Preservation Quest

If you look around on Etsy, retro gear websites, etc. there isn't too much hesitancy in using copyrighted logos, trademarks, and franchises on unlicensed gear. This was triply so from the 80s' up until the aughts because it was that much harder to discover the paper trail of these entities producing pirated systems. (Don't get me started on the MAGICOM.)

You're correct! That was my mistake. A bit on our philosophy: we keep the door open to us being wrong partly because the truth is always stranger than even our educated guesses. Which means there is always something new and wacky to discover even around the mundane.

A few indicators with the packaging / hardware itself were that it had a Famicom edge connector and internals as opposed to a NA NES style version. The other being they rebadged aka putting a Spanish language sticker on pirate Famicoms produced in Hong Kong and Singapore: this included using the same Certificate of Authenticity pictured. As noted earlier the actual history is unknown although Preservation Quest has been piecing together information from credible sources.

You're correct in that we just do not know the history nor circumstances surrounding Nintendo C.A. What we do know is that their "certificate of authenticity" was included in obviously pirated consoles from Singapore and Hong Kong, they published unlicensed games along with multicarts en masse, and appear to have utilized the same supply chain for their North American style NES as the pirated consoles did. The hearsay comes into play with stories I've heard from the country that Nintendo proper sued Nintendo C.A. over their name and masquerading as the company itself. This was supposedly because there was a production plant in Venezuela making those NES clones, multi-carts with their label made it out of Venezuela into Chile, Brazil, and Columbia when Nintendo took notice, or because Nintendo was trying to make an example out of the brisk market for pirated systems in Latin America. Venezuela was "rich" by LA standards but computers were still considered luxury items and licensed imports were well beyond the income of the majority of households even during the oil boom. Add in that the country was stupidly protectionist of local industry and signs point to Nintendo C.A. not being all that kosher. Once again none of this information is falsifiable (yet) and I'll tease that we've begun to uncover bits and pieces of the actual story....

May I send you a private message about this? We purchased a collection of Wisdom Tree, Color Dreams source code, Floppy Mastering Disks (retail,) VHS promo tapes, transparencies, and a few other things early last year.

Pirated Famicoms sold in Venezuela that came with a "Certificate of Authenticity" issued by a fake Nintendo subsidiary called "Nintendo C.A." which had been incorporated in the country. 

Nintendo is exceedingly good at controlling their image, and reinventing the perception around the company even during the same console generation. The truth is that at least Nintendo of America has never shied away from "edgy" promotions: A child catches his Father, and then his Grandfather obviously dressing in drag. Nintendo is blatantly saying "don't let your Family hold you back from buying our video games, and do everything you can to get them to do so. Blackmail? Go for it." Then there was their Play It Loud campaign that was criticized because ya, it was telling kids to blast the sound of their SNES to the point where it damaged their hearing. They even went beyond that message within the same sales push: "Ever think Nintendo would use the Butthole Surfers in a commercial? Or suggest: "Give the World a Wedgie"?" It speaks volumes to me of their expertise in marketing, and manipulating public perception that they're now seen as a very much "good feeling, squeaky clean" company.

Its obvious you understand how powerful video games have become to people on a personal, and emotional level. I know it may sound cheesey or hokey, but holding that realization, and spreading the message that games are a positive force to so many people the world over helps more than you may imagine. You deserve a gigantic thanks for that, and for being present in helping keep so many aspects of this medium alive, and kicking. Thank you

Awesome question Our efforts are on a couple different projects right now, one of which is what we refer internally to as the Doomentary. The Doomentary tells the story about how WADs came to be, and even how people were creating them two months BEFORE the first Doom was released to the public! The entire PQ Team is excited to show off the Doomlorean to the world relatively soon (Note: The Doom Guy Drives Alone, but if you really want to hop on for the ride there is plenty of space on the windshield.) Another project that is pulling our attention is digitizing 1300+ Brazilian video game magazines. In our hot little hands are over a hundred Latin American video game variants, and unique titles including one developed by Capcom in Japan, but only released in Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil. Other efforts are a brewin' that are too early on to talk about right at this very second. I'll make sure all of you Sages know whats up before the rest of the world realizes what has barreled into them at 666MPH, and 6.66 gigawatts.

The company that provides the liability insurance we carry modified the commercial property clause to cover damage done to loaned artifacts under our control such as fire / smoke, and even incidentals such as being accidentally crushed or torn. Requires documentation from the hand off starting from the post office to the NPO, but is doable, and I've found not that big of a deal in practice.

Greetings and Salutations Sages, We're a US 501(c)3 non-profit that believes video games are not just the story of a culture, a developer or even that vaguely defined thing known as The World... But of YOU. You who've been touched by their sense of creativity, imagination, and community (you're here after all!) Video Games are important. You're important. Your stories of how video games have shaped your life are important. And we can't just let those be lost, eh? I'm privileged to have discovered this community, and want to let you know that regardless of the age of this message, please do not hesitate in the slightest to ping me with cool video game stuff from any era, your thoughts, and stories on how video games have impacted you. Or anything else! Above all know that whatever life brings, we're in this together Don't forget to say hello to Dr. Baby Boop as you exit this message ~ he doesn't bite!