Collectible Nintendo Found in Unexpected Location
While Nintendo has been known for its family-friendly image for years, interesting pieces of the company’s past sometimes surface in unexpected places. A game historian researching in Japan discovered that a rare console system produced for commercial use was not only preserved but is still actively being used. Moreover, the discovered devices are not limited to a single example.
Nintendo Famicombox Consoles Used in a Love Hotel
Historian Orochi, known as Famicom Archivists, revealed that he secretly entered a love hotel in Japan and examined Famicombox systems found in the rooms. According to the information shared, these devices were found in almost every room except for one. One of the systems was found to be fully functional, and even included a Nintendo Zapper gun. However, the old light gun is unusable due to its LCD screen technology.
Introduced by Nintendo in 1986, the Famicombox differed from the standard Famicom designed for home users. Developed for hotels and resorts, the system allowed users to play games for a limited time in exchange for a key, token, or additional fee. Its cartridges resembled front-loading NES games rather than Japanese Famicom cartridges. Because it wasn’t sold for home use, finding a working example today is quite difficult.
Orochi did not disclose the hotel’s name or location. This was to avoid drawing attention to the establishment and to protect the rare devices from potential pressure from collectors. The historian stated that almost all the games worked flawlessly and the systems were kept in surprisingly good condition. The fact that the rare Nintendo hardware was found in its original locations, rather than in a museum, makes the discovery even more interesting.
The find also revived long-standing rumors that former Nintendo President Hiroshi Yamauchi ran a love hotel in the 1960s. However, Orochi emphasized that his research did not yield any reliable documentation to support this claim. Therefore, it doesn’t seem possible to find a hidden connection between the Famicombox systems in the hotel and Nintendo. Yet, this unusual part of Japanese gaming culture continues to live on in an unexpected place.
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