VS. System: Difference between revisions

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[[File:VS Super Mario Bros Arcade Machine.jpg|thumb|''[[VS. Super Mario Bros.]]'' in a VS. Table cabinet.]]

The '''VS. System''' is a collection of coin-operated VS. UniSystem or VS. DualSystem arcade systems that first appeared in 1984. As their name implies, the video games are designed for two-player competitive play. The VS. UniSystem is like a conventional upright arcade cabinet with two sets of controls and a single screen. The VS. UniSystem can either come as a dedicated gray cabinet or be a conversion from ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'',  ''[[Donkey Kong Jr. (game)|Donkey Kong Jr.]]'', or ''{{wp|Popeye (game)|Popeye}}'' cabinets. It is not possible to convert the dedicated wide-body ''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]'' cabinets or the ''{{wp|Punch-Out!! (arcade game)|Punch-Out!!}}'' cabinets. The VS. DualSystem comes with two screens and four sets of controls. The upright type looks like two machines conjoined at an angle while the sit-down type is red and lets players face each other. The latter was renamed VS. Table.<ref>''VS. Dr. Mario'' installation manual</ref> The games are mostly ports of [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] home console games, although many have notable changes in their graphics, gameplay, and difficulty.

The VS. System was designed in response to the {{wp|video game crash of 1983}}, which saw arcade machine operators facing declining revenue while taking big risks in each new purchase. [[Nintendo]] responded by creating the Nintendo-Pak conversion kits for ''Mario Bros.'' in addition to selling the dedicated wide-body cabinets.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/mariobrospak/mode/1up ''Mario Bros.'' Nintendo-Pak'' manual]</ref> ''[[Donkey Kong 3]]'' was available only as a Nintendo-Pak, which spared operators from having to buy the cabinet.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/donkeykong3/mode/1up ''Donkey Kong 3'' Nintendo-Pak manual]</ref> The VS. System goes further by having a cabinet and PCB that allowed operators to easily swap the PPUs and ROMs for each new release with a VS.-Pak. The cost savings led to the purchase of around a hundred thousand machines and conversion kits in the US alone by 1986.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/play-meter-volume-12-number-5-april-1986-600DPI/Play%20Meter%20-%20Volume%2012%2C%20Number%205%20-%20April%201986%20%28Compressed%29/page/9/mode/1up ''Play Meter''. April 1, 1986 issue, page 9.]</ref> Its success spurred the development of the [[Nintendo PlayChoice-10]].

Nintendo's final first party VS. System titles were each released in Japan in 1985<ref>[https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19860501p.pdf#page=11 "Jaleco Ships New Game For "VS. System"" (Paragraph 1)]. Game Machine. Amusement Press. Published May 1, 1986.</ref> and in North America in 1990. The Micro VS. System line of [[Game & Watch]] games released in 1984 was named after its arcade counterpart.

==List of ''Mario'' games==

|''[[VS. Golf]]''

''VS. Dr. Mario'' is the only arcade version that has not been made available on the ''[[Arcade Archives]]''.

File:VSSuperMarioBrosUpright.jpg|''VS. Super Mario Bros.'' in a dedicated VS. UniSystem cabinet

File:VS. DualSystem.jpg|''VS. Golf'' / ''VS. Super Mario Bros.'' in an upright VS. DualSystem cabinet

File:Dr. Mario VS cabinet.jpg|''VS. Dr. Mario'' in a VS. Table cabinet

File:VS. Wrecking Crew arcade.jpg|''VS. Wrecking Crew'' in a VS. Table cabinet

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