is that?
welkstar's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 20:31
welkstar
I actually used to have like three of those tabletop games. I wonder whatever happened to them... They were surprisingly very playable, and fun!
Mink Car's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 21:43
Mink Car
My grandparents have that Frogger one, and it's the only video game they have. It's pretty awesome and I used to play it a ton, but it's broken now...
Brian Szabelski's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 22:37
Brian Szabelski
"ever heard of Nintendo's TV Game 15?"

Yep. How about Computer Othello?
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