Family Computer Disk System: Difference between revisions

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|successor=[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] (Super Famicom)
|successor=[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] (Super Famicom)
}}
}}
[[File:FDS Logo.png|thumb|left|100px|The system's logo, Diskun]]
[[File:Famicom Disk System Logo.png|left|200px||class=invert]]
The '''{{wp|Famicom Disk System|Family Computer Disk System}}''' (also called the '''Famicom Disk System''') is an accessory for the [[Family Computer]]. It allowed the Family Computer to play certain games on a proprietary floppy disk format called "Disk Cards" rather than ROM cartridges. Disk Cards had the advantages of being cheaper and allowing for higher data capacity than cartridges at the time. Besides that, the disks were rewritable, making saving easier. [[Nintendo]] sought to make Disk Cards a permanent standard for all of its future games at that point, though this plan was abandoned a few years later, due to various issues. {{wp|Sharp Corporation}}, a Japanese electronics manufacturer, created the {{wp|Twin Famicom}}, a Family Computer combined with the Disk System into one piece of hardware, but it was also released only in Japan.
The '''{{wp|Famicom Disk System|Family Computer Disk System}}''' (also called the '''Famicom Disk System''') is an accessory for the [[Family Computer]]. It allowed the Family Computer to play certain games on a proprietary floppy disk format called "Disk Cards" rather than ROM cartridges, as Disk Cards were not only cheaper but also allowed for higher data capacity than cartridges at the time. Besides that, the disks were rewritable, so saving was easier.
{{br|left}}


