Christmas Special! Nuts FROM Nintendo! Was the 1988 Chip Shortage Real or a Hoax?

Were the shortages of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link real or a hoax? (Chapter markers and more below!)
Episode information
GTV 63 "Nuts FROM Nintendo" Season 3 Episode 21
Original Airdate: December 25, 2018
Produced November 20-December 24, 2018
Based on a re-telling of true events from 1988.
Recorded at Butsudan Studios and edited on my 15" MacBook Pro with Touch Bar.
Produced with Final Cut Pro and Photoshop, which my job paid for!
0:00 GTV ID: KZbin the Way it Was Meant to Be!™
0:08 Introduction: Thanks Santa!
0:44 Act 1: 1988 - The Year of Nintendo
2:42 CM 1: Toys 'R Us (U.S., 1988)
3:17 Act 2: Nintendo Made Us Nuts
11:45 CM 2: Super Mario Bros. 2 (U.S., 1988)
12:18 Act 3: 1988 Under the Microscope
22:15 CM 3: Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (Canada, 1989)
22:50 Act 4: The Final Verdict
GTV is now on Odysee! Join us!! odysee.com/$/invite/@GTV-Japan:d
Here are some other Nintendo videos from the GTV archives you’ll love!
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Some Big thanks here!
Voiceover by Higgins in Japan
Some research assistance by Kevin from Arcadology
Artwork by Dez. It's awesome!! Read his comics here frivolesque.com
Some clips provided by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
Others footage by The Original PSP, Patrick Scott Patterson, Grooveraider, Erik Myhre, Karla Metral, Steven Hertz, Japanesecommercials4U2, World of Longplays and the rest by the respective TV stations or public domain / fair use.
Watch the full 20/20 piece, first archived by Steven Hertz • NUTS FOR NINTENDO spec...

[@Clandestinemonkey]

You managed to bore me so much during the intro that I decided to just leave this comment and never watch your channel again. Great job!

[@GTV-Japan]

Well, shit!!

[@hjames78]

You still are helping their views so who cares smh.

[@MiningIron]

@@GTV-JapanDon’t worry man…4 years later, 1st time watching and I’m enjoying it lol

[@GTV-Japan]

Yay! ❤️ 👑

[@ConnieFWill]

you're the one who clicked on a 25 minute long video about a chip shortage in the 80s, what did you expect?

[@ToploadedGaming]

I will always have respect for John Stossel for giving gaming a fair shake rather than just doing the easy thing and badmouthing it. I whole heartedly agree with you about him.

[@GTV-Japan]

That’s why I live his work. Very open minded

[@hjames78]

Those same adults who bad mouthed our games are the same ones who at their old age still bad mouth stuff today instead of trying to learn to understand it like internet and smart phones 🤣

[@CollinSchleper]

Remember when a pro wrestler slapped the shit out of him?

[@TVsMrNeil]

The Stossel segment was really exciting at the time it was broadcast. Everyone who is a classic game fanatic should find it on KZbin and watch it.

[@GTV-Japan]

It is. I’m sure it’ll get suggested on the side bar soon. It was the only news story of that time that was not 100% negative and very sensible and balanced. It was fun too. Merry Christmas!

[@thetreblerebel]

Didn't he get slapped by Dr. D ??

[@briantaylorcloe7725]

The origin story of the career transition @@thetreblerebel to bounty hunter for legendary David Schultz

[@MARK111174]

I recall getting both games in 1988; lucky me

[@GTV-Japan]

A few people have said they did. Yea lucky! Thanks for watching

[@hicknopunk]

I always have felt the NES 10 chip shortage was real. It only affected a few games, which were all recent releases as far as I knew. I was a lucky girl and got Zelda 2 that Christmas.

[@GTV-Japan]

Nice!

[@GTV-Japan]

I got hit with so many comments but I got to say yours was the kind I'm looking for! You were right in the middle of it and came out on the good side! Merry Christmas

[@hicknopunk]

@@GTV-Japan Merry Christmas to you too! I always thought it was the NES 10 chip that was the cause of the shortage, not due to a rom process change in the industry. My mom usually got me junk like Donkey Kong Jr Math......Golf.... But the Christmas of '88 she got me Zelda 2 and told me quite the story of trying to get it when she found it for sale at K-Mart in December. I also remenber the Fun Club fondly. I only have a few issues left, but I did preserve all my Nintendo Power mags. I really liked the Indie feel of the Fun Club. I am sooooo glad I still have my Fun Club membership card. When I call Nintendo I always tell them my Fun Club # and act perplexed when they ask for my nintendo ID #. ^_^ *hugs* Ty for the great videos you make.

[@GTV-Japan]

I loved the fun club! It’s a shame they don’t really recognize it anymore. It was Nintendo before it was cool. And the msg was good too

[@5roundsrapid263]

I got both Mario 2 and Zelda 2 that year. My folks must have caught a shipment!

[@JVeg199X]

I love that old shot of the aisle with NES games and the Game & Watches off to the right!

[@GTV-Japan]

It’s the one thing I love about youtube more than any other. Tons of old b roll footage that’s like a treasure hunt/time capsule. Thanks for watching Merry Christmas!

[@TheBaldr]

I was just watching youtube video of New York in 1988. In the electronics window of Time Square was a Popeye game and watch and Mario's cement factory.

[@GTV-Japan]

I loved cement factory!

[@5roundsrapid263]

Nintendo didn’t want to make TOO MANY cartridges, like Atari did. We all know how that ended!

[@GTV-Japan]

You know despite the ETs in the desert they did reprint PacMan for the 2600 in 1985. I guess they needed more. Thanks for watching and merry Christmas

[@5roundsrapid263]

Gaijillionaire That’s no surprise. I saw copies of it floating around for years.

[@gb6710]

If people read the manual for ET, they would understand the game. It’s not too difficult.

[@GTV-Japan]

Agreed! But for many people they couldn’t or didn’t. Shame that it is

[@justsomebody-1665]

I was 7 years old in 1988. Nintendo was such a juggernaut in those days, we literally used the word "Nintendo" the way people use "video games" today. All games were "playing Nintendo"

[@GTV-Japan]

Very true

[@PotatoeSnow]

People said that cause Nintendo is only machine they played. No one with a Sega said come to my house and play Nintendo. Maybe if had both, would say Nintendo. I still want to know if any Jaguar owners said let's go to my house and play some Jag.

[@GTV-Japan]

I used to say let’s play some Jag. Back in 94!

[@juancabeza5809]

I remember that there was no NES on any stores on Christmas of '88 where I lived. I didn't understand why then. When I finally found a store that sold them, they were asking $249.99 for the "Action Set". My mom gave me the remaining money I needed to buy it. Now I will treasure my CIB copies of SMB2 and Zelda 2 even more thanks to this video!!!... Especially Zelda 2!!!...😎👍

[@GTV-Japan]

You saved the box?! Awesome! Save it forever! Merry Christmas my good man

[@juancabeza5809]

@@GTV-Japan Not exactly.... I bought both games a few years ago... I started building my CIB NES games a few years back!

