Nintendo's Famicom Modem (Family Computer Network System)

[@SatoshiMatrix1]

Hey thanks for crediting me with the footage from the commercial. It's a small thing but it makes me really happy when people do that kind of thing. Bravo good sir.

[@hard4games]

Hi!! Of course! Thank you for uploading it!! I actually tried to find a way to message you and tell you in advance but couldnt unfortunately. I think your Twitter isn't accepting DMs. Totally fine of course, but I figured at the very least I'd toss in a credit. 😀

[@SatoshiMatrix1]

@@hard4games Hm, it should be. Dunno what's up with that. Anyway I do appreciate you. Years ago Brentalfloss used something of mine without crediting me in his Super Mario Land with Lyrics video and his fans got super defensive of him and abusive towards me when I requested Brent properly credit. To be fair it wasn't actually him who was being a jerk, but his fanbase, and he did grant my request. It's just that since then my stuff has shown up on other people's videos from time to time and each time, with credit, and it makes me happy each time.

[@wojiaobill]

Rumor has it that Shane's wife made him send the modem to Tony after Shane lost the family fortune betting on Japanese horse races.

[@hard4games]

Rumors are true.

[@8thLife]

I even felt like your history section taught me some new things I hadn't heard before. Super cool getting to see the actual programs running.

[@hard4games]

Happy to hear that!! 😄

[@Jxudo]

Microtransactions have been a thing since the idea of connecting a system to the network.

[@negirno]

And also data collection.

[@daddykarlmarx6183]

Even more inventive for me not to interact with other people! But yeah I dont even keep my current gen consoles connected most of the time lol

[@nicwilson89]

It'd be really interesting to see a project that creates a virtual server for a dialup modem like this to be able to connect to and replicate the old services in at least some limited capacity so that we could see more of it, but, I'm not sure the documentation to do so would exist anywhere other than some locked chest of wonders deep inside Nintendo HQs underground bunker :(

[@alexb5766]

It would also only work on a Japanese telephone network as it was unique to the us

[@nicwilson89]

@@alexb5766 You'd be emulating that and translating it to an outside network so it wouldn't be an issue to use anywhere :)

[@armaansingh7452]

I really like the look of that super mario club cart! Looks really clean!

[@hard4games]

The graphic design was top notch there! 😀

[@cliftonchurch6039]

Along with emulating the ROM, someone needs to look into emulating the server it connects to, just to send it dummy data back to work with. Imagine if someone set up a modern server, that with the right emulator (or from real console if the Famicon is connected to the PC via modem) you can play for high scores in simulated horse racing.

[@punchrockgroin5597]

I love this kind of content so much. Even though the software is functionally useless, it's so cool to see.

[@FatherAxeKeeper]

5:16 the date it gives is March 5th. was this video recorded that far back? Again, any time you get some Japanese software or games like this, don't hesitate to ask me for help. translation is my literal job in Japan, and I'd love to help you guys out if I can (free of charge of course) 6:12 The sections where you said you didnt know what was happening, it was some information about the odds of the betting. it goes on to say it cannot access the odds for you so return to the main menu.

[@hard4games]

I appreciate the offer! This was shot a few weeks ago.

[@Omn1Slash]

I loved this! Thank you for covering it, Tony!

[@DasAntiNaziBroetchen]

Thanks for the overview. I have been curious about this device. I saw it at my GF's workshop and she told me the device was essentially worthless, which surprised me a lot. Btw, "お知らせ" means "announcement/notice/notification".

[@user-tb3ih9lt4f]

nice thumbnail. i honestly thought it was a vacuum from the 80's

[@conradb7826]

You guys have really found your niche with this content. Followed the channel for years and this stuff is great. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to learning of more gaming obscurities through your channel.

[@Left-Earth]

🎵🎶 _"...Games are hard. They're hard for games. Games are hard..."_ 🎶🎵 *"Soo HAaaaa-A-arRdD..."* 🎤😅

[@junothescarecrow]

I miss your hard 4 games theme song at the beginning. Please bring it back. I love singing it!

[@EricGrain]

The software is always the part that makes me the most curious I'm so happy that you document it

[@ErroneousClique]

New Nintendo leak on 4chan and now new Nintendo vid from H4G! What a great day! :D

[@TheHylianBatman]

I enjoyed this more than the videos of just the footage. I appreciate the preservation, but I much prefer hearing commentary. Thank you! I had no idea this existed. How interesting, the early attempts at internet gaming. EDIT: I'd love to see more on that front.

