Famicom Disk System

The Family Computer Disk System (also called Famicom Disk System) is a disk drive add-on for the Family Computer (or Famicom, the Japanese counterpart of the NES) which was released by Nintendo in 1986 in Japan and in 1991 in Hong Kong. The device would be discontinued in Japan in 1993, with the software being discontinued on September 30, 2003, and all technical support being discontinued altogether on October 31, 2007.

Logo (February 21, 1986-October 31, 2007)

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Visuals: On a space background, there is a sign-like object with a cord under it and the Nintendo logo (without the oblong shape around it) inside it moving downwards. Underneath the Nintendo logo, there is the text "PLEASE SET DISK CARD" (when there is no disk in the system) or "PLEASE PRESS ANY BUTTON" (when a disk is in the system) message blinking repeatedly. The object flashes various colors repeatedly. Two bars with white stripes on the top and bottom also flashing colors then appear. The sign then stops in the middle of the screen, as the logo stops flashing and remains a random color (possible colors include blue, red, green, orange, or neon blue). After a few seconds, Mario and Luigi appear and start doing various things (such as hitting the cord and changing the color, or chasing each other). This keeps on playing until a disk is inserted. Once a disk is inserted and any button is pressed on the controller, Mario and Luigi disappear and it will either say "WAIT A MINUTE..." or "NOW LOADING...". When the disk has fully loaded, the logo will then cut to black and a message (usually a message saying that the product is licensed by Nintendo on third-party games) will sometimes scroll upwards (a la a Copyright Warning Scroll on a videotape). After a few seconds, the game loaded into the console will start.

Trivia: This logo, along with the disk system itself, makes a cameo appearance in the 2004 Nintendo GameCube game Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door  and its 2024 Nintendo Switch remake after beating Chapter 5. During Princess Peach's segment, TEC-XX (a supercomputer that supervises her while she is captured) asks her to make an invisibility potion (and undress entirely) in order to access Sir Grodus' (one of the main villains in the game) computer. The system accepts data disks similar to the actual disks used by the add-on and when Peach puts the disk into the system, a recreation of the logo is seen on the computer screen. This is done in order for TEC-XX to analyze the data.

Variant: Later versions of the system, as well as the Twin Famicom have the text "FAMICOM" in place of the Nintendo logo.

Technique: Sprite animation.

Audio: A catchy 18-note 8-bit theme is heard during the first six seconds of the logo. After that, it remains silent. When a button is pressed, a short three-note sound plays.

Audio Variant: A 16-bit rendition of the theme exists.

Audio Trivia:

• The Nintendo GameCube main menu has a throwback to this logo. The sounds played on the console's main menu are actually this theme's melody slowed down by 16x.
• This theme is remastered for the aforementioned scene in Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. However, the Nintendo Switch remake uses the original version.
• This logo's theme was remixed for the track "Piroli" from Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix.
• In Super Mario Maker, if Mario transforms into the Famicom Disk System's mascot Diskun after touching a Mystery Mushroom, the "Course Clear" jingle is replaced with this logo's theme.

Availability

DevicesMedia

Edit Table

Device Name	Date(s) of Release	Additional Note(s)
Famicom Disk System	February 21, 1986	Appeared when turning the console on.

Edit Table

Media Title	Platform(s)	Date(s) of Release	Additional Note(s)
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door OSCA	Nintendo GameCube/Nintendo Switch	October 11, 2004 (Nintendo GameCube) May 23, 2024 (Nintendo Switch)	Cameo

External Links

• Famicom Disk System  on Wikipedia
• Famicom Disk System  on Logopedia