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World Class Track Meet started life as a game released for the Famicom in 1986 as "Stadium Events". However, in 1987, Nintendo recalled these to release the game as a first-party title " World Class Track Meet" as a part of their Sports series of games. Circa 1990 or so they decided to include it on a new pack-in for the Power Set - Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt/World Class Track Meet. It basically became one of those NES Games that you had that you needed that special controller for that was such a pain in the ass to find let alone carry out, that most people probably played this a few times. Meanwhile, Howard Phililps of Nintendo speculates that 10,000 copies of the original Stadium Events cartridge existed and now of course, that's an NES game that's fetching stupid prices, all because of a label and branding.
A Day at Jons House, and crazy controller ideas - My Experiences So this game came from an old friend from waaaay back, when I was around 10 or so. This was the pack-in for his Nintendo. And I bought him out in 1997 for about $50 I think. Anyway, we could not find the power pad, and I was already inching over 200 at 16 anyway (I looked like I'm 28 - which somehow I'm 40 and still look like I'm 28.....not humble bragging, it's annoying as f***). We only played this once, I think I was 10 or 11 at the time. We brought this thing out, and of course we probably exceeded the weight limit, we had it on carpet (huge nono), were slipping around like those ice creatures like Super Mario Bros. 2/USA when jogging on it, and when we got sick of impending doom, probably one of us with a TV on our head (likely me), we resorted to beating our fists on the mat to run - yes, and that worked. So here we were, two 11 year old guys, letting our pubescent aggressions out on this digitally enhanced exercise mat like it was one of those vinyl punching bags your dad puts in the garage. I have always had a crazy idea of installing the right hardware onto a stairstepper machine of some kind for us older folks, either that or an adapter that would allow Bigfoot-style button mashing to work, kind of like the old Activision Decathlon game for the 2600. If my wife caught wind she'd probably think I'm just scared she'll kick my ass at it (she will) so I won't build something like that, but the truth is, I need schematics to the power mat. Maybe someday. Until then, I don't think I can post a proper let's play of this.Video(s) |
From the Bandai release all the way to Nintendo's, the game required a special peripheral (right) - the PowerPad, originally called the Fitness Track Mat or somesuch by Bandai. This mat took up player one and player 2 ports on the Nintendo, and was intended for a person around 130LBS or under to use (I'm pretty sure my 250LB buff-dino-bone-frame would destroy this thing). The idea was similar to the Wii Fitness over 20 years later. Basically, get your kids to do some exercise - and now they have no excuse because we can plug exercise into the Nintendo - for an artful way to put it.