Did you PARTICIPATE in the Nintendo World Championships?

[digitalpress]

If so, I would LOVE to hear about your experience. I've seen a few musings before but have never heard a really good story or re-telling of the experience.

Anyone?

[SoulBlazer]

Yeah, I did.

I posted some of this in the NWC thread below but I'll recount what happened.....

I think it was the Spring of 1990 and the NES was seeing the most use out of me at the time, although my Commodore 128D was seeing a lot also. (We also had a IBM clone but not much for it). At the time I was 14 years old and getting ready to enter high school in the fall, and a big video game player (it declined some once I was in high school).

I heard that the NWC was on tour around the country. At the time I lived in Amherst NH. It so happened that they had a stop in Worchester, Mass -- it MIGHT have been Boston, but I really think it was the former. And it so happened my Dad had business that week in the city -- he worked for (and still does, just a different company) a truck fiance company and had to see some dealers. So he agreed to take me and a friend down one Sat and drop us off for the day. (I can't recall if there was paid admission -- if there was, my Dad got it -- can anyone help?)

Anyway, the place was HUGE and we were in gaming heaven, trying out the games that would go on to be smash hits for 1990, such as Ninja Gaiden II, Final Fantasy, Castlevania III, and of course, SMB 3.

Okay, to the point of your topic.....

We soon found out there was a 'time trial' contest being done with some nice prizes, although I can't recall any of them right now. It sounded easy enough -- play a little bit of Super Mario Brothers, Tetris, and Rad Racer and rack up as many points as you can in a timed ammount. Entering was free. We saw one of the gold carts they were using to do the contest with and I wanted one. It had been a long time since I played Rad Racer but it came back to me and I think I did well on it. The 50 coin part for SMB was very easy to get.

Of course, I'm sure a lot of people were doing this also -- I had to stand in line about 15 minutes to get my turn. I'm not surprised I did'nt win anything. Later, I entered the contest in Nintendo Power to get one of those gold NWC carts, but I never win anything. :P

The whole day was a blast and I'm just sorry Nintendo did'nt do anything else like that again all through the 90's.

[petewhitley]

I was there in Seattle. I don't really have the time or the energy right now to make a big post like SoulBlazer (nice post btw), but here goes. I had a paper route at the time and the paper put on this contest where whoever sold the most new subscriptions got a trip to the event. So of course I hit the streets and sold several times more than my nearest competitor So the circulation manager actually took me and a couple runners-up in the company van on Fri. or Sat. (can't remember). As above, the show kicked too much ass, and of course I had to try my hand at the competition. I'd never played Rad Racer, SMB3 was brand spankin' new, but I owned Tetris. On the strength of that, I made it to the finals (or semi-finals? whatever the invite only was)! I was invited back the next day. So my parents drudged me back there the next day, only to witness my crushing defeat at the hands of other gamers who undoubtedly had actually practiced Rad Racer. Oh well, it was fun and I made the newspaper.

[digitalpress]

That's great!

I might be in touch with you guys again later, I'd love to do a column on this using actual particpants' point of view.

Any others?

[intro9]

I myself attended and competed in the NWC when it came to the Valley Forge convention center around Philly. I must say it was one of the more fun experiences of my life. I'd be willing to recount the whole thing in detail a little later but I just wanted to drop a quick line in my short amount of time I have.

One of the funny things I remember were a bunch of "Nintendo Game Counselors" who were treated like almost celebrities there. People were clammoring around them asking for tips and stuff, and even then I thought it was kinda dumb I would say Nintendo was trying to shoot for an atmosphere somewhat like the movie "The Wizard", based on the fact that they brought I think it was like 5 top scores from the preliminary rounds on the floor up to the BIG SCRENE to duke it out for a trip to Florida or something where they were having the finals for the championships.

I have a ton more to say but I really gotta split for now, I'll see if I can come on later tonight and recount the experiences in greater detail.

I have a Hat in storage somewhere from teh championships with the logo on it, as well as a pin. But I havent seen the stuff in about 8 years so it would take a miracle to locate the stuff.