NES Games that Weren't Actually Video Games (Nintendo Entertainment System)

[@Retr0gam1ngR0cks]

Welcome back! I missed your content!

[@tylerbowling]

"Now you're knitting with power."

[@BigOleWords]

🤣

[@Smaxx]

@@BigOleWordsI was actually surprised you didn't include the knitting machine, which actually had that slogan (Or was it made up by later reporting? Either way, guess it never actually released). Also now I remember there was an actual online banking addon sold in the US bundled with a modem. I think Gaming Historian did actual episodes on both.

[@deniskenn]

Yes you're back! I was afraid you had quit. Love your videos keep it up

[@Mezzo5459]

9:50 the reason you're not hearing the piano sounds is because the sound of the keys comes out of the actual keyboard

[@MegaHarv]

Glad to have you back! I knew all about the one Tiny Toon sidescroller NES Game. I had no idea there were 3 Tiny Toons Cartridges on the NES. I mean it's not like I knew about the knitting program for Famicom either, but I'm most surprised that the Tiny Toons "Trilogy" slipped by me. Cool upload!

[@BigOleWords]

I’ll probably do a review of Tiny Toons 2 at some point :)

[@Gatorade69]

They are fun games. For the most part every Tiny Toons game made by Konami is pretty great. I had the 2nd game on the NES and the one on the Genesis. I really enjoyed the one on the Genesis.

[@Smaxx]

As for the Miracle keyboard: Never had one, but I'm pretty sure it was an actual standalone keyboard, so the demo mode would play music through the keyboard, kind of remote triggered. Would also explain why you only heard the metronome.

[@BigOleWords]

Huh interesting! So then it never played sounds through the television?

[@Smaxx]

​@@BigOleWords I think that's what's happening. While the NES is capable of using samples for audio playback, it's rather limited (remember: only one sample channel with limited bitrate/memory) and most likely not capable of doing it, yet alone mixing multiple notes in parallel. And now thinking about it, a NES cartridge would typically contain up to 1MB of data only. That's barely enough to contain mid-90's MIDI sound fonts (typically 0.5-2MB) and it would still have to include the game as well. They could have put extra hardware inside, but I guess that would have made it significantly more/too expensive. And more simple: The keyboard **has** speakers on it, so I'd assume it **is** capable of putting out better sound than the NES.😉

[@thesquizer]

Great walkthrough of these oddball "games"! Another one to check out is Racermate Challenge II - it's an unlicensed cartridge that came with a whole setup where you can mount your bicycle to it, tracking your progress and heart rate while controlling pedaling resistance from the NES. A pretty rare one since you had to order it directly from the manufacturer and wasn't sold in stores. While there is a competitor available in-game, it's more of a trainer and not as much of a race (despite the name)

[@BigOleWords]

Yes! I actually thought of that today and realized that would’ve been perfect for this video! Oh well, maybe next time :)

[@monicolares-jacobo3169]

Hey, New Big Ole Words video! Missed the content, glad to see you're still at it, hope all is well with the baby and mama!

[@BB-te8tc]

I think the only one of these I ever played back in the day was the Tiny Toons Animation Workshop one. I rented it, and the 3 day rental period was definitely not sufficient time to learn how the game worked. It was fun for what it was, and the Konami presentation helped quite a lot. Welcome back! Love these videos.

[@BigOleWords]

Nice! I definitely would’ve loved that one a kid.

[@billybobbobbobbilly]

8:20 The closed captioning saying "my 63,200 lb body" was pretty funny.

[@BigOleWords]

Hahaha that’s my Godzilla-form weight

[@arvinrunstein5707]

Welcome back, brother. Congrats on the new addition to the family.

[@Raphael_De_La_Ghetto]

Hey man glad to see you back! Hope the family and the “new addition” are doing well 😊

[@gridly.todd.h]

Fantastic rundown. Glad to see you back, James! Hope the family is well! This one will get a rewatch.

[@GenerationPixel]

I think Dance Aerobics will be your most fondly remembered reviews 😂 As an old 8bit Microcomputer kid, that Famicom Datacorder really got my juices flowing 😮 Fascinating stuff my friend 😎👍

[@BigOleWords]

My defining moment right there!

[@grantorino2325]

Seriously though, why don't girls still exercise in leotards? ☹️

[@crab-dogjones4659]

Great to see another video from you. I was legitimately concerned that you were done.

[@zeliardforty-two4692]

Awe man Taboo! I remember a kid in school bringing it just to see if anyone know what it was. That was the day I learned the words taboo and tarot 😂 oddly enough I recently picked it up on an EBay hunt. So it was neat to see it actually covered!

[@BigOleWords]

Haha funny to think of it being passed around like a nudie mag!

[@MisterDozer]

You seem like such a good dude, nice to have you back.