==Issues==
[[Nintendo]] sought to make Disk Cards a permanent standard for all of its future games at that point, but this plan was abandoned a few years later due to various hardware issues, most prominently the fact that the system's games were easy to pirate. Later in 1986, Nintendo sought to counter this problem by installing special Disk Writer kiosks that would allow consumers to download games onto Disk Cards for ¥500 as opposed to the retail price of ¥2,600; some Disk System games were even exclusive to these kiosks. The service was very popular, remaining in place until the Family Computer line's discontinuation in 2003, 9 years ''after'' the discontinuation of the Disk System itself. Excluding prize disks, FDS games were available through retail, Disk Writer, or both. ''[[Kaettekita Mario Bros.]]'' and the FDS ports for ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'', ''[[Donkey Kong Jr. (game)|Donkey Kong Jr.]]'', ''[[Pinball (game)|Pinball]]'', and ''[[Wrecking Crew]]'' could be purchased only through the Disk Writer. The former was priced at ¥400 because of its promotional nature, making it the cheapest FDS game. ''[[I am a teacher: Super Mario Sweater]]'' was a retail-only game, but it was sold in handicraft stores. ''[[All Night Nippon: Super Mario Bros.]]'' was sold through a mail order lottery system and at {{wp|Nippon Broadcasting System}}'s building on a single day. The Disk Writer was also capable of updating software for any game that needed it (thus acting as an early precursor to modern internet-based software patching), the sole exception being ''[[Golf: Japan Course]]'', which required mailing the disk to Nintendo.
{{multiple image
|align=right
|direction=horizontal
|width=180
|image1=FDS SMB2.png
|caption1=Disk Card of ''[[Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels|Super Mario Bros. 2]]''
|image2=FDS Hot Rally.png
|caption2=Disk Card of ''[[Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally]]''
}}
The main reason as to why the Family Computer Disk System was not released outside Japan and why it eventually lost developer support altogether is believed to be due to a lack of success caused by various issues with the system:<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rEgsR61aNQ</ref>
*The games were significantly easier to pirate; the way the Disk System recognized pirated games was by checking to see if the "I" and the third "N" in the embossed "NINTENDO" logo at the bottom of a Disk Card was present, via fitting a raised version of the same logo into the embossing. The intention behind this was for Nintendo to be able to directly counter production of unauthorized Disk Drive games by suing their manufacturers for trademark infringement, assuming that pirates would copy the full logo outright. However, it was easy for pirates to bypass this check without directly copying Nintendo's logo by creating alternate off-brand logos with the "I" and third "N" intact (i.e. "NINFENDO" or "NINIENDO") or by simply embossing blank spaces that occupied the locations of the necessary letters. Furthermore, the fact that Disk Cards were simply modified versions of Quick Disks (a brand of floppy disk easily purchasable in stores in the late 1980's) meant that unauthorized Disk Cards could be easily manufactured by attaching a copy check-compatible piece of plastic to the bottom of a Quick Disk.
*The games were easier to damage; Disk Cards, being a form of magnetic media, were sensitive to magnetic wavelengths, and unlike regular 3.5-inch floppy disks, most Disk Cards did not include a shutter to protect the window that exposed the magnetic disk inside; shutters were only included on blue competition cards and gold prize cards. The lack of a shutter meant that the disk could get scratched, dirty, or even grow mold in severe cases.
*The system itself was more fragile than the base Famicom, due to the large number of moving parts needed for the disk drive; in particular, the rubber belt that the system used was prone to wearing down much faster than that of a standard floppy disk drive.
*Any games that made use of the supplementary audio channel provided by the Disk System's 2C33 chip would have to be drastically altered during localization for international markets to conform to the audio capabilities of the standalone Famicom, as no devices were released for the Nintendo Entertainment System that supported 2C33 chip audio.
*The games had lengthy loading times at various points (often when swapping sides, or when entering particularly data-heavy areas). This is because magnetic disk drives have to physically seek out where data is located on the disk in order to load it into RAM. By comparison, cartridges are able to load near-instantaneously due to all the data being stored in a single location, that being the on-board ROM chip.
*Most games would have to be split across both sides of the Disk Card due to the small size of the magnetic disks; typically, the first and final portions of the game would be stored on Side A, while the rest would be stored on Side B. Consequently, whenever the player progressed to a certain point in a game, they would be required to eject and flip the Disk Card before reinserting it.
*The jewel cases that contained the games were smaller than cartridge boxes, and were therefore easier to overlook in stores or lose in homes. The cases were also required to fully protect the Disk Card, whereas cartridges could be stored, standalone, on shelves.
*The technological superiority of the Disk Card format was short-lived, with higher-capacity cartridges becoming cheaper to produce just a few years later. Combined with the higher rate of piracy that Disk Cards suffered from, this deprived the format of the practicality that served as its primary selling point for developers.
The piracy issue was an especially big problem for Nintendo, and is believed to be the source of their stringent policies regarding copyright protection. It is also widely believed that the Disk System's high piracy rate is what convinced Nintendo to use cartridges for the [[Nintendo 64]] rather than the technologically superior optical discs seen in their rivals, the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation.
 
In 1986, Nintendo sought to counter Disk System piracy by installing special Disk Writer kiosks that would allow consumers to download games onto Disk Cards for ¥500 as opposed to the retail price of ¥2,600; some Disk System games were even exclusive to these kiosks. The service was very popular, remaining in place until the Family Computer line's discontinuation in 2003, 9 years ''after'' the discontinuation of the Disk System itself. Excluding prize disks, FDS games were available through retail, Disk Writer, or both. ''[[Kaettekita Mario Bros.]]'' and the FDS ports for ''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'', ''[[Donkey Kong Jr. (game)|Donkey Kong Jr.]]'', ''[[Pinball (game)|Pinball]]'', and ''[[Wrecking Crew]]'' could be purchased only through the Disk Writer. The former was priced at ¥400 because of its promotional nature, making it the cheapest FDS game. ''[[I am a teacher: Super Mario Sweater]]'' was a retail-only game, but it was sold in handicraft stores. ''[[All Night Nippon: Super Mario Bros.]]'' was sold through a mail order lottery system and at {{wp|Nippon Broadcasting System}}'s building on a single day. The Disk Writer was also capable of updating software for any game that needed it, the sole exception being ''[[Family Computer Golf: Japan Course]]'', which required mailing the disk to Nintendo.
{{br}}


