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| Super Mario Bros. Game & Watch |
In 1980 Nintendo launched one of the first series of portable video games called Game & Watch. These devices featured a video game displayed on an LCD screen and also functioned as a clock and alarm system; thus bearing the name Game & Watch. This collection of ingenious and revolutionary gaming devices was designed by an employee at Nintendo, Gunpei Yokio. As the story goes, inspiration hit him after he witnessed a man on a train playing with a LCD calculator to pass the time away. This sparked Yokio with the idea of a portable device that the user could use to engage in a game and so after tampering with a calculator Yokio created the basis for what would later be known as the Nintendo Game & Watch.
However as we all know the legacy of Yokio’s Game & Watch did not stop there, and luckily for us eventually the Game & Watch series evolved into the Gameboy, Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance, and the modern time DS and DS Lite. Funny as it may seem the Nintendo DS, or Nintendo Dual Screen, was not really the first double screen game console presented by Nintendo. The first actual dual screen game console was the Oil Panic Game & Watch. This design was also used to feature Donkey Kong and Zelda’s first presence in the gaming industry. Over a period of 11 years and 59 games Game and Watch also featured the ever so famous Mario Brothers, and in partnerships with United States companies the collection also featured several games with Snoopy and Disney’s Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.
In a time of the European Atari crave the United States along with among the rest of the world was amazed by the portable and affordable Nintendo Game & Watch series. With affordable prices and its easily accessible size the Game & Watch caused the video gaming to spread into mainstream culture across the world and economic classes. As videogames spread into the mainstream culture Japanese companies such as Nintendo and Sony became leading companies in this growing and now billion-dollar industry. The Nintendo Game & Watch created an economic and social bridge of profit, partnerships, and ideas between the United States and Japan. As interest in Japanese video games grew Americans realized how much more advanced Japanese technology was. With cell phones and computers way past the capabilities of American technology the United States has greatly engaged in the trading of these ideas and devices. Transferred with its technology Japanese popular culture has became increasingly evident and influential in American popular culture.
Through American’s interest in Japanese video games it has created a bridge in which other Japanese popular culture forms were able to reach the interest of Americans. Karaoke, anime, Pokemon, Hello Kitty, and much more have become the legacy that the Game & Watch has left behind. With this Asian American and other Americans have been able to openly engage with Japanese popular culture. As Japan still continues to be referred to as the technology advance center of the world its relationship with the United States has become vital for Americans if they wish to be able to compete in this worldly race of trade. With a Game & Watch in hand Japanese popular culture has been able to make its mark and maintain a respectful place within American popular culture.
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