[@GTV-Japan]

Oh ok. I won’t tell anyone

[@GTV-Japan]

What is your take on the chip shortage? Did you think it was real or not? Has this video changed your mind? What did you get for Christmas 1988, or any other year? Share your story and discuss! Merry Christmas 🎄!!!

[@ozzydio7233]

I wasn't born in 1988, but in 1998 I've got a N64 with Zelda OOT for christmas, it was magical. When I think about it, I've got every christmas either a Zelda game or Metroid game.

[@GTV-Japan]

My brother was born in 88 he got the same game in 98! Merry Christmas and hope you get a good game in 18!

[@crasheffort]

I got the NES for Christmas in 88 and only had the Mario and Duck Hunt cart for several months until I bought Mario 2. Its interesting to see what was happening with nintendo during that period that made finding games hard. Many banner games for the nes like metroid I was only able to buy a year or 2 later when they reissued "Classic Series" games.

[@GTV-Japan]

Cool! Metroid was one of those out of print. It just seems so antiquated anymore. I wonder what the low print games of this year will end up being?Thanks for watching merry Christmas!

[@georgehenson2412]

It was real. It was reported outside of the gaming press in regards to other technologies. Obviously ROM chips were most important for video games, but other electronics used them too. Nintendo definitely had a scarcity policy, but they pissed off most of their third parties in this shortage and that was definitely not intentional.

[@raym1477]

My vote for most moronic statement of the 80s goes to Peter Main: "I had no idea that the demand for [SMB 2 and Zelda II] would be so huge!".

[@GTV-Japan]

Yea basically that’s what he said. Read Game Over. The whole Nintendo way and the low print runs was really his idea. The frontline 91 piece really shows a different guy than 20/20 did

[@BiggTigger]

I didn’t know about this. Me and my dad went up to circuit city, asked for it, got it, went home. No trouble, bought ice hockey and excite bike too. No idea there was a shortage.

[@GTV-Japan]

Some places had no games but Zelda and Mario 2 especially were MIA. Thanks for watching and merry Christmas

[@DungarooTV]

There probably was a chip shortage of sorts, but Nintendo are known to limit release to create hype and a sense of false over-demand to help market their products.

[@GTV-Japan]

Yea. They really are a-holes in that regard

[@MrVariant]

Lol glad 3rd parties make affordable amiibo cards nowadays. Nintendo will delist the 3ds/wii u eshop in 3 months and hardly any going out of business sales. Seal of approval for quality control is gone now lol I act like 2023 crashes. 7:34 stuck in limbo like advance wars remake. Glad there is so much more to do nowadays. 13:45 like with PS5 eh? 17:07 evil Nintendo with anti-competitor clauses to own retail, glad today is better for that and distribution though sales right after I buy are bs.

[@fiskburk2908]

Pretty much they still do that, and funny/annoyingly LRG do the same but is more obvious with them 😅

[@TristansGameRoom]

I wasn't born in the 80's, but being born in 2000... It brought me back to 2006 - 2008. Wii shortages were constant, they were hard to find. I was lucky enough to get a Wii in 2008 as a shared present. Games from Christmas 2008 included: Mario Kart Wii, Rayman: Raving Rabbids TV Party, The Incredible Hulk & more. This also brings me back to 2016, NES Classic was hard to find. I ended up importing a Famicom Classic from a U.S Seller. Happy holidays & Happy new year. Can't wait for more content in 2019!

[@GTV-Japan]

Thats very cool! I remember only the Nintendo faithful had a Wii in 06, the only ones to preorder. I was interviewed on TV in japan when they debuted here and yea it was harddddd to find! Merry Christmas! See you in 2019!

[@KDubb-ws9zc]

You brought back some memories with the Wii shortages. My parents camped out on launch day in 2006 and got one for me for my 11th birthday that December. I remember extremely well all my cousins wanting one for mooonnnnthhhs and it not being in store shelves at all again until like mid summer ‘07

[@GTV-Japan]

I managed to get one on December 2 the very first day and got interviewed on tv too. Long time ago now.

[@bjnt92281]

Good thing I didn’t get my NES until Christmas 1989. 😄 Thankfully missing the chip shortage by a year.

[@GTV-Japan]

Yeah good thing. And so many good games were already out. Thanks for watching and Merry Christmas

[@bjnt92281]

Gaijillionaire Merry Christmas to you as well. Yeah I can remember like yesterday me and my dad setting it up on the tv and taking half the day to figure out how to switch between Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt because I wanted to play Duck Hunt more 😄

[@GTV-Japan]

Haha! 👍 those were the days

[@y0sh1rulez]

All i remember in 1988 was feeling like the pc master race in junior high because I had a famicom playing Super Mario 3 while everyone else was going crazy over a Doki Doki Panic re-skin. My attitude towards Super Mario 2 NES has changed over the years, though!

[@GTV-Japan]

I would have murdered to get Mario 3 that Christmas

[@manuginobilisbaldspot424]

Good for you dork.

[@cattysplat]

Those who imported felt like they had time machines, it took months or even years for games to get from Japan to US and Europe back then!

[@GTV-Japan]

Yeah! That’s the best way to say it

[@Nitroxity]

I'm almost 100% certain that Mario 2's usage of the MMC3 chip had a huge impact on being able to get the game out. The chip had JUST begun manufacturing in the fall of 88 and in addition, a good amount of MMC3 chips had to be set aside for Super Mario Bros. 3's release, which happened at the same time. Funny thing is that the chip went on to be one of the most widely used in the Famicom/NES library, but it definitely had a slow start. The MMC5, its successor and arguably the best mapper ever made for NES hardware during its lifetime, never reached the same heights of popularity for devs and manufacturers as it didn't make sense to invest in such a high-cost chip with 16-bit machines around the corner. Mappers really were the NES's bread and butter!

[@GTV-Japan]

Yea that’s a good point!

[@bullfrogjay4383]

I would not put it past Nintendo to creat false shortages but who knows. I remember that time period and they were some of the best days of my life.

[@GTV-Japan]

I’m seeing lots of people saying the same thing. Thanks for watching and merry Christmas

[@themblan]

I got an NES in 1988. Good times.

[@GTV-Japan]

Ain’t we lucky we got em! Thanks for watching and merry Christmas

[@Justin-Hill-1987]

1988: Toys "R" Us has stores in different parts of the world, including the United States and Canada. 2018: Toys "R" Us is wiped off the maps of the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia due to bankruptcy. Toys "R" Us still has stores in Scandinavia, other parts of Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia (including Japan). The remaining North American Toys "R" Us locations are all in Canada: www.toysrus.ca Merry Christmas!

