Family BASIC

Family BASIC
	The keyboard peripheral and application cartridge
Developer(s)	Nintendo with Hudson Soft and Sharp Corporation
Initial release	June 21, 1984; 40 years ago
Stable release	Family BASIC V3 / 21 February 1985
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Platform	Family Computer
Type	Programming language, video game

Family BASIC or Famicom BASIC is the consumer product for programming Nintendo's Family Computer video game console of Japan. Family BASIC was launched on June 21, 1984 to consumers in Japan by Nintendo, in cooperation with Hudson Soft and Sharp Corporation. A second version titled Family BASIC V3 was released on February 21, 1985, with greater memory and new features.

Overview[]

Family Basic box art and contents — *Family BASIC* box and its contents

Family Basic input, output, and batterery cover — *Family BASIC* input, output, and battery cover

The first edition of the Family BASIC application cartridge is bundled with a computer style keyboard and instructional textbook, and requires a cassette tape recorder to save user-generated BASIC programs. Programs can be saved using any cassette tape drive, such as the Famicom Data Recorder. Family BASIC was not designed to be compatible with floppy disk storage on the Famicom Disk System and the Disk System's RAM adapter requires the use of the Famicom's cartridge slot, which prevents using the slot for the Family BASIC cartridge.

Family BASIC includes a dialect of the BASIC programming language enhanced for game development. Its Microsoft BASIC-derived command set is extended with support for sprites, animation, backgrounds, musical sequences, and gamepads. Several visual components seen in Nintendo games, such as backgrounds and characters from Mario and Donkey Kong series games c. 1984-1985, are made available as Family BASIC development componentry, or appear in premade Family BASIC games.

Family BASIC cannot normally be used on NES consoles because that console lacks the Famicom's 15-pin expansion port. This can be circumvented by the use of a custom I/O adapter that hooks into the otherwise unused NES Expansion Port on the bottom of the console.^[1]

Clones[]

In 1990, a manufacturer in Shenzhen named NEDC developed and sold a clone of the Famicom with Family BASIC in China. The first model is called FCS-90 and it combines the Famicom chipset and cartridge slot, a pair of controllers, and RF output, making it a complete console that can be used to both program and play Famicom video games. NEDC also translated the built-in software to English for FCS-90 and its revised model FCS-92.^[2]

Development[]

The instruction manual's section for programming Japanese popular music into Family BASIC was developed by Koji Kondo, as the second Nintendo product of his tenure. Kondo had previously initiated his computer audio interests by programming sounds in BASIC on his home computer.^[3]

Legacy[]

Satoshi Tajiri, creator of Pokémon, had initially used Family BASIC as a gateway to build his understanding of the internal operation of the Famicom. This inspired him to create his own handmade Famicom game development hardware, and make Game Freak's debut game Quinty, later released as Mendel Palace (1990).^[4]

References[]

↑ "ENIO (Extended NES I/O)". {{cite web}}:
↑ "科特电脑学习机FCS-90型 - 红白机收藏馆的博客" . Retrieved January 9, 2019. {{cite web}}:
↑ Kondo, Koji (March 11, 2007). "VGL: Koji Kondo". Wired (Interview). Interviewed by Chris Kohler. Retrieved July 25, 2019. {{cite interview}}: ; subjectlink
↑ Szczepaniak, John (August 2012). "A basic history of BASIC on its 50th birthday". Game Developer. Retrieved July 16, 2019 – via GamaSutra, May 1, 2014. {{cite web}}:

External links[]

Template:BASIC Template:Homebrew

[enio-1] "ENIO (Extended NES I/O)". {{cite web}}:

[2] "科特电脑学习机FCS-90型 - 红白机收藏馆的博客" . Retrieved January 9, 2019. {{cite web}}:

[VGL:_Koji_Kondo-3] Kondo, Koji (March 11, 2007). "VGL: Koji Kondo". Wired (Interview). Interviewed by Chris Kohler. Retrieved July 25, 2019. {{cite interview}}: ; subjectlink

[A_basic_history-4] Szczepaniak, John (August 2012). "A basic history of BASIC on its 50th birthday". Game Developer. Retrieved July 16, 2019 – via GamaSutra, May 1, 2014. {{cite web}}:

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Nintendo Entertainment System
Accessories	Nintendo manufactured	Family Computer Disk System • Famicom Data Recorder • Famicom Modem • Family BASIC • NES Advantage • NES Four Score • NES Satellite • NES Zapper • Power Pad • R.O.B.
Accessories	Third-party	Aladdin Deck Enhancer • Arkanoid Controller • Double Player • Game Genie • HES Unidaptor • Homework First • Jammer • LaserScope • Miracle Piano • Power Glove • Roll 'n Rocker • Speedboard • Super Controller • Teleplay Modem • Turbo Tech Controller • Turbo Touch 360 • Turbotronic • U-Force • Ultimate Superstick
Hardware	Ricoh 2A03 microprocessor • Picture Processing Unit • Game Pak
Software	List of Family Computer games (List of Family Computer Disk System games) • List of NES games
Variations	NES-101 • NES Classic Edition • Twin Famicom • Sharp Nintendo Television • Famicom Titler • Hardware clones

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