[@BigOleWords]

Aww thanks for saying that!

[@ericjohnson6634]

The last segment was my favorite, and I could watch an entire video on that topic. I knew about chiptune composers using the original hardware, but putting it on a cartridge with graphics was news to me. Makes me wonder if there's something a little like the c64 demo scene. Great stuff, thank you!

[@BigOleWords]

Right? That really surprised me!

[@AlmightyCRJ]

"This song that accompanies the Power Rangers is jammin'" It's the Hikari Sentai Maskman. opening theme! Choujyu Sentai Liveman also rocks.

[@senseicorey9979]

I missed you! Hope the baby and momma are Happy and healthy! Glad to have you back!

[@vliegpaul]

Great return video! We have all missed your content, but look forward to what you will releasing in the future!

[@Andres33AU]

Congratulations! Wow, I thought new albums being released on audio cassette was "hipster" enough, but now you have albums on NES cartridges, which I think is cool, haha. Thanks for the fun video, and yeah the Miracle system looked very ambitious for its time. Now you have games like Synthesia and Rocksmith+ that allow for learning piano/keyboard.

[@BigOleWords]

Haha I know right? The cassette thing is still pretty funny to me

[@dc9662]

I'm stoked to see you back!

[@rchassereau2]

Glad to see you back, been too long since I've heard 'Check this shit outtttt'!

[@cutiepiecatloveallanimals6602]

Dude glad to see another video, hope the family is well

[@rkelly0114ify]

Welcome back! I hope all is well with you and your family!

[@kromanaut]

Another great video! It reminded me how much I used to love Tiny Toon Cartoon Workshop as a kid, and that it really was quite powerful for what it was. Also, as someone who is mostly into NES for the games, I never thought much about those chiptune cartridges, but damn those are rad.

[@BigOleWords]

Yeah I was really impressed it’s TTCW, way more versatile than anything else at the time

[@tornadot2025]

Nice to see you making videos again!

[@SD_GeNo]

Missed these videos! These used to be my go-to videos to watch on Tuesdays during my lunch, hoping to continue that!

[@BigOleWords]

I’ll try my best!

[@triscious]

Welcome back! Been looking forward to this!

[@SECONDQUEST]

Hope you're well! I do love weird carts like and accessories. ❤

[@goatbone]

Good to have you back and great topic!

[@lordmarculus4747]

Welcome back and congratulations for bubs!

[@jefflindquist6138]

Cool coverage. Thanks James !! 🙂

[@garten]

welcome back, dude, you are so much fun!

[@geraq0]

Glad to have you back James and congratulations! Your content is awesome.

[@SECONDQUEST]

Whoa! Congratulations on the baby!

[@rujerez]

What an interesting video! Old consoles were designed to be so versatile and their systems were so not very robust. One marvels at everything that was invented at the time.

[@BigOleWords]

Totally agree, lots of strange innovations to expand the use of the console

[@mattsweeney3790]

Love the champagne room. So happy you're back. Gonna be an amazing February

[@BigOleWords]

It's the best!

[@eversosleight]

My parents bought me Cartoon Workshop when I was a kid, one of the last titles I got before getting my Genesis. Boy was I disappointed at first. But after a while of messing with it, I grew to love it and now I wish I had it again 😂 Great video!

[@BigOleWords]

Cool! I would’ve loved that as a kid.

[@dangerkeith3000]

Glad to see you making a new video!

[@late2thegamers23]

Always glad to see your videos dude.

[@nahumgardner]

Welcome back and congratulations!

[@lupeayala3125]

Welcome back my Man 🍻💥🍻👍

[@LeinaDZiur]

I had videomation when I was a kid! Had so much fun with it.

[@skRapKlan]

Ahh so glad to see you're back!!

[@Wyldfyre.84]

I did a double take when you said Videomotion was released in 1993. Seems really late in the NES's life span for such a primitive game (or rather, not-game).

[@BigOleWords]

I think it was Dinosaur that came out in 93, but for sure I totally agree

[@Wyldfyre.84]

@@BigOleWords Oops, you're right, Videomation was '91.

[@ringo8410]

Tiny Toons Cartoon Creator was one of my favorite NES "games". I rented it several times and always wanted a copy for myself (which I didn't get). The tools included with that cartridge were surprisingly robust for the NES; I just wish you could have written your own dialogue balloons for the characters.

[@BigOleWords]

Glad you agree, I was impressed!

[@joshuabidelspach9260]

So glad to see another episode you rock!!!

[@samusvikerness661]

Nice shirt. I went to bed listening to 36 Chapters last night. This was a fun video that reminded me of those really old AVGN videos where he’d show us weird shit.

[@BigOleWords]

That is probably the last album I'd pick for going to sleep!