==Games==
==Games==
===Differences from cartridge versions===
===Differences from cartridge versions===
For the most part, FDS games are identical to their Famicom or NES cartridge versions. Here are some differences found in ''Super Mario'' games:<ref>[https://pony.velvet.jp/fcdisk/fmcmdskw17.html Software differences in cartridge and disk games]</ref>
For the most part, FDS games are identical to their Famicom or NES cartridge versions. Here are some differences found in ''Super Mario'' games:<ref>[https://pony.velvet.jp/fcdisk/fmcmdskw17.html Software differences in cartridge and disk games]</ref>
*''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'': When Mario scores, the points are in orange instead of white.
*''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'': When Mario scores, the points are in orange instead of white.
*''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'': The [[Minus World]] is completely different. Beating it counts as beating the game, which starts [[Hard Mode]].
*''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'': The [[Minus World]] is completely different. Beating it counts as beating the game, which starts [[Hard Mode]].
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===Blue and gold disks===
===Blue and gold disks===
Six games received blue disks, five were made by Nintendo and were compatible with Disk Fax, four of which are ''Super Mario'' games. All compatible blue disk games were subject of tournaments with scores submitted through the Disk Fax, a device that could send contestants' data and high scores to Nintendo. The tournament began as soon as the blue disks were released.
Six games received blue disks, five were made by Nintendo and were compatible with Disk Fax, four of which are ''Super Mario'' games. All compatible blue disk games were subject of tournaments with scores submitted through the Disk Fax, a device that could send contestants' data and high scores to Nintendo. The tournament began as soon as the blue disks were released.
 
{|class="wikitable"
{|class="wikitable"
|+Disk Fax Tournaments
|+Disk Fax Tournaments
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!Tournament number!!Game!!Date!!Prizes
!Tournament number!!Game!!Date!!Prizes
|-
|-
|1||''[[Family Computer Golf: Japan Course]]''||February 21 to May 10, 1987 (original deadline was April 30)||Prizes included two different gold disk versions of the game, each with a harder course. The top 100 players received the Champions' Course and gold plaques. 5,000 others received the Professional Course.
|1||''[[Golf: Japan Course]]''||February 21 to May 10, 1987 (original deadline was April 30)||Prizes included two different gold disk versions of the game, each with a harder course. The top 100 players received the Champions' Course and gold plaques. 5,000 others received the Professional Course.
|-
|-
|2||''[[Family Computer Golf: U.S. Course]]''||June 14 to August 31, 1987||The top 100 players received trophies. 10,000 received a gold Famicom cartridge of ''Punch-Out!!'' and 1,000 got ''Family Computer Golf: Prize Card'', a harder gold disk version.
|2||''[[Golf: U.S. Course]]''||June 14 to August 31, 1987||The top 100 players received trophies. 10,000 received a gold Famicom cartridge of ''Punch-Out!!'' and 1,000 got ''Golf: Prize Card'', a harder gold disk version.
|-
|-
|3||''[[Famicom Grand Prix: F1 Race]]''||October 30 to December 15, 1987||The top 100 players of each of the four difficulty levels received trophies. 10,000 received a special edition [[Game & Watch]] of ''[[Super Mario Bros. (Game & Watch)|Super Mario Bros.]]
|3||''[[Famicom Grand Prix: F1 Race]]''||October 30 to December 15, 1987||The top 100 players of each of the four difficulty levels received trophies. 10,000 received a special edition [[Game & Watch]] of ''[[Super Mario Bros. (Game & Watch)|Super Mario Bros.]]
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F1Race.png|''[[Famicom Grand Prix: F1 Race]]''
F1Race.png|''[[Famicom Grand Prix: F1 Race]]''
HotRally.png|''[[Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally]]''
HotRally.png|''[[Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally]]''
Famicom-Golf-Japan-Course-cover.png|''[[Family Computer Golf: Japan Course]]''
Fds famicomgolfuscourse jp.jpg|''[[Family Computer Golf: U.S. Course]]''
Fdsfamicomgolf jp.png|''[[Golf]]''
Fdsfamicomgolf jp.png|''[[Golf]]''
Famicom-Golf-Japan-Course-cover.png|''[[Golf: Japan Course]]''
Fds famicomgolfuscourse jp.jpg|''[[Golf: U.S. Course]]''
Mario sweater.jpg|''[[I am a teacher: Super Mario Sweater]]''
Mario sweater.jpg|''[[I am a teacher: Super Mario Sweater]]''
SMB1 FDS Boxart.jpg|''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''
SMB1 FDS Boxart.jpg|''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''
SMB TLL Boxart.png|''[[Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels|Super Mario Bros. 2]]''
SMB TLL Boxart.png|''[[Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels|Super Mario Bros. 2]]''
DDP Famicom Box Art.jpg|''[[Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic]]''
DDP Famicom Box Art.jpg|''[[Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic]]''
</gallery>
==System gallery==
<gallery>
FDS Logo.png|The system's mascot, Diskun
</gallery>
</gallery>


