Today, capturing your gameplay couldn’t be easier.
Game consoles and PCs come with built-in recording functions, and you can even capture footage directly from an HDMI output. Search YouTube, and you can easily find videos of vintage games, including complete playthrough all the way to the ending.
Things were different, however, when the Famicom was still in its heyday. When playing the Famicom version of Operation Wolf, I preserved play footage on a VCR. At the time, I had my Famicom connected via composite video, but recording gameplay was nowhere near as simple as pressing a single button like it is today. Every time, I had to connect the game console to the VCR, prepare a VHS tape, and then start recording.
Looking back, it was quite a hassle.
Still, I recorded my Operation Wolf playthrough for the sole reason that I wanted to watch the footage as many times as I wanted. But when I actually sat down and watched the recording, I discovered something unexpected: games were fun not only to play but also to “watch.”
When Playing Became Watching
While playing, I was completely fixated on knocking out the enemies popping up one after another. I never had time to enjoy the entire screen.
But when watching a recording, I no longer had to worry about the controller. For the first time, I could truly appreciate everything happening on the screen. Of course, there is little point in comparing the Famicom’s graphics with those of modern games.
The hardware was subject to major limitations, and it was impossible to bring an arcade game over to a home console exactly as it was. Even so, watching my recordings of Operation Wolf over and over, I began to admire the ingenuity of the creators to convey as much of the atmosphere of the original game as possible within the hardware’s limitations.
The recording itself was also far from being as clear as digital video is today. Sometimes it was difficult to make out the finer details on the screen. But I had played the game so many times that I already knew what was supposed to be displayed there. I watched the footage while filling in the blanks with my memory.
Strangely enough, that was part of the fun, too.
Before YouTube, There Was the VCR
And now, in the present day.
YouTube is filled with videos of people playing the Famicom games of that era.
Comments on these videos sometimes say things like:
“Considering the Famicom’s specs, this is surprisingly well made.”
“It’s impressive how much they managed to accomplish with such limited hardware.”
Whenever I see comments like these, I remember the days when I recorded Operation Wolf on my VCR. Needless to say, back then, home video games were simply something you played. I never thought of “analyzing game footage.” I certainly never imagined that a time would come when people could use the internet to share their own gameplay footage with people all over the world.
Come to think of it, I was already enjoying games not only by “playing” but also by “watching” them, back in the VHS era. As I repeatedly played back the recordings, I began to notice the details in the visual design and clever touches of the creators that I had never noticed while actually playing.
Digging for a Gem: Operation Wolf on Mercari
That same Operation Wolf is now listed on Mercari as “new and unopened.”
https://buyee.jp/mercari/item/m76685741032
Price: ¥3,700.
This particular copy appears to be in good condition. However, if it were me, I would not conclude from the photos alone that this is an unopened copy. You should also take into consideration the seller’s rating and description of the product. Also, if a game is still sealed in shrink wrap, the application and the seams of it can also provide useful clues. This type of product, however, did not come with shrink wrap, nor does it have a seal that would indicate that it has never been opened.
With Operation Wolf, it is extremely difficult to tell from the outside alone whether a box has never been opened or not. So, if it were me, I would consider the extent of my assessment to be this: “The item appears to be in good condition, and the seller is offering it as new and unopened. However, it is difficult to verify from the photos alone that it has never been opened.”
When it comes to evaluating retro games, identifying a genuine item isn’t the only thing that matters. Knowing where to draw the line and say, “This is as far as I can tell,” is also part of being a good judge of a collectible.
Games are fun to play. And it’s fun to watch the games you’ve played long after the fact, too. Perhaps it was the Famicom and a VCR that first taught me to enjoy something that has since become so commonplace.
Written by A.Kotarou | Translated by Lotus
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