[@samusvikerness661]

@@BigOleWords it’s usually black metal or grindcore so Wu Tang is great for before bed. Lmao

[@nathanbush6781]

I ran into that Miracle Piano Teaching System game at a local hobby shop, and I would love to try it out…but like you said, the price point doesn’t justify it.

[@DougGarrett]

Glad you're back!

[@paulofrota3958]

"My ovals are so massive..." We see what you did here

[@BigOleWords]

Heyo!

[@ifitworksproductions]

I do have a Famicom Keyboard & copy of Family Basic v2.1. It's pretty fun to mess around with. I have written a few simple programs, mostly playing around with the sprite & music features. Unfortunately, I still haven't been able to successfully load a backup from tape.

[@BigOleWords]

I was wondering how reliable those might be.

[@Gabriel-ks6rk]

Welcome back !

[@n.h.s.a.d.m.]

Thanks for making the video, James. Know you are still very busy!

[@BigOleWords]

That is true! Trying to find time for my hobbies wherever I can :)

[@wesleymcneese8554]

Nice vid, glad you're back! I might be crazy but I'm pretty sure there was a Famicom game that came with a sewing machine wasn't there?

[@BigOleWords]

There is one for the Game Boy!

[@billmartovich9009]

"Mario giving it to the NES cartridge" should be worth the price of admission all by itself!

[@BigOleWords]

And it is!

[@Smaxx]

I had Cartoon Workshop as a kid (technically, still have, but didn't think about it for probably 25 years up until right now) and I remember it being really good and fun. Especially considering the platform. Not too entertaining with friends etc. But the characters had comparatively many different animations you could switch between (mind the random flickering at times) and the backgrounds were rather big and somewhat interesting (some even partially animated). I really spent hours with this. And you could do really better animation stuff than with let's say the later Mario Paint. I never made the Flash/Premiere comparison, but you're actually right. I remember first time using Flash it felt familiar, but couldn't figure out why… wow. :D

[@BigOleWords]

Cool to hear from someone who actually played Cartoon Workshop!

[@Rokios]

4:10 A Tommy Tallarico game

[@asa-punkatsouthvinland7145]

As I remember the Nintendo piano keyboard has the music sounds come out the keyboard not through the TV. If I remember correctly the title screen does have music it just plays through the keyboard 😅

[@SirRosser]

What an odd coincidence! I had some of the music from Taboo stuck in my head right before I went to bed last night. Even though I only rented it a few times, like, 30 years ago.

[@BigOleWords]

A few times?! You must’ve had a lot of unanswered questions as a youth!

[@SirRosser]

@@BigOleWords Yeah, well, I lived in a tiny town. If the only games left on the weekend are "Taboo" or "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," you just kinda have to flip a coin.

[@michaelturner2806]

The Tiny Toons one was related to a PC release of Bugs Bunny's Cartoon Workshop. I'm pretty sure the Tiny Toons one is the more polished of the two. I half expected you to mention that the Family Basic keyboard and cassette recorder were also used on some early games like ExciteBike to save game data as well, but then I remembered this is a cart review and not a peripheral review.

[@BigOleWords]

I don’t think I realized they were connected to Excitebike!

[@The_Badseed]

$10,000 for Mario Sweater? Nah I found on ebay for $450, you could buy 22.

[@BigOleWords]

Maybe the $10000 one is 22 times better?

[@HaydenTheHistorian]

Welcome back James!

[@KittyFae-]

Nice list! Seems we have opposite accessory collections, I don't have the uforce or anything like that but I do have both keyboards for the NES and Famicom. XD

[@BigOleWords]

Snap! nice!

[@robintst]

I think Nintendo also used the orange/yellow cartridge shells in the Famicom Disk Writer kiosks.

[@BigOleWords]

That’s right they did!

[@iwaspaidtoflywithyoubatman]

Hey where you been? Welcome back!

[@ArnoldOldSchool]

Welcome back!!!

[@frankf684]

I have a friend(a strange friend)that worked out with that NES aerobics game until about 5 years ago when his power pad broke.

[@BigOleWords]

Sounds like an amazing friend!

[@Elucidus]

Late happy birthday to Tame James! As everyone else has already said, welcome back.

[@DadRacer]

Happy to see a video from ya. Welcome back! Eat your heart out, Sega fans. I don’t see any knitting titles on your system. Congratulations on your newborn!

[@BigOleWords]

Thanks man she’s amazing :)

[@jamisondonald384]

Wooo! Welcome back!

[@JayRock21122]

Great vid as always.

[@catholiccontriversy]

Big ole words is back with a big ole video. Just the other day I was thinking "I wonder if me words is still making videos or if he silently retired given how many people are leaving."

[@BigOleWords]

Haha “me Words”!!