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{{foreign names
{{foreign names
|Chi=紅白機
|Chi=紅白機
|ChiM=red and white machine
|ChiT=Hóngbái jī
|ChiM=Red and white machine
}}
}}


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}}
}}
*[[Mario]] and [[Luigi]] also appear in the Disk System's BIOS, seen when the Disk System is started. The BIOS also makes a cameo appearance in ''[[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door]]'', on [[Sir Grodus]]'s computer. His computer accepts a [[Data Disk]] that looks like a Disk Card.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjuIzeNyNEQ</ref>
*[[Mario]] and [[Luigi]] also appear in the Disk System's BIOS, seen when the Disk System is started. The BIOS also makes a cameo appearance in ''[[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door]]'', on [[Sir Grodus]]'s computer. His computer accepts a [[Data Disk]] that looks like a Disk Card.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjuIzeNyNEQ</ref>
*The system mascot, Diskun, made a cameo as a toy in Booster's Tower in ''[[Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars]]''. This was made more apparent in the game's remake for the Nintendo Switch due to enhanced graphics.
*The system mascot, Diskun, cameos as a toy in Booster's Tower in ''[[Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars]]''. This was made more apparent in the game's [[Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch)|remake]] for the [[Nintendo Switch]] due to the higher quality graphics.
*When sped up about 16 times, the [[Nintendo GameCube]] menu ambience is revealed to be a slowed-down version of the startup tune for the Disk System BIOS.<ref>[[Media:GCN Main Menu Sped Up.oga]]</ref>
*When sped up 19 times, the [[Nintendo GameCube]] menu ambience is revealed to be a slowed-down version of the startup tune for the Disk System BIOS.<ref>[[Media:GCN Main Menu Sped Up.oga]]</ref>
{{br}}
{{br}}


Revision as of 15:49, November 16, 2023

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Family Computer Disk System
Family Computer and Family Computer Disk System
Generation Third generation
Release date Japan February 21, 1986
Discontinued 1994 (Remained supported until September 25, 2003)
Predecessor Family Computer
Successor Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Super Famicom)
The logo for the Family Computer Disk System

The Family Computer Disk System (also called the Famicom Disk System) is an accessory for the Family Computer. It allowed the Family Computer to play certain games on a proprietary floppy disk format called "Disk Cards" rather than ROM cartridges, as Disk Cards were not only cheaper but also allowed for higher data capacity than cartridges at the time. Besides that, the disks were rewritable, so saving was easier.

Nintendo sought to make Disk Cards a permanent standard for all of its future games at that point, but this plan was abandoned a few years later due to various hardware issues, most prominently the fact that the system's games were easy to pirate. Later in 1986, Nintendo sought to counter this problem by installing special Disk Writer kiosks that would allow consumers to download games onto Disk Cards for ¥500 as opposed to the retail price of ¥2,600; some Disk System games were even exclusive to these kiosks. The service was very popular, remaining in place until the Family Computer line's discontinuation in 2003, 9 years after the discontinuation of the Disk System itself. Excluding prize disks, FDS games were available through retail, Disk Writer, or both. Kaettekita Mario Bros. and the FDS ports for Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., Pinball, and Wrecking Crew could be purchased only through the Disk Writer. The former was priced at ¥400 because of its promotional nature, making it the cheapest FDS game. I am a teacher: Super Mario Sweater was a retail-only game, but it was sold in handicraft stores. All Night Nippon: Super Mario Bros. was sold through a mail order lottery system and at Nippon Broadcasting System's building on a single day. The Disk Writer was also capable of updating software for any game that needed it (thus acting as an early precursor to modern internet-based software patching), the sole exception being Golf: Japan Course, which required mailing the disk to Nintendo.

