Nintendo Advanced Video System

**geluda** · 08-02-2012

So has anyone ever seen anything of this system? As I understand it it's a prototype to the NES which failed to sell at CES 1985 during the US video game market crash before being rebranded as the NES. There's not much information about this system on the web and only a museum video on YouTube I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on it. Has the system ever been seen running?

**Mathias** · 08-02-2012

I seem to recall reading of Howard Lincoln displaying 'Donkey Kong' on the AVS, perhaps some video exists in the annals of a press archive or something similar.

**Borman** · 08-02-2012

I just reposted the pictures I took years ago of the system, check them out here :
http://ptoponline.com/?p=491

**Golan Trevize** · 08-03-2012

It looks more like a mock-up than a working prototype.

**geluda** · 08-03-2012

Thanks, seems its a pretty elusive system.

Originally Posted by Golan Trevize

It looks more like a mock-up than a working prototype.

Yeah I'd thought of that, but would it not be a bit strange to present it at CES if they didn't at least have a working prototype?

**Golan Trevize** · 08-03-2012

Originally Posted by geluda

Thanks, seems its a pretty elusive system.

Yeah I'd thought of that, but would it not be a bit strange to present it at CES if they didn't at least have a working prototype?

Most likely they had a famicom hidden under a desk or something. Doesn't make much sense to go all the trouble building the thing when you can just fake it.

**geluda** · 08-03-2012

Originally Posted by Golan Trevize

Most likely they had a famicom hidden under a desk or something. Doesn't make much sense to go all the trouble building the thing when you can just fake it.

But isn't the whole point of CES to present products to retailers? I know people simply make anouncements there but the whole reason we got the NES is because American retailers had no interest in the AVS. Assuming retailers had took interest in the product wouldn't Nintendo have at least had to have had prototypes of the hardware to put the units into production?

**Golan Trevize** · 08-03-2012

Originally Posted by geluda

But isn't the whole point of CES to present products to retailers? I know people simply make anouncements there but the whole reason we got the NES is because American retailers had no interest in the AVS. Assuming retailers had took interest in the product wouldn't Nintendo have at least had to have had prototypes of the hardware to put the units into production?

I've checked Game Over, and while it mentions that a prototype was in the works, the book doesn't specify if what they've showed at CES was a fully functional prototype or Famicom guts inside a new case with a non working keyboard. So your guess is as good as mine.