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When you’ve got ever learn up on the historical past of Nintendo, you already know that earlier than it went into the online game enterprise, the corporate started life by making playing cards and different novelties. The hanafuda and enjoying playing cards which Nintendo produced from its formation in 1889 took a again seat following the recognition of toys just like the Extremely Hand within the Nineteen Sixties, and the corporate would quickly transfer into digital video games and, in the end, arcade and video video games.
However this isn’t to say that the corporate left playing cards behind fully. Nintendo-branded Japanese Menko playing cards had been launched in Japan within the early Nineteen Eighties and collector Ben Gilmore has a sizeable colletion of those lesser-known Nintendo-branded playing cards. This milk cap/Pog-like tabletop recreation is older than Nintendo itself, and there are Nintendo Menkos with Mario designs that date from the plumber’s pre-NES arcade days.
Gilmore has simply launched his web site, Mario Menko, which paperwork these Mario and Nintendo playing cards. Eager to be taught extra about this area of interest a part of the corporate’s licensing historical past, we caught up with him to debate the historical past of Menko playing cards, his assortment, and simply how Mario comes into all this.
Nintendo Life: Beginning with the fundamentals, what are Menko playing cards?
Ben Gilmore: Menko playing cards had been solely launched in Japan. They had been product of thicker card inventory and somewhat smaller in measurement in comparison with an American baseball card. They had been collected as playing cards and performed as a recreation.
The historical past of Menko begins in the course of the Edo Interval (early 1700s) when Menkos had been product of dried mud or clay. Paper or cardboard Menkos started within the mid-Nineties. Baseball Menkos turned highly regarded in Japan within the Thirties and ’40s, whereas 1945-1964 had been the golden years for Sumo-related Menkos. All through the ’70s and early ’80s not as many Menkos had been produced as kids had been now spending extra time watching tv and utilizing digital gadgets.
Menko was not simply card gathering, nevertheless it was additionally a recreation. Gamers would put a bunch of Menkos on the bottom or on a desk, then you definately would take a card in your hand and slam it down within the hope you’ll flip some Menkos over. Those you flipped over, you can hold. The one with probably the most Menkos on the finish was the winner. After all, there have been many variations of play Menko, however this was the overall thought.
What first attracted you to those playing cards?
After I first found these playing cards, I used to be instantly drawn to the colourful colors and inventive parts. The opposite interesting side is the actual fact these had been produced earlier than the Famicom got here out in 1983 and the NES in 1985. A Nintendo card of Donkey Kong and Jumpman in ‘81 and Donkey Kong Jr in ‘82 might be one thing that even most Nintendo fans don’t realise exists.
How large is your assortment now?
I at present have round 200 Menkos. My assortment will proceed to develop, however I’m choosy about which playing cards I purchase. Slightly than shopping for giant a lot of playing cards in dangerous form, I select to attend and discover those I need in good situation. Though there are some uncommon ones I’ll purchase in any situation as a result of they don’t come up on the market that usually.
Might you inform us somewhat extra about Nintendo’s relationship with Menko playing cards?
I do know that Nintendo employed an organization referred to as Amada within the early Nineteen Eighties to provide video game-related Menkos for them. In Japan, there was not good report protecting on specifics and manufacturing of Menkos, so this info is tough to seek out. Even when looking out Amada on-line, there’s just about nothing.
Alongside this Menko journey, I’ve made a couple of pals in Japan. They’ve helped me get hold of some particular Menkos I wished to purchase prior to now. My good friend Shinnosuke helped me determine that Amada remains to be in enterprise. They’re at present a mother or father firm of Ensky Plus in Japan. I’ve contacted them, and I hope to accumulate particular info from them (issues just like the years they produced Menkos for Nintendo, portions, and so on.). If I will get the proper info from them, I’ll be capable to share this with card grading corporations to allow them to lastly grade online game Menkos.
A number of of those playing cards predate Mario’s breakout position in Tremendous Mario Bros. When did the Nintendo mascot first enter your life and what are your fondest reminiscences of the corporate’s video games and consoles within the years since?