Games

Differences from cartridge versions

For the most part, FDS games are identical to their Famicom or NES cartridge versions. Here are some differences found in Super Mario games:[1]

Blue and gold disks

Six games received blue disks, five were made by Nintendo and were compatible with Disk Fax, four of which are Super Mario games. All compatible blue disk games were subject of tournaments with scores submitted through the Disk Fax, a device that could send contestants' data and high scores to Nintendo. The tournament began as soon as the blue disks were released.

Disk Fax Tournaments
Tournament number Game Date Prizes
1 Golf: Japan Course February 21 to May 10, 1987 (original deadline was April 30) Prizes included two different gold disk versions of the game, each with a harder course. The top 100 players received the Champions' Course and gold plaques. 5,000 others received the Professional Course.
2 Golf: U.S. Course June 14 to August 31, 1987 The top 100 players received trophies. 10,000 received a gold Famicom cartridge of Punch-Out!! and 1,000 got Golf: Prize Card, a harder gold disk version.
3 Famicom Grand Prix: F1 Race October 30 to December 15, 1987 The top 100 players of each of the four difficulty levels received trophies. 10,000 received a special edition Game & Watch of Super Mario Bros.
5 Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally April 14 to May 31, 1988 The top 100 players of each of the three car types received trophies. 10,000 received stationery sets.

The three gold disks and Wakusei Aton Gaiden are the only FDS games that were never available through retail.[2] No gold or blue disk games have a cartridge equivalent and were distributed only in Japan.

Gallery

System gallery

  • The system's mascot, Diskun

    The system's mascot, Diskun

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning
Chinese 紅白機

 Red and white machine

Chinese (traditional) Hóngbái jī

 -

Trivia

Main menu Family Computer Disk System
Family Computer Disk System BIOS
Main menu
Twin Famicom BIOS

References

Family Computer Disk System coverage on other NIWA wikis:
  1. ^ Software differences in cartridge and disk games
  2. ^ FDS games list
  3. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjuIzeNyNEQ
  4. ^ Media:GCN Main Menu Sped Up.oga
[Edit]
Nintendo Entertainment System / Family Computer games
Super Mario franchise Donkey Kong (1983) • Mario Bros. (1983) • Pinball (1984) • Golf (1984) • Family BASIC V3† (1985) • Wrecking Crew (1985) • Super Mario Bros. (1985) • Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988) • Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988) • Dr. Mario (1990) • NES Open Tournament Golf (1991) • Mario is Missing!* (1993) • Mario's Time Machine* (1994)
Donkey Kong franchise Donkey Kong (1983) • Donkey Kong Jr. (1983) • Donkey Kong Jr. + Jr. Sansū Lesson† (1983) • Donkey Kong Jr. Math (1983) • Donkey Kong 3 (1984) • Donkey Kong Classics* (1988)
Yoshi franchise Yoshi (1991) • Yoshi's Cookie (1992)
Wario franchise Wario's Woods (1994)
Family Computer Disk System Golf (1986) • Super Mario Bros. (1986) • Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (1986) • I am a teacher: Super Mario Sweater (1986) • All Night Nippon: Super Mario Bros. (1986) • Golf: Japan Course (1987) • Golf: U.S. Course (1987) • Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic (1987) • Famicom Grand Prix: F1 Race (1987) • Donkey Kong‡ (1988) • Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally (1988) • Donkey Kong Jr.‡ (1988) • Kaettekita Mario Bros.‡ (1988) • Wrecking Crew‡ (1989) • Pinball‡ (1989)
Miscellaneous Nintendo World Championships 1990* (1990) • Nintendo Campus Challenge* (1990)
* NES only
† Famicom only
‡ Disk Writer only

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