Stuff You Should Know

SYSK's 12 Days of Christmas… Toys: How the Nintendo Entertainment System Changed Gaming Forever

December 12, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The North American video game market had completely crashed by 1983, with Atari losing $536 million in one year, making Nintendo's subsequent success with the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) a highly risky but ultimately revolutionary endeavor. 
  • Nintendo successfully used the ROB (Robotic Operating Buddy) as a 'Trojan horse' marketing strategy to disguise the NES as a toy rather than a video game console, appealing to wary parents during the system's initial U.S. rollout. 
  • The NES controller, featuring the D-pad, A, and B buttons, was so perfectly designed that it established the fundamental 'language of console gaming' that persists in controller design to this day. 
  • A 2012 study by Frankie Bitruello scientifically concluded that blowing into a Nintendo cartridge does not work and actually causes corrosion. 
  • The practice of blowing into NES cartridges was a universally adopted, unwritten rule among kids who inherited the habit from peers. 
  • The hosts hinted at future content, suggesting a potential follow-up episode covering the N64 and other aspects of Nintendo not covered in the current episode of Stuff You Should Know. 

Segments

Personal Gaming Histories Shared
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(00:02:51)
  • Key Takeaway: One host was too old for the initial NES boom, playing it later via the Super Nintendo, while the other was the target demographic, owning an NES at age 10.
  • Summary: One host missed the initial NES wave, first playing Nintendo games on the Super Nintendo around 1992. The other host was in the core demographic, owning an NES around age 10 or 11. One host eventually quit video games entirely in college due to addiction concerns.
Pre-NES Video Game Crash
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(00:07:41)
  • Key Takeaway: The North American video game market bottomed out so severely after the Atari crash that many believed home video games were a fad that would never return.
  • Summary: The video game market in North America crashed hard, exemplified by Atari losing $536 million in 1983 after earning $2 billion in 1982. This crash was driven by poor game quality and parental concerns about excessive screen time. Simultaneously, the rise of personal computers, capable of taxes and educational tasks, made dedicated game consoles seem hopelessly backward.
Famicom Development and Controller Design
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(00:11:50)
  • Key Takeaway: Nintendo released the Famicom (Family Computer) in Japan in 1983, featuring a revolutionary controller design that established the standard layout for console gaming input.
  • Summary: While North America experienced a crash, Japan’s market was flourishing, leading Nintendo to develop the Famicom, the predecessor to the NES. The Famicom controller introduced the D-pad, A, and B buttons, a design so effective it was likened to inventing the airplane with all necessary features included immediately. The Famicom retailed for about $150, comparable to modern console prices.
NES Introduction to North America
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(00:20:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Nintendo initially failed to sell the NES in the U.S. with its computer-like Advanced Video System (AVS) prototype, necessitating a rapid redesign into the NES.
  • Summary: Nintendo faced extreme retailer skepticism due to the prior crash, leading to a disastrous showing of the AVS prototype at the January 1985 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Designer Lance Barr rapidly redesigned the system into the NES look-alike, which featured a VCR-like front-loading mechanism, in just one hour. This new system, bundled with ROB the Robot and the Zapper, was tested in New York City, selling only half of the produced units.
The Power of Super Mario Bros.
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(00:33:47)
  • Key Takeaway: The NES Control Deck bundle, featuring Super Mario Bros. for $99, was the key to national success, as the game offered unprecedented depth and replayability.
  • Summary: The NES national rollout featured the deluxe set alongside the cheaper Control Deck, which crucially included Super Mario Bros. This game was considered ’light years ahead’ due to its vast, explorable world, hidden areas, and high replay value. Nintendo backed this launch with $20 million in advertising and established a call center for player support, laying groundwork for modern esports through early gaming championships.
Quality Control and Licensing
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(00:37:20)
  • Key Takeaway: Nintendo strictly controlled third-party game quality using a proprietary lock chip and limiting developers to two releases per year, preventing the market saturation that destroyed Atari.
  • Summary: To avoid Atari’s mistake of flooding the market with bad games, Nintendo implemented a proprietary lock chip system requiring official licensing for all cartridges. Third-party developers were restricted to only two game releases annually, and Nintendo rigorously reviewed game designs for approval. These heavy-handed practices were so effective they even led to an FTC investigation into Nintendo’s licensing control.
Peripherals: ROB, Zapper, Power Glove
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(00:41:16)
  • Key Takeaway: While ROB the Robot served its marketing purpose, peripherals like the Power Pad and Power Glove were technologically advanced but ultimately failed due to poor execution or lack of dedicated software.
  • Summary: ROB the Robot successfully got the NES into homes, but its slow execution in games like Gyromite meant it was quickly relegated to the closet. The Zapper light gun worked by detecting a momentary white flash on the screen, tricking kids into thinking it was a laser. The Power Glove, similar in concept to later Wii technology, was ahead of its time and lacked sufficient dedicated games to justify its use.
NES Game Legacy and Cheats
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(00:50:13)
  • Key Takeaway: Many foundational gaming concepts, including the Konami Code and open-world exploration, originated or were popularized by games released on the NES.
  • Summary: The Konami Code (Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start) originated with a developer testing the arcade port of Gradius and became famous via Contra, granting 30 extra lives. The Legend of Zelda, designed by Shigeru Miyamoto, was a groundbreaking early example of a successful open-world game. The practice of blowing into cartridges to make them work was scientifically proven to be ineffective, as the fix was simply reseating the connection.
Blowing on Cartridge Study
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(01:00:06)
  • Key Takeaway: A 2012 study confirmed blowing on Nintendo cartridges causes corrosion.
  • Summary: Frankie Bitruello conducted the world’s first study in 2012 on blowing into Nintendo cartridges, which ultimately proved ineffective. The rudimentary study involved a 30-day test comparing blown versus unblown cartridges. The blown cartridge examined at the end showed signs of corrosion and was described as gross.
Nostalgia and Cartridge Ritual
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(01:00:35)
  • Key Takeaway: The act of blowing on cartridges was a universally known ritual among children.
  • Summary: The origin of the cartridge-blowing habit is unknown, as every kid seemed to learn it from another kid. The common technique involved quickly running the cartridge in front of the mouth before reinserting it. This sound alone triggered significant nostalgia for the hosts.
Future Content Planning
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(01:01:11)
  • Key Takeaway: Hosts plan a future follow-up episode covering the N64.
  • Summary: The hosts agreed that they did not cover everything, specifically noting the N64 was a big deal. They decided to treat the current topic as potentially part of a larger series separated by time. This planning immediately unlocked the listener mail segment.
Listener Mail Correction: Nutter Butter
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(01:01:57)
  • Key Takeaway: A listener correction clarified that Nutter Butters and wafery peanut butter cookies are distinct products in their dimension.
  • Summary: A listener named George wrote in regarding a previous discussion about two types of peanut butter snacks, which the hosts referred to as the “great nutter butter controversy of 2022.” In the listener’s dimension, the peanut-shaped cookies are Nutter Butters, while the wafery treats are called Nutty Buddy bars, suggesting a dimensional difference from the hosts’ reality where they are the same product under the same packaging.
Podcast Production Credits
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(01:04:06)
  • Key Takeaway: Stuff You Should Know is an iHeartRadio production.
  • Summary: Stuff You Should Know is a production of iHeartRadio. Listeners can find more podcasts by visiting the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or other preferred listening platforms. The episode concluded by confirming it is an iHeart podcast.