[@GTV-Japan]

There’s one 10 minutes from me. Maybe. I should do a video where I but new in box PS Vita games from 2019 there but it might unravel the universe. Merry Christmas!

[@Justin-Hill-1987]

@@GTV-Japan Toys "R" Us will be returning to the United States with two brand new interactive stores in smaller sizes (one in Texas and one in New Jersey) according to this press release from their official US website: www.toysrus.com/PressRelease.html

[@losalfajoresok]

Dude, your channel is very, very underrated. Cheers from Argentina!!

[@GTV-Japan]

Hey welcome back! Yea I like being under rated off the radar, and underground. I think that makes it cool

[@dee5298]

I love the commercials. It feels nostalgic.

[@GTV-Japan]

I love to take a trip back in time, Thanks for watching!

[@dee5298]

@@GTV-Japan Thank you for making the vids. You have a new sub.

[@GTV-Japan]

Great thanks! I did at least 40 more in this style so go for a binge watch whenever you can and talk to you later

[@Mantekilla22]

Great job on this , I love how it feels like I’m watching old tv with short awesome commercials

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks for supporting the channel!

[@FrankT1000]

Very cool video. Thank you for your awesome content!

[@GTV-Japan]

Thank you! I hope to get more out next year so see you then. Thanks for watching and merry Christmas

[@Anu_Sol]

Damn son. You got TWO consoles as a kid? Your family must have been rich af. It took my family 10 years to save up for a Sega Mega Drive. I finally got it in 2002.

[@GTV-Japan]

Well my dad would go work 16 hours on Xmas day and with overtime really clean up and pay for it. We actually had very few games as kids and mostly rented

[@Anu_Sol]

@@GTV-Japan Ha yeah I know money was hard back then for families as I'm sure it is now. I was only kidding.

[@GTV-Japan]

It was! But my dad worked in steel so it ran 24 7 and was happy to work it and get the OT. Now that I have kids I’m sure he was happy just to get out of the house! 😆

[@Sinn0100]

Not really, America was in a very different place back then. Only one parent had to work back then. Stuff was cheaper and money went a hole lot further. I grew up during this time as well. By the time I was about to move out I had (parents were divorced x2 of everything mind you)- Nes, Master System, Genesis/Sega CD, Snes, Jaguar, 3DO and finally firbthe first time totally buying a console for myself- both my PSX and Saturn on the Playstations launch day. Times were just hugely different back then. I am not rich currently, I am doing good (middle class) and my fiance and I have 2 4K UHD screens in our bedroom with two of every current gen console.

[@GTV-Japan]

It could depend on where you grew up and your parents lifestyle. But in Pittsburgh in the 70s and 80s it was rough. People were losing their jobs and leaving town. Luckily my parents hung on but they both worked 7 days a week till the end basically. We weren’t poor but only because they put in that hustle. I also worked basically nonstop since I was 16 and in the radio and tv field I worked Christmas year after year. Just the way it was.

[@TheGoldenBolt]

I really dig the style here! Keep it up!

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks! If you’re a newcomer I got 70 more just like it!

[@Mikehero69_]

Really solid and enjoyable retrospective! Merry late Christmas Gaijillionaire!

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks and same to you brother 🎄

[@JasonB808]

Here we we are again in a Chip shortage. this time it’s all game consoles, particularly PS5 and Xbox Series. PC GPUs have also been affected as well. It’s nearly impossible to find a new console or GPU without paying twice the MSRP to scalpers.

[@GTV-Japan]

Yeah! Usually new hardware is always shorted but I’m sure it’s a worth while story waiting to be written! Thanks for watching!

[@NexusVerbal]

I actually thought this was a John Stossel video. I had to do a double take on the thumbnail because I'm also subscribed to him.

[@GTV-Japan]

Haha I didn’t expect to trick anyone. I wonder if he will see this or not. Merry Christmas!

[@LowellLucasJr.]

Back in 89 to 90, we had enough people in the neighborhood to share their copies of Zelda 2 and Super Mario 2 so we didn't miss out on the fun. However, I know a lot of my friends were complaining that they weren't able to get their copies during that crazy holiday season beforehand!

[@GTV-Japan]

That’s nice of them!

[@JustinMBailey]

This was awesome for Christmas Eve thanks for making it!

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks for liking it! Merry Christmas

[@JustinMBailey]

Gaijillionaire merry Christmas

[@devonthomas303]

@@GTV-Japan I bet this is annoying 😋

[@GTV-Japan]

not really!

[@steelcurtain187]

New viewer here...excellent job on this video. Lots of good clips and info. I remember Zelda 2 & Mario 2 were my most wanted games when they came out and I don't remember the chip shortage affecting me getting them at the time. I also didn't get them on release day either tho

[@GTV-Japan]

Hey thanks for finding me. I like your user name if it means your from Pittsburgh! If you like this video I got 70 more you can check out maybe you’ll like it. If you got both games without hassle I think you’re pretty lucky. Thanks for watching

[@UkraineJames2000]

John Stossel interviewing Nintendo is max 80s coziness. Great video, man.

[@GTV-Japan]

+Ukraine James thanks! The original is online too and he keeps saying things like “games aren’t bad for you”’to Barbara Wawa who looked she was about to get the vapors. The thing is 48 hours did an even better piece in 1988 and I can’t find a copy! It’s out there though

[@DoYouNerd]

Fascinating watch! Thank you for a great, informative video!

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks I’m glad you came back for this one

[@taysb2220]

Just found your channel. Love the content and quality of info and production. Excited to delve into all the past episodes!

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks! Comment on what you like I try to reply to everything

[@edwarddillon5886]

I remember getting the first issue of Nintendo Power, I still have it along with a lot of the other issues. My older brother bought me my NES with a bunch of games for Christmas, but I think it was in 89. However I do remember the sales man who sold him the NES talked about the chip shortage, and told him that he better buy them while they lasts.

[@GTV-Japan]

That’s pretty cool! I’m not exactly sure when it all ended but a salesman wanting you to buy more sounds about right. Everyone got the first issue of NP even after it was old. I’m not sure why though even though it was a good issue it was dated pretty fast. I really liked the strategy guides they put out later

[@lupeayala3125]

Another supreme video! Those commercials are a great bonus! Thank you for the hard work, effort & love you put out in your videos!! It really shows!! 🍻👍

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks Lupe! Hope to see you back for the next one. Happy new year 🥳

[@lupeayala3125]

@@GTV-JapanThanx! I'll be there for the next batch in 2019 and beyond! Happy New Year!