[@kei_nishimaru]

I just had a realisation when rewatching this. The modem could have been a great way of making multiplayer-focused games that could have allowed country-wide multiplayer, imagine playing Tetris with someone else in the country without needing to spend money to travel frequently. Then again, the bubble bursting might have led to a commercial flop. Missed opportunities, aren’t they fascinating?

[@CorporalDanLives]

Thanks for doing this!!! I run into these things all the time when I’m thrifting over here, was wondering what the deal was. The success of this thing is crazy, especially considering how much it cost to make Japanese phone calls. I spent a TON of money on dialup back in the 90s,.

[@philnone1004]

Wow, talk about major robbery by phone calls! O_O THANK GOD we got our phones now and never have to pay for stupid pointless dialups lol

[@undamned]

Thank you for digging into this! I just picked up the Mario Club cart, but have no modem, haha.

[@kyler247]

That super mario club card is sick

[@aaronaaronsen5976]

Hell yeah, this is back in the news with the leaks, glad to finally learn more about it.

[@DakinRinone]

What .. this modem has been out since the 80s. What do you mean by leaks?

[@aaronaaronsen5976]

@@DakinRinone Info related to it was brought up in the ongoing fallout of the Zammis Clark stuff.

[@Deftonesdsm]

How is there only 80k subs on Hard4Games? I mean the amount of rare stuff he covers ud think itd be a much bigger fanbase

[@kenzo_ferrari]

I have the network adapter, but not the controller or any of the cartridges. I got the adapter morso for a curiosity for next to nothing. Thank you for reviewing this item.

[@johnaraya3761]

Man how do you do it man your show rocks.

[@butterccm]

It’s amazing how much stuff came out for the Famicom but was never brought anywhere else

[@ErickHatesBMC]

just imagine a kid going on the famicom and betting hundreds on a horse

[@eduardopazhurtado3882]

Awesome video! I always wondered how that thing worked. Guess online stock exchange and horse betting was just not the way for internet use in videogames.

[@emmettturner9452]

I got mine complete in box for $12 earlier this year. Amazing deal!

[@retrogamermax8287]

I don't think I have ever been here this early. Exciting. 😃

[@Lady_Lilith666]

I want to see an article about it on tcrf.net, I want to check how much unused content on these cartridges

[@cabbusses]

There's a Super Famicom JRA-PAT as well. Is it possible to make a video on that?

[@dodgykebaab]

Never seen this guy before, but this is a great video

[@emmettturner9452]

I got one of these boxed for $12 earlier this year. :) Amazing deal!

[@daniellentz2755]

You had your 20 sec of talk 20sec on my channel or phone tablet is not free that one was but that's it Thanks for playing...peace.

[@elviswjr]

I wonder how difficult it would be for someone to hack together a network to make this software function properly again, at least to trick it into connecting.

[@hard4games]

Honestly considering the software is a gateway to online content that doesn't exist...even if it worked that content wouldn't be there. Not much reward for a ton of work.

[@Sticky745]

Can you use the network controller with regular famicom games?

[@technik_komputerowy]

Hey Tony! Love your channel, since you recently looked at the unreleased Spider man 4 game for the Wii, I thought if you could have a look at the Spider man 2 pre 9/11 version for the PS1? Since a very slim number of copies have gotten out into the wild before they pulled it off the shelves shortly after the 9/11 attacks on WTC, since the last level of the game was supposed to happen on the twin towers.

[@hard4games]

Sure send it over! ;)

[@technik_komputerowy]

@@hard4games Sadly I have been on the hunt for the game for about 3 years now with no luck trying to get it at a reasonable price, went through numerous retail releases, and none of them had the uncensored version, there is this one dude on eBay UK who has a disc only copy of the game listed for 2K british pounds, thats a lotta money for something that looks very fishy if you ask me :/ I have been only able to emulate the game so far by using a leaked PAL version that is on the internet.

[@krisbleakley9455]

$999 is absolutely ridiculous for Super Mario Club, I paid $10 for mine. The blue version of Super Mario Club is much harder to find. PIT Motorboat Race is one of the more expensive cards (normally $150 to $200). Over a dozen of these cards have already been dumped, that includes the two you have.

