Skip to main content

Have you tried turning it off and on again? Former Nintendo call center counselors reflect on 8-bit era

Ever wonder what life was like for Nintendo’s “Game Play Counselors,” who fielded requests for in-game help during the 8-bit and 16-bit eras? The A.V. Club has published an interview with several former Counselors, giving rare insight into the history of Nintendo’s corporate culture.

Among other revelations, the feature explains how a group of call center employees transformed into an army of Nintendo experts who were familiar with a majority of popular video games released throughout the ’80s and ’90s.

Recommended Videos

“It was all bare wood, banquet tables lined up with little 13-inch Sonys and NES [consoles], which all eventually ended up on our desk,” former Nintendo Game Play Counselor Greg Lowder recalls. “NESes laid out, just strung all over. By the way, there was no testing for getting [the job]. It was just literally, ‘You can do this. You know how to play video games. You can walk and chew gum at the same time. Boom, you’re hired.’ For me, at least.”

Though the barrier for entry was low, Game Play Counselors were forced to learn the ins-and-outs of the Nintendo Entertainment System’s library quickly. After training for the position, Counselors would spend their shifts fielding calls from players who found themselves stuck in one of Nintendo’s notoriously difficult 8-bit titles.

Part-Time Nintendo Game Counselors (Circa 1993)

“Back then, there was no computers,” former Counselor Caesar Filori said. “We didn’t have our database called the ELMO, which was our crappy 1990 database thing that would have answers to a ton of questions. We had these manuals that were mostly incomplete, so you had all your own notes you were like rifling through to get the answers. And when you’re early on, you don’t know what all the answers are. Eventually, you realize you get all the same questions. There were only 50 or 60 games.”

The A.V. Club’s group of veteran Game Play Counselors cited open-ended adventure games like The Goonies II and Legacy of the Wizard as being particularly difficult to assist players with over the phone.

“We had maps of [Legacy of the Wizard], like screenshot maps, and we could see the whole entire game,” former Counselor Shaun Bloom stated. “It was basically a side shot. But how many rooms were in that? Like 100 rooms?”

Bloom estimates that The Legend of Zelda was “probably our number one call” during the NES era. Players also frequently requested tips for the original Super Mario Bros and Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out, among other games that are now considered classics.

Danny Cowan
Former Contributor
Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…
3 new PlayStation Plus games to play this weekend (July 4-6)
Lilith staring into the camera in Diablo 4. She has giant horns and red wings behind her.

We have a double-whammy of a weekend to look forward to as PlayStation Plus subscribers. Not only do we have an extra-long weekend for the Fourth of July, but this month also marks the 15-year anniversary of PlayStation Plus. As such, Sony is hitting us with a particularly strong lineup of games at the Essential tier. Now, don't get your hopes up and expect all the best PS5 games to be on offer, but the selection is still very strong and offers something different to suit your tastes. We have one of the most popular action RPGs, a strong fighting game, and an artistic indie that you might have missed when it first came out. If you're looking for something new to play this weekend, I've got you covered.

Diablo 4

Read more
3 new Game Pass games to play this weekend (July 4-6)
mono and six together.

Those of us in America have a nice, long weekend to kick off July thanks to the 4th of July holiday. While some of us may have plans for barbeques and fireworks watching in the evening, there's still loads of time to spare playing some awesome Xbox games. As luck would have it, Game Pass just added a ton of new additions to the service this week that are perfect for the extended weekend. We do have to wait until next week for the first major day one release, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4, but there are still some great options to check out before that. I've included a fun party game for anyone hosting an event, a game with a short but powerful runtime, and a classic RPG to get lost in. Let's check them all out.

Ultimate Chicken Horse

Read more
After a month with the Switch 2, I can’t fully recommend Nintendo’s new console
A Nintendo Switch 2 playing Mario Kart World appears on a table.

We're still firmly in the honeymoon period with the Switch 2 right now. Most of us are still exploring Mario Kart World's open world for secrets or wondering if Welcome Tour was worth the $10 price tag. With Donkey Kong Bananza arriving just in time to beef up the exclusive catalogue with a new 3D platformer, I found myself conflicted with my time with the console so far. I don't mean personally; I am in love with this piece of tech. What is trickier is when others ask me whether or not I think they should pick one up.

One month into the system's life, there's a lot to love already, but not without some caveats. Consoles only get more enticing as they age, so adopting one early essentially means you're investing at its least appealing time. There are plenty of people I would recommend a Switch 2 with no conditions, but I would say the majority of gamers are better off waiting.

Read more