[@GTV-Japan]

All right! The next one will be 1/25 if everything turns out ok

[@tuyatrojouey6485]

another killer documentary ! thanks my friend ! it will be shared the 25 dec morning (in France) on Tuyatrojouey ! ++ for my take on this subject... i think Nintendo definitly hold on stock to create this shortage, like they did with the NES Classic Mini... they are not new at this little game :(

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks! Of course they could still be holding back but not as much as they wanted to. Merry Christmas to you friend!

[@ElliotKeaton]

*" i think Nintendo definitly hold on stock to create this shortage, like they did with the NES Classic Mini"* -The NES Classic exists solely because Nintendo needed a holiday product for their investors and the Switch wasn't ready to launch yet due to a lack of games for it. -It was a fast and cheap product to develop and was guaranteed to sell because Christmas. -Nintendo produced the amount they needed to sell to get the numbers they wanted because that's all it was to them. A bandage, a quick buck and an advertisement for their brand. -Then they discontinued it because the Switch was a million times more important to them. The vast majority of their money comes from third-party licensing-fees for their consoles, not from selling hardware. -The only people who benefited from its scarcity were the scalpers. I'm going to make this as clear and curt as possible: If "artificial scarcity" is why Nintendo products hold their value why is every other publisher in the industry too stupid to do the same? EA, Ubisoft and Activision aren't exactly known for their high moral fibre.

[@tuyatrojouey6485]

@@ElliotKeaton because Nintendo is the stupidest of them ? :p shitting on free money ? wanna talk about the absence of virtual console on the switch ? and the money Nintendo misses with it being absent ? ;) . About the Chip shortage i cannot think it didn't cause other editor/dev to be also out of stock on some major games... and it wasn't the case. Like Gaiji' said when a chip shortage happen (and it happen frequently in the industry) a LOT of product are concerned. I found it strange only 2 major Nintendo games were concerned ? :/ seems.. strange !

[@doctorthunder144]

Channel 27!?! Wtxl? I knew there was reason I liked this channel. I'm from the Tallahassee area. I'd play my super Nintendo as kid and have to stop around 5pm for my parents to watch channel 27 news .... Lol

[@GTV-Japan]

I ran the show in the early 00s as well as all the WCWT 40 stuff like the Bobby Bowden show. Casanova Nurse is still there I think. Thanks for watching and merry Christmas

[@atariblue]

"Toys R Us, You'll never outgrow us"...might be true, but it was they who outgrew us

[@GTV-Japan]

Very poignant!

[@nomadicmonkey3186]

I've been basically binging your past videos this evening. So you once was in the TV industry, that explains why your content has constantly high production values! Seriously though I guess you weren't bragging too much when you said "GTV KZbin the way it was meant to be" line. Gaming journalism at its best. I've never heard of this chip shortage story on the other side of the Pacific, just like I assume a lot of left-in-Japan stuff you've covered are to Western gamers. It really feels like the magic of the internet that I came to learn about that after 30 years.

[@GTV-Japan]

I’m glad you liked it. The idea of that line was to start the video with a bombastic statement that tied in the theme as. Topic of the video

[@NefariousWes]

Great video, man! Lots of good info here. I didn't have any issues getting either SMB2 or Zelda II -- hell, I got TWO copies of the latter, and exchanged one for Adventure Island. I told that story in a video last year. I'm with you in your disappointment that Nintendo wasn't lying about the chip shortage. That was the conclusion I reached from this video as well.

[@GTV-Japan]

I love that video you did. Amazing luck. Almost the whole time I was writing this I thought for sure I’d find a smoking gun that Nintendo was full of crap. But not really.

[@Marc_Araujo]

This takes me back to Christmas of '89 and the start of my video game journey. I got the NES Power Set with Super Mario Bros. 2 and RoboCop and every other Christmas paled in comparison to that one. Merry Christmas brother!! P.S. Thank you Howard Phillips for Super Mario Bros 2...one of the greatest games of all-time! P.P.S. If you ever run into a guy calling himself Dr. D. Dave Schultz, don't ever ask him if wrestling is fake.

[@GTV-Japan]

I’ll be sure to keep my ears from getting punched in!

[@scottfugate254]

I managed to scorea copy of SM2 and a copy of Zelda 2 at release through the Sears Catalog, but couldn't find a NES anywhere in my city till February of the NEXT year!! I would sleep with those boxes and dream of the adventures that lay before me . .. eventually. Torture!! ecentually

[@GTV-Japan]

Really? NESs were sold out? I’m sure it had to happen but I never heard that. That is torture!!! Thanks for watching and merry Christmas

[@9ElevenGamer]

Nice vid', having a binge on your channel before I open my Museum at 8am.

[@GTV-Japan]

Oh special weekend hours I see! Thanks for watching

[@LorenHelgeson]

My own take on the chip shortage is it did happen. When I was a kid back in the late 80s, my first NES game that I owned was Zelda 2. I had played and finished the first one, and was really excited for the sequel. However, the game kept getting delayed for weeks on end, and I had no idea why. It was "out," but nobody in my town could get a copy. A few months later, my dad secured a copy, but we had to drive a good 130 miles out to San Luis Obispo, California. My dad had a business trip out there one day, so he took me with him and we went to pick it up. When I reminisced about it with him a few months ago, he remembered exactly what I was talking about, and being a computer programmer at the time, he confirmed there was indeed a chip shortage.

[@GTV-Japan]

Good lord! 130 miles!!? Thanks for sharing your memories and opinions!!

[@vegetafan9922]

Toy 'R' Us "You'll never outgrow us" Yes...but we certainly outlived you.

[@GTV-Japan]

The one in my town still stands!

[@Choops6969]

you are seriously the greatest dood. i live for videos like this.

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks! I got 70 others you can check out and if I’m lucky I’ll get 20-30 out next year too. Hope I can deliver what you like

[@Choops6969]

@@GTV-Japan already seen most of em already looking forward to it. If you need a radio host voice for between segments lmk.

[@GTV-Japan]

Ok cool! Actually I’d like to have more people in videos

[@39zack]

"This is GTV; KZbin the way it was meant to be" Dang! I would have agreed on this statement 4years ago and even more today!

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks Zack! Merry Christmas 🎄

[@39zack]

@@GTV-Japan Merry Christmas 🎄🎄

[@Sinn0100]

Thankfully I lived very close to Miami and a father cool enough to drive there and pick up both titles for me; However, I did not like Zelda 2 at all...I wound up giving it to my cousin. Super Mario 2 wa great, I dont remember that in the shortage list. I had a couple of friends with the Mario title during that time. That could be because we were a part of a major market. What a great video, thank you for making this. Merry Christmas and gave a fantastic safe New Years!