I first skilled Mario on Atari. I spent many hours enjoying Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr. I briefly performed Mario Bros. on Atari as properly, however I’ll always remember my expertise getting a NES. One in every of my pals received a Nintendo earlier than I did someday in 1986. I went over to see if he wished to move baseball and he invited me in and confirmed me his NES. After I noticed the Zapper, I wished to play Duck Hunt first. Capturing the geese was enjoyable. Despite the fact that I nonetheless wished to shoot extra geese, he shortly shut it off and stated let’s play Tremendous Mario. I had heard about it however hadn’t performed it but. We began a two-player recreation, he was Mario and I used to be Luigi. All it took was enjoying World 1-1 and I used to be hooked for all times.
We’d do paper-rock-scissors to see who might be Mario. We saved enjoying all day and it shortly turned darkish outdoors. I didn’t need to, however I needed to give up and go house earlier than I received in hassle. I went house and informed my dad and mom concerning the NES and the way badly I wished one. It didn’t take lengthy and I had a NES of my very own. I used to be fortunate to have dad and mom that searched out the video games I wished for my birthday or Christmas. I virtually had Tremendous Mario Bros. 2, Mario 3, and Tremendous Mario World the day they got here out. I miss these online game departments from the ’80s. A lot cool stuff. Anytime my mother went procuring, I went along with her. If I could not speak her into letting me get a recreation, I might no less than attempt to get a Nintendo Energy or one thing.
Then, on Christmas of 1989, I acquired the most popular toy that 12 months, a Sport Boy. After I used to be informed to go to mattress, I spent many hours underneath the covers enjoying Tetris (with a Gentle Boy put in, in fact). There have been by no means any extra arguments with my sister on lengthy holidays because of my Sport Boy.
The final system I had earlier than I left house was a Tremendous Nintendo. I’ve to say I in all probability performed Tremendous Mario World greater than some other recreation. The 16-bit graphics and attempting to finish my map with all of the secrets and techniques saved me busy for a very long time. There have been many Friday and Saturday nights I had pals over to spend the evening. We ordered many pizzas and performed Mario till 3 or 4 within the morning. These had been the times. I nonetheless have a Wii U with loads of classic video games downloaded on it, in addition to about each Mario recreation you may consider. However, I nonetheless have all my authentic classic gear and video games — I’ll by no means half with them! Too many good reminiscences and I nonetheless play them to this present day. Nothing beats enjoying them on my 36” CRT TV.
Again to Menko, the artwork on every card is wonderful they usually present how a lot Mario’s design modified between 1981 and 1985. Is there a selected design that you just like probably the most and why?
It’s tough to choose just one design as I like all of them. I believe I can solely slim it all the way down to Mario’s design in Mario 3 and Tremendous Mario World. Mario 3 modified a lot. Mario can now fly and all of the cool fits. Identical in Tremendous Mario World. As I’ve gotten older, I discover myself going again and enjoying the unique Tremendous Mario Bros. lots. It’s a traditional that may all the time be enjoyable.
Given your ardour for the retro type, what do you make of Mario’s latest design in video games like Tremendous Mario Odyssey or Mario + Rabbids?
I like the way in which Mario seems to be these days. He’s cool and up-to-date with the occasions. I’m certain as time goes on, he’ll proceed to vary and keep present. I hope Nintendo continues to not let him develop stale and all the time finds one thing new he can do. That’s what has all the time made Mario video games so enjoyable. With that stated, I nonetheless love my old-school Mario video games the perfect.
Alongside Mario, Nintendo additionally licensed Menko playing cards to be made with photos of different video games like Excitebike and Duck Hunt. What do you assume made these playing cards so interesting for Nintendo?
The colors and artwork nearly popped off the playing cards. How they represented the photographs on the playing cards remained true to how they seemed within the video games. Should you had been aware of the video games, once you noticed the playing cards, you knew precisely what it was.
How have you ever approached constructing a set when information of every card’s manufacturing are so laborious to seek out?
I mainly purchase what’s interesting to me. Should you purchase what you want personally, almost certainly you can be proud of it. Over time I’ve discovered which of them are rarer than others, so I all the time have my eyes peeled for these.
Is there a very uncommon card that you’re nonetheless hoping so as to add to your assortment?
