Famicom Disk System
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The Family Computer Disk System, often shortened to Famicom Disk System (FDS), is a floppy disk drive for the Famicom game console (released in Europe and the U.S. in modified form as the Nintendo Entertainment System) and was released exclusively in Japan on February 21, 1986 at a price of about 15,000 yen.
The Famicom Disk System was connected via the console's module slot and could play games from 3-inch floppy disks (discs). These disks had the advantage of being much cheaper than modules. The game disks were available in two ways: Firstly, they were usually available to buy in a small plastic box with a cover and instructions, and secondly, you could buy a blank disc for a small amount of money and, for a small fee, select a game yourself at a machine called a Disk Writer and have it written to the disc. The data could be erased at any time and replaced by another game. Another advantage was that thanks to the recordable media many games offered a storage possibility, while outside of Japan at first either passwords had to be used or there was no storage possibility at all. Examples include Excitebike, Kid Icarus and the first two games in the Castlevania series.
However, since the discs only generated a small profit for the manufacturers, only a few developed their games exclusively for the disc system. Many released the games as both modules and discs, or ignored the disc drive altogether. Despite this, the Famicom Disk System sold about 4.5 million units. In addition, some of the most famous classic games in Japan were released exclusively on FDS discs.
The Twin Famicom, manufactured under license from Sharp, combines both devices in one housing.
Known games
A selection of popular games that were released for the Famicom Disk System:
- Akumajō Dracula (Castlevania)
- Dracula II: Noroi no Fūin (Castlevania II: Simon's Quest)
- Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic
- Excitebike
- Hikari Shinwa: Parutena no Kagami (Kid Icarus)
- Metroid
- Super Mario Bros.
- Zelda no Densetsu (The Legend of Zelda)
- Rinku no Bōken (Zelda II: The Adventure of Link)
FDS with yellow game disk and game controller. Some letters in the Nintendo lettering on the disk are recessed as a copy protection measure.