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks! I did like Zelda 2 a lot compared to one. Mostly because it was more linear. In the research I did more Super Mario 2 copies were made but I still rarely saw them for sale. There’s also a story online Somewhere (can’t recall where sorry) about a Nintendo employee who helped force management to get Mario 2 out in 1988. He said a local make a wish office had a sick child wishing to play Mario 2 but despite the game being done, they wouldn’t budge but eventually gave in after some back and forth. If I knew where I read it I’d share it. But it was called like “the real captain Nintendo” or something like that. Thanks for watching and merry Christmas

[@jpdunphy1]

God, I remember that 20/20 report. It's legendary. My brother in law drove to NYC (not terribly far since we were in Central NJ, but pretty damn far for 9 year old me) to pay $80 for a copy of Zelda II, which we all thought was kind of nuts at the time. To think, I'd drop $74 for Final Fantasy III just five years later. Today, game developers are literally giving games away. I still haven't played through the free copy of Rayman Origins I got from Ubisoft two years ago. I often miss those simpler times.

[@GTV-Japan]

Imagine eBay in 1988! $80 is too high for an 8 but game but the store could have sold it for 300 And still sell out I’m sure. My parents just had to sit me down and explain they looked everywhere there just weren’t any copies. If you think of hours worked megabytes per dollar games are practically free compared to then. Thanks for watching and merry Christmas!

[@ToploadedGaming]

With the way that graphics cards are in huge demand not only for gaming but for online poker players and bitcoin enthusiasts, I’d agree this chip famine (shortage) was real. Amazing video, I think I talked to you months ago while you were working on this. Given how much research and the time invested in making this video, I tip my hat to you. Great video just in time for the Holiday Season. Masterful voiceover work and storytelling.

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks! Yea it’s been in planning for a while. I also had the flu while making it so it nearly killed me. But I’m fine. Thanks for watching and merry Christmas

[@franknitti9126]

Another bad ass video! I can't get enough video game history content so keep these videos coming

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks! I have 20 on the drawing board for next year with about 5 that aren’t about games but more about Japanese pop culture. Hope to see you there

[@EvaFull]

History repeats itself in 2021/2022 with another “Chip Shortage”.

[@GTV-Japan]

Very true! And right on schedule too

[@LaponianWolf]

I remember this was a thing here in Sweden too, but only with Zelda II witch was released here in September 26:th 1988. I got a copy on that day cause you were supposed to sign up for a copy at your local Nintendo store or toy store, witch I did, since there wasnt enough copys around for everybody who wanted one. So, in a way, Zelda II was my first "preorder" :) Great video by the way and Merry Christmas 🎄 to you all.

[@GTV-Japan]

Interesting! I had no idea. Merry Christmas to you

[@toddonfire]

I will always remember John Stossel as the guy who had the taste slapped out of his mouth by Dr. David Shultz for calling pro wrestling fake.

[@GTV-Japan]

I think that was his first national exposure. Or at least it felt like that because I watched anything related to wrestling. And the. He did the Nintendo piece. He must have had tons of kid fan letters. Thanks for watching and a Merry Christmas!

[@SPac316]

I never had the NES in 1988. Can't remember what I got on Christmas that year, but I'm sure it wasn't an NES. So I didn't feel the frustration that everyone did at the time. I didn't get a Nintendo till around mid to late 1989.

[@GTV-Japan]

Cool! But somehow the NES sold more in 89 with no problem. Merry Christmas!

[@FooPanda]

@@GTV-Japan I got a used NES as my first console in 1998! Still works except for the tape deck needing to be taped down. It was from an action pak as pictured here!

[@GTV-Japan]

That’s cool! We used to used a stuffed animal to keep the control deck lined up because it was hard enough to hold in place but soft enough to push in there. And that was in 1988! Zero force insertion rules!

[@NightFlyStudio]

A company's #1 goal is to make money. To be so foolish as to put sales in the balance by force is not something any smart company would do. Would it make sense to make artificial shortages if you know you can sell more? No, especially with investors on the line that you're trying to impress and persuade. So from a business standpoint artificial scarcity is not a tactic taken as lightly as chip shortage conspirators would have you believe. But anyway, great stuff. Always love your unique style of content. Happy Holidays.

[@GTV-Japan]

Yea I agree. To do such a thing is risky and eventually they did lose a lot of market to Sega and Sony. But at the time they were a monopoly and a lot of people felt this way. Merry Christmas to you! Hope you get something good!!

[@dreadGodshand]

FINALLY! someone with common sense.

[@dreadGodshand]

@@GTV-Japan even so, doing so will still cause then to lose money. And people said the same thing after the wii sold so much. That's just a lie told by Nintendo haters and for some reason, people believe. Nintendo isn't a multi billion dollar company for being stupid and losing money.

[@TheBaldr]

Shortages almost never help a company at all. Looking at supply and demand curves. The money left off the table is only going to help 3rd parties(aka scalpers and counterfeiters) who best interest are not aligned with the company.

[@GTV-Japan]

That’s true! But with Zelda 2 there was hardly any supply to give to scalpers but I’m sure it still happened. Thanks for watching

[@SirPumpkinSlice]

Well this segment went better for Stossel than his interview with Dr.D.

[@GTV-Japan]

Yeah! I remember that! McMahon ended up paying him off

[@ricosalvaje8131]

Lmao, every time i see stossel I think of him getting slapped. "You think its fake"

[@Blackcard_XCII]

34 years later, we're still in a chip shortage

[@GTV-Japan]

I know. How funny…

[@davidgill7412]

That year I was lucky I got both Zelda II and Super Mario Bros. 2 for Christmas.

[@GTV-Japan]

Top comment! I wonder who else got both? Merry Christmas!

[@yusakug]

I got both as well that year, as well as Bubble Bobble. Talk about a score!

[@davidgill7412]

@@yusakug I was never aware of the business behind the scenes. At that time I had a Atari 7800, a Commodore 64, and the last Christmas I received my NES. Nintendo Power fueled my fire for getting Super Mario Bros 2. What an appropriate video to watch on Christmas Eve. Oh and the year I got my Nintendo was the year I got the Transformer Fortress Maximus. Not sure how my family did that considering the cost(I miss my Mom Mom) 😭

[@cupofjoe2251]

My mom stole mario 2 and zelda 2 from another familys cart to make sure my christmas was complete. My mom loved me. True american Christmas.

[@GTV-Japan]

It was Pac-Man, Ghostbusters and Jaws for me. Double Dragon too. But I did get Mario 2 in October so there’s that

[@franksmith613]

The 1988 Chip Game Shortage seems more believable than the 2020 Toilet Paper shortage. I mean it's freaking TOILET PAPER!

[@GTV-Japan]

I know!! What a joke. Thanks for watching

[@maza36]

I got super Mario brothers part two on the first day, got there early and waited in line with my dad

[@fattiger6957]

Apparently there was a shortage of ps2 memory cards at one point, but I didn't notice it.

