Famicom Disk System

The Famicom Disk System is an accessory for the Famicom. It allowed the Famicom to play games stored on a disc. It was only available in Japan, though there was an anouncement of an American version at one time.

The device was connected to the Famicom through a special cartridge called the RAM adapter. The RAM adapter was, in turn, connected to the Famicom Disk System. The RAM adapter contained 32 KB of memory for the program and 8 KB for tiles and sprites. The disks were double-sided, making a total of 128 KB per disk. Many games used both sides and required the player to turn the disk over at some point. A few games used two full disks.

The Famicom Disk System was quite popular. Part of this was due to the fact that disks were cheaper to produce than cartridges. Because of this, games were sold cheaply at kiosks. Also, there was Nintendo's Disk Writer, a vending machine that would write a new game on an existing disk for 500 yen.

Also, because the disks were rewritable, this allowed for a save feature. The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, and Kid Icarus all used this feature.

For two years, Nintendo pushed the Famicom Disk System as the preferred platfrom to develop for rather than cartridges. However, the machine wasn't as popular as they had hoped. When Ghost 'n' Goblins, the first 128 KB cartridge, was released, developers weren't so impressed with the disk's capabilities. Publishers and retailers complained that Nintendo's Disk Writer cut into their profits. The final nail in the coffin was an unlicensed device that connected two Famicom Disk Systems and copied games.

Nintendo used to hold game score contest, hosted by mascot Diskun. Prizes included a stationary set, a gold cartridge version of the game Punch-Out!!, and two gold disk versions of Golf.

If you plan on buying a Famicom Disk System, make sure to test it before buying it. A common problem with the Disk System is it's belt breaking and sometimes melting. The belt is of a proprietary size and other belts are too big. Until 2004, residents of Japan could send their broken Famicom Disk Drives to Nintendo for repairs, but Nintendo of America will not service them.

Also, when buying games for it, make sure you test both sides. The construction of the disks allow dirt to get in and even for the disks to demagnetize. Nintendo provided a service to rewrite disks until September of 2003.