To my information, I consider I’ve acquired the rarest. What I’m at present in search of are the pre-1985 Menkos in glorious situation. My aim is to try to discover one of many ’81s, ’82s, or ’83s. Discovering one which has excellent corners, floor, and [is] centered is nearly inconceivable. I’ve a 1981 that’s gradable, nevertheless it nonetheless isn’t what I might think about excellent. Does an ideal one even exist? Who is aware of! I’ll all the time be wanting and my pals in Japan will likely be in search of me, too.
What are your favorite playing cards in your assortment (each Nintendo-themed and in any other case)?
By far, my favorite is the 1981 Donkey Kong Menko card. It has Donkey Kong, Pauline, and Jumpman. It’s the identical picture that’s on the facet of the unique arcade machine. To my information, that is Jumpman’s (Mario) first look on a buying and selling card. That is what I think about Mario’s rookie card and the Holy Grail of Nintendo Menkos. It has taken me a few years of looking out to accumulate those I’ve. Looking for one in good situation is subsequent to inconceivable due to how they had been performed with. I’ve been fortunate and have managed to seek out two which are in actually fine condition and are value grading as soon as it turns into obtainable.
The 1982 Donkey Kong Jr. card is particular, too. Jumpman is now formally Mario and, for the primary and final time in Nintendo historical past, he’s a ‘villain’. This is able to be his first look on a card as Mario.
The 1983 Mario Bros. is one other one in every of my favourites. This is able to be Luigi’s first look on a card. To my information, that is the one Menko card that Mario and Luigi seem on collectively.
The photographs on these three playing cards are the identical photos that had been on the arcade cupboards and on the Famicom cartridge field. In my view, these three playing cards are a very powerful to the historic significance of Mario and Nintendo historical past. There’s nothing sooner than these. These had been the primary!
My different favorite is the 1985 Menko with Mario, Bowser, and Peach. That is the primary Menko I purchased. At first, I believed I purchased a Mario rookie card however we now know that isn’t so — it will be a Peach and Bowser rookie card although. It is cool to see how Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, and Bowser have modified their seems to be in comparison with these early pics of them.
These playing cards make up a distinct segment a part of Nintendo’s historical past. Why do you assume it will be significant that we protect objects reminiscent of these?
These are the earliest items of Nintendo historical past that got here out within the very starting. Not solely exhibiting the success of Nintendo however commemorating these authentic video games and the most well-liked mascot on planet Earth.
It’s believed that the online game Menkos weren’t made in the identical portions as baseball playing cards within the US, so it’s unclear what number of had been made and what number of have survived. Because of the means the sport Menko was performed, I can’t think about giant portions of the pre-1985 playing cards are left, not to mention in good situation. These are the earliest playing cards produced by Nintendo, which included Mario’s rookie. That is why I really feel they need to be preserved.
Discovering information of Menko playing cards looks as if a troublesome job, how will you already know when you’ve the total set?
I’m nonetheless ready to seek out out extra info from Amada in Japan. Possibly they will shed some gentle on what number of of those playing cards they made. Till then, I simply purchase what I like or don’t have.
Do you’ve any recommendation for folks seeking to accumulate Menko themselves? What are the perfect locations to purchase and do you discover any forgeries or reproductions on {the marketplace}?
All the time purchase what you want. Should you do, it’s best to all the time be proud of it. If the situation is necessary to you, all the time be certain to look at the pics of the cardboard. If the pics aren’t that good, request higher ones from the vendor. Watch out for bulk Menko card tons on the market. Plenty of occasions these giant tons have Menkos which have seen higher days. It’s doable to seek out good playing cards in respectable situation in a big lot, simply be cautious and people pics are necessary.
I keep in mind years in the past when eBay would solely have two or three particular person Mario Menkos listed for months on finish. These days there are a dozen or extra pages of Nintendo Menkos. In relation to Menkos, for those who see one thing you want, you higher get it. Previously, I’ve waited too lengthy and let one move me by. That was a grave mistake as a result of it took a number of years earlier than I noticed one other one come up on the market. That may be a mistake I solely made as soon as.
I haven’t seen any forgeries or reproductions of Mario and Nintendo-related Menkos. When you’ve held a Menko in your hand, you’ll know. Even in photos, they’re unmistakable in case you are aware of them.
This interview has been edited for readability.
Due to Ben for taking the time to speak to us and share photographs of his Menko assortment. You possibly can go to his web site, Mario Menko, for extra photos and knowledge on…properly, Mario Menkos, in fact.
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