[@GTV-Japan]

Oh ya I remember that

[@skins4thewin]

Little did we know that Toys R Us would be toast not long after this video aired...

[@brandonwilliams6119]

Wanted to ask you guys since the Earthbound/Mother series 30th Anniversary is July 27th of this Year will you guys be looking back at the series history? Also it will be Daisy’s 30th Anniversary in April since Super Mario Land turns 30.

[@GTV-Japan]

I am actively looking into something with Earthbound/Mother but will probably not have it ready by July 27. Been searching for a while but found nothing creatively satisfactory that isn’t already known by hardcore fans. I did the manga of Super Mario Land last year and will revisit them again but not in April. Thanks for asking and hope I can deliver what you’re looking for in the future

[@PKMNwww411_MkII]

Super Mario Bros. 3 was released in Japan the same year as Super Mario Bros. 2 was released in North America

[@GTV-Japan]

Yea that was my video from October. Funny to think how things used to be

[@MiningIron]

Finished watching, I really love the old ads in between sections!!

[@GTV-Japan]

It’s like a weird hybrid of nick at note, I love the 80s and unsolved mysteries, isn’t it? 😃

[@CaptainRufus]

Xmas 88 for me was pretty much Commodore 64 RPGs. I would have years with games on multiple systems but this year was all about the C64 and rpgs.

[@GTV-Japan]

That’s not bad either! I loved those but could only play at school. Merry Christmas!

[@CaptainRufus]

@@GTV-Japan likewise and hella good video. But xmas 89 was Genesis with 90 being RPGs on all 3 platforms I owned. Even back then i would play any bloody machine I could. I did end up with a similar opinion to Nintendo as you courtesy of Videogames & Computer Entertainment magazine which was a lot more system agnostic and mature than the other mags of the time.

[@GTV-Japan]

I loved that magazine! Loved!! Hated GamePro and EGM was ok but eh. Game Players was around too but not a serious competitor I thought. But later came die hard game fan and I liked that one

[@GTV-Japan]

I also remember the magazines saying when they reviewed some Nintendo games they had a company rep be there in person and take the game back!

[@willmistretta]

Nice. I also got Final Fantasy for Christmas. Also, I love that the Zelda II commercial kept continuity with the whole "Pee Wee Herman-sounding weirdo yelling 'Zelda' in the dark" angle from the first game's. They were oddly devoted to this approach.

[@GTV-Japan]

Awesome! I am fascinated by old game commercials. It’s neat to see how they try to cram as much info into 30 seconds when for a game you need much more time. Thanks for watching and merry Christmas!

[@GTV-Japan]

That’s the money shot

[@teranokitty]

And the Zelda 2 ad had such a hunky Link!

[@GTV-Japan]

Oh my...!

[@KanjoNights]

The irony of watching this during the current massive semiconductor shortage (2021 as of writing this comment).

[@GTV-Japan]

Yeah who would’ve known?!! Thanks for watching!

[@Waifu4Life]

Came here to post the same thing!

[@GTV-Japan]

Yet somehow we can get iPhone 13s but nearly no one had Zelda 2!!

[@Waifu4Life]

@@GTV-Japan Knowing Apple, it's hogging all the chips 😾

[@GTV-Japan]

Yeah. Shame!

[@supermark64]

Some things never change.

[@GTV-Japan]

You got that right!! 🎄

[@shertz43]

Also, you can link to the original video I uploaded NUTS FOR NINTENDO that you used for this video.

[@GTV-Japan]

Sure thing.

[@GTV-Japan]

It’s been amended. On first upload it was already suggested as up next!

[@Tubewings]

Is this the first time you've used American-style bumpers for your breaks as opposed to the Japanese-style eyecatches?

[@GTV-Japan]

Yes it is. Mainly because 8 days ago I caught the flu and was never going to get it all done so just went the simple way. Plus that’s how a lot of these news shows just looked back then. Merry Christmas!

[@Sinn0100]

I would love to see your take on the Sega Saturn. I would also love to see what you think of the Neo Geo AES/MVS.

[@GTV-Japan]

I have Saturn on my to do list for 2019! I hope I get to it. But I did just do a Dreamcast video if you haven’t seen yet. Neogeo I just think others would do a better job but you never know

[@chrometutor-tipstricksandt9427]

Watching this during the Nintendo Switch shortage ;-;

[@GTV-Japan]

My condolences. 🤗 thanks for watching

[@deadmetalbr]

This channel kicks all sorts of ass. Keep it up!

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks ! will do! 🍺

[@jeremybowers3181]

THIS was the year that sealed my fate as a gamer! Got my Nes earlier that year and super Mario bros 2 for Christmas,and the rest is history!

[@GTV-Japan]

Nice! You got lucky

[@NolanThunder]

Such a wonderful video! In a site filled with so much clickbate and runtime bulking garbage, it’s nice to see something with so much love and heart put into it. Keep up the awesome work! This channel is incredible.

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks! I appreciate those kind words! Merry Christmas 🎄

[@NolanThunder]

@@GTV-Japan Same to you!! I don’t know how big your team is or if it’s just you, but you’re doing a great service to people and make their lives more fun. May the future be bright for your work and art!! Appreciate the response. 🎄

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks. As for the team, it’s just me. I do all the work while riding the train back and forth to work and record the voice overs before I leave. I’ll be on break now until April to make more but I’ll be around of course so leave a comment anytime. I always reply! 🍺

[@jeenkzk5919]

My parents tried to get super Mario two for my little brother in October and couldn’t find it anywhere. But my birthday was in March and somehow by then it was available and I played the hell out of it.

[@GTV-Japan]

Awesome! Better late than never

[@bluebaron6858]

Your videos are great!! Keep it up!!!!

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks Baron! I hope to get 20 more out this year. Thanks for supporting the channel ⭐️⭐️

[@jasonviande5053]

Knowing absolutely zero about this subect (outside of conjecture) what you have sounds plausable. I think my thoughts previously were that Nintendo wasn't shorting on purpose, rather more concerned with not having to lose money. But 1988... that was the year my head exploded. There were some kids I knew who had an NES, but in 1988 I was still getting 100% of my gaming from the arcade games at 7-11, and would tell kids who asked that I wasn't interested in the NES. Regardless of my actual feelings (I really don't remember) I think my head came about 3/4 of the way unscrewed when I realized (very early) Christmas morning I was getting an NES. To my eternal shame I grabbed a present and quietly opened it up under a pillow around 4am, almost screamed when I saw it was Zelda (felt like Charlie Bucket with that one) and had to wait three hours to open the NES and let out my excitement. Thanks for sharing the personal videos. It really brings me back to a simpler time watching them.

