Beforemario
@beforemario.bsky.social
Blog and book about Nintendo toys and games from 1889 to the early 1980s; from before Mario.
(+ occasional transgression into things more recent)
beforemario.com
(+ occasional transgression into things more recent)
beforemario.com
Pinned
Beforemario
@beforemario.bsky.social
· Jul 7
Just wrapped up the 7-part report on our Nintendo Pilgrimage in Kyoto in October 2024:
Stay at Marufukuru ✅
Nintendo Museum visit #1 ✅
Meeting legends ✅
Nintendo Museum visit #2 ✅
Big Wii-mote cushion ✅
Honoring a legend ✅
Super Nintendo World ✅
All here: blog.beforemario.com/2025/05/a-ni...
Stay at Marufukuru ✅
Nintendo Museum visit #1 ✅
Meeting legends ✅
Nintendo Museum visit #2 ✅
Big Wii-mote cushion ✅
Honoring a legend ✅
Super Nintendo World ✅
All here: blog.beforemario.com/2025/05/a-ni...
Reposted by Beforemario
I mean it would have been quite embarrassing if my own paper didn't like the book, but I couldn't be more pleased with this!
www.theguardian.com/books/2026/f...
www.theguardian.com/books/2026/f...
Super Nintendo by Keza MacDonald review – a joyful celebration of the gaming giant
A portrait of the company whose ‘toymaker philosophy’ stands in contrast to the tech giants that rule our lives
www.theguardian.com
February 12, 2026 at 1:49 PM
I mean it would have been quite embarrassing if my own paper didn't like the book, but I couldn't be more pleased with this!
www.theguardian.com/books/2026/f...
www.theguardian.com/books/2026/f...
Early officially licensed Mickey Mouse cards by Nintendo (1950s)
February 14, 2026 at 8:59 AM
Early officially licensed Mickey Mouse cards by Nintendo (1950s)
Vintage Nintendo No 90 playing cards, with early joker and ace of spades design, predating the well known Nintendo Ace of Spades.
February 13, 2026 at 10:11 AM
Vintage Nintendo No 90 playing cards, with early joker and ace of spades design, predating the well known Nintendo Ace of Spades.
This 1960s Home Race (ホームレース) game is one of Nintendo’s rarest vintage toys.
After more than 20 years of searching, I finally added it to the collection last December.
Full story on the blog.
After more than 20 years of searching, I finally added it to the collection last December.
Full story on the blog.
February 9, 2026 at 8:00 PM
This 1960s Home Race (ホームレース) game is one of Nintendo’s rarest vintage toys.
After more than 20 years of searching, I finally added it to the collection last December.
Full story on the blog.
After more than 20 years of searching, I finally added it to the collection last December.
Full story on the blog.
Reposted by Beforemario
Yes! Vintage Nintendo No. 100 deck.
January 31, 2026 at 8:43 AM
Yes! Vintage Nintendo No. 100 deck.
Working on the next blog post(s)
January 25, 2026 at 2:55 PM
Working on the next blog post(s)
Nintendo Entertainment
任天堂 エンターテイメント
任天堂 エンターテイメント
January 25, 2026 at 9:55 AM
Nintendo Entertainment
任天堂 エンターテイメント
任天堂 エンターテイメント
Rare vintage game Nintendo Baseball Board just sold for 46,000円; okay price even though box in pretty rouigh shape
January 24, 2026 at 3:25 PM
Rare vintage game Nintendo Baseball Board just sold for 46,000円; okay price even though box in pretty rouigh shape
A lot with 23 sealed Super Mario World Barcode Battler decks, in original shipping boxes, just sold for 62,000円
January 19, 2026 at 8:29 PM
A lot with 23 sealed Super Mario World Barcode Battler decks, in original shipping boxes, just sold for 62,000円
Nintendo Playing Cards catalogue from 2001
January 19, 2026 at 7:28 PM
Nintendo Playing Cards catalogue from 2001
One of my favorite Game Boy's:
the Mother 3 edition GBA Micro
the Mother 3 edition GBA Micro
January 18, 2026 at 3:31 PM
One of my favorite Game Boy's:
the Mother 3 edition GBA Micro
the Mother 3 edition GBA Micro
Every Nintendo game automatically become twice the fun with a Koji Kondo sound track...
January 10, 2026 at 4:36 PM
Every Nintendo game automatically become twice the fun with a Koji Kondo sound track...
I received the very rare Nintendo Home Race game this week, and it is in absolute great condition - never been played with
Until now!
Please witness its first race, 60 years after it left the Nintendo factory...
Until now!
Please witness its first race, 60 years after it left the Nintendo factory...
January 10, 2026 at 12:34 PM
I received the very rare Nintendo Home Race game this week, and it is in absolute great condition - never been played with
Until now!
Please witness its first race, 60 years after it left the Nintendo factory...
Until now!
Please witness its first race, 60 years after it left the Nintendo factory...
Nintendo 64DD in the rare retail box version, just sold for 450.000 yen
January 10, 2026 at 7:55 AM
Nintendo 64DD in the rare retail box version, just sold for 450.000 yen
A rare Nintendo Computer TV Game from 1980 just sold for ¥801,000 on Yahoo Auctions Japan (a little over US$4500).