[@catholiccontriversy]

@@BigOleWords stupid keyboard, meant to say "mr words" but hit "e" instead of "r."

[@alanfike]

11:27 Mario is watching the door to make sure to give himself enough warning if someone walks in, to hide his shame. Of course I wouldn't know anything about this.

[@BigOleWords]

Hahaha

[@JoeyJ0J0]

That Power Ranger track in the karaoke game is the theme to Maskman a Super Sentai season

[@BigOleWords]

Awesome!

[@scottbogfoot]

Awesome! Thanks James! 😃

[@CptSamel]

I thought you were dead so I consulted NES Tarot game and it said you would eventually release some new content. It came true 😎

[@BigOleWords]

Taboo knows all!!

[@catholiccontriversy]

World Class Track Meet? I think you mean Stadium Events, the game that Gamestop bought for 93 cents store credit back in the day. I don't remember which documentary it was, but someone showed the price schedule for stadium events before "whole library" collecting became a thing, and they really said "it's a pack in sports game, this will just collect dust on the shelves so it's not worth much."

[@BigOleWords]

That’s for the Bandai Family Fun Fitness mat. Same thing but different packaging.

[@catholiccontriversy]

@@BigOleWords the more you know.

[@rickykeim2005]

I had no Idea that People were Putting their Music on NES Carts. That's Wild.

[@BigOleWords]

Right?!

[@Hwi1son]

that power pad footage might not get you hired.. But totally worth it for posterity

[@BigOleWords]

Haha I hope so!

[@danbauer3669]

6:20 "To crush your enemies... see them driven before you and hear the lamentations of their women!"

[@BigOleWords]

You know it!

[@GoodVibeCollecting]

Someone must of blown on your channel, because it's working again. XD

[@BigOleWords]

Heyo!

[@Dwedit]

I just noticed that Jay Obernolte was involved in making both Videomation and Color a Dinosaur. He's in the US House of representatives now.

[@BigOleWords]

What?! That’s wild!

[@JaKeW138]

Finally realizing your intro is from Mr. Show!

[@BigOleWords]

Haha yea it is!

[@bryangarcia5599]

B.O.W.ser Returns!

[@GregHurstII]

I'm a mere 6'2" but man I used to love the power pad.

[@BigOleWords]

hahaha mere!

[@StriderBillman]

If Tiny Toons Cartoon Workshop were on SNES, there could have been cool close-ups with Mode-7 effects!

[@BigOleWords]

That would've ruled!

[@momosgarage]

Imagine if Dance Aerobics had gotten Jane Fonda to put her likeness in the game, and had her market it to older middle aged women in 1988. Since she sold workout videos until 1995 there definitely might be have enough moms out there to have bought it randomly.

[@BigOleWords]

Huh that probably would've sold a million Power Pads for sure.

[@segamatthews5023]

Your still alive! 😊

[@BigOleWords]

In theory!

[@JustinJames-lk5mc]

Welcome back :)

[@alanfike]

I would've felt so bad for you if you bought that Miracle keyboard. And I'm a musician. They were really not looking towards the future with that keyboard. They should've worked with Nintendo and made some way for it to be compatible with future Nintendo consoles, so that we'd have a keyboard for Mario Paint. Hindsight is 20/20 though. But overall, what relatively high tech junk. A bad idea.

[@radioactivechimp]

Anyone else think the song in Videomation sounds like the intro to Kablam ?

[@BigOleWords]

Kablam?

[@zetaknight2143]

Was that family basic computer computer describble SFX just the donkey Kong Jr SFX from a later stage in the game?

[@BigOleWords]

Huh you may be right!

[@kromanaut]

I picked up a copy of 8Bit Music Power Final after seeing it here in this video, and boy am I glad I did! What a nifty little cart! Now I need to find more NES/FC chiptune carts to add to the collection, LOL. Any recommendations? I'd love to find a copy of VegaVox 2, but I think it's probably a bit hard to find at a price I could afford.

[@joshmiller887]

Just can’t get enough Big Ole Words

[@loganjorgensen]

In a way I can understand why you might want to avoid the Famicom alley since you bought Color a Dinosaur lol, but really it's an alley worth going down since in some ways Nintendo was even bigger over there especially for peripherals and add-ons. One simple thing I wish NA-Nintendo had carried over from Japan was the multiple cartridge shell colors, other than Zelda's gold we really didn't get much variety.☹ The microphone was interesting but Nintendo kind of hit a dead end with that quickly, probably should have made it a peripheral instead of permanently in the second controller in hindsight.🙂

[@BigOleWords]

Don't worry, I'm slowly spiraling down into Famicom town....

[@michaelstagar4254]

Thank God. I thought you quit.

[@cmfort2696]

"Wu-tang clan...