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks for such a great comment! Yeah I do think the NES’s best years were still ahead but for the 10 and up age demo it was hot item. I remember before 88 not many had an NES. it was either Atari or nothing. At least where I lived, once we saw super Mario bros in the arcade and realized we could play it at home, it was over, minds made up! I have to think a lot of Mario/duck hunts that year added strain to supply as well. But for all those NES owners who were more seasoned Zelda 2 and Mario 2 were it! I don’t think the fervor was anything comparable to Mario 3 but best I recall there wasn’t really an issue of long term shortages for that one despite it often selling out immediately. I think the idea of Nintendo orchestrating a shortage came after and maybe it was a lot of playground talk, but hey that’s all that mattered in simpler times. Thanks for watching 🌲

[@MenfisRetroSpace]

In a a travel to Puerto Rico, I got both games for Christmas in 1988 (Mario2 and Zelda2) bough in VDOgames Store in Plaza Las Americas.

[@GTV-Japan]

You’re very lucky! Thanks for watching

[@Epic_C]

I was really young, but I do remember getting SMB2, but I wasn't able to catch Zelda 2. I remember renting Zelda 2 a few times until I was able to beat it in a couple days time. Later I finally managed to get my own copy. The thing that sucked was not always having "my" save file between rentals.

[@GTV-Japan]

I feel ya. What I did was leave a note saying please don’t erase my file in the manual until next rental. Sometimes it worked sometimes not

[@gustavopaz5453]

I was born in 1987, so I didn't get to experience those NES days (perhaps thankfully). I do lament, however, that two of the most popular video games of that era ended up becoming two of the most reviled in the age of Internet, when it became cool and mainstream to hate oddball games (worse yet, some of the critics have tried to re-paint the situation to make newborns believe that those two games were hated since the beginning, when that wasn't the case)

[@GTV-Japan]

My brother was born in 1988 and he always felt it was better to live in his era than mine. I’m glad you can see through the fail filter. Ask anyone Alive and gaming then, they would have swam through lava for those games. No one said oh hey this is weird and different, games then especially were expected to break the formula and look play better. Even after the nes was long gone I don’t recall anyone saying they hated these two games. Until it became cool to hate online. Thanks for watching!

[@danerd8978]

Well in 85 they became lazy with Gyromite carts. They used the Japanese boards with adapters, instead of creating all new boards.

[@GTV-Japan]

The real reason is the Robot was a huge bomb in Japan. Almost zero takers. So they gave them to NOA to deal with. I found the info for this in a magazine in Japan from 1988 and it explains why they did that

[@willmistretta]

This is why I dismantled mine to play Famicom games a few years back. Poor Gyromite.

[@microchipmatt]

Your channel is amazing and so is John.

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks! I wish he would have seen the video

[@leroyvisiongames2294]

PS I’m very familiar with the term “chip shortage”-It’s what happens in our pantry whenever I get a bad case of the munchies.....lol.

[@GTV-Japan]

I feel your pain. There’s no box of Cheez-its big enough

[@devonthomas303]

This might be 6 months late. I've been getting u in my suggestions but I've been ignoring u... But u just earned u anew sub! Thank you for the content.

[@GTV-Japan]

+Kristy Thomas oh no! Well that’s ok. I’m shocked youtube kept pushing me so long!

[@superleviathan]

Another great video. 21:19: That explains why Balloon Fight and Ice Climber weren't the big deals in the USA that they were in Japan. At the height of the NES' popularity, Nintendo used them as sacrificial lambs because of the chip shortage.

[@GTV-Japan]

Yeah. Kid Icarus too. So sad 😭

[@superleviathan]

@@GTV-Japan OK, that makes no sense. The year after the shortage, DIC and Nintendo made Pit one of the main characters in Captain N: The Game Master. Why make include a character in an animated show to promote a game you're not even selling anymore?

[@GTV-Japan]

Probably because people still owned it. But I swear I never saw the game sold again after 1988. I guess they needed some character that wasn’t Mario

[@jackayers4955]

Loved the bit about the ‘legendary’ Zelda 2 trade.

[@GTV-Japan]

It’s a true story! Unfortunately the other kid was an a-hole and he for some reason tore the corner of the label off Mario 2! I asked him why??? He just said. I don’t know.

[@raulzavala9061]

I had no idea of a chip shortage, one day we just walked into a TRU and BAM! there it was a copy of SMB2 and this was in late 1988.

[@GTV-Japan]

Then you were insanely lucky! Thanks for watching

[@pauljohnson7548]

It seems the evidence is strong that there really was a chip shortage in '88. I managed to get both SMB2 and Zelda 2 that year, one for my birthday on Dec. 4 and the other for Christmas. I may have actually done the legwork myself to track down those two games. One interesting side note is that game shortages today tend to prompt retailers to jack up the price of a game higher than the original retail price, a practice they never engaged in back in '88. A game I bought for $30 last year, Blue Reflection for the PS4, is now out of print and selling for close to $80 on Amazon. I believe one of the downsides of Amazon is that it makes it easier for game sellers to work in tandem to engage in price fixing, which seems like it should be illegal, but I see it happening all the time nowadays.

[@GTV-Japan]

I know I hate that. At least stores back then kept it mostly real. Thanks for watching and merry Christmas

[@pauljohnson7548]

@@GTV-Japan Thanks for another great episode and Merry Christmas to you!

[@Zazzaro703]

I had both for Christmas 1988. My mother was an absolute hero and would stalk the Toys R Us pretty much to get games before they sold out finding out when trucks were coming, when they would be putting stuff out etc etc. My father was/is a radiologist so my mother was home raising myself and my brothers and sister (a brutal 24/7 job in itself) so she was able to pull off getting a lot of hard to find stuff.

[@GTV-Japan]

That’s cool! You had a great mom and were very lucky

[@Marc_Araujo]

Super Mario World might be the greatest game of all time, Super Mario Bros 3 might be the most innovative, but Super Mario Bros 2 is my favorite in the series. It was the first seperate game I got with my NES as a kid in 89. The game is a crazy trip and a truly unforgettable masterpiece...a timeless classic. P.S. You were one of the 9 kids who owned a TG-16? Instant street cred!!

[@GTV-Japan]

Yes I was. I was lucky enough to get each 16 bit machine 3 years in a row! Though not connected to this I did eventually give a breakdown of Keith courage and the tv show it’s based on and how different the game is when they brought it over, if you have time for that why not keep the ball rolling

[@Marc_Araujo]

@@GTV-Japan My young uncle, who lived next door to us, got a TG-16 a few weeks after it came out. After watching me play a whole two mins of Keith Courage, he said "forget that shit, you're better off playing Blazing Lazers." That was some of the best advice I ever got. I'm gonna watch your video, but I'm just gonna say it now that you would've been better off making a video about Blazing Lazers...so fucking awesome.