[@promaster424]

Internet connection, keyboard, disk drive. The famicom could've been much more interesting if those things were used more and/or brought overseas

[@SockyNoob]

This seems way more like a peripheral Sega would make in all honesty.

[@eyevou]

SATURDAY!

[@ВаняЯ-и3ф]

Крутой канал , мне нравится!

[@funnman1777]

HOLY SHIT, THATS SUPER COOL

[@jasiek22]

Another addon that i didn't knew about!

[@RetroAli]

Man I love weird Nintendo stuff.

[@itzspencerr1403]

Gonna cop some TSLA on my Famicom 😤

[@smf2007]

Is it possible on *Famiclones* (Dendy, Pegasus, PolyStation)

[@TombstoneChris]

I am confused as wouldn't you be able to hook up a ethernet cord to this and connect it to your Internet and be able to access the network? or even use a landline dial-up connection because there are still a few of those?

[@hard4games]

The issue is that it wants to connect to a very specific network which no longer exists.

[@rodrigomarcondes5857]

great video as always Tpny

[@Aff3ct000]

When you gonna show just how hard you get for games?

[@Thvndar]

2020s: "they were trading stocks online via Nintendo back in 1988" MINDBLOWN 2050s: "they were speculating in metaverse real estate back in 2021" MINDBLOWN

[@ErroneousClique]

What is the rating on that modem out of curiosity? 2400 baud?

[@basedaudio1]

Hey it be incredible if you guys could get a hold of the 2005 e3 demo version of twilight princess.

[@RetroWolf13]

Awesome

[@infinite_sun_rays]

Anyone out there willing to fork the now inactive emulator Mesen and add Famicom Modem support?

[@ZachAttackIsBack]

How do you get these collectors to lend you all their cool stuff?

[@lan645]

i can totally see why this didn't do better people back then didn't really want to use video games to do personal business

[@perpetualcollapse]

Aight then.

[@Cueya]

Seems alright but not enough LEDs for me

[@montanAmvs]

Did the NES get an internet adapter well

[@horacegentleman3296]

Never made it to market iirc.

[@spartonberry]

The only rumored application for it was from the Minnesota State Lottery. It would have allowed users to buy faux-interactive digital lottery tickets (though I heard the result was already pre-determined). Not sure if the legality of online gambling had already been decided by 1991 (when it was supposedly in development), but it's not hard to imagine Nintendo deciding they didn't like the idea of headlines about children using their console to illegally gamble regardless (the same year that the SNES launched, and there's new footage of that alone sparking some parents to scream about "having" to buy their kid a new console :P )

[@imsober69]

How come you took your jacket off after the intro tony?

[@hard4games]

I was too warm

[@ItsTheFizz]

I wonder if the poorly timed failure of this adapter is what soured Nintendo on online gaming for so long...

[@SockyNoob]

@Marc Carran well said

[@EdouardPicard0224]

Internet in 87, holy shit wtf

[@staticfanatic]

you always say "the cartridges were dumped", but you never say where they were made available. safe to assume you're keeping them somewhere internal where only enthusiasts will be granted access, or is there just a repo where all this stuff is kept and nobody ever told me

[@hard4games]

I almost always say where they are made available at the end of the video. Check out Forrest of Illusion on Twitter. This video was an exception since I shot it before communicating with him. But pretty much every other video where I'm borrowing content has that info said in-video.

[@staticfanatic]

@@hard4games i must not be paying close enough attention on your other videos. thanks for getting back to me.

[@goosebyte]

If I ever had a big block of time to make something like this, would you ever consider letting someone borrow the setup for a bit to make a dialup server emulator, maybe even get the thing online? I love doing weird tech projects... lol Edit: ROMS PLEASE!!! I honestly have it on my list to learn and mess with emulation and nes clones and the like, maybe I can try my hand at a modified emulator that emulates that modem and any odd hardware... I need to see if these have already been torn down and documented somewhere... If not, mind sending teardown pics, if possible, to see the chips and circuits?

[@retrogameroom9019]

Lottery card?

[@jeremy3261]

can you dump the cartridges?

[@kquote03]

watch the video

[@hard4games]

The video reveals allllll

[@daniellentz2755]

Nice try I gonna stop you there with a magnet original copies are destroyed so wff where you gonna say?

[@phoenixriseuk9499]

First 😁

[@JaredConnell]

I count in binary and I was actually 0th so I beat you

[@phoenixriseuk9499]

@@JaredConnell lol 😂