penalties operators risk in buying
illegal boards. He added that Af.A.OA
is trying to improve communications
among all parts of the industry. "We
recognize ANA.A's problems. although
we can't police per se. However, our
position paper will serve to inform the
operators of the field of problems of
buying copied or parallel games. Our
main purpose is to create a better
industry."
Lloyd said all research and infor-
mation ANA.A has compiled in its
battle against parallel importers
would be available to Af.A.OA. "Obvi-
ously they have contacts in Congress
and we have contacts, and we just
think a unified front together will be
much more effective than two asso-
ciations trying to get work done on
[Capitol] Hill, " said Lloyd.
ANA.A. whose members were
invited to attend the Af.A.OA's Govern-
mental Affairs Conference May 20 in
Washington, D.C., has offered to spon-
sor a Congressional reception for
Af.A.OA and ANA.A members during
•
the conference.
Super Mario Brothers
creates stir in Japan
Super Mario Brothers, Nintendo's
latest creation for its VS. System, was a
hit at ACME, but no one anticipated
the demand for it in Japan. It and Nin-
tendo's Family Computer (Fami-Com)
have been so popular in Japan that
they have become subjects of
discussion in Japan's parliment,
the Diet.
Since its introduction, more than 6.5
million Fami-Coms have been sold,
and Super Mario Brothers is in such
demand in Japan that operators are
adapting the Fami-Com and Super
Mario cartridge for coin use. Accord-
ing to a Japanese trade journal, "Its
coin operation is inevitable since Nin-
tendo wouldn't release the coin-op
version [in Japan]." About 2.5 million
Super Mario cartridges were sold for
the Fami-Coms. The article continued,
" It seems true that the popularity of
Super Mario Brothers has helped
increase the sales of Forni-Com sets.
This tells how far popular Super Mario
Brothers is."
Nintendo of Japan discontinued its
coin-op operations last fall and began
concentrating primarily on the Fami-
Com.
The withdrawal from Japan's coin-
op industry created rumors that Nin-
tendo was getting out of the coin-op
business altogether. Nintendo has
Pl.A Y METER. April 1, 1986
continued to develop and manufac-
ture coin-op games for the U.S. market,
however, and has reaffirmed its com-
mitment to the U.S. coin-op industry
and its VS. System.
Nintendo has brought the Fami-
Com system to the U.S., further fueling
speculation that Nintendo USA would
get out of coin-op, but according to Bill
Cravens, "There is no way we will ever
see the penetration we had in Japan.
Operators should realize that without
the home-computer division, we
wouldn't be able to give them the
quality kits for the VS. System. There
were over 140 titles available for the
Fami-Com, but only 40 of those were
adapted for coin-op. I have stresed
over and over that we will continue to
introduce high-quality games for our
VS. System."
Nintendo has sold nearly 100,000
VS. Systems in the U.S. Besides offering
Nintendo-developed games, it has
negotiated with several companies to
produce games for the system. At the
ACME show, Tecmo (formerlyTehkan)
showed a game developed exclusively
for the V.S. System, Mighty Bomb Jack.
Cravens predicted that within a year,
60 to 75 percent of kits will be
compatible with the VS. System.
Meanwhile, the issue of the Fami-
Com system recently was brought
before the Diet in connection with a
government inquiry into the harmony
between high-tech appliances and
man. Hidehiko Yaoi, a Diet member,
was quoted as saying, " Fami-Com has
penetrated amazingly, contributing a
great deal to the development of
Japan's computer industry. On the
other hand, however, it is quite proble-
matical that. absorbed in playing
Fami-Com, children are running
away from study."
But Toshiki Kaifu, Japan's minister
of education, said "The influence upon
the eyes will be the same as when they
view ordinary television . Rather,
playing video games together with
other family members will have an
•
educational effect. "
Cleveland Coin opens
Michigan office
Cleveland Coin has opened a new
office in Livonia, Mich.
The 6,000-square-foot facility will
be staffed by Doug Shipley, who for-
merly served the New York area in
amusement and full-line vending. He
will handle the Detroit area. Jack
Francisco, formerly with Grayhound,
will be the sales representative for the
THE
CALENDAR
Aprll26
Amusement and Music Operators of
Texas (AMOD 6th Annual Texas
State Eight Ball Pool Tournament,
Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas. Contact
Pat Miller. (512) 454-8625. Direct all
inquiries to 940 E. 51st St .. Austin, TX
78751.
May 13-14
fl.SP.QA (Roller Skating Rink Opera-
tor's Association) Trade Show,
Terrozo Room/Exhibit Hall, Disney·
land Hotel, 1150 West Cerritos Ave-
nue, Anaheim, CA 92802. Contact
Pamela Myhre or Patty Shomey,
fl.SROA. P.O. Box 81846, Lincoln, NE
68501 or call (402) 489-8811.
May 15-18
Wisconsin Amusement & Music
Operators Annual Convention and
Trade Show, Embassy Suites, Green
Bay. Contact WAMO at (414) 529-
4704 or 425-7689.
May 29-Jun• 1
Florida Amusement/Vending Asso-
ciation (FAVA) Convention and
Tradeshow. Hyatt Orlando, Klsslm·
mee, Fla. Contact Norm Jensen at
(904) 878-3134.
May 30-Jun• 1
Pennsylvania Amusement & Music
Machine Association Annual Con·
vention, Sheraton Valley Forge
Hotel/Valley Forge Convention &
Exhibit Center, King of Prussia (near
Philadelphia), Pa. Contact John P.
Milliron at (800) 521-7778 (PA only)
or (717) 232-5322.
Jun• 6-8
The Tulsa Electro-Mechanical
Antiques Show and Sale, Tulsa Expo
Square (Tulsa State Fairgrounds),
Exchange Center I (Educational
Building), East 21st Street between
Harvard and Yale Avenue. Contact
Jensen Production, Box 4 71244.
Tulsa, OK 74147 or call (918) 627·
5 770 in Oklahoma or 1-800-826-
5646 out of state.
Jun• 20-21
Utah Amusement Music Association
Summer Meeting, Yarrow (old
Holiday Inn,), Park City, Utah. Contact
UAMA, 11 East Redondo, Salt Lake
City, Utah 84115, or call (801) 466-
9424.
Jun• 20-22
Illinois Coin Machine Operators Asso-
ciation 19th Annual Meeting, Indian
Lakes Resort, Bloomingdale, Illinois.
Contact ICMOA at 710 East Ogden
Ave .. Suite 113, Naperville, IL60540,
or call (312) 369-2406.
9