[@GTV-Japan]

It is actually on the list for this year!

[@maza36]

Loved the video it was very interesting

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks I’m glad you like it

[@davebob4973]

HOLY SMOKES!! that EXHILIRATING intro LEFT ME SO FAR OFF THE EDGE OF MY SEAT i was UNCONTROLLABLY DRAWN to subscrube and like EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR VIDEOS!!!! i am now locked in place by the mental urge to binge all of your content, please help, it is 4 am and i need sleep!!

[@GTV-Japan]

That’s better than the one guy. He hated it! Thanks for watching

[@renewagain6956]

11:09 "Fuck it!!... We'll do it LIVE!... This fucking thing SUCKS!!"

[@GTV-Japan]

yeah, haha the loofa himself

[@Pan_Z]

17:09 When Nintendo initially soft launched the NES in their New York test market in 1985, a major reason retailers agreed to carry the NES was that any unsold stock was fully refundable. It's quite comical how quickly Nintendo backtracked on that policy once they obtained market dominance.

[@GTV-Japan]

I’ve looked into that. I’ve read that Arakawa was tight with the owner of FAO Schwartz and so they were able to make a sweet deal like that. Maybe it was the store doing Nintendo a favor. Not them asking for this Hail Mary. I think game lore has kind of runaway with it. But yeah that’s Nintendo for ya

[@timbdotus]

Electrical engineer here. I wanted to point out that the “generational change” in memory chips you talk about in the video is related to DRAM (you can see this in the article at 20:16), which has nothing to do with the type of chips used for storage in NES cartridges. They used mask ROMs for game data and occasionally small amounts of battery backed SRAM (BBSRAM) for save data. DRAM and masked ROMs used completely different silicon processing methods; it’s literally comparing apples to oranges. I’m addition, mask ROMs are something that must be custom manufactured for each specific game, thus not applicable to the industry practice of dumping. (DRAM on the other hand is a general purpose form of memory that can be used in practically any form of computing device needing memory.) This is an important distinction, so I’ll expand on it for clarity (I realize you may already know most of this, but bare with me). There are several kinds of ROM: - Mask ROM; the data contained in these chips is hard coded in the mask sets used to create the actual silicon wafer (hence the name, mask ROMs). This method is traditionally used when doing large scale runs of consumer electronics; it can cost tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars to have a custom mask designed, however once that’s done the chips themselves are very inexpensive to produce. - Programable ROM; these types of chips are all born blank (all bits set to 1 for example) and are programmed in the factory after the silicon wafer is split up into individual dies, but before being encapsulated into the plastic or ceramic packaging. Essentially, a high voltage is applied to special pads while data is written to the chip and this is used to blow “fuses” in the appropriate cells. This operation is permanent and cannot be undone. These PROMs are used in medium volume consumer electronics, or high volume products where the code may change frequently between production runs. - Electronically Programable ROM; these are similar to above, the difference being they can be programmed by the end user (using a special programmer) and they can be erased by exposing the chip to a UV light source. (If you’ve ever seen a little clear, quartz window in the center of a chip, now you know what it’s for!) These were generally only used for small and medium volume products due to increased cost; they were very common on PC mother boards in the 80’s and early 90’s to store the BIOS. - Electronically Erasable Programable ROM; same as above, but can be erased electronically. These replaced UVEPROMs in the early 90’s, until being supplanted by FLASH. Now, the technology used to store most Nintendo games was either Mask ROMs or PROMs, with most first party titles using the former. Originally, most NES games were around 256kbit in size; larger ROMs were possible but the yield of the silicon wafers was very low, making them expensive. This is one reason Nintendo invested in the Famicom Disk System; those floppies could hold 1Mbit (and potentially up to 10Mbit, had they stuck with it) and were cheap to produce. It also allowed game save data to be stored without an additional SRAM chip. Unfortunately, early floppy disks were not the most reliable things in the world, add to the fact that you’re physically damaging the disk each time you use it (as the heads actually scrape over surface of the disk), add kids to the mix and you’ve got a recipe for failure. The final nail in the coffin for FDS came in late-1987; a new, smaller geometry for silicon became available, leading to Mask ROMs in the multi-megabit range. So, reliability, consumer adoption and the availability of larger ROMs all caused Nintendo to re-think their position on cartridges. Okay, so enough back story, on to the chip shortage! In 1988, 2Mbit Mask ROMs would have been cutting edge, based on a new silicon process. Combing through the archives of various industry periodicals of the time (IEEE, Silicon Chip, et al.) I find several mentions of yield problems related to the production of large ROMs in the 1987-1988 timeframe. (Yield is an industry term meaning the number of good chips that can be made from a silicon wafer.) TL;DR: The real reason for the “chip shortage” *was* a generational change, just not one you mentioned in the video. The true cause was poor yields related to a new process required to manufacture the bigger ROMs needed by these new games. Otherwise, great video!

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks for clarifying!

[@timbdotus]

No worries! If you ever need technical information on the chips that went into these systems for future videos, don’t hesitate to contact me. (Part of my original post was apparently lost when copying between my text editor and KZbin, so I’ve added it below!) -- I should also add that, and this is personal opinion, low yields weren’t the *only* cause of the game shortages that year. Zelda II was originally a FDS game and it had to be ported to run on the cartridge. In 1988, the average turn-around time for Mask ROMs (that is, the time between submitting a “Golden Master” data file to the chip fabricator and the first working chips shipping) was between 3 and 6 months. A cutting edge process like those used for 2Mbit ROMs could have even been up to a year, unless Nintendo paid to be bumped to the front of the line and, even then you’re talking 3 months, minimum. Based on some back of the napkin calculations (I can get the real numbers if you want), I still don’t think they would have been able to meet demand even *if* they had 100% yield. They just didn’t start manufacturing the cartridges soon enough. Sure, they could have had more than one fab manufacturing chips at the same time, but that’s a big risk. These were fairly expensive ROMs to make at the time, and if you *over* manufacture in anticipation of a hit game, but it turns out to be a flop, you end up like Atari burying cartridges in a landfill and losing millions of dollars. I also wanted to add another point to why I don’t think Nintendo artificially limited the supply to create demand for the games. There’s a famous quote from the CEO of Coca-Cola, after the New Coke fiasco. Some people thought the whole thing was a marketing ploy, to drive up demand for Original Coke; to whit, he said, “We’re not that stupid, and we’re not that smart.” Despite Nintendo’s history of manipulating the market, I don’t think they did in this case. The evidence tells me they simply ran into the limits of time and technology.

[@GTV-Japan]

Sure thanks. I’ll let you know next time

[@GTV-Japan]

I’m sure Nintendo thought they were smart keeping numbers lower but they certainly could have sold as many as they made for a few year at least