Condition unused, but without the cardboard outer box.
Condition unused, but without the cardboard outer box.
January 5, 2026 at 3:09 PM
A rare Nintendo Computer TV Game from 1980 just sold for ¥801,000 on Yahoo Auctions Japan (a little over US$4500).
Condition unused, but without the cardboard outer box.
Condition unused, but without the cardboard outer box.
Something you don't see every day: a shipping box with 5 mint Virtual Boys!
Spotted on Yahoo Auctions, bids starting at a hopeful 440,000円
Spotted on Yahoo Auctions, bids starting at a hopeful 440,000円
December 31, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Something you don't see every day: a shipping box with 5 mint Virtual Boys!
Spotted on Yahoo Auctions, bids starting at a hopeful 440,000円
Spotted on Yahoo Auctions, bids starting at a hopeful 440,000円
New addition to the BeforeMario collection...
Vintage Nintendo playing cards from late 1950s / early 1960s, with amazing cool design
Vintage Nintendo playing cards from late 1950s / early 1960s, with amazing cool design
December 27, 2025 at 5:09 PM
New addition to the BeforeMario collection...
Vintage Nintendo playing cards from late 1950s / early 1960s, with amazing cool design
Vintage Nintendo playing cards from late 1950s / early 1960s, with amazing cool design
Reposted by Beforemario
Who coined "Metroidvania"? It wasn't @jparish.bsky.social, and he'll be the first to tell you. Besides, there are far more interesting questions, like: How did it spread? Evolve? And what's it got to do with rickrolling?
Watch til the end for a post-credits sting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8set...
Watch til the end for a post-credits sting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8set...
The History Of The Word "Metroidvania" And How It Spread
YouTube video by Critical Kate (of A Critical Hit!)
www.youtube.com
December 20, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Who coined "Metroidvania"? It wasn't @jparish.bsky.social, and he'll be the first to tell you. Besides, there are far more interesting questions, like: How did it spread? Evolve? And what's it got to do with rickrolling?
Watch til the end for a post-credits sting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8set...
Watch til the end for a post-credits sting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8set...
Flashback to October 2024...
Would love to visit the Nintendo Museum again in the future
Maybe in 2026?
Would love to visit the Nintendo Museum again in the future
Maybe in 2026?
December 20, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Flashback to October 2024...
Would love to visit the Nintendo Museum again in the future
Maybe in 2026?
Would love to visit the Nintendo Museum again in the future
Maybe in 2026?
Yesterday a fierce bidding war ensued over this rare 1960s Nintendo tank race game, called "Home Race" (ホームレース).
Final price ¥251,000.
It was only the third copy that surfaced in over 20 years.
Final price ¥251,000.
It was only the third copy that surfaced in over 20 years.
December 12, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Yesterday a fierce bidding war ensued over this rare 1960s Nintendo tank race game, called "Home Race" (ホームレース).
Final price ¥251,000.
It was only the third copy that surfaced in over 20 years.
Final price ¥251,000.
It was only the third copy that surfaced in over 20 years.
Reposted by Beforemario
I have scanned and uploaded the extremely rare Nintendo company guide from 2000: archive.org/details/nint...
This is my first attempt at archiving my collection so I expect the quality will improve as my process does
This is my first attempt at archiving my collection so I expect the quality will improve as my process does
November 6, 2025 at 4:17 PM
I have scanned and uploaded the extremely rare Nintendo company guide from 2000: archive.org/details/nint...
This is my first attempt at archiving my collection so I expect the quality will improve as my process does
This is my first attempt at archiving my collection so I expect the quality will improve as my process does
The flip side of this (real silver!) medal features the familiar N&B Block playing boy, who is also shown on various boxes and a instruction booklet.
Did you know that this was the son of Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi?
Did you know that this was the son of Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi?
November 3, 2025 at 9:53 PM
The flip side of this (real silver!) medal features the familiar N&B Block playing boy, who is also shown on various boxes and a instruction booklet.
Did you know that this was the son of Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi?
Did you know that this was the son of Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi?
Very happy to add this to the Before Mario collection:
1960s silver medal "N&B Block Nintendo"
Comes in a small Paulownia box, similar to one used for hanafuda cards
Presumably a prize in a competition, but backstory still unknown
1960s silver medal "N&B Block Nintendo"
Comes in a small Paulownia box, similar to one used for hanafuda cards
Presumably a prize in a competition, but backstory still unknown
October 31, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Very happy to add this to the Before Mario collection:
1960s silver medal "N&B Block Nintendo"
Comes in a small Paulownia box, similar to one used for hanafuda cards
Presumably a prize in a competition, but backstory still unknown
1960s silver medal "N&B Block Nintendo"
Comes in a small Paulownia box, similar to one used for hanafuda cards
Presumably a prize in a competition, but backstory still unknown
October 19, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Holo Hanafuda (ホロの花札) for Nintendo Switch, special edition with dedicated card set
September 27, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Holo Hanafuda (ホロの花札) for Nintendo Switch, special edition with dedicated card set