Famicom BASIC

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Family BASIC or Famicom BASIC is a dialect of the BASIC programming language that is used to program the Famicom. Packaged with an instructional textbook and the Famicom BASIC keyboard, the software was released to consumers in Japan by Nintendo, Hudson Soft and Sharp Corporation in June 1984, with a second release in February 1985.

Several visual components seen in Nintendo games, such as backgrounds and characters from Mario and Donkey Kong games (circa 1984-1985), were made available as basic Famicom BASIC development parts, or have appeared in pre-made Famicom BASIC games.

Programs can be saved using the Famicom Data Recorder peripherial, basically the Famicom equivalent of the C-64's Datassette. Contrary to common thought, the Famicom Disk System cannot be used together with Family BASIC because both the disk system's RAM adapter and the Family BASIC cartridge need to be inserted into the main unit's cartridge slot for each respective peripherial to function.

[edit] Trivia

In WarioWare: Mega Microgames, one of 9-Volt's Minigames involves Famicom BASIC keyboard.
There were plans to release the game to the U.S., but Nintendo decided that they did not want to market the NES as a computer system.
Version 1.0 was never released but Versions 2.0 and 3.0 were. V.3.0 had a few tweaks and already created games were included.