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That time when Jackie Chan endorsed a bootleg NES-clone PC
Pengling Nov 29, 2023
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Source.
Not joking - it really happened.

Actually, the history behind it is really interesting - it's a keyboard-based clone of the Nintendo Entertainment System's hardware (usually referred to as a Famiclone, after the console's Japanese name, Famicom, or otherwise as a "NOAC" or NES-On-A-Chip), created long before the hardware-patents expired. Released in 1994 by Subor, with a young Jackie Chan hired to promote it in both photographs and a weird TV-ad, this device ended up as the best-selling computer of the era in China - though I do wonder if it was popular mainly for its computing functions, or for its gaming ones!

And then, after that, I learned that Hulk Hogan promoted an unlicensed NES multi-cart, as well! But only one time, before the half-hour infomercial featuring shouty wrestlers pretending to be e-sports coaches, interspersed with rambling hosts who clearly knew nothing about technology, was withdrawn because Hogan and the other wrestlers who appeared weren't actually allowed to use their characters outside of WWF (now WWE) productions.

I found these hokey celebrity endorsements rather neat, in their strange way.
StoneColdSpider Nov 29, 2023
I need a Celebrity Deathmatch featuring Bootleg NES Jackie Chan vs Segata Sanshiro

Gentlemen.... lets get it on.......

Last edited by StoneColdSpider on 29 November 2023 at 9:15 am UTC
whizse Nov 29, 2023
Fascinating little nuggets of video game history these!

Now I can't help but wonder. What current celebrity would be most likely to act as a shill for the Steam Deck knockoff ROG Ally?
StoneColdSpider Dec 4, 2023
Quoting: GuestMaybe those fami-clones had this game... its Kung Fu Mari, aka Mario 10 I think its a Jackie Chan game that they replaced Jackie with Mario
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTw-WuY35rY
What The F*** did I just watch????......
And I thought my Dick Trickle write ups were crazy..... I need to lift my game.......
Pengling Dec 4, 2023
Quoting: StoneColdSpiderI need a Celebrity Deathmatch featuring Bootleg NES Jackie Chan vs Segata Sanshiro

Gentlemen.... lets get it on.......
Hahahahaha!

Quoting: whizseFascinating little nuggets of video game history these!

Now I can't help but wonder. What current celebrity would be most likely to act as a shill for the Steam Deck knockoff ROG Ally?
Uhhh... Bill Gates, I guess...?

Quoting: GuestSlightly related.
Here's some FamiClone argentine ads from the 90s for you delight
In some countries back then, there wasnt official stores or nintendo retailers so this chinese knock offs flooded the market, they were all basically the same hardware but with different branding and a different case.

this one was called electrolab
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXjjOUHdTUo


Panavox clone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E04wBIGudFc

this one Turbogame
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjBgYx_l5Go

here's a recap of the clones of the famicom on the 90s, mostly clones from latam, but also some that were sold in europe and russia are included.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjPnT7SLVHQ

These were really entertaining - thanks so much for the links!

Quoting: GuestMaybe those fami-clones had this game... its Kung Fu Mari, aka Mario 10 I think its a Jackie Chan game that they replaced Jackie with Mario

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTw-WuY35rY

its a ME a Mario errh... a Mari, forget Mario Bros, thats old this is Mario 10, new game, new name lmao
Haha, yes, let's inflate the number ludicrously to make it sound super-new!

The GIGANTIC Mario head on Jackie Chan's body in this hack always gets a laugh out of me. The sprites in the Pikachu-themed Barve Boy Kung Fu Pokechu variant are a bit disturbing, though!

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderWhat The F*** did I just watch????......
And I thought my Dick Trickle write ups were crazy..... I need to lift my game.......
You have SO much to learn about the batshit-insane world of Famiclones and bootleg games, Spider. This is just the tip of the iceberg!

Last edited by Pengling on 4 December 2023 at 5:08 pm UTC
Pengling Dec 4, 2023
Quoting: GuestMy favourite must be Grand Dad Mario
Every time I see it, I think of the now-iconic Vinesauce Joel reaction to it. "Grand. Dad. Fleenstones?!".

Bomberman's quite a regular on multicarts, sometimes in his regular form, and sometimes in odd hacks, like this one that pretends to be Toy Story. I don't think that there's ever been a funny reaction-video relating to this one, though.
Pengling Dec 5, 2023
Quoting: Guestkinda reminds me of Puckman Pockimon
https://youtu.be/iAeLekhMicE
Aside from the bootlegged elements, that actually looks like a pretty competent maze-chase game - might have to check it out.

Quoting: Guestthat time when Grand Dad fought a Giant Kirby
Hahaha! I can't believe it got a fan-game - that is awesome!
infernelu Dec 20, 2023
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I'm from Romania and used to play on a Famiclone named Terminator 2. Very popular in eastern europe at the time.
Good and cheap way to for us to get into gaming in early 90. Got my first computer in 97, i was 10 years old then. 586/ 133Mhz/ 8mb RAM / 650Mb Hdd full of games and windows 95. Terminator 2 was terminated after that :(

Last edited by infernelu on 20 December 2023 at 10:52 am UTC
Pengling Dec 22, 2023
I re-watched an old documentary by a YouTuber from Russia, titled The Curse of the Grey Elephant (it has English subtitles available) - it's a bit over an hour long and covers 1990s Famiclone and multicart gaming culture in Russia. I would highly recommend it!

I then ended up binge-watching several more videos by the same guy, in his "Dendy Memories" series, and that was great fun too, especially when it turned out that some of his favourites are the same as mine - Bomberman and Darkwing Duck both got specific mentions. The latter got an entire episode, which even went as far as covering schoolyard rumours about a hidden boss who actually wasn't in the game.

Last edited by Pengling on 22 December 2023 at 